[scook]

For every day use, I prefer a knife with a clip that rides inside my jeans (or other) pocket. I don't trust the type of lock that's on the cheap one you bought - a liner lock is MUCH less likely to fold up on you and cut a finger in hard use.

I'm with Destroyer on serrated blades. If you're needing to absolutely get through a seat belt or rope in one cut, serrated is a good choice but for general all around cutting, a non-serrated blade is much more useful. If you don't like to sharpen knives or aren't any good at it, serrated may be an OK choice. If you have or get a good sharpening stone (I prefer DMT diamond sharpeners) and learn how to use it, you can keep your knife tuned up easily.

I'm with Spare - you will probably not find a better knife than a Benchmade. They make them here in Portland Oregon and if it ever gets to where you can't get a good edge on it, send it in and they'll sharpen it for you.

I only carry my Benchmade when I think I might need it defensively but it's not a style that's good for every day use. My everyday knife is a CRKT (Columbia River Knife & Tool). It's definitely not a Benchmade but it's not a cheap knife and is adequate for general use - just needs sharpening more often.

I hope some of this is helpful.