707 Sequel or Ritter Grip Mini?

JustinWatts

JustinWatts

Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
423
Hello everyone,
Let me start by saying I'm sorry for starting one of these threads. I feel as though I have nothing to offer with one of these, but at the moment I'm torn. I've never owned a Benchmade, and I want to try out the Axis-lock. At first, I was considering a 707 Sequel because of the elegant size (I'm more of a smaller knife guy), but I've also been turned on by the Ritter ever since I saw it for the first time. I'd be using one of them primarily for rotation in EDC between my Spyderco's.

Now here is where both knives fail to impress me, the handles. The Sequel has Benchmade's classic coating, of which I hear you can scratch off with a fingernail. From all the reviews I've seen, it seems nearly impossible to keep the aluminum black; a worn knife doesn't necessarily bother me, but in this case I don't appreciate the lack of quality for a $100+ knife. On to the Griptilian; I don't fancy Spyderco's FRN, and from what I've heard the handles on Griptilians feel even cheaper. So either way, I'm going to be replacing the scales assuming I don't sell the knife if I don't enjoy it.

Anyway, let me know your thoughts. I would like your personal opinions on the knives, as I have no preference at the moment. Perhaps you can persuade me to lean towards one knife or the other, and I appreciate it very much. Thanks and have a happy New Year!
 
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I don't have a ritter grip yet but it is awaiting my paycheck this week lol. I do however have 2 707s and absolutely love them. I also have a plain mini grip and they are nice but the plastic handles just don't do it for me so I also ordered some Wilkins scales. The 707 has my favorite blade shape of all the benchmades I have, the aluminum scales feel very solid and offer enough grip. The only knick I have in the black coating is from hitting the granite counter tops at my parents house, I had my knife clipped outside my pocket(dumb move on my part). What I ended up doing with my 707 was replace the scales with some green kirinite scales made by Keyman here on these forums, highly recommended, not only do they add some extra flair but it also doesn't show marks like the aluminum does. The griptilian has many more custom scale options as it is more
widely recognized. Keyman, Kevin Wilkins and Cuscadi all offer scales in various finishes and materials to make your benchmade much more enjoyable.

At the moment I would choose the 707 over the mini grip but once I get my new scale who knows and I will have a ritter grip on order by the end of the week.
 
The Ritter Mini Grip has a blade shape/profile that is nearly perfect for just about any kind of cutting or slicing. The plastic (Valox) handles on the mini feel much more solid than the full size Grip (Noryl GTX) which has a slightly hollow feel. I believe it's due more to the liner design than the handle material. My 707 handles are too thin for my liking. It is great for carrying in the pocket, but to me it just doesn't feel as comfortable as the Mini Grip when using them. I can't comment on the longevity of the 707s anodized finish because I don't carry, or use them enough to have caused any wear. My Ritter Mini Grips gets a lot of use.
 
Thanks for the input. I'm leaning slightly towards the Ritter because I feel as though it'd be hard to get a four-fingered grip on the 707. It's also a bit cheaper. I would need to get some custom scales though, and I don't want them done custom as that's too expensive for me. I'll have to buy $80 BladeHQ grips; does anyone know of a cheaper source?
 
Keymans custom scales are right around that of bladehq , more depending on materials. You can always get a quote from him on what material you want done and see what it would cost. You can see all of his work in the customizesd benchmades thread.
 
Blade-fiend said:
Keymans custom scales are right around that of bladehq , more depending on materials. You can always get a quote from him on what material you want done and see what it would cost. You can see all of his work in the customizesd benchmades thread.
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I've seen his work before, but I assumed it would be much more as his scales are handmade as opposed to CNC'd. I sent him a message regardless, thanks. I think I'm going to go with a Ritter, and if I like it; I'll pick up some scales.
 
Like ive said i have the 707 but have always been curious about the ritter grip and this week im buying one :)
 
I prefer the 707 and I have carried it for months without any coating issues I can assure you that you can't scratch it off with your fingernail. The only thing i will say is that it is small, even though you like small knives it is extremely small. I also added a pocket clip from a contego (I believe) and made it a deep carry which I also like a lot better. Anyways good luck with your decision and if you can I would try both in your hand, oh and i agree I hate FRN or the handle material on the mini grips.
 
JustinWatts:

If you do decide to go with the 707 you should read the thread below about the 707-1201 "Limited Edition" before purchasing a standard model. A 707 with M390 blade steel and dark blue anodized scales with CF inserts. I have one myself, it makes a very nice EDC if you like the thin handles.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1132351-707-sequel

Also, below is a picture I took for another thread that shows the difference in the handle thickness of the Mini Grip, 586, and 707:

Benchmade_Comparison.jpg


Bechmade's "Handle Thickness" specifications:
- 556 Mini-Griptilian: 0.510 inch
- 586 Mini-Barrage: 0.570 inch
- 707 Sequel: 0.420 inch
 
Magnumfloyd said:
I liked the 707 alot more than the mini grip.
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Bingo! Just to comment on the anodizing of the 707, buy good friend carries a 707 exclusivly, and in the 6 years I've known him the anodizing is still there but worn. Hes a farm boy who uses his blade A LOT. I vote 707.
 
My two favorite models for the 3" size. Having both I don't think I could pick one clearly over the other. A ritter with after market scales is very nice. The 707 is nice from the start. Love the 707 blade shape and it packs a whole lot of blade in a small package similar to the 710 blade to handle ratio.
Matter of preference. Ritter is more comfortable to grip and fills the hand more.
Extended period use - ritter
Common daily task - 707
Both are winners!
 
Okay... I guess I'm going with a 707. If I treat it real nice hopefully I can keep it good-looking as it comes, as opposed to paying $200 for a Ritter with grips. Unfortunately, I don't have $225 for an M390 version, but I think 154CM is more than enough to get me through the day. Thanks everyone for your opinions.
 
It sounds like I'm a little late, but here goes anyway... I'm not sure if you considered this option. Maybe someone else mentioned it, and I missed it, but is another option for you.

I have owned several Mini Grips. When I got my first I thought, it's cool , but feels kinda of cheap. I started carrying it and using it, and never thought much more about it.
I used that first one daily, and some days used it hard. It never failed me, and the more I used it, the more I appreciated what the knife offered.
It is very comfortable, and durable. I was hooked after the first one.
While the aftermarket scales are neat, quite honestly I think they are overpriced, and really take away from what the Mini Grip is.

The Ritters are nice. Heck the basic Mini is a great knife. Another option is ordering a Mini from Benchmade the way you want it. You can choose the blade style you want, but not a Ritter style. That is Ritter exclusive. You can also chose the color of scales, and black or polished hardware etc. The price can be a little more than a Ritter, but you are getting a knife exactly the way you want it.

I've never owned a 707 but have owned a couple 705's. They are great knives, but in all honesty I like the Mini Grip better. Personally I don't care for the feel of aluminum scales, but a lot of people do.
 
Funny you should ask this question, Justin. I was in the same situation about 6 weeks ago. :)

I went with the mini Ritter grip and haven't regretted it one second.

The other day I was bent over the engine of my car working on something and I had to scrap out a broken fitting in a coolant line (don't ask), so I pulled out my mini Ritter and was scraping the broken off bits out of the hose when all of a sudden the knife slipped and fell. Clinking it's way through the engine compartment like a pinball landing on the floor.

I kind of chuckled to myself for a split second because I imagined if I had bought the 707 I probably would have been using it, and if the 707 fell through the engine compartment and onto the concrete floor it would be dinged up and look terrible. To make matters worse, it landed in a pool of water from melted snow and driveway salt.

I bent down, picked the Ritter up, brushed off the water and grime and finished up the job. When I got inside later I inspected the handle and there wasn't a single blemish on the handle. Not even a scuff. I don't think I could say the same if that happened with an aluminum handle knife.
 
I have several Grips, including several Ritter minis. I also have a 707 and to me there just is no comparison when you consider all aspects of the equation. The blade on the Ritter is one of my favorites. Love the design and usability of the Ritter. Add a custom set of scales and you have an unbeatable combination.

Aside from the handle, there isn't much of advantage of the 707 over the mini-grip IMHO. The blade certainly isn't better designed and uses the same steel as the standard mini. So the only real difference is the handle material and while a lot of people denigrate the stock grips on the mini, I find them to be robust, substantial and quite grippy. Nothing there that turns me off. Some may think of them as cheap, but in reality they are very usable, very nice handles. Yet the cost of the 707 is substantially more than the mini while the Ritter has a far better blade. IMO, of course.

A pic of my custom version of my Ritter mini-grip:
qFWFejS.jpg
 
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The thicker scales on the Grip make for a more practical user, but the 707 is more elegant if your use needs are routine. I've never had a problem with the 707 scales degrading. The clip…that's another story for both knives. If you want a user, I'd go with the Grip. If you want more of a gentleman's edc, it's hard to beat the 707.

Jordan
 
JustinWatts:

Are you still going with the 707, or has the pretty much split-down-the-middle comments made your decision unbearably difficult? :D

I believe jnich67's comments above sums it up nicely. :)
 
harris2 said:
JustinWatts:

Are you still going with the 707, or has the pretty much split-down-the-middle comments made your decision unbearably difficult? :D

I believe jnich67's comments above sums it up nicely. :)
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I'm torn, haha. I think I'll just end up getting both of them. They're basically the same knives in different aspects. The whole point of this purchase was to get a feel for the Axis-lock, so with either blade I can't lose. Thanks guys.
 
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