710 or Gravitator?

H

huugh

Joined
Jul 16, 2005
Messages
1,772
710_gravitator.jpg

Note: This pic is not mine

Which one would you pick?

710 McHenry Williams
+Bigger
+slimmer
+classic shape
+axis lock

-D2 steel
-no speciality (ss liner, uniform g10)


425 Gravitator
+cool shape (Mike Snody did a good job
icon14.gif
)
+titanium liners (weight, higher "cool factor")
+better materials

-linerlock (thick, but I am also bit concerned about wear as Ti is quite soft, any experience with this?)

And please no "get both" advice this time, I don't have enough money for both :(
 
I have both and I like them both a lot. Almost everybody I've shown my Gravitator to has turned their long blue nose up at it. I think the design is too radical to some eyes (not mine) That's never happened with my 710. The materials and workmanship are awesome on the Gravitator, and I really like the design.

But the 710 is an extremely tough knife to beat. IMO it's the best knife in the world for the money. The only thing I think could possibly be improved upon in the 710 is if they replaced the cheap FRN back spacer with G10.

If I could only have one, I would take the 710, if only because it's a modern classic. It's nice to be able to own something that's truly the best in the world.

But I do like the Gravitator a lot. The quality of material is there, the workmanship is impressive, the ergos are good and the design is fairly unique. Not to mention that it's built like a bulldozer. You'd have to try really hard to break it. I think my 710 would break before my Gravitator, it's much beefier.
 
First: thanks for the answer.

moonwilson said:
...it's much beefier.
Click to expand...

What can make my mind is something you mentioned - how do they carry in a pocket? Is Gravitator significantly more uncomfortable (due to thickness)?
I don't really want a brick in a pocket but to tell the truth I'm not very fond of D2. :confused:


I can't handle them anywhere over here :( so excuse me for niggling.
 
I pesonally just like the 710 better.

I'll take an axis lock over a liner lock anyday, regardless of how thick the liners are. The axis is just plain a better lock design IMO.

That said, the Gravitator is still a pretty sweet knife.

The only thing I think could possibly be improved upon in the 710 is if they replaced the cheap FRN back spacer with G10.
Click to expand...

and make the liners out of titanium.
 
The Gravitator is beefy, but it's not bulky or overly heavy. It's nothing like, say, my Buck/Strider 880, which is so thick and heavy it feels like a brick and I never carry it. I EDC'd my Gravitator for about six months and really liked it, I've never felt it to be too bulky. 6 months is a long time for a knife to last as my EDC, as I have a lot of knives and I'm always buying new ones. The Gravitator is probably in the top 5 of my favorites out of my whole collection.

That said, my 710 is currently my #2 favorite. People will laugh at me if I tell what my #1 is.
 
I have both too (actually those are mine in the pic). If I had to pick one I'd have a hard time.....

But I think I'd take the Gravitator because of it's unique look, I reach for that one and my Resistor before the 710. The 710 has a common look to it, but it's a great "do everything" knife. If I was going hunting or camping I'd take the 710.

The Gravitator doesn't feel like a brick in the pocket because of the Titanium frame.
 
JPD1998 said:
The Gravitator doesn't feel like a brick in the pocket because of the Titanium frame.
Click to expand...

Well I meant more likely dimensions/thickness than weight.
Thanks for the pics btw.


moonwilson said:
That said, my 710 is currently my #2 favorite. People will laugh at me if I tell what my #1 is.
Click to expand...
Common, tell us. Please :)
 
huugh said:
Well I meant more likely dimensions/thickness than weight.
Click to expand...

No even though it's a little thicker it doesn't feel like a brick....
 
The Gravitator design is more interesting, and the knife is still practical, but forgetting about things like "looks" and "cool factor" and focusing just on practicality, performance, reliability, and other less shallow areas, the 710 is the winner for me.

Both are cool knives, but I tend to go for substance over flash and while both have substance, the 710 has more.
 
If I could carry a 4 inch blade knife, the 710 would be VERY high up on my list. As much as I love the gravitator, which has been noted is evident lately, a Benchmade carbon steel recurve and axis lock put it over the top. It's a classic. Ultimately, it seems like they're such different knives though. Similar handle length, and both in g10, but looks, ergonomics, blade shapes, lock systems, steels, they're radically different.

Looks wise though, I would probably still prefer the Gravitator.
 
I haven't handled the Gravitator, love the looks of it, though. I don't really like the 710. The ergos feel stick-like and uninspired. The G-10 is smooth and offers little grip. Love the blade shape, but the handle just doesn't do it for me.
 
While I'm also not thrilled by the handle on the 710, you can't beat the axis, and I like d2 steel (at least bm's). I think that for most things the handle on the 710 is fine and, overall, it's a better shaped knife for edc.
 
JPD1998 said:
Overall , how do you like it?
Click to expand...

It is very nice. Feels very solid and the two different G10s are very interesting - the bright "bolster" one is very smooth and the dark one has little horizontal grooves in it to aid the grip. Grip itself is very comfortable due bit thicker handle than usually can be found on folders.
Conical spacers are eye catching too.

Blade is quite massive and as grind isn't very high you have full thickness on quite a part of whole blade.

But to tell the truth I expected it to be bigger :eek: - as you can see on pics I posted in Gallery, the blade isn't much bigger than of my Camillus CUDA EDC (actually when I compare EDC's blade to Spyderco Military there isn't big difference too so cause may be more Camillus EDC than Gravitator :))

Thumbstuds shaped like small pyramides are great - much more comfortable than classic cylinder shape.

Also there is no detent hole in blade and detent ball is quite small so opening is very smooth (blade holds closed) but I must admit I feel more secure when there is a detent hole...

Oh and it fits in the pocket quite fine - you can feel that it is bit thicker but it is nothing to care about. And pocket clip rides quite deep (and as it is pretty short, I don't think anyone would expect what is hiding in your pocket :))


Whoa, it seems like graphomania possesed me :)
 
Well , I'm glad to hear that you're pretty satisfied... I was impressed the first time I saw mine.
I like the "rippled" frame too, a nice touch.

If you ever get a chance to handle the Resistor, check it out. It is a thick knife , but also very unique.

Good Luck with it ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top