Benchmade 710,pros,cons?

I have had two. I love the design. You just cant beat the amount of blade you get for such a trim package. Easy to open, easy to close, strong lock, nice blade shape and length, and good materials. Some people don't like the recurve in the blade and the price may be a little high by comparison, but if you like the looks of the knife then go for it. Its a quality piece.
 
Don't like the handle. The g10 is almost polished and has very little traction. The one I fondle is my friends and he got it very stiff out of box and the washers need intence polishing and material needs to be removed. Polished last night but I don't know when well be able to take it to 1 and 2000 grt paper
 
If you're set on the 710. Be sure to check out the Knifeworks exclusive 710.
Gets you Blue g10 and m390 steel for $20 more.
 
Possible Cons (for some):

D2 Steel
-Not stainless
-Can be difficult to sharpen

Slight Recurve
-Can be a bit more difficult to sharpen until you get the hang of it.

Handle
-The handle isn't contoured at all.
-It is polished (I actually love this).

Blade Length
-Not always legal.

I've owned a few of the 710 model and they are really great knives.
 
I have owner several 710s in every variation and love them. It was the knife that introduced the axis lock to the world. I currently edc a 710 from KnifeWorks and it's a fantastic iteration of an already epic knife. I prefer the M390 to the D2 steel and mine was razor sharp out of the box. I prefer blades 3.75" to 4" and this fits the bill nicely without taking up a bunch of real estate in my pocket. Once you pick one up, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
 
Just some of my observations... could be interpreted as pros or cons, depending on your preferences...

Long, slender D2 blade with a slight recurve. I had more experience with Benchmade's D2 in one of my Mini-Grips, and it has worked great. The recurve can be a bit tricky to sharpen initially, but after you've done it a few times, it's not much different from a straight edge. The recurve does give you more bite when cutting in the recurved portion. The longer blade is nice (if you like longer blades).

The G10 looks textured, but is actually smooth/polished. I like polished/smooth G10, but the way it was done on the 710 (with the textured pattern) just didn't really appeal to me.

In pocket, it carries well for a knife its size. It is pretty thin and narrow, so it tucks in pocket pretty well. It comes with the standard Benchmade clip, but you can fit one of their deep carry clips on it too if that's your preference.

Ergos didn't really fit me particularly well. Again, just a matter of preference.

Axis lock is awesome.

If you like that long, slim profile of the 710, you might also check out the ZT 0452CF.

ZT0452CF_BM710_open_800x299.jpg
 
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