Benchmade 710

Cypress

Gold Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2009
Messages
1,742
This knife has been on my hitlist for a while, but two things kept me at bay: The recurve on the blade, and the lack of availability on coated blades. I knew this knife was going to be something I find in the back of someone's case, and not online. As it turns out, I was right! I went into my local dealer to scope new stuff, and there it was.

Straight out of the box, the recurve looked like it had been sharpened by giraffe using a round bastard file. Total rubbish. The knife didn't cut a thing before I decided to put a 40-degree inclusive edge on the D2 steel. While it didn't get as sharp as some of my other high-end steels, time will tell how well it holds what it's got.

Ergonomics are spot on. I've read some reviews stating that the G-10 isn't grippy enough, but I don't share those sentiments. The knife carries much smaller than I would have thought, especially for a blade of this size.

Pros:

Delicious Axis Lock (the original Axis knife)
Large blade in a small package
Ergonomics are great for medium hands

Cons:

D2 steel... Still?
Factory edge was a messy joke
Plastic backspacer on a ~$200 knife?


BEHOLD





 
Good review, it sure brings back memories when I had one.
Overpriced now, I payed 100$ new on a second hand site like this about 4 years ago. But sure cuts well with a big blade in a slender package. Carries nice in the pocket although not all that comfy and a lack of grip IMO.
 
After carrying the 710 for a few days, I must admit, this is one hell of a knife.

Unfortunately, it is plagued with a few issues. The blade is not really centered, and I've done everything I'm comfortable doing to rectify it. It doesn't rub under normal use, but it comes pretty darn close.

Another problem happens to be the most common issue with this model: The blade contacts the backspacer when it is closed. Many people are installing barrel spacers in place of the plastic, so I gave it a try. I didn't care for how they made the knife feel in-hand, and I felt like they took some of the structural rigidity out of the knife. I sanded the plastic backspacer down where the blade was hitting it, and re-installed.

Here's a photo of the problem:



Here's a crappy picture of the barrels I put in:



I would also like to note that I took the edge down to 17 DPS to see how the D2 responds. It feels MUCH sharper than when I was running it at 20 DPS. I left the edge slightly toothy, as this is my main EDC now. The mirror edges are fun to show off, but generally don't jive well with the tasks that my knives encounter.

The paint (why paint?!) on the clip is already showing a lot of wear, but that is of little concern to me.
 
Cypress nice review, had one but let it go, blade rode the plastic backspacer same as yours. I didn't feel as though I should correct that issue. The axis lock and blade length were high points for me.
 
Bench made will send you a different clip for free. I put "split arrow" ones on mine, they are not painted so they don't chip. You can just ask for one off a Nitrous Blitz, it is the same one.

I put them on both sides of the knife so I can switch pockets at will.

I really like the 710. Mine is in M390 and I just traded my CPM-M4 710. The M390 has the plastic spacer, the CPM-M4 came with barrel spacers. It was a Knifeworks exclusive.
 
I actually stole mine out of my Spyderco Gayle Bradley, then shaved the extensions off. You can also buy them online. You need the .165" width.

Jmclfrsh, the M4 and the M390 versions are my grail knives!!! Sorry to miss out on that!
 
I just got one yesterday and am impressed. The ergos of the handle are spot on for me and it carries small for a large folder. The blade is more narrow than I thought...struck me as a shiv! ;) Cut up a mango lickety split...was easy to handle for a large knife.
 
I just checked my backspacer and it is hitting. Ive never checked until now. I'm going to go ahead and sand it down like you did.
 
GREAT blade. Hate honing that recurve but it does cut like a screaming witch once you've gotten it there... D2 is amazingly good IMHO... those big carbides make it cut like a miniature chainsaw.
 
A quick update:

The pivot has smoothed out a LOT since the day I bought it. Once the Axis is disengaged, the blade falls shut under its own weight!

D2 seems to hold an edge about as well as S30V, but it's nowhere near M4 or M390. I usually start new knives at 17 degrees per side and broaden it if needed. 17 was just too thin for this blade. I recently replaced 16 lightbulbs in the house with LED units, and they came packaged in the usual hermetically sealed packages. The 710 went to work on the packages (which damn rear require a plasma cutter) and cruised through the first half. After the halfway point, the knife had considerably more resistance pushing through the plastic. Afterwards, I checked the edge and saw what I had presumed; A neatly rolled edge :( My S30V Paramilitary 2 rolled and chipped while cutting through denim, so 16 hard plastic/cardboard packages seems about right for this blade.

In order to remove the rolled edge, I put a 20 DPS microbevel on, and intend to just continue touching the knife up at that angle from now on. It's not as "freaky sharp" at the new angle, but hopefully the sharpness it does have will last a bit longer. If I can ever find an M390 version of this knife for less than $275, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

The coating is standard-issue Benchmade - weak. The edges of the spine are wearing off from unknown contact, and the lightbulb packaging put a nice rash on the transition from the flat to the bevel. There are other dings in the coating, but I am completely unsure as to where they came from, and the pocket clip looks like a Picasso painting.

Spine rub



Bevel rash

 
Appreciate the review & pictures. I'm strongly considering a 710 for my next purchase, and your info helps.
 
Thanks to 45Shooter, I now possess a 710-2 with the always-delicious M390 steel.

After carrying it for a few days, I can't figure out why it took so long for me to get one of these. The fit and finish is better than that of my 710D2 by leaps and bounds. The pivot has 1/8th of the play, the bevel is straighter, the blade is centered when closed, and the action is smoother after disassembling it for cleaning. However, I did need to shave the backspacer as there were slight signs of touching.

The M390 is as expected; Outstanding. It took on an EXTREMELY sharp 34º inclusive edge and has held it without any sign of performance loss with use. The D2 couldn't take an edge this fine, and it seemed to prefer a very toothy edge due to the large carbides.

The sharpness of this edge made itself known when my pointer finger slipped off of the rounded spine (the D2 version is square). When I retracted my finger it brushed against the edge, cleanly removing a disc of skin from the tip. I only noticed the event when I saw the skin still sitting on the blade before feeling the blood running down my hand.

Skin disc



Just the tip



Overall, I would say the addition of M390 to the 710 has turned an already good knife, into a near-perfect knife. My only qualms with the knife are the plastic backspacer (which the blade hit), and the very tiny amount of the thumbstuds that sits above the curvature of the spine. I know this is nitpicking, but moving the studs towards the edge ~0.7mm would make the rounded spine look a little less "afterthoughtish".

Pictures!







Thumbstuds slightly above the radius of the spine. Small, but it was one of the first things I noticed.

 
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I was always a Benchmade fan (my first "good" knife was a Mini-AFCK) but never cared much for the looks of the 710. But after reading all the glowing reviews, I decided to try one (uncoated D2 blade). It quickly became my favorite EDC. I don't know exactly what it is about that design, but it seems to do everything well, from the way it fits my hand to the way it functions. After several years of loving the knife, I still don't think it looks as nice as a lot of other knives. But, at this point, I'd have to say it might be my all-time favorite folder.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
Bm710 is my all time favourite knife. With m390 steel is great and with Ankerson's sharpening the best ;)

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