Benchmade CPM-M4 hardness

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Lennyo3034

Joined
Nov 27, 2012
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I have several Benchmade blades in CPM-M4. The two that I'm concerned with are the limited edition Benchmade Presidio and mini-presidio knives, with the RC listed at 60-62. I've read several posts on here, and other places that their benchmade M4s were on the softer side, and they really began to perform at after re-heat treating.

Has anyone here done this, or would recommend this? If so, where should it be sent to? Thanks.
 
I believe the newer m4 benchmades (contego, limited edition grip) are run in the 62-64 range. The older ones (m4 ritters,presidios) are in the 60-62 range.
 
If you mean the BM525BK-1101 Mini Presidio, the seller lists the RC as 59-61. Don't know about re-heat treating.
 
60-62 is quite hard, and 62-64 is real hard. M4 also has loads of fine carbides which are harder than the steel itself. So basically I wouldn't worry about it unless you're having a specific problem with a specific knife - if M4 at those hardnesses isn't keeping an edge, you have a warranty issue.

Tearing apart a knife, having the blade re-HTed and refinished and putting it all back together would run you into spending custom-type money anyway.
 
I have two BMs listed at 62-64, and there's just no way it's there when I compare it to my Spyderco Gayle Bradley. I haven't had its hardness tested, but others have been tested and posted here on the forum right at 62-62.5 consistently (those beyond the first run, which was harder, and mine isn't from the first run). The BMs can't do as low an angle as the GB without taking a lot more damage, bending over in particular, which says to me it's softer.

That said, I'll still take BM's CPM-M4 over most other steels.
 
Lennyo3034 said:
I have several Benchmade blades in CPM-M4. The two that I'm concerned with are the limited edition Benchmade Presidio and mini-presidio knives, with the RC listed at 60-62. I've read several posts on here, and other places that their benchmade M4s were on the softer side, and they really began to perform at after re-heat treating.

Has anyone here done this, or would recommend this? If so, where should it be sent to? Thanks.
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I've heard amazing things about M4 taken to 64-65, but the only knife in M4 that I have is near it is at 62.5 and that's a custom fixed blade. However, going back to your question, I contacted Phil Wilson about getting one of my M4 Benchmades being reheat treated and unfortunately he was backlogged during that time. Sold that Benchmade a bit later on.

If I were you, I'd make a thread over in looking for services sub-forum and see if someone would be willing to take it on.
 
Thanks for the replys, I'll contacting people who do it and seeing what all it takes to do. If it has to be refinished, then it's a no go as I'd like to keep the special edition markings.
 
kreole said:
I have two BMs listed at 62-64, and there's just no way it's there when I compare it to my Spyderco Gayle Bradley. I haven't had its hardness tested, but others have been tested and posted here on the forum right at 62-62.5 consistently (those beyond the first run, which was harder, and mine isn't from the first run). The BMs can't do as low an angle as the GB without taking a lot more damage, bending over in particular, which says to me it's softer.

That said, I'll still take BM's CPM-M4 over most other steels.
Click to expand...

There SO many other factors in edge stability than hardness for anyone to claim that one steel if softer than the other based on edge damage at the same DPS edge.

You'd really have to have many of the same knife to make that conclusion.
 
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