Benchmade Nimravus

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zignal_zero

Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
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i've searched and found a few threads, but not many.

will the folks who carry/use this knife please speak up. what are your findings? how longs has it stayed at the front of your collection?

lemme know, because i'm still on the fence.

i also haven't decided between the two steels they offer.
 
I have one, it's a nice knife, feels good in the hand, easy to use. Unfortunately I don't get enough chances to use it as I'd like to give you a really good review, but I do like it.

Dave
 
I have one that I bought back in the late 90's. I think it's ATS34. I like the design but this knife that I have has an extremely brittle edge. I have never seen a knife that has an edge this brittle. It might have been just a bad one, I don't know. To me it seems like it was hardened and never tempered. Again, maybe it's just this one knife.
 
I have one in M2 and even though it is no pry bar it is a very strong knife. Easy to carry.

Very nice design, secure grip, comfort. Fred Perrin once gave a nice review. Even though he was wrong on the steel, (M2 is not carbon steel) and he had the first model came out, this type is a reliable thing.

I´m glad to get the "older version" with the right steel and G10 scales.

The sheath is well without the "security pin". It doesn´t work. But the sheath itself snaps and holds the knife for normal work tasks. No problem so far.
 
This thread is timely. I just bought a NIB Old stock M2 Nimravus. The knife appears well made, the edge is sharp and straight and it passes the eyeball test.

No performance related comments yet as I just got it.

There are more M2 versions out there unsold. Joe
 
I have a tanto tipped Nimravus in 154CM. Nice knife, but not enough heft for chopping. Batons okay though.
For sticking in wood point first, the knife will flex rather than break. No problems with chipping so far.
Nice knife, and one of my more favoured fixed blades; worth the money.:thumbup:
 
stabman said:
I have a tanto tipped Nimravus in 154CM. Nice knife, but not enough heft for chopping. Batons okay though.
For sticking in wood point first, the knife will flex rather than break. No problems with chipping so far.
Nice knife, and one of my more favoured fixed blades; worth the money.:thumbup:
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wow, it flexes when you stab it into wood? i'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. the 154CM was the one i was kinda leaning toward, in hopes of avoiding something chip prone, but that sounds kinda concerning.

i'm hittin up a gun show, tomorrow, and kinda planned on bringing one home. you got me nervous, now LOL.

i have a bad habit of practicing slashes, and thrusts on hard targets. my Recon Tanto loves it, but it's a little bigger than what i like to carry full time. i could make a more appropriate training target i have an old roll of carpet, but there's just so many trees out here :)

ETA- the chopping is not a concern. the utilitarian duties for this knife would be comparable to what's expected of a folder... except for the tree stabbing
 
I have one of the old M2s and have to say so far I'm pleased with it. I did some testing with it on some stainless steel mail that I made.While it did not defeat the mail overall the edge held up well. It did dull during the testing but it did not suffer any chips or dents.








 
M2? all the one's i've seen are either the 154CM or D2. i haven't seen any M2's. is M2 similiar to D2?

btw - that is impressive, i would've expected edge damage, honestly.

i couldn't bring myself to do that to my blade, but i'm glad you did and documented it. thanx for sharing :-)
 
i haven't seen any M2's. is M2 similiar to D2?
Click to expand...

Not real similar, no. About the only similarity is they are technicly not considered stainless steel. I much prefer M2 . You can look up the steel's element composition on the spyderco website for a comparison of the two. Joe
 
I have the Cub in ATS34. It came with a chip in the edge
from a guy who probably didn't use it that hard.
The type of steel should make a difference.
It does fit my hand well though.
More fuel for the fire :)
Doc
 
zignal_zero said:
wow, it flexes when you stab it into wood? i'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. the 154CM was the one i was kinda leaning toward, in hopes of avoiding something chip prone, but that sounds kinda concerning.
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You have to stab pretty hard to get it to flex.:)
It's not like a fillet knife; I was more trying to get the point across that it would flex before breaking, that's all.
Your hand will slip off the handle before you manage to wreck it with stabbing trees.
 
zignal_zero said:
M2? all the one's i've seen are either the 154CM or D2. i haven't seen any M2's. is M2 similiar to D2?

btw - that is impressive, i would've expected edge damage, honestly.

i couldn't bring myself to do that to my blade, but i'm glad you did and documented it. thanx for sharing :-)
Click to expand...



Here is a pic of the knife used. It's a good knife the edge dulled during the cutting/slashing part but overall it held up well. The knife is very solid in the hand for thrusting there were no indications of the hand slipping. The only mod I've made is to add the large headed screw at the throat of the sheath. With out that screw the knife will not lock into the sheath with it it will. Why Benchmade left it off the design is a mystery?



HPIM1009.jpg
 
i went to the gunshow, today. not one BM Nim :-( they had a nice Presidio, tho. my biggest concern, now, is: i CANNOT get an edge on my BM 710. it's ATS-34. i use a 5 piece Lansky. i sharpen all my friends folders and they all get seriously sharp, but my own knife never gets a decent edge. i mean, i can shave with it, but it's rough and i have to push hard. i can slide the edge down the print section of my finger tip w/o cutting it. if i tried this with the blades i sharpen for my friends (most recently a SOG), i'd need stitches.

sorry, if this should be in the "sharpening" section, but it does pertain to this knife that i need first hand advise on. i've pretty much decided i need a BM Nim, but i'm not sure which steel. i want a knife that is SICK sharp and that just doesn't seem possible with my other (only) BM.

M2? 154CM? are either or both of these going to be easier to make razor sharp that my ATS-34 710?
 
M2? 154CM? are either or both of these going to be easier to make razor sharp that my ATS-34 710?
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Not noticeably easier. There are more difficult, like D-2. Of the two you mentioned I find M-2 makes the best edge, and IMO holds it too.
 
I currently have cub version in M2. Use it mostly about the house (major kitchen use).

I have owned a fullsize and I found it to be a good cutter, too. I consider the design a medium use knife by today's standards.

If you plan on pounding a knife through wood knots, breaking cinder-blocks, prying, etc., I'd get something else. The issue is the thickness of the blade - BM tends to make thinner fixed blades.

But for a decent outdoors knife, used for cutting, reasonable batonning, and such, I think the Nim is a fair choice.
 
If you can manage to get every other edge sharp, no matter the steel grade, take your 710 and ask BM what they could do about.

There were reports of ATS34 Blades, that were hard to sharpen but dulled quickly. I have had one too and got a replacement.

M2 is out of production for some years. You get 154CM and D2 each has its pros and cons..

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=550134

That´s what i have to say about it.
 
I wish they'd make the G10 scales flush with the tang. I absolutely HATE the exposed perimeter tang, but I guess it means they can be less demanding on the manufacturing specs.

If they did one with flush G10 slabs, I'd get one in a heartbeat.
 
I have a combo edge 154cm and like it. The knife handles well for most tasks you'd use a small fixed blade for. The ratio of plain edge to serrations is good. Often you find it closer to 50/50 versus this knife which is what I'd guess is about 1/3 serrations. I have the newer version with deeper choil, and nylon sheath. The only trouble is I'd like a kydex concealment sheath for it but everyone I've contacted wants me to send the knife in for fitting. I don't usually go to that much trouble. I just carry a different knife.

If I could find a kydex sheath on the shelf, I'd by it. The blade, the nylon sheath, and the concealment sheath... I'd consider that a pretty solid knife system that fills many roles.

JC
 
zignal_zero said:
i went to the gunshow, today. not one BM Nim :-( they had a nice Presidio, tho. my biggest concern, now, is: i CANNOT get an edge on my BM 710. it's ATS-34. i use a 5 piece Lansky. i sharpen all my friends folders and they all get seriously sharp, but my own knife never gets a decent edge. i mean, i can shave with it, but it's rough and i have to push hard. i can slide the edge down the print section of my finger tip w/o cutting it. if i tried this with the blades i sharpen for my friends (most recently a SOG), i'd need stitches.
Click to expand...

Every old ATS-34 Benchmade I've ever resharpened was an absolute b****. Granted, most of these were pretty dulled down (they weren't mine) but I was gliding a new file off of them and ended up having to use diamond stones to do anything. Anything less than diamond and it's painfully slow...perhaps this is one of the reasons why they don't use it anymore?

Note: The issues I've had with ATS-34 have only been with the heat treatment that Benchmade has used. Other knives in this steel haven't been half as hard, though still a challenge. Anyone know what they did different, or am I imagining this?
 
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