Benchmade's N690 vs 440C ?

wwells20

wwells20

Joined
Dec 31, 2004
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anyone ever do a comparison of these steels? i'm only asking because i bought a mini pika today only to find that the package said the steel was N690. but on the blade was 440C. now, i have NO complaints with BM 440C, but i really like my monocrome with N690. the edge seems to last a long time.

also, is anyone finding BM's red class packaged in a clamshell. (you can't handle the knife) "hate the clamsh*t package!"

thanks
 
My Monochrome came home with me from the local knife store in a standard red Benchmade box. The only knives I have seen outside discount stores in clam pack were some Gerber fixed blades at the same local shop. No testing so far on 440C vs. N690 though I have Benchmades in both steels.
 
I have also heard that the earlier Red Class Benchmades of models that are mainly to be made in N690 are frequently made in 440C. Thus, you could have an early production Mini Pika from before the main N690 runs.
 
wwells20 said:
anyone ever do a comparison of these steels? i'm only asking because i bought a mini pika today only to find that the package said the steel was N690. but on the blade was 440C. now, i have NO complaints with BM 440C, but i really like my monocrome with N690. the edge seems to last a long time.

also, is anyone finding BM's red class packaged in a clamshell. (you can't handle the knife) "hate the clamsh*t package!"

thanks
Click to expand...

first runs were in 440C - which is a good thing. Not that N690 is bad - but Benchmade has a proven track record with a really nice heat treat of 440C
 
love my mini-grip in 440c and i'm sure i will feel the same about the mini-pika.
can you tell i like small knives? i read in BM lit. that N690 contains colbalt, 1.5%? just wondering.
 
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