BM 710 vs 520

topgunpilot20

topgunpilot20

Joined
Oct 21, 2003
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how do these two knives compare for an EDC? i was leaning toward the 943 until i held it (mainly the handle was too small). unfortunatly, no one carries a 520 where i live, so i won't be able to handle it before i get it. thanks in advance for your coments.
 
Haven't handled the 520 either, but the 710 is very solid and feels comfortable in a multitude of grips. I'd like to know, too.
 
the 520 is a buff knife.

it is one of the best production knives i've used in a lonnnnng time. virtually no blade play when the pivot is cranked down. very solid handles, good heft.

it's not a sharpened prybar (a la buck strider, extrema ratio) but it can actually cut, and take SOME lateral force without flinching.

i like mine. it is bigger than it looks; the blade length is about the same as the 940 series, but the handle is SO much wider that it's actually comfortable to hold.

it's been my EDC for the past two weeks. it's cut cardboard, plastic, chinese sausage, turkey (raw and cooked), all sorts of stuff.

as compared to the 710... that's not too easy. they're different beasts.

the 520's blade is a lot wider and blunter. it doesn't slice and pierce as well as a 710HS, but the high grind does make it extraordinarily stable when going through stuff.

i prefer M2 to 154cm, but... you gets what you gets.

the bead blast on the 520 is reasonably good, and preferred over the 710's black-T.

the 710 has a better action than the 520.

both of them have those infernal thumb studs that are so small to hit.

the 520 has better forward guard. it's no emerson, but i still slip forward on it less than i did with my 710.

complaints:

1- the 520's traction grooving is excellent for your hand, excrutiating on one's pockets. it tears up pockets like nothing since the buck striders, and since it's Al, you can't sand them down. also, it's very slow to deploy becuase of this. if you reduce clip tension, the thing falls around in your pocket.

2- the blade is not stabby enough for me. also, there is a faint rake, similar to the 806, which makes it sometimes difficult to gauge where the belly is, relative to the point. the 710 has the sweeeet recurve.

in general:

- 710 is an excellent slicer, better than the 520
- 520 is a very good slicer
- 710 is much pointier
- 520 is more stable in the hand
- 710 is a lot easier to get out of the pocket, easier ON the pocket

i sold my 710 after a few weeks, i'm keeping my 520 for longer than that, at least

:)

-j
 
I recently checked out the 520 at a local knife shop. The traction surface of the aluminum handle really surprised me in a good way. It provided a rock SOLID grip, and the finger guards will help reduce any likelihood of your fingers sliding forward onto the blade.

This knife compares very well to other BM models I own, including the 975 CQC7, 690, and 73x series.

If I were considering getting an EDC knife with possible use in a SD situation, this would be up there at the top of my list. The sub 3.5" blade also means this knife can be carried legally in more places than the 710.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Good review, thanks.
This info helps me pick my next buy.

Or maybe it just confuse me more and adds to the want list :)
Tom
 
Oh, some more details...

The cam shape and the bead blast on the blade and cam surface (combined with the bronze washers) make for a LONG break-in period on the action on the 520.

I cleaned out the thing and worked the action maybe 300+ times and it's just starting to smooth in.

-j
 
I've been carrying my 520 for months now and I love it. At first it seemed like it would shred my pockets but I've learned to be careful putting it into my pocket; this helps alot. I find the extra grip is worth this trade-off. The blade shape strikes me as a good general purpose shape; it's not very exciting but it does a lot well. BM did a great job on this one :)
 
Haven't handled a 520 yet, but I have a lot of folders and the 710HS has been pretty much my exclusive EDC. You can't go wrong with it. I got the 710HSSR actually, but now I would probably just get the 710HS.
 
Was looking for such a post to add to, just received my BM520 last night, very cool knife! Quite secure grip in various modes, no problem at all.

I'd say that this knife would give the Sebenza a run for it's money, and maybe even out distance it as well. One thing I do like over the Sebbie is the blade shape, flat grind, thin edged and the bottom edge is straighter for a longer section with a small rise near the tip, where as the Sebenza has a long gradual rise to the tip and to me that means it can "run off" what you are trying to cut, may be excellent for skinning but for my uses I prefer this blade more.

Here are a few quick shots I took of my new prize ;)

Nice wide blade with excellent grip and guard area on this one!

520_4.jpg


520_3.jpg


Can you say Grippy? The aluminum handles are not only grooved properly but the texture is very grippy in itself...

520.jpg


520_2.jpg


That's all folks ;)
G2
 
Gary,

Isn't this such a sleeper of a knife?

When I first saw it, I really didn't like it. Geoff in Philly said "Just hold it" -- and one day when I was at a retail outlet, I did.

Suddenly the 520 makes sense, in the hand.

It's become one of my faves.

If you ever carry it in a pocket and you notice the clip and scales tearing up your pocket seams... do I ever have a cool mod for you. ;)

-jon
 
biogon said:
Gary,

Isn't this such a sleeper of a knife?...
-jon
Click to expand...

I'd say it was! Such a great feeling folder, wanted to add that I also owned a 710 and while that is a very good knife, I so much more like the blade configuration on this one, wide, flat ground and this thing will push cut like no ones business! :)

and of course I've owned probably a dozen Sebenza's in a wide variety of handles but don't have one now, if I did...I'd take a photo with the blades adjacent to each other for a comparison shot.

G2

as to the dandy mod, I may take you up on that but I think I'll be making a sheath for this one ;) one that allows the clip to remain as well.
 
I'm glad you resurrected (how do you spell it?) this.
Since my first post above I got a 520 and it is indeed a delightful, useful blade.
As you guys state above, the ergonomics, grip, blade, all primo!

So what's the mod????
GG, please post pics of the sheath when you do it :).
Tom
 
GG,

I forgot... the leatherworker man, extraordinaire. Am looking forward to seeing a sheath for the 520.

As for the mod...

Here's a pic. :)

-j
 
Wow, what a handy mod that is! :) I like the looks of that a lot.
G2
 
Nice mod there, Jon. I haven't gotten around to doing a similar mod to my AFCK (though the purpose of my scale change would be to make the handles even grippier! :)). Pockets be damned-- I actually like the Buck-Strider's scales.

Are those recessed nuts in the rear and middle of the scales? And does the blade-end attachment screw goes into a recessed nut on the other side of the knife?

For my mod, I'm leaning towards making my own backspacer so I can just tap it and attach screws from both sides.

PS: Hi Jon, long time no talk. I graduated last May, but I still find myself in the Baltimore area occasionally. Found a Hopkins postdoc knifenut; we ought to have a show and tell sometime.
 
Alpha,

Heya! How's it going? Let me know when you're around and we'll do a show and tell.

I had a fellow do my mod for me... if you want his info email me and I'll send it to you.

As for the scales, the countersunk nuts are actually the originals, popped out from the original Al scales. Nifty, huh?

If you can find some of that Security G10 that Strider uses, that would make some kickass AFCK scales. What would you make the backspacer from? SS? Aluminium? Ti can be a PITA to tap, I hear...

-j
 
Gary, I know exactly what you mean by "running off"...it's one of my peeves...I still love the 520, but...have you tried the Ritter Grip? If not, you must.
 
Jon: Good idea with the nuts, but I wouldn't have the tools to embed it again. I'm considering a backspacer in either SS or aluminum. Probably the latter (for weight), if it can be tapped properly.

As for the G10, I got some nicely textured stuff. The texturing is fairly shallow, but I think it grips even better than the deeper G10. I've used some on my DDR-3 and it feels great, but unfortunately the knife fails your hard spine-whack test. The G10 is also thicker at a little more than 1/8", which would help make the AFCK more hand-filling and to cover the pivot (making it hidden).
 
Alpha,

Hmmm... I think I've seen tapped Al backspacers holding screws correctly... but I can't remember where. You'll have to post pics if you do try it out. Cool idea!

Grippy G10 rocks.

Re: DDR-3 and hard spine whack... have you tried just increasing the lock spring tension? Sometimes that will work. Is it a straight cut or a radiused cut tang?

-j
 
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