BM Aires 732 vs. Spyderco Wegner

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GC

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I'd like some input from the assemblage please. Guys and girls I'm going to purchase another general purpose knife. It'll be carried for your standard knife chores around the house and about town. It will also see some outdoor use. Hiking, hunting, camping, ect... This will most likely be light to moderately tough use.
Now, I know the Wegner was designed for exactly this purpose. In fact, I've used both a Full size and Jr. model Wegner in this capacity. They are outstanding knives in every respect.
I've taken a fancy to the Benchmade 732 Aires, much preferring the black G-10 to that funky red/pink/purple whatever on the 730. It occurs to me that the BM 732 would serve the same role as the big Wegner model. Same blade length, nice general use drop/spear point blade, strong lock ect... Opinions please? Will the BM 732 hold up to hard use outdoors?
 
The 732 will hold up to hard use.

That being said, I still prefer the Wegner. The Wegner was designed specifically for what you have in mind. You have handled a Wegner so you know about the excellent ergonomics and rock solid construction. I believe the Wegner's blade shape more readily lends itself to serious cutting chores than the almost spearpoint profile of the 732.

Both are nice knives but the Wegner would be, and is, my first choice.

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Dennis Bible
 
Well, I recently purchased a 732, cause I don't really like the funky colors either, and my friend has a Wegner. The axis lock is really easy to use and smooth. If you accidently close the blade too fast, you never have to worry about the blade closing on your fingers.
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It also looks really cool too, and the spearpoint blade is pretty useful. I am biased though because I don't own a Wegner, but that's my opinion
 
Well, so far it's a tie! Anyone else care to pitch in? And, where did you buy your 732 from? They are a little tough to find. Thanks guys for the input.
 
Wegner all the way. I think it is one of the most useful knives around. The blade has enough belly to do some serious cutting and still has a good point. The lockup on the Wegner is rock solid as is the 732. With the liner built the way it is on the Wegner it is unlikely that it will accidently close. I have had both and if I could have only one it would be the Wegner!
Now with that said, get a custom Wegner. I just picked up one built by Phil Boguszewski and it is awesome. Double titanium liners, canvas micarta scales, and a blade of 440V make a heck of a knife. This knife has an action slick as butter on a hot roll. I really like the double liners and is the only thing I would fault the Spydie version for. Of course testing by Spyderco has shown that the G-10 is plenty strong!
All in all I say that the Wegner, custom or production is one fine knife that has the ability to serve many purposes.

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Art Sigmon
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Php. 4:13

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword"
Heb. 4:12
 
Well shucks, I have three Wegners. I really like the looks of the Ares 732, and that is enough reason to get one. However, being the practical sort, I'd kinda like it to have a purpose. I have three AFCK's, so tactical is kinda taken up. Guess I need that tactical turkey carver another post mentioned!
 
I have both (well, the Ares is the 730, not 732). If I could only have one, it would be the one that I could carry anywhere (well, except court and airplanes, and both are ruled out there), and do an adequate job with everything that I'd need to cut. My vote would be the 730. Easier to carry covertly (deeper pocket carry; the Wegner sticks out about and inch from the top of my pocket), just as usable a blade shape, and a superior locking system. As I write this, the Ares is clipped to my pocket, the Wegner is at home on the dresser.

Now, all that being said, the first thing I do when I get home from work is take the Ares out of my pocket and insert the Wegner. Neither of them are my newest knife, so I think I am past the infatuation stage. These two win out over the Military and the BM 722 and 710 (among others). They just plain work.

You already have three Wegners (?!
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), so buy a 732. And I think that 1SKS has them.

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iktomi
 
The blade shape of the Wegs are great. I have a large and a small and think they are very useful blade shapes; I like them both.

I do wish, however that there were two liners, at least on the large and that the liner was more substantial. I would have rather paid a little more and gotten as little more.

On the small, I can't understand why so much of the knife has to be exposed out of the pocket. Couldn't they have put that obvious, shiny clip a little higher to put more of the knife in the pocket? If access were an issue, they could have easily put a pull lanyard on the knife for easier access. For those who did not need that, they could have simply removed the pull cord.

Overall I like the knives, mainly because of the blade shape and ergonomics. It's the execution that could have been done a little differently.

(Will we ever get spell-checker on this or are we expected to be literate on our own?)

[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 11-13-2000).]
 
After the original post of a few days ago some interesting things happened. I was deer hunting and realized there was a small pine sapling of around two inch diameter immediately in my shooting lane. Wanting to trim the little tree out of the way without too much comotion, I reached in my pocket for my Spyderco Wegner Jr. I had a Cold Steel Master hunter in my pack, but didn't want to dig around for it. I pulled the tree over and made a cut down the trunk, in the stressed bend of the tree. It split and another cut and some pressure and the little pine was out of the way. Upon closing the little Wegner I noticed the liner was all the way over, wedged against the opposite side scale.
Coming home I pulled five liner locks out of the case. A large Wegner, two Wegner Jr.'s, a mini AFCK, and a full size AFCK. A hard whack on the back of the spine caused four of the liners to walk across the blade tang. The mini AFCK was the only knife to not budge. The full size AFCK came unlocked once. Now, these were admittedly hard whacks, I didn't baby them. I was surprised that the Wegners walked, I thought them to be tougher. And I was not surprised that the mini AFCK passed with flying colors. These mid-size knives have proven to be outstanding in my experience.
Not owning an Axis lock, are they stronger and more reliable than the liners? Or am I expecting too much from the liner locks? I always thought of my Wegners as tough as nails outdoors type knives. One positive did come from this experience, I'm buying a Dozier fixed blade hunter very, very, soon!
 
With the possible exception of the Sebenza, I use folders for opening mail, cutting string, peeling/slicing fruit and dealing with packaging.

When in the outdoors doing "stuff" I tend to stick with fixed blade knives.

I am not trying to ignite any flames here about how great this folder or that folder is, but when it comes to hunting, camping and similar outdoor uses, no folder has risen to the level of a decent fixed blade.

I like folders, they are great for cutting pepperoni on hunting trips.
I like the Wegner (Lg & Sm) blade shapes but wish that execution of the knife's construction would have been different.

[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 11-13-2000).]
 
Nimrod,
I'm beginning to believe that a fixed blade really is the best for outdoors use. Maybe what I did with the Wegner Jr. was abuse as opposed to use.
I'll say that I have used folders for many years in the woods. I've skinned many a big game critter with different folders. They are harder to clean up after the chores are done.
In any case for what it matters, I sold the notion that I need a new fixed blade for hunting to my wife. Now, I'm shopping for a new Dozier!
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The liner moving over to the other side is apparently somewhat common with Wegners. It hasn't happened on mine but I have seen it mentioned in other posts. Spyderco says that is within specs and shouldn't affect lock-up. The Wegner is a very tough knife. The axis may be a little stronger, but I believe it would take more than a lot to make the Wegner fail. I like the 732, but would prsonally still take the Wegner over it.

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Dennis Bible
 
My Wegner walks. If I cut something like the sapling that you spoke of, the liner will move all the way over to the left (?) scale. In other words, all the way "locked". Then it is difficult to unlock. In a way, I sort-of consider that an enhancing characteristic, since it is even more sure a lock-up then.

None of my axis locks ever move at all. Period. The way I look at it, the Wegner has the best blade, but the axis locks have the best lock. Too bad BM doesn't put together an axis lock with a thicker blade.

But, bottom line, if you want the best, get a fixed blade with than size blade, and be done. It won't fail. When I'm in the woods, ANY folder, no matter how massive, is just my back-up, "pepperoni cutter."
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iktomi
 
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