BM710 vs Spyderco Military

The eccentric pivot can be adjusted to prevent veretical blade play, as blade play begins to develop with extended use. I haven't had to adjust mine yet, but I'm sure I'll be glad to have this feature a few years from now. My Military gets used pretty hard.
 
Baraqyal also mentioned the eccentric pivot which I have on my Starmate. What is the function of this and why is it a plus?
Click to expand...
It’s plus because it allows to recompense blade tang and locking liner mutual wear out. In another words, if your liner would go all the way across blade tang and stop on opposite scale – it can be adjusted if the knife is equipped with eccentric pivot.
Using my Military daily for more than 3 years I didn’t experienced the need to do it yet.
 
Well, the UPS man just dropped off my new 710HS. After looking the knife over I have mixed feelings.

The quality, materials and construction seems to be pretty good. The lines flow and are well blended. Ergos are maybe an 5 on a 1 to 10 scale. I wish the G10 scales were a little more "grippy". Also, the factory edge is terrible. Not ground evenly and nowhere close to the sharpness of an out-of-the-box Spydie. Blade is perfectly centered in the handle with the blade closed. I've read a few comments on this board about off center blades. I got lucky, it seems. The axis lock is really neato and plenty smooth. Looks strong too. With just the first few "flicks", I'm starting to adapt to the thumbstud and am getting some lightning fast openings. I'm so used to the spydie hole, this thumb stud is going to take some getting used to.

Overall, the first impressions are so-so. Now for the workout phase. This knife had better be able to perform or she's gone, gone, gone...

Cheers.
 
Buzzbait and Sergiusz - thanks. Mine needs adjusting but I'm a bit nervous to go there yet...

Harry - hope the Benchmade cuts it!

Kallisti.
 
Originally posted by Harry Callahan
The quality, materials and construction seems to be pretty good. The lines flow and are well blended. Ergos are maybe an 5 on a 1 to 10 scale. I wish the G10 scales were a little more "grippy".
Click to expand...
5 of 10? Please advise if you've found a folder that is 9 or 10 of 10. I can think of better, but it depends on what your goals are... working knife or defensive knife. I can't think of a knife that is 4 or 5 points of 10 better.
Originally posted by Harry Callahan
Also, the factory edge is terrible. Not ground evenly and nowhere close to the sharpness of an out-of-the-box Spydie.
Click to expand...
Benchmade went soft on factory sharpening a few years back... few approach Spyderco and Microtech in OOTB sharpness. Gotta learn to sharpen anyway, so this is a short term inconvenience. No production companies offer M2 or Axis other than BM.
Originally posted by Harry Callahan
Blade is perfectly centered in the handle with the blade closed. I've read a few comments on this board about off center blades. I got lucky, it seems.
Click to expand...
Unless yours is badly asymmetrical in the actual GRIND, and all you got was an uneven final edge, you have the raw material for a very good knife. Shame Benchmade grew faster than they were willing to nail down production employee talent.
Originally posted by Harry Callahan
Now for the workout phase. This knife had better be able to perform or she's gone, gone, gone...
Click to expand...
Let me know if you are ultimately dissatisfied and want to sell. I'll take it off your hands for a fair price ("Fair" meaning depends on what you did to it and relative to what you paid). So will many others.
 
Kallisti,
Mine needs adjusting but I'm a bit nervous to go there yet...
Click to expand...
Since you are in Europe and it is pretty inconvenient for you to send the knife to SPYDERCO Customer Service (more than likely they would make an adjustment for free) I could advise to call them via e-mail and to ask for step-by-step instruction how to do it yourself.
I would be heavily surprised if they wouldn’t support you :)
 
I don't like the 710 too much, but I'm really impressed by the Military: great cutting ability and a very ergonomic handle.
 
Well, the lack of a true choil is a dramatic blow to the overall ergos. Also, the way the handle is made it seems like it places your hand too far back to get fine control for precision cuts. All of the Spydercos I've handled allow me to safely (and comfortably) place my hand much closer to the blade, and of course there's usually that awesome Spydie hump to place your thumb against. The way I figure it, the designers wanted the user's hand back away from the axis during use, which (of course) makes perfect sense.

Keep in mind, I've owned this 710 for less than a full day and haven't even begun to wring it out. I'm extremely used to Spyderco knives so that's mainly what I've been comparing it against. Time will tell.
 
Sergiusz

Good idea. I did e-mail them and they said to send it over - but I'll do as you suggest.

Cheers

Kallisti.
 
Well, after a month and a half with the 710HS in daily carry, she's gone. Many of the issues I had with the knife were small but collectively they made for one big reason to send this knife along the trail. Here are some thoughts:

- Side to side blade play always seemed to be an issue with this knife. Not to any kind of dangerous levels or anything, just a disappointment in such a premium production knife. It even had the updated bronze washers, if that means anything. I would adjust the pivot screw endlessly, even after using blue Locktite. It was very difficult to find a happy medium. Too tight would stiffen the action, too loose would make side play return. I even let the Locktite dry overnight to no avail. The sweet spot never held up.

- Handle ergos were poor when engaged in extended use. Fatigue became a factor after some minutes of preparing a Virginia cured ham for Christmas dinner. Not anything I'd ordinarily complain about, but keep in mind - this knife cost a little over a hundred bucks. Ergos should be better for such a tariff, IMO.

- After reading so much about the 710HS's edge holding ability, I was disappointed to say the least. To read some of the praise on this forum (and others) tends to make a fellow think that BM's M2 Speed Steel has an almost mythical ability to hold an edge. This did not prove to be true in my case, and believe me - I tried many different sharpening angles and gave the knife what I consider to be a fair and objective test run. Nothing seemed to work. 30 degrees, 40 degrees, etc. It would be violently sharp when freshly touched up but by the end of the day it would be just so-so. Let it go three days and it wasn't even in the running. Maybe my expectations were just too high but I expected better edge retention by far. Now of course compared to cheap flea market knives, the 710s edge retention was, in fact, mystical. But keep in mind, we're talking about a top of the line example of production pocket cutlery here.

I had other smallish concerns also but they don't really bear mentioning and could, in fact, be considered nit picking. Don't get the wrong idea, I appreciate all of the advice given on this thread. Those who recommended the BM obviously have had very different results from theirs. I went ahead and traded for the Spyderco Military and haven't really had a chance to evaluate it fairly at this time. I will be as objective towards it as I was the Benchmade. If it proves not it's worth, it too shall take the trip. I intend to post a detailed review as soon as I wring it out.

Cheers.
 
Originally posted by rdangerer
Let me know if you are ultimately dissatisfied and want to sell. I'll take it off your hands for a fair price ("Fair" meaning depends on what you did to it and relative to what you paid). So will many others.
Click to expand...
OOps! Somehow I either missed or forgot this offer and now its too late. Sorry about that rdangerer. It was very kind of you to make that offer.
 
HM....nice review. Kind of makes me leary in ordering the 710 HS. I might just get a CF Police or Al Mar SERE 2000.
 
HC - I wouldn't be so quick to sell the 710 short. Aside from the ergonomics question (which is personal), it sounds to me like you got a lemon. My 710 has no blade play and holds a good edge (I have the 154cm blade model). My favorite mid-size folder is the Sebenza, but my next favorite is the BM 710. And now that the 710 comes with bronze washers, I'm seriously tempted to buy another one.
 
The 710's I own (both 154cm) have a little lateral play so I can open them quickly. In fact, with the notable exception of the 806D2, all of my axis lock knives have slight lateral play. I read a review from Nemo where he said that all of his 710's eventually developed lateral play whereas his 806SD2 still opens and closes smoothly without any lateral play. My 806D2 is still new and isn't an EDC (just got an S30V Native PE and a VG-10 Delica PE, so it may take a while ;) ), but I've reprofiled it and spent about three weeks unable to carry anything else because it opened, locked, and closed so well and without any lateral play. I wish the blade was thinner, like my 921 Switchback, but that's a minor concern.

Maybe Benchmade sees the AFCK in all of its permutations as their breadwinning folder and that's why it seems to have better QC than the 710 and others. Maybe it was luck. But whenever anyone asks the forum for a new axis lock folder to try, 806D2 is my recommendation.
 
I think Harry said he picked up the Military, but it was too new for a fair review.

I'm after the 710HS. M2 just like mom used to make.
 
Harry,
Hmm, probably I could agree with two main complaints of three...
Handle ergos were poor when engaged in extended use
Click to expand...
I couldn’t describe my impressions in so strong words, however AFCK handle works way better for me as well as Military one.

After reading so much about the 710HS's edge holding ability, I was disappointed to say the least
Click to expand...
I think you had somewhat exaggerated exceptions as to M2 steel edge hold as well as lot of other Forumites considering that newer and more exotic steel certainly should hold an edge better than well-known one, say ATS-34. About two or so years ago I have made some comparison on hemp rope cutting between MB Pinnacle with ATS-34 blade and Nimravus Cub with M2 blade. Both knives were sharpened to the same edge geometry using SPYDERCO Sharpmaker. I have sliced 1/2-inche thick hemp rope until blades stooped to shave forearm hair. In all three trials Pinnacle won with clear cut outcutting Nimravus Cub, if I remember well something like 80 cuts versus 70 to 75 ones.

Some time later I have tried another ATS-43 blade (SPYDERCO Tim Wegner) on the same rope and it displayed approximately the same number of cuts that M2 Nimravus Cub blade.

I have published these results here but this didn’t cause too much interest, someone could search archives if he or she would like...

The main advantage of M2 over ATS-34 (or 154CM) is that it is less brittle and less prone to chipping, in another words – it is somewhat tougher. So the edge could be sharpened thinner and cut better or it could be stronger at the same thickness and cutting performance. It is not the same matter as edge hold, isn’t it?

Well, time to sum up – the best way to do not experience disappointment is not cherish unjustified exceptions. Wow, seems I have said this already numerous times...
 
Sorry to hear the 710 didn't work out for you. Guess this is why they make so many different knives :) My 710HS if my favorite folder, and I have/had a Military, Buck/Strider, Sere2k, Commander, SOCFK, and a 770. The Military, Commander, and 770 were the only ones I sold as they just weren't for me. I love the Buck/Strider, Sere, and SOCFK, but I love the 710 more :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top