Choice; benchmade 710 m4 or strider sng

elkpro1

elkpro1

Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
163
For hard use which is a better knife , i know s30v but what about m4 and what about the pivots in each.
 
M4 is the shizz, IMO one of the best steels you can get. Trying to compare the two knives though is more about your personal needs as both are strong enough to handle about anything.
 
I think benchmade has one of the best warranty in the business. I would much rather ding up the benchmade than the strider.
 
Have you handled a 710? It doesn't feel hefty. The SnG looks like a much beefier knife. That said, I'm sure the 710 can also take some abuse, it just has the illusion of a thinner, lighter weight knife.
 
spidyman said:
what is your definition of 'hard use'?
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When i say hard use i do not mean i beat on my knife with a club or any thing like that . But generally i notice over time most pivots get alot of wear in two or three years . Most hard use is processing game on the ground down to complete boning out etc. , I suppose it is not as much hard as just alot of use. Some seasons i will work up 40 or more animals with alot being elk. ASfar as steel i have worn out a few s30 knives and my current favourite elk knife i have ever had is a spyderco miili in s90v. How is m4 compared to s90 or a good s30 knife.
 
As far as these [hunting, camp,outdoors]type apps. no one that does this for a livin prefers thick blades ,thinner is better, it creates less drag and therefore less work and you have to be able to hand sharpen your knife quikly regardless of steel .
 
M4 710’s seem to be more difficult to find then SNG’s. I would probably take the Strider but that’s because I’ve had a 710 but never a SNG. That being said the 710 in M4 is incredibly desirable.
 
elkpro1 said:
When i say hard use i do not mean i beat on my knife with a club or any thing like that . But generally i notice over time most pivots get alot of wear in two or three years . Most hard use is processing game on the ground down to complete boning out etc. , I suppose it is not as much hard as just alot of use. Some seasons i will work up 40 or more animals with alot being elk. ASfar as steel i have worn out a few s30 knives and my current favourite elk knife i have ever had is a spyderco miili in s90v. How is m4 compared to s90 or a good s30 knife.
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M4 is the sharpest steel you will ever own, its edge holding is up there with S90V if not better, has a higher Rc hardness usually about 62 and a bit easier to sharpen. Have you thought about a Spyderco mule team? the ZDP model will be out soon.
 
I have used my dozier ,idid not care that much for the blade style as with most fixed blades , to thick etc. . The d2 is great but doesnt stay like these other steels [as sharp].
 
If a thin flat ground blade works well in you uses then the mule team would fit the bill nice and if you can find one in 52100 or M4 I think you would be very happy. I would personally pick the 52100 mule as it is a little easier to sharpen and hold a edge just as well as S90V or M4 maybe even better.
 
Elkpro, if you are skinning out that many animals per year you might think of getting a custom Dozier, or a Phil Wilson custom in something like 10V, S110, or S90V.

The Dozier D2 skinning knives don't really compare to most D2 you probably have encountered. I'll leave the reviews from users to speak for that. 10V is probably about as wear resistant a steel as you are going to find. S110V is close, but stainless.

M4 is an incredible steel that is my current favorite because it takes incredibly sharp edges easily compared to a lot of other steels. It has more wear resistance than any factory production D2 folders, but sharpens up so much easier for me, and takes better edges that IMO, there's no real comparison. Note I'm not talking about a custom Dozier in D2.

I believe S90V is a bit more wear resistant than CPM M4, but M4 is tougher and takes better edges. ZDP would be similar to S90V in wear resistance, and IMO it takes better edges than S90V. It's much harder to sharpen than M4 also , and isn't as tough as M4 or D2. S90V toughness? That depends on how it was heated and processed and what RC it is..

If I was you I'd either get a Phil Wilson custom in 10V, or S110V, or use a M4 bladed knife as it's easier to sharpen, but still has enough wear resistance to get you through an Elk without getting too dull. Elks are a good test for a knife, IMO, being much more of a test than a white tail, or even mule deer. Joe
 
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The 710 isn't an optimal design for a game knife. The high swedge grind and lack of belly compared to the SnG is more a tactical wannabe design. The SnG isn't great either, especially because of the blade thickness and edge angle, which was optimized for rough cutting in the field. A Krein sharpening would be much better.

I've seen whitetail processed with a 2 1/2" Case folder, up to a Kabar. If someone who processes 40 elk a year thinks a tactical folder would be a good choice, I guess I still have a lot to learn about hunting, and maybe Loveless has it all wrong.

Then again, I've seen people use M1 carbines, .22-250's, and AR15's. They get their's, too.

:confused:
 
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