Cutting Proficiency - BM Ares / 732

neetones

neetones

Joined
Apr 30, 2001
Messages
701
Hi...I'm considering buying a Benchmade Ares 732, but having never handled one I've got a question about how well it cuts...how efficient the bevels are.

I'm used to knives like the Calypso Jr. that cut extremely well, and I'm wondering how the BM fares. I know it wont' come close to the Calypso, but I don't want to buy the knife if it has thick, ineficcient grinds.

Any users out there?

Thanks.

Nitin
 
I have a 733-01, and it does pretty well. It doesn't have the pure cutting power of a full flat ground blade, but it's not too thick (1/8" at the spine), and has a fairly thin edge. Mine has an S30V blade, so the grinds may be a little different, but I've noticed that Benchmade's edges seem to be getting a little thinner overall. The biggest difference I saw was in two generations of the TSEK - the earlier one was nearly twice as thick behind the edge bevel as the newer one.

I think the Ares design is fine for normal cutting chores. It doesn't bind up in cardboard, it shaves hair with ease, and the other day I used it to slash cleanly through a hanging piece of copy paper. And it just looks a lot more interesting than a full flat-ground blade.
 
Neetones, I purchased a 732 plain-edge 7 days ago. I will agree with knife saber on what was posted. I will add, out of box sharpness was very good but a little work on the strop and it was much better. I have since read Fulloflead's thread on stropping and the 732's getting better and better with practice. It's a very good slicer, considering its blade geometry. To me, it looks like it would be better at prying open a terrorist's front door than slicing cardboard but does both pretty well. *take this with a grain of salt, for i'm new to all of this knife stuff.

hope this helps, Walter (also, I tried a reveiw posted here)
 
Well, this knife is an amazing deal for $100 or so.

The ergonomics are great, the axis lock is smooth and locks up very well. And yes, the blade doesn't have a full-flat grind, but its high enough to do its job as a cutter. Well recommended, and you can get satin-finished models on Ebay for a good price.

Nitin
 
neetones said:
Well, this knife is an amazing deal for $100 or so.
The ergonomics are great, the axis lock is smooth and locks up very well. And yes, the blade doesn't have a full-flat grind, but its high enough to do its job as a cutter. Well recommended, and you can get satin-finished models on Ebay for a good price.
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I'm glad you found one you liked. I've always liked this knife, it's a good all around user.
I'm pretty surprised someone thought of it as a prybar.....
to me it's not even close.
 
After I got mine about 6 months ago, I have virtually sold off all the rest of my "tactical" folders.

732BT's ROCK!
 
The Area is a decent tactical knife in terms of cutting performance. Unless you heavily reprofile it, cutting perfromance is behind the 710 or Endura, and far behind the Calypso.

Still, the handle is pretty secure and the Axis lock is great, best lock being made IMHO.

I think it is pretty tactical oriented, the spear point balde should offer good penetration.
 
I think you'll be very happy with it. I've also gotten rid of a lot of knives since getting this one.

Nitin
 
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