Gent's knife, WH Monarch vs. BM 770 BC Osborne

K

Krefcenz

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May 24, 2002
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I'm a southpaw looking for a good gent's knife less than 3 inches, non-threatening and practical. I've settled on the WH Monarch carbon fiber or the Benchmade 770 BC1 PE. I learned from Rick at WH that the Monarch though not a truely ambidextrous knife is lefty friendly. There are dual thumbstuds and the buttonlock disengages easily with the finger. The Monarch is lighter than the Osborne (0.8 ounces vs. 1.8 ounces). But both seem like they are fairly lightweight. Steel is comparable. ATS-34 in the WH, 154-CM in the Osborne. WH costs about $40 more ($170 vs. $130).

They both look like great knives. If you were buying a gents knife and choosing between these two, which you would pick and why?

Kref

b5-cf.jpg


bm770bc1.jpg
 
Hi Krefcenz,

I recommend you actually handle both if at all possible. If that's not feasible, then you might consider ordering both and returning the one that you like less.

Otherwise, I'd just go with the 770, because it is ambidextrous as opposed to being "lefty friendly."

That's my $.02.

mc
 
I'd get the 770, but without the black blade. Too "tactical" to be gentlemanly IMO.
 
I have owned both and currently still have a titanium Monarch. I believe the Monarch is better built and better finished than the 770. The 770's adavatanges are that it is a more sturdy design and is completely ambidextrious. Handle both if you can.
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
I have owned both and currently still have a titanium Monarch. I believe the Monarch is better built and better finished than the 770. The 770's adavatanges are that it is a more sturdy design and is completely ambidextrious. Handle both if you can.
Click to expand...

Based on what you know, is the CF WH as well built and finished as the titanium version?

Kref
 
Yes, i had a cf Monarch and I may get another. IMO, WH makes the best carbon fiber handles of any mass produced knife. The Monarch was a great knife. I just thinned my collection earlier this year because it was just way too big.
 
I like the 770, but don't care much for the clip. Also, the finish on Benchmade's carbon fiber models is pretty marginal, especially when compared with William Henry - there is no comparison.

The Monarch does not have dual thumbstuds - it has reversable thumbstuds. You will need a T5 wrench to do this. Or, if you are like me, buy a nicer stud from WH (direct) for about $20. You can get white topaz (looks like a diamond), sapphire, pearl, opal, etc. The stone thumbstuds are way more comfortable than the knurled metal studs, IMO.

The Monarch is much thinner than the 770, but the blade is smaller.

If you are looking for a beefier "gents" knife, get the 770.
If you are looking for a higher quality knife that drops into your pocket without notice or signature of any kind, get the WH.
 
Think of it this way - get both: the WH is what you wear to the office or out on the town; the BM is what you wear in the jeans on weekends or around the house...

But I'm a righty, so I can't speak to the ambidextrousness of the WH...

I own the 770 and like it, but the WH I own is just that much more like comparing a Tuxedo to a Sport Coat - both look nice, but they each have their 'place'...

if any of that makes sense...
 
Since you like BM, you might check out the silver colored aluminum with black G-10 insert 960. I just saw one at my local dealer. It's light and thin and the silver finished aluminum should be very scratch resisitant. :)
 
Although I prefer the WH I, like others have said, would go with the BM if I were you given your lefty status. ;)
 
I like the looks of the WH more. But based on my needs, budget and your input, seems like the Osborne is the way to go.

Kref
 
Don't give up on the WH if you want it. It is capable of being a working knife. Neither the BM or the WH are knives that you are going to want to abuse.
 
If you are looking for a beefier "gents" knife, get the 770.
If you are looking for a higher quality knife that drops into your pocket without notice or signature of any kind, get the WH.[/QUOTE]

This says it all.
 
I own them both, the 770 was probably one of my first "real" knives, and saw alot of use. I'm a lefty and was actually one of the folks who harped on Matt Conable to make the new series "lefty friendly". I agree with most of what has been said, other than the comment that the CF in the 770 is "pretty marginal". Neither clip is reversible, which is a bit problematic, particularly with the B5 since you don't have dual thumbstuds. Be prepared to fork out an extra $10 to buy a T5 and smaller driver set, to flip the stud on the B5. I would base the decision on what you are going to use the knife for. The 770 can handle cardboard, whereas that's a bit of a stretch for the B5. If you are willing to spend a bit more, I would seriously consider the CRK Mnandi. It really is the best of both worlds IMHO. It has great style, and is still meaty enough to handle the occaisional rope cut if necessary. Even a right hand Mnandi is still more "lefty friendly" than the B5, because you can flip the clip, and CRK even supplies the tool! (Albeit a 50 cent allen wrench).

I would sum up my opinion by asking what you where to work:

Shirt and tie-------> B5

Open Collar--------> 770

Got an extra $150, and sometimes do both------> Mnandi all the way!

Any of the above are excellent knives.
 
marcangel said:
I own them both, the 770 was probably one of my first "real" knives, and saw alot of use. I'm a lefty and was actually one of the folks who harped on Matt Conable to make the new series "lefty friendly". I agree with most of what has been said, other than the comment that the CF in the 770 is "pretty marginal". Neither clip is reversible, which is a bit problematic, particularly with the B5 since you don't have dual thumbstuds. Be prepared to fork out an extra $10 to buy a T5 and smaller driver set, to flip the stud on the B5. I would base the decision on what you are going to use the knife for. The 770 can handle cardboard, whereas that's a bit of a stretch for the B5. If you are willing to spend a bit more, I would seriously consider the CRK Mnandi. It really is the best of both worlds IMHO. It has great style, and is still meaty enough to handle the occaisional rope cut if necessary. Even a right hand Mnandi is still more "lefty friendly" than the B5, because you can flip the clip, and CRK even supplies the tool! (Albeit a 50 cent allen wrench).

I would sum up my opinion by asking what you where to work:

Shirt and tie-------> B5

Open Collar--------> 770

Got an extra $150, and sometimes do both------> Mnandi all the way!

Any of the above are excellent knives.
Click to expand...

But I might be willing to put the extra $ if it opens as easily as a BM. Seems like it doesn't have thumbstuds or a hole but instead a thumbnail recess that doesn't look as easy as studs/holes. Steve, what's you experience with the Mnandi. Easy to open?

Kref
 
The 770 and the B5 are both easier to open than the Mnandi. It does take a little bit of practice to get opening the Mnandi "down pat", but it's certainly doable. I'm a doc, so sheeple friendly is VERY important to me, and the Mnandi fits that bill extremely well. I carry mine in my shirt pocket like a pen, and it's been an EDC for 2 years now, and it looks pretty much like itdid when I bought it. The best features of the mnandi are materials, lightweight and an extremely low riding reversible pocket clip. If you don't mind a lockback, or a slightly smaller knife at a good price point, I would also look at the WH K-22 or Spyre. This is made by Moki in Japan, who IMHO builds some of the best value gent's knives in the world. The did the WH "international series" S-05,07, and S-09 which did have ambidextrous studs. The come with a clip case and are still available on eBay, in various handle materials. Steel on those blades is VG-10, the K-22 is ATS-34, as is the B5. The K-22 has a reversible stud AND clip, which is also very similar to the Mnandi. Handle material in the K-22 is pearl, or cocbolo. AG Russell has the exclusive on black pearl for the K-22.
 
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