- Joined
- Apr 20, 2003
- Messages
- 220
I just got my first two benchmades, a 710HS and a 806D2.
710HS impressions
Smoothest opening folder I have ever held in my hands. I do not know why so many hate the thumbstuds...they are better than any other knives I've ever tried. They're small and do not jut out enough to snag anything, are smooth to avoid hurting your thumb despite many openings, and yet positioned perfectly to allow smooth opening without having to adjust your grip in any way when at the halfway point of opening
Now for the bad: the front of the handle is too large and I find that it forces my forefinger to adjust from how I normally grip knives. This in turn makes my hand grip lower than otherwise and the tapered butt end makes me feel as if I do not have a secure grip on the knife.
Secondly, the Delrin spacer is horrible in its fit. From a spine view, the fit is square and tight on the right side but on the left seems to be more rounded and shorter than the left steel liner. This makes a groove that runs all along the left side of the knife so if you were to run your finger along the spine, it does not feel uniform and smooth but misaligned. The 806 does not have this problem and the Delrin on it fits perfectly. However...
806D2 impressions
The 806 spacer has a roughed up point near the blade end of the knife. It seems the plastic was scratched and you can feel the damaged part with your hand. I do not know if I should sand it down or not. I'm concerned that it will scratch up the Delrin even more and possible the steel liner too...
The blade is almost centered but seems to touch ot almost touch the liner on one side when opening. There also seems to be a slight "wobble" during opening as if they is some slight play.
The biggest problem I have with this knife is the opening hole. It stinks. It's not a Spyderco so there is no ease of opening as the oval does not allow me to open the rest of the blade once it nears the torx screw section of the handle. The handle right above the cutout is large enough so that it prevents my thumb from going around smoothly and so many times the blade is only half opened and I have to flick it the rest of the way or try the thumb again. I would have preferred thumbstuds such as those found on the 710. With some practice I can now open it smoothly almost 100% of the time but studs would be 100% of the time...
My original purpose was to find a good EDC for defense. However the 806 is too large to carry in urban environments not to mention that I cannot open it smoothly, and the 710's narrow end does not make me feel comfortable using it in a defensive role. Therefore both knives have very good yet also very bad qualities that work against them in a defensive role for me.
710HS impressions
Smoothest opening folder I have ever held in my hands. I do not know why so many hate the thumbstuds...they are better than any other knives I've ever tried. They're small and do not jut out enough to snag anything, are smooth to avoid hurting your thumb despite many openings, and yet positioned perfectly to allow smooth opening without having to adjust your grip in any way when at the halfway point of opening
Now for the bad: the front of the handle is too large and I find that it forces my forefinger to adjust from how I normally grip knives. This in turn makes my hand grip lower than otherwise and the tapered butt end makes me feel as if I do not have a secure grip on the knife.
Secondly, the Delrin spacer is horrible in its fit. From a spine view, the fit is square and tight on the right side but on the left seems to be more rounded and shorter than the left steel liner. This makes a groove that runs all along the left side of the knife so if you were to run your finger along the spine, it does not feel uniform and smooth but misaligned. The 806 does not have this problem and the Delrin on it fits perfectly. However...
806D2 impressions
The 806 spacer has a roughed up point near the blade end of the knife. It seems the plastic was scratched and you can feel the damaged part with your hand. I do not know if I should sand it down or not. I'm concerned that it will scratch up the Delrin even more and possible the steel liner too...
The blade is almost centered but seems to touch ot almost touch the liner on one side when opening. There also seems to be a slight "wobble" during opening as if they is some slight play.
The biggest problem I have with this knife is the opening hole. It stinks. It's not a Spyderco so there is no ease of opening as the oval does not allow me to open the rest of the blade once it nears the torx screw section of the handle. The handle right above the cutout is large enough so that it prevents my thumb from going around smoothly and so many times the blade is only half opened and I have to flick it the rest of the way or try the thumb again. I would have preferred thumbstuds such as those found on the 710. With some practice I can now open it smoothly almost 100% of the time but studs would be 100% of the time...
My original purpose was to find a good EDC for defense. However the 806 is too large to carry in urban environments not to mention that I cannot open it smoothly, and the 710's narrow end does not make me feel comfortable using it in a defensive role. Therefore both knives have very good yet also very bad qualities that work against them in a defensive role for me.
