M4 vs M390

reswright said:
M390 Para 3s too as well as the brown M390 Manix 2 from the recent restock. For increasing sums, mind - their ask on the Manix 2 is about twice what I paid at retail a few weeks back. But if you gotta have it, everywhere else I've looked is out of stock.
Click to expand...
I just bought the Manix2 in M390 from NationalKnives LLC. I got the regular one and the DLC one. Both are still in stock as Of right now.
 
I have the same knife in M4 and 390. Not Spyderco, though. I love M390 but the M4 holds an edge better. I think M4 has much better edge stability, toughness and edge holding.

M4 really shines when you are cutting something you probably shouldn’t be cutting with your pocketknife.
 
DMG said:
I have the same knife in M4 and 390. Not Spyderco, though. I love M390 but the M4 holds an edge better. I think M4 has much better edge stability, toughness and edge holding.

M4 really shines when you are cutting something you probably shouldn’t be cutting with your pocketknife.
Click to expand...
If you are talking about a Contego, my son's M390 Contego has edges so chipped it looks serrated, and he bought it new and hasn't used it. Those things were toasted in HT.
 
My M390 Contego has been great. Not as good as M4 but still excellent. He may just need to use it and sharpen it.
 
DMG said:
My M390 Contego has been great. Not as good as M4 but still excellent. He may just need to use it and sharpen it.
Click to expand...
Glad for your good fortune. I'm personally done with that brand. This has not been used. No way anyone should be expected to sacrifice 20 normal sharpenings to hope to get past a fried edge (and that it's not a fubar'd HT).

bgeb1lgh.jpg


4JixlwFh.jpg
 
Officer's Match said:
Glad for your good fortune. I'm personally done with that brand. This has not been used. No way anyone should be expected to sacrifice 20 normal sharpenings to hope to get past a fried edge (and that it's not a fubar'd HT).

bgeb1lgh.jpg


4JixlwFh.jpg
Click to expand...


That is edge damage. There is no way it came like that.
 
Officer's Match said:
It has not been used. It is literally falling apart. It is absolutely defective - I have had WAY too much experience to not know the difference.
Click to expand...

Maybe a faulty heat treat? I have a benchmade valet in m390 and it absolutely does not behave like that. M390 is nowhere near as tough as m4 but for everyday use I've found it passable. The only time I chipped mine was cutting through zip ties and banging the edge hard against a metal surface.

I would contact benchmade about the knife. I know that they have a no questions asked exchange policy.
 
Officer's Match said:
Glad for your good fortune. I'm personally done with that brand. This has not been used. No way anyone should be expected to sacrifice 20 normal sharpenings to hope to get past a fried edge (and that it's not a fubar'd HT).

bgeb1lgh.jpg


4JixlwFh.jpg
Click to expand...
Woa that is crazy and def not right
 
Officer's Match said:
It has not been used. It is literally falling apart. It is absolutely defective - I have had WAY too much experience to not know the difference.
Click to expand...

I would argue that I also have a ton of knife experience but you have it in hand and I dont. Please send it to me for disposal.
 
Is that a genuine Benchmade? The contego clones look REALLY close to the real ones. I got mine straight from Knifeworks and it has been fantastic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DMG
Spyderco's M390 has always been good for me. My first M390 knife was one of the blue PM2s from BBS's first run; I remember a couple of blunted spots (mostly staples, I think?) before I threw it on the edge pro to take it a little thinner, and it's been fine ever since. The PM2 is my most used but the same has been true for all my M390/204P Spydercos. I think my Domino might've had a couple real small rough areas (didn't pull out the loupe for chip vs rolled, sorry) but a proper sharpening seems to prevent any further problems.

Spyderco's M4, I'm only going off a GB1 and GB2, definitely no chipping issues but it's also harder for me to get a nice crisp edge on. Recently trying just using the diamond sharpmaker rods with a couple swipes on the brown to finish, and that seems better... we'll see where it goes. K390 and Hap40 seem to touch up better on the ceramic rods for me.

For Benchmade's versions, their M390 has been fantastic in a 710DLC-1. Hands down favorite hunting knife for dressing & skinning whitetails. No chipping issues at all (again, after running it on the edge pro and then mostly maintaining with sharpmaker ceramics). I have a M4 710-3 somewhere as well but haven't used it so can't speak to their performance there. That Contego's messed up, and I thought the 710-1401 I picked up on closeout with a bunch of loose handle screws was embarrassing but at least I could fix it myself. :eek:

If I had a choice between Spyderco's M390 and M4 on the same model folder, I would probably generally take the M390. The edge retention has been great and the lack of rust is more important to me than the extra toughness (my GBs will get some spots after a full day outdoors in my pocket in the summer).
 
  • Like
Reactions: DMG
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top