Mini Ritter Grip M390, blade shape is off.

DavidCAndersen

DavidCAndersen

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Nov 11, 2013
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I just got a new M390 mini Ritter, and immediately I noticed that the blade shape is way off compared to my old S30V version. Has anyone else experienced this?

To me this seems like a manufacturing mistake. Would BM replace the blade under warranty, do you think?
 

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Thats strange, my S30V mini ritter looks like your 390.

9C5iqnt.jpg
 
Can you return to the store? Hard to tell based off of one picture, but it does look like there is a lot of blade missing there. Maybe a redesigned blade? If it weren't a new knife I'd have guessed it was factory sharpened a couple times.
 
The automatic version of the 950 has a smaller blade. Someone oughta contact Benchmade and simply ask.
 
I've been scrutinizing pictures in the "Mini" thread, and it definitely looks like my S30V has a taller blade than any in that thread, and I used to have another S30V that wasn't quite as tall as the one I still have, but not to this extreme. It still looks like my M390 is shorter than any of the M390's pictured, like the worker doing the edge took more off in the grinding process.

I bought the knife, unused, from a forum member, so I wouldn't be able to return it to KnifeWorks. Any resolution would have to be through Benchmade.

Interesting sidenote: the blade on my S30V is slightly, but visibly, thicker than the M390. Not a complaint, just an observation.
 
Interesting to hear that. Sorry I couldn't have provided that information in my FS thread. That Ritter was the first and only mini grip I've ever owned so I didn't know any better. I'd definitely contact benchmade about it, and hopefully they can get that horizontal blade play taken care of at the same time.

As I typed that I thought, perhaps the difference in blade stock thickness is the reason I could never get the blade play dialed out of it? Maybe there really is something off there. Either way, sorry for the concern. I tried to give all the information i could.
 
Thanks for chiming in Chris. Not blaming you for it :-)

Once I am able to get back to my laptop I'll leave you positive feedback. Haven't been able to do it from my phone.
 
Would you mine measuring the blade height (max height to the top of the jimping as marked in the attached photo) of you your two Ritters and posting the results? That would make comparison easier as I am curious where mine is in comparison. To me your top knife (S30V) appears to the be the "correct" shape.

Ritter.jpg
 
Here are a couple pics of mine. What I find odd is, the blade shape looks substantially different in the pictures from side to side.
The picture of the blade on the clip side, looks to have a more pronounced raise in the spine area. I'm still not fully awake, but looking at it in person, it seems to as well.
I have one of my regular 556's laying here, and comparing the two, there is still a substantial difference in the shape of the Ritter. Doug is really good about answering questions about the Ritter knives. Perhaps he will be by soon.

Benchmadeknives003_zps1d0c9c6d.jpg


Benchmadeknives022_zpsba6d24f8.jpg
 
Measuring from the peak of the jimping to the edge
S30V: 1 1/32"
M390: not quite 31/32"

Just over 1/16" difference, may not sound like much, but sure looks it!

It looks like it is exacerbated by the height of the primary grind as well.

Measuring on the same line as before, but only measuring the unground flat of the blade
S30V: 11/32"
M390:almost touching 3/8"

Meaning the primary bevel (including the edge) measures:
S30V: 11/16"
M390: 19/32"

3/32" difference

The belly section lines up almost exactly. The angle of the straight portion is where the deviation lies; it angles more toward the spine than the S30V.
 
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I actually prefer the "newer" blade shape of the m390 one, mine has it as well. The s30v looks fat and chubby which was kind of a turn off for me with the s30v ritters, but i do like the newer slightly thinner shape
 
My 390 measures almost the same as tbhride's specs.

And I agree with Mr Krieg, the S30V looks fat and chubby and I prefer the 390's slimmer look.
 
TravisH said:
My 390 measures almost the same as tbhride's specs.

And I agree with Mr Krieg, the S30V looks fat and chubby and I prefer the 390's slimmer look.
Click to expand...

If that is the new shape, then that is a bummer. I'm a fan of the chubby look :D I can strop my S30V at the angle I like without having to remove the thumbstuds, but not on the M390.

Oh well, looks like it isn't a manufacturing problem after all and I'll be putting it back up in the For Sale section soon. I've been using my S30V for years and have found the blade shape to be perfect for me. Not that there is anything wrong with the new shape, I just don't like it.

In scrutinizing pics of the full size Ritters, it looks like the story is similar. My full-size S30V also looks like it has a taller blade than the new M390's.
 
Mine looks just like yours does, both the 552 and the 558 in m390 have the same blade shape.
 
tbhride said:
I just got a new M390 mini Ritter, and immediately I noticed that the blade shape is way off compared to my old S30V version. Has anyone else experienced this?

To me this seems like a manufacturing mistake. Would BM replace the blade under warranty, do you think?
Click to expand...

I apologize for the delay responding, had to dig out some archived knives. I am not sure what happened, I have no explanation for the discrepancy clearly apparent in your photo, but as you can see from the images below the current M390 Mini is identical to the First Production run of the mini. <shrug> The basic blade shape is lasered according to the same drawings and program from the start, so any significant difference doesn't make any sense. Having said that, "stuff" happens and I can't say that somewhere, somehow a slightly different shape didn't get cut out, just that going through multiple examples of the knives from the initial prototype to the current M390 blade I don't find any significant difference. I also did same for the full-size with same result. Only thing I can say with certainty is that the current M390 blades are identical with the prototypes, first production and everything else I have in-between.

(I apologize for the lousy photos, but...)

1st Prod - M380_Mini-Comparison_1_1000w.jpg


1st Prod - M380_Mini-Comparison_2_1000w.jpg
 
Critter said:
I apologize for the delay responding, had to dig out some archived knives. I am not sure what happened, I have no explanation for the discrepancy clearly apparent in your photo, but as you can see from the images below the current M390 Mini is identical to the First Production run of the mini. <shrug> The basic blade shape is lasered according to the same drawings and program from the start, so any significant difference doesn't make any sense. Having said that, "stuff" happens and I can't say that somewhere, somehow a slightly different shape didn't get cut out, just that going through multiple examples of the knives from the initial prototype to the current M390 blade I don't find any significant difference. I also did same for the full-size with same result. Only thing I can say with certainty is that the current M390 blades are identical with the prototypes, first production and everything else I have in-between.
Click to expand...

Thanks for chiming in Doug! I thought I would have to resign myself to just selling this one off, but now that I know that the blade design hasn't changed I'll be contacting Benchmade when I get back from the holiday travels.

Thank you sir.
 
Checked my pair of M390 Ritters against a pair of old M2 Ritters this morning. The blades are as close to identical as something like this is going to get.
 
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