My favorite all time knife, BM 720, why was it discontinued?

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outdoor_guy08

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Sep 19, 2008
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My first real knife was the BM720S with aluminum scales, acquired ~10 or more years ago.

It is still my favorite knife by far. I love the solid heft, the smooth and slick AXIS swing, the very useful bowie blade design (a bit similar to a Doug Ritter blade shape with a fat belly but more aesthetic).

I have since purchased a couple dozen more knives, from Kershaw, Spyderco, Gerber, and a few more Benchmades. While all are excellent knives, none compares to my first BM 720S.

I was wondering, why does such an excellent knife get discontinued? And why does Benchmade discontinue knives in general? It's not like they get outdated by some new technology...

Oh one more thing - the size of the BM720 is perfect for EDC, just a little bit heavier with the aluminum scales. It's too bad they don't offer a mid-Griptilian in the size of the BM720, that would be sweet too.
 
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It's all my fault. I liked the knife, too. And any product I take a liking to is bound to be discontinued. I call it the "Mulerider Principle." Nowadays I buy multiples of whatever product I like, in anticipation of its demise.
 
You would have to ask Benchmade why they discontinue a particular model, but the reason is probably the most common one: declining sales. They are always going to make more money off a hot new item, even a retread of an old model, than a model that's been around so long that everyone who wants one has bought one.

Remember, we can see the worth of the design itself, but they see the sales figures, and that's what they have to go by. There is a practical limit to how many different models they can keep manufacturing.
 
I liked that knife also. I have the one with the tanto blade (which I got in a trade).I love the G10 handle shape but I would rather have the bowie blade.
 
I was shocked to get on bladeforums now and see an ENTIRE THREAD dedicated to the knife that is my favorite too!! :eek: Nobody seems to ever mention the 720 in most of the threads. Second-guessing myself, I actually had to go to benchmade's site and make sure I got the number of my knife right :)

The 720 was also my very first real knife, after SAKs. It is the perfect EDC length and I love the blade shape as well. I was skepticle at first about the length and weight, but I have grown to love both. In 2000 I spents months shopping for my first knife and, having decided on the 720, I have not needed to make another knife purchase since. I know, you are all thinking, "how can that be?!?". Yep, the 720 is the only knife I own which I consider to be a suitable EDC (locking, 3"+ blade).

I don't like to grow "collections" just because I am a pack-rat, so I don't buy things that are not EXACTLY what I want. Lately, I have been shopping for a new EDC, just to have options, and maybe a nicer knife. The result is that, while there are a lot of great knives out there that I would love to own, none of them combines all the great features, aesthetics, price, etc. to surpass the 720. So many knives are "great", but few are classics. I think the 720 is a classic, and it's kinda nice that it does not show up in most people's collections. For a long time I have looked at the Mini-Skirmish, but I'm not yet convinced :) My next carry knife may end up being a little neck knife.

outdoor_guy08, I have asked myself the same question in the title of this thread!! The only minor thing I would have preferred when I bought it is G-10 scales. Now, I don't mind the solid Aluminum frame. Actually, I wish the Al were hard-coat anodized.

P.S. My girlfriend at the time was shocked that I would pay "that much" for a knife ($105). My knife came with a decent story about its purchase too: HERE

P.P.S. I'm still a bit shocked that there was a whole thread made for the 720 :)
 
I am carrying the cousin of the 720 in my pocket right now - the 721. I love this knife. I wish I had bought another one as a spare.
 
If enough people want the 720 Benchmade would probably make a batch. I think if 500 people said they would get one then it would be made. I'll start by saying I would buy a 720.:)
 
721 on top and 720

bm720721b.jpg


Taken from http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/bm721.html
 
Thanks for posting the photo. I really like that lower knife, the 720, even though I don't own one. Quite simply, it looks nicer than many (most? all?) of the current production lineup.
 
It's a very clean design. I like the Griptilian for that also, not a lot of decoration, just the working tool.
 
ShooterMcgavin said:
I was shocked to get on bladeforums now and see an ENTIRE THREAD dedicated to the knife that is my favorite too!! :eek: Nobody seems to ever mention the 720 in most of the threads. Second-guessing myself, I actually had to go to benchmade's site and make sure I got the number of my knife right :)
...P.P.S. I'm still a bit shocked that there was a whole thread made for the 720 :)
Click to expand...

LOL great minds think alike... :p

Seriously though, I agree with you 110%. If there was only ONE knife I could keep in my sweet collection, it would be the BM 720. I would really have no need for others, in reality.

I'm still very sad that BM discontinued it. When I look over BM's site at all the AXIS knives, none of them look as appealing to me as the BM 720. Nothing even close. I do hope that perhaps in the future BM will revive this great great knife, with the aluminum and G10 scales as options. I am having to look hard at buying 2 or 3 more as back ups to the one I have.

Thanks to all for the replies. I would be very excited if you all helped to convince BM to revive this awesome knife. :thumbup:
 
Esav Benyamin said:
It's a very clean design. I like the Griptilian for that also, not a lot of decoration, just the working tool.
Click to expand...

I have the mini-griptilian, and it's just a bit smaller than what I prefer. I handled the Griptilian in a knife shop, and it's too thick / large, so the 720 is the *perfect* size, and perfect utility, like you said. No other AXIS knife right now really comes close to the 720 for its clean design, and simple utilitarian but streamlined design.

Maybe if they made a "mid" Gripitilian with aluminum scales it might be close to the 720... one can dream, I guess...
 
Bob W said:
Thanks for posting the photo. I really like that lower knife, the 720, even though I don't own one. Quite simply, it looks nicer than many (most? all?) of the current production lineup.
Click to expand...

Yes, nothing else (folder wise) looks as balanced and as proportional from the tip of the blade to the end of the handle, like the BM 720. And when you hold it in your hand, it's perfectly balanced. The blade not only looks great, but it's slightly recurved belly is just perfect for cutting.

It truly has all the right stuff to be a classic, and imho should be an "immortal" knife in BM's catalogue, kind of like the original SAK...
 
In my hand, the full-size Grip is a good size. Anything smaller could be hard to hold. That's why the only axis I've kept is the 710. Although the size isn't everything: the shape of the handle can make a small knife easy to control. The mini Grip and the mini Skirmish are good examples of small knives I like.
 
Good knife... point was a little high, G10 was a little too smooth, but a nice solid knife nonetheless.
 
this knife is also one of my favorites. i bought one used and that was a great blessing because then i was not afraid to use it hard and see how well it performs. my wish was always for one a bit larger, 3.5-3.6" blade. if it was re-issued i would be in for sure!
 
Benchmade have discontinued some of their best knives (Ares, TSEK, AFCK etc). :confused:

I recently bought a 720 second-hand and it has become one of my favourite Axis Lock knives - and I have about thirty. I really like the simply handle design.
I hate the finger grooves and choils that clutter many folder designs.

 
I had the same problem with the full size Kershaw Starkey Ridge and the full size Spyderco Schemp Persian.

You just don't realize that you should have bought two when they were available.
 
I won a 720 here at BFC, but never could warm up to the aluminum scales. Someone else is enjoying it now.
 
Steven Andrews said:
Benchmade have discontinued some of their best knives (Ares, TSEK, AFCK etc). :confused:

I recently bought a 720 second-hand and it has become one of my favourite Axis Lock knives - and I have about thirty. I really like the simply handle design.
I hate the finger grooves and choils that clutter many folder designs.

Click to expand...
Thanks for the photo. What you have is exactly what I want.

It really makes me sad, when I look at the 2003 / 2004 / 2005 BM catalog, and see all the great knives that are no longer in production. The newer knives are just not as elegant, classic, as the knives you mentioned. I may have to pick up a SOG Spec Elite I or II, because those folders look much better than most of the current AXIS knives. I hope they will perform as well.
 
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