-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
need a benchmade opinion.
- Thread starter LiTDiE
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2005
- Messages
- 5,171
Well, you have two different types of knives here.
One is an auto. Will that be legal everywhere you go?
Other than that consideration, have you handled them? If so, go with the one you like the feel of best.
In limited use, you'll probably not notice any difference in the steels.
Me, personally, I like the 710's ergos and blade shape better. The steel is a bonus, as I found it easier to sharpen. Does it stay sharp longer? I'm in the process of comparing them now, but most people seem to agree it does.
One is an auto. Will that be legal everywhere you go?
Other than that consideration, have you handled them? If so, go with the one you like the feel of best.
In limited use, you'll probably not notice any difference in the steels.
Me, personally, I like the 710's ergos and blade shape better. The steel is a bonus, as I found it easier to sharpen. Does it stay sharp longer? I'm in the process of comparing them now, but most people seem to agree it does.
I haven't handled any of the new $400 MSRP 
Cold Steels, but based on their previous knives, it will NOT be up to the quality of the Benchmades you're looking at.
The GOOD layer in their San Mai III is AUS 8, OK?
The M2 is better than 154CM. Is it "that much" better? It's nothing night and day, just a steel that is both more wear resistant and tougher, that takes a finer edge. The differences are incremental, not huge, but except for not being stainless, the M2 is better in every respect - ie, there are no trade offs, it's just flat out better. But in a knife that you say you just won't be using that much, honestly, I doubt you'd notice the performance difference.
Can you carry a 4200 where you live with no legal hassles?
I don't have a 4200 or even a 420, so I can't really compare them. But I have a 710HS and it is an absolutely great, world class knife.
Cold Steels, but based on their previous knives, it will NOT be up to the quality of the Benchmades you're looking at. The GOOD layer in their San Mai III is AUS 8, OK?
The M2 is better than 154CM. Is it "that much" better? It's nothing night and day, just a steel that is both more wear resistant and tougher, that takes a finer edge. The differences are incremental, not huge, but except for not being stainless, the M2 is better in every respect - ie, there are no trade offs, it's just flat out better. But in a knife that you say you just won't be using that much, honestly, I doubt you'd notice the performance difference.
Can you carry a 4200 where you live with no legal hassles?
I don't have a 4200 or even a 420, so I can't really compare them. But I have a 710HS and it is an absolutely great, world class knife.
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2004
- Messages
- 6,997
Hell, get both and they'll serve you better than anything from Cold Steel.
Some CS products are OK, but none are as good as Benchmade (at least in my experience), especially considering that sort of price tag (nearly twice as much as a BM).
If you have to pick one of the two Benchmades, I'd say pick the 710. Manual openers are just a tad more reliable than autos, should anything go wrong with the mechanism for example. That isn't to say that I wouldn't carry an auto if I could, but that'd just be for the "nifty knife" factor.
For what it's worth, I have a 710 in 154CM (not M2), and I like it just fine. It's a good steel that takes a great edge, and it's never let me down. I imagine it would be a great knife in M2 also, but
A: I didn't want to drop the extra bucks at the time, and
B: I don't really care for black blades... Only have one and it's an Emerson.
Peace.
Some CS products are OK, but none are as good as Benchmade (at least in my experience), especially considering that sort of price tag (nearly twice as much as a BM).
If you have to pick one of the two Benchmades, I'd say pick the 710. Manual openers are just a tad more reliable than autos, should anything go wrong with the mechanism for example. That isn't to say that I wouldn't carry an auto if I could, but that'd just be for the "nifty knife" factor.
For what it's worth, I have a 710 in 154CM (not M2), and I like it just fine. It's a good steel that takes a great edge, and it's never let me down. I imagine it would be a great knife in M2 also, but
A: I didn't want to drop the extra bucks at the time, and
B: I don't really care for black blades... Only have one and it's an Emerson.
Peace.
JPD1998
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2004
- Messages
- 3,567
I just got a BM 710 M2 HS and it's a very high quality knife, I can't find anything negative about it. I had narrowed my selection down to the 710 and the regular 420 ( auto's are not legal in NY for civilians).
I chose the 710 because of the overwhelming recommendations here about the M2 version.
But your not nuts because I ordered the 420 a week later (I should get it sometime this week).
I chose the 710 because of the overwhelming recommendations here about the M2 version.
But your not nuts because I ordered the 420 a week later (I should get it sometime this week).
glockman99
RIP Dann, you were a good guy.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2000
- Messages
- 21,269
Get the 710...That is one folder that will serve you long and hard.
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2003
- Messages
- 3,154
If you can find a 710HS buy it right away because they're already getting hard to find new. If you can't find the HS, there's nothing wrong with the 154CM version, and when it comes out in D2 that should also be a winner. IMHO the 710HS one of the best production folders out there -- it does just about everything well. It has great ergos in a variety of grips, good blade geometry, kick-ass steel, and a super strong, reliable lock that's smooth and easy to operate. My 710HS gets more pocket time than any of my other folders, including my Sebenzas.