NEW BM 730S Axis Lock

Just from looking at it, I'd say it's a great
production knife.

I don't see anything to complain about.

Probably the best BM offering.

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Ron Knight
 
I feel pretty stupid.I thought BladeForums had a BM forum.Thanks and Happy New Year

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have a"knife"day
 
I handled one at a local dealer. I liked the handle with the multi color and the machining. The blade is a bit short for the handle length. The one I handled had a good bit of lateral play in the blade when locked. With the Axis lock it's probably not as critical as with a liner lock, but it could be tighter. I'll wait for the smaller size and plain edge.

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E. Larson
Edmonds, WA


 
Allen, thank you very much for your contribution to the discussion. I like it a lot, I just do not like serrations of any variety. I also am spoiled by holes.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh Fuller
 
This is one knife that it's worth taking some time to digest! Every day I look at that pic I like it a little more. Those of you who say they don't like it, can I point some things out? First, we've all been complaining about having so many stereotypically-tactical black-handled knives. Benchmade responded, not just with a modest color change, but a major step to separate itself from the crowd. Aesthetically, whether they succeeded or not is up to you -- but it's worth letting that handle grow on you for a few days. For myself, while I don't want all my knives to have that handle color scheme, I love it as a knife that is distinct from the other clone-tacticals. Can't wait to see it in person.

As for the blade, I too wish Benchmade and Elishewitz had stuck more closely with Elishewitz's straight clip. But here on the forums, drop-point blades always demolish straight-clip blades in the "favorite blade shape" threads. And a drop-point with false edge is a pretty great blade shape.

All in all, this knife works for me, very very well. When you pull this knife it, it will be extremely distinctive. Buying it would be a no-brainer for me, except as you know I'm a bit of a hard-ass about blade-to-handle ratios. I'll have to stick it in my pocket and see how comfy it is. If the handle length works, I might have a new fave folder!

Let's hope Benchmade has been cutting their edges at a lower angle. I can smell a thick sabre grind from a mile away these days
smile.gif


Joe
 
wish it had a deep grove for the index finger so you didn't have to worry about your fingers slipping foward onto the blade if you were stabbing something
 
I liked the 710 the first time I saw it. That's not the case with this one.
Blade to handle ratio looks off and it's not the blade shape I was hoping for.
Maybe an all black plain edge.
I was also hoping for another 4 inch blade.
It seems BM tried to fit this one in between the 720 and 710 size.
I don't this this one will be as popular as the others.

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RICK Left Handers Unite

 
Call me crazy if you will, but based solely on these pictures, I like the 730 better...

Being a southpaw, the fact that it's fully ambidextrous is also a big plus in my book.

Still, I'd rather have a 4" blade.

Regards,

Leo Daher
 
Mr. Elishewitz and BM, i congradulate you on a job well done!!! i like it. i haven't handled one yet, but i hope to soon. this is a knife that i've been looking for for some time now. it has a great blade shape, not crazy about the false edge, but i'll live with it. it has the axis lock, colored handles (i too am getting sick of black) and reversible clip. and the handle shape looks similar to a stryker, which i think is the pinnacle of folder handle design. can't wait to handle one and to buy one when they come out in plain-edge. the overall size is good, although i too wish the blade to handle ratio could be better. but i'll gladly take the two faults that i see and live with them. once again, great job!!!
 
This is the first production knife design in quite a while that actually got me excited.
I especially like that it is not in basic black.
I also appreciate the contours- a great departure from the norm.
I am going to have to hold out for the plain edge version though, but it will definitely be among my collection.

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-Compact
:)
 
All I can say is don't knock it 'til you try it!

No the blade shape is not revolutionary nor is the blade to handle ratio better than any other, but the handle is way more comfortable and cooler looking than any other BM I have owned or handled. I think the overall package you get is one of Benchmade's finest to date.

Judge not a knife by the color of it's thumb stud!
tongue.gif
 
I really like the look of this knife. We need to get some color in the handles of production knives. Most of the custom makers are really getting into the colors and soon the production ones will follow.

The handle ergonomics are a welcome change. I love my 720 Pardue because the handle melts in your hand. This one also looks very comfortable. I think that these will be very popular over time, perhaps even more than the 710.

Benchmade and Allen have done it again-it looks like! I guess that I can make a more informed opinion after I get one when the dust settles.

Daniel
 
It's a nice looking knife. I like the handle color, I also get tired of everything being black. I still think I'll wait till I have enough for one of Allen's customs.

rk

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As for me and my house...

Joshua 24:15



[This message has been edited by rkellogg (edited 01 January 2000).]
 
For lateral blade play in an axis lock, tighten the pivot screw a smidgen. Some like them loose enough for the blade to flop open when you pull back on the lock button, and some like them tight. When you figure out the magic right spot for the pivot screw, a droplet of medium strength Lock-Tite is your friend.


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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
All in all, looks great! I, too, would have rather seen the original Ares blade shape, without the false edge, but I can live with that. The BM Stryker has the most comfortable production handle I've ever held, and this handle looks like Mr. Elishewitz has created another winner!

I'm very pleased to see a departure from slab-sided handles in production folders, as well as the multi-color G10. My one big fear is that if I hold out for a plain edge, it'll turn out that the multi-color G10 is/was a pre-production experiment only, and I'll get stuck with black handles. (Anyone have any light they could shed to allay this fear?)

Anyone know just how exclusive this first batch is to gpknives? How likely am I to be able to get these from my favorite dealers?

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Carl /\/\/\ AKTI #A000921 /\/\/\ San Diego, California

Think this through with me ... Let me know your mind
Wo-oah, what I want to know ... is are you kind?
-- Hunter/Garcia, "Uncle John's Band"
 
OK, are the handles normal thickness at their thinnest point, and then they get thicker... or are they normal thickness at their thickest point, and thin out at the thinner points?

Howie
 
Okay, I just got to play with one for a good while at a friend's who is also a dealer.

I already own the 710 in g-10 and aluminum, so I wanted to see how this knife stacked up.

Personally, I was disappointed.

I didn't care for the color, but that's just me and doesn't mean anything.

I don't care for combo blades, but that will probably be rectified down the road.

For me the ergonomics of the handle were not as comfortable as either the 710 or the 720. It bit into my finger a bit where the bump in the handle is on the underside, and just generally lacked something.

The action was buttery smooth. Smoother than the 720's I have tried, and equal to the 710 if not moreso.

I would have preferred an axis lock on the 880 to this model, but again, that's just my opinion.

End result? It just didn't float my boat.

I walked out with a 720.

Guess that's why they make different knives.

Blues

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Live Free or Die

Some Knife Pix
 
if it had a deeper curve in for the index finger to rest in, and came in green - I'd a bought one too. Lack of a finger guard on it bothers me, reminds me of the Ka-Bar folders
 
Joe Talmadge
Let's hope Benchmade has been cutting their edges at a lower angle.
Click to expand...
FWIW, I saw my first 730 last weekend and noticed right away that the width of the edge bevel was much greater than usual for BM knives, which may indicate a lower grind angle.

Didn't buy one tho cuz as with Blues, it didn't float my boat either. Particularly as I rarely carry 3+" and my 710 already fills the occasional need.
 
Carl asked if the colored G-10 handles are a pre-production experiment only. The answer is; the colored G-10 is not an experiment, they will stay.

Howie asked about handle thickness. The handles are slightly thicker than 710 at their thickest point and slightly thinner at their thinnest point.

Regards: Edgeman
 
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