Picking a Benchmade...help

C

Charlie S

Joined
Oct 24, 2010
Messages
9
Hello,
I am not new to knife collecting, I have a very large... very expensive collection (I could buy a brand new car at this point). I would, however, like some advice. I am trying to decide on a new knife for EDC, and am having difficulty. I'd like to keep the price between $100-$200 so if I loose it I am not out to much... once I was carrying an $800 custom in my pocket and lost it. Ouch. I haven't owned a Benchmade in a while, but have been hearing good things about their quality-price ratio. I am also getting a matching knife with my brother, we are having some wee disagreements over which one to choose. My preference is for big heavy-duty knives, his for small an light. We are currently deciding between the Benchmade 710 (D2) and the Benchmade 943 (S30V). Any others to consider?

Has anyone had experience with the aluminum scales of the 943? I have a feeling they would scratch up fairly easily (any problems with this?).

Thanks,
Charlie
 
The 943 is hard to beat for day-to-day use as it is slim and compact, but with a decent blade length. I have found the finish of the aluminium scales to be very robust.

If you want something a little larger, the 710 is the way to go.
 
The 710 with a M390 blade is hard to beat.
There is a 940 in D2 that is pretty nice, too.
A couple months ago I was fidgeting with some of the BM HK options at a store. They appear to be very, very nice.
These styles seem to be the only BM's that appeal to me at this point.
 
How about 740 for you and 745 for your brother?
Dejavoo is one of my all-time favorites. I heard it might be discontinued - I hope I have just misunderstood something...
 
Welcome to bladeforums.


Give the 710 a try. I have one that I have carried for years as an EDC. I find it carries well in the pocket and it's not too heavy yets gives you a fairly large blade that is strong.


Best of luck,
John
 
The 710 and the 943 are great knives, I own both. For an EDC I would recommend the 943, the size and shape make for a great carry and cutter. I have been carrying mine for almost 8 years now and it has never let me down. I will also say that this is the smoothest opening Benchmade that I have ever owned.
 
I have and carry both and I would go with the 943. It opens exceedingly smoothly, and has great ergos. I can also get it much sharper than my 710 because of the 710's recurve and possibly the d2 but I think the recurve plays a bigger factor. I find that the 710 excels at tasks like cutting rope and cloth because of its recurve and tendency to get a toothier edge. The 943 on the other hand seems to preform better on my typical edc tasks like cutiting open boxes, oppening letters, sharpening pencils, opening clamshell packages and cutting cardboard due to its thinner edge geometry, however, the 710 also preforms pretty well on cardboard if you add a little wrist flicking type motion during the cut to take advantage of the slicing power of that recurve. If you plan on doing even the slightest bit of prying though, go for the 710 because the tip on the 943 seems really fragile; I don't pry with my my knives so that isn't a huge deal for me. Also the finish on the 943's handles is very tough, tougher than the finish BM puts on their titanium handles. I carry it in the same pocket as my keys, I know stupid me, and it hasnt scratched yet, but the pocket clip is wearing.
 
A few comparisons between the 943 and 710. (Of course pictures can't show the significant difference in weight and feel between the two.)

710943uploada.jpg


710943uploadb.jpg


710943uploadc.jpg
 
i know its already been suggested but the 710 in m390 has been getting good reviews. you could also pick up a large ritter grip with m4.
 
I recommend you get the 710 and your brother gets the 707. The 710 is a great larger knife and the 707 is basically just a scaled down version of the 710.

That way y'all still have nearly matching knives and both parties are happy.
 
I think there's a lot to like about the old 970 Specwar model, the original Emerson CQC7 production piece. Does anyone else use these anymore? I carry one in my truck, and it's great for everything from opening packages (strong/high-penetration tip) to cutting rope (plenty of serration length). I still see them on the for sale forum from time to time in the $100 range--maybe a little more for one in mint condition.

Alferd
 
Go for the 710. Its on of my favorite folders ever. Huge blade and very light. The 943 is cool but it is really very small compared to the 710. I like having a big blade.
 
Thanks for all the replies!
Does anyone have experience with benchmade's blade coatings? I am generally not a fan of coated blades, I'm not a ninja ;) and don't like it when the finish comes off... and if the blade begins to rust at all, well then your SOL. Unfortunately the uncoated 710 with M390 is sold out, so the only way to get one with M390 is with a coated blade.
 
I believe that 710 has the DLC coating with is a great coating. They used the same coating on the M4 Ritter Grip and it got great reviews. I like BM's regular coating as well. Initially it is easy to see the wear but after some use it all starts to blend in and I think the knife ends up looking even better.

I don't think you should have any concerns about M390 rusting, especially with a DLC coating on it. Coating will continue to protect the blade even after it has seen a lot of use.
 
John E Woven said:
How about the 930 ?
Click to expand...

Yep, I love mine. Very thin and light, I forget it's in my pocket. Very sturdy though. It does feel a little flimsy side-to-side though, but overall a great cutter, I've done some pretty heavy duty stuff with it. Here it is next to my Izula and Needs Work for comparison.

edcs.jpg
 
I am making a similar decision actually. I would say 940 over 943. I love the reinforced tip and the blade just seems more substantial and still comes in a compact package. The 710 seemed like the smoothness of the opening was hindered by the size of the knife, but that could have been because it was new. The 940 blade action seemed a level above the 710 and with a 3.5 inch blade it should handle any EDC task. I was going to purchase the 940 until I was offered and alias II, which I am in love with.
 
I took the recurve out of my 710 but still carry a 943 more often. The 943 has several handle options, but the Titanium and Carbon fiber handles are not <$200. The completely anodized Ti handles hold up better than the partially anodized ones. The C/F handles make the lightest knife (71gm). The Aluminum handles come in many colors (I move them around). I like the red one best. Al handled knives weigh 81gm. The Ti handled knife with the open back (to reduce weight) comes in at 91gm. I prefer the sharper clip point of the 943 over the more blunt point of the 940 reverse tanto style. I also prefer S30V to D2.
 
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