SOG SV68 Vision vs. Benchmade Rukus 610 SBK?

U

up up and away

Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
3
Hey does anyone have a recommendation of which knife they think will hold up better in the long run? (any other knifes you would recommend in this price-range are welcome). I need the blade to be partially serrated and have been trying to decide between these two knives for about 2 weeks now (have also been considering the rukus mini). Any advice on if one might hold up longer? It will be used for rock climbing, camping, ... basically alot of different outdoor activities. Please let me know all details on what you think ranging from the locks, to blade materials, to handle construction etc. Thanks alot!
 
Welcome to the forums:).

Both are great knives and I think the difference in which will hold up longer will be negligible. The Ruckus will be noticeably heavier but will have a more secure grip under slippery/wet conditions (not saying that the Vision is slippery). The Rukus has a weak detent IMO. The Vision's handle will be noticeably thinner. The handle materials, steels and quality are top notch on both for the money.

Neither are better than the other. Go with the one that appeals the most to you. Personally the 615 fits my needs best out of these 3.
 
"It will be used for rock climbing, camping, ... basically alot of different outdoor activities"

I suspect the Rukus will last longer, but it will be heavier.

Also, I note VG10 vs S30V is a consideration - VG10 will be easier to sharpen but S30V should last longer between sharpenings.

However, I think the grind of the Rukus blade is better for outdoorsey activities.

The composite material scales of the Rukus will probably be more comfortable in prolonged use, though I haven't used a Vision.
 
Thanks alot for the help on breaking the two knives down. As of now I think I am going to get the rukus. I just have to decide whether to get the rukus or the mini rukus. This has been a huge help. If anyone else has anything to say just sling it on over! Thanks again :D
 
I find my full-size Rukus to be a bit much for everyday carry (size and weight issues).

However, since you want to go partial serrated edge, the full-size may be advantageous due to the extra length of plain edge.

Have you handled these knives?

I ask as the "Mini-Rukus" is found to be a full-size knife by many peoples standards.

If you can't handle them, grab a ruler and a knife you are familiar with and do some size comparisons (the respective sizes can be found on Benchmade's site).

That said, I like the full-size Rukus as a pack knife and carry a smaller knife in a more accessable place (I'm a big time 710 fan, so that knife is my usual EDC knife when away from work).

Wish someone else would through in some opinions.
 
Like the other forumites said, the Rukus is the winner, but it's also a bit big. I have the full size black coated partially serrated version. It's a great knife but it is a little big for every day carry (EDC, you'll see that a lot here). I've actually wanted to get the mini-rukus for quite some time now. The 3 1/2" blade on the mini-rukus is the perfect size. The full size Rukus is a great camp knife. Since I'm a folder person and not much for fixed blades, it's my replacement for a "fixed blade" since it has the Axis-Lock.
 
Totally the Rukus. I like the Vision, but I've experienced too many Arc-Locks unscrewing that I'd go with the solid bar of the Benchmade. It's a lovely knife, really it is, but I don't like the idea of losing half of my locking bar because it backed out on me. Granted this is easily fixed if you catch it, but it just seems like a thing one shouldn't have to do.

However I'm sure that there are many people who have never had this problem.
 
I may be misunderstanding your intentions here, but for close to two bills you can buy at least seven (7) Benchmade Pika II knives and the issue of lasting a long time becomes a moot point. If you want a really nice expensive knife to carry, that's great, then buy whatever you want and enjoy, but to go hiking and camping with the knife needs to be good and cheap. I have lost many a knife on trips and if I need to worry all the time about where my $200 knife is I am not going to enjoy the trip. Likewise, I would think twice about chopping some wood with a $200 blade, but a $30 knife will get a workout. I may not be understanding what you need the knife for, but let me tell you, Pika II has an amazing blade, great handle, is built really well and is under $30. Get a few of them and don't worry about them being outlasted by a $200 knife. Any knife can be lost on a camping trip and then it doesn't matter how tough it was. Just sayin'...

Best of luck!
 
Rukus all the way, planning on getting mine in a coupla of months :D

I've held it, and also the mini, and they're both awesome knives.
 
They both lockup like a bank vault, use excellent steel for their blades, and have great ergonomics. Take your pick :)

I like the design of the Rukus better but I prefer the handle material of the Vision (titanium)
 
I own a 610SBK and the SOG Pentagon Elite II with Arc Lock.

Benchmade Rukus SBK
I prefer the Rukus outta the box. The opening is scary smooth and the lock is secure. It has the guard thingy which stops your hands from slipping to the blade during stabbing and the scales look/feel expensive as well as pleasing to the eye. The spacer pins (3 in total) are very nicely spaced along the spine and the liner thickness is thick, thus giving a nice firm rigid grip for me. It has grooves for the thumb on the handle and blade which feels good and not too abrasive. The clip is low and is not too tight so my pockets remain untorn. The coating on my blade is tough and my greasy paws do not smudge it too easy. The S30V steel is easy to sharpen and /was/is/will-be razor sharp for long time. The force which keeps the blade closed (detent?) is a little light and it is not strong enough for my opinion. As time goes by the Axis bar travels a little deeper but since the original position is fully into the shearing plane this is not necessarily an improvement. In theory the bending moment capacity is reduced due to the reduction in lever length.

Not Vision but my PEII which has similar Arc Lock
My Pentagon Elite II (PEII) had vertical bladeplay and the lock was difficult to unlock single thumb. The Kevlar Reinforced Zytel is cheap looking/feeling and there is no guard to slop slipping for such a knife which is marketed as a stabbing tool (not primary function) The VG-10 is nice but does not get as sharp as my Rukus. There is thumb grooves on the handle but it is nothing to shout about. BUT......

But the PEII's Arc lock detent became smoother over time and the vertical bladeplay disappeared over time. I deduce the lock bar has traveled deeper into the lock region due to frequent use and the lock sits more securely. Compared to an Axis lock (I own a Rukus and a 710D2) I know the Arc-lock is more stronger. The resistance to closing of the blade is not only resisted by a single bar of steel like the Axis but the force also transfers higher up into the pivot of the lock. The moving lock thingy is a solid, larger-than-axis-lock-bar, piece of steel and if under load (closing load) the failure would likely be (assuming the blade pivot holds) the shearing of 4 cylindrical steel sections instead of the Axis' 2 cylindrical steel sections. As time goes by the Arc-Lock definitely smoothens out and 'strengthens' somewhat as more and more of the lock 'pin' is in the shearing zone.

I hate the lack of screws along the spine. The spacers are only on the back and sometimes when I grip too hard the handle flexes. They really should include more screws/torx-bolts in the spine area. Like the CS Recons it is superbly rigid in the spine.

(note: The Arc-Lock's design is such that the 'pins' are always perpendicular to the knife due to the movement being restrained/guided by a rotating pivot. My Axis (though super smooth) has lock pins which does experience non-perpendicular movement and the tightness of the lock pin's screws caps as well as the tension in the Omega springs determine the non-perpendicularness of the pins.)

Conclusion
Unless you are planning to stab at car doors then the guard is probably not necessary, it hinders my cutting somewhat but is tactically better. The Arc-lock is the winner in the time category since the lock sorta improves over time. The blade of the Rukus is much better.

So if time and lock condition is your concern, I'd go with SOG. However do not discount Benchmade's great customer service, any problems can be rectified as long as you stay within the acceptable usage parameters. Price is also an issue since my Rukus = 2x PEII. PEII wins but the PEII is not being compared in this thread right :)

Go for the Rukus if you want something that'll be treasured and relied upon if you want a good looking/working tool. The lock is good enough but the price needs some reduction to make me happy.

HOPE THIS HELPS, SORRY FOR NOT TALKING ABOUT THE VISION, I ONLY GOT THE PEII AND I WANT TO HELP NONETHELESS...
 
Last edited:
I personally see the vision as more of an EDC knife and the Rukus as more of a work knife, so I'd go with the Rukus. Both SOG and BM have crazy customer service, so you won't be disappointed.
 
Out of the two I'd probably get the Vision, mostly because I'm more a fan of the Arc Lock. It feels smoother to me and easier to use left or right handed. Though I have handled the Rukus and it seems like a nice knife. The lock on the larger one (handled both) seems smoother then the lock on the smaller one. But if I was to choose a Rukus for actual use, I'd go with the smaller one, seemed more handy.

That wasn't a reccomendation, just my personal feelings. My only reccomendation is to handle both and see which one you like better.

Heber
 
Over the years that I've been on this forum, I've seen almost an equal split between who favors what in the axis vs the arc locks. I personally like the axis locks myself. As for which can last longer, from my experience along with reading so many reviews, I've seen no indication that the axis is any weaker or has a shorter life span than the arc.
 
Kaizen1 said:
Over the years that I've been on this forum, I've seen almost an equal split between who favors what in the axis vs the arc locks. I personally like the axis locks myself. As for which can last longer, from my experience along with reading so many reviews, I've seen no indication that the axis is any weaker or has a shorter life span than the arc.
Click to expand...

Exactly :thumbup:.

Now if you really want to make things complex, throw the ultra-lock in with the mix and let the heads roll after that :D. From what I hear, they all last about the same amount of time, just ones smoother than the other and one is more adjustable than the other one and the springs from the ultra lock are interchangeable with the springs on the BM griptilians, oops, spilled the beans ;).
 
hey I really appreciate all of this feedback from you guys. sorry I haven't responded in a while I have been in the Adirondacks mountains but am now back.
 
i really agree with vferdman, i own a mini rukus and no way in hell would i every take it camping. buy a decent knife and use and abuse it. the pika II is fine or a BM monochrome wont disappoint. Also, a CRKT M16 or M4, maybe a spyderco centofante 3(not my style but whatever) or a SOG Flash I.
 
up up and away said:
hey I really appreciate all of this feedback from you guys. sorry I haven't responded in a while I have been in the Adirondacks mountains but am now back.
Click to expand...

Oh and you're going to let a little thing like no internet access get in the way of responding to some strangers on a forum:D? Welcome back:).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top