Anybody own the BM 710?

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Dukester

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I was hoping to get some opinions of this particular knife the BM 710, I was looking to purchase this knife later on this Spring. Does it keep a good edge? Is it easy to sharpen (I own the Spyderco Sharpmaker)? What are the Attributes? I am not really up to snuff on the locking device that BM incorporates i.e. Axis Lock?

Thanks,
Dave
 
I've had the BM 710 for a couple of years and have to say the only other production knives I've ever owned that I liked as much are my BM 722 and BM942, both axis-locks as well.Personally I feel Benchmades axis-lock is the best lock made, especially if you're a lefty like me.
 
I've got the BM 710HS with M2 high speed steel. It's a great knife, and the slight recurve makes it great for slicing. One of the things you'll notice right away is the great blade to handle ratio. It makes the blade look even larger than it is.

At almost 4", it's a bit too big for office carry for me, so I carry the 705 around the office, and the 710 on weekends. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
The 710 is probably BM's finest. The recurve is great and enough can't be said about the Axis lock.

My only gripes are BM doesn't make enough 4' blades and the pocket clip sits too low making the draw akward, I have to re-position my hand for proper grip.
 
Please explain to me the Axis-Lock? Is there a two step operation to open the blade? In other words do you slide the lock to disengage the blade and than open up the blade using the stud on the blade itself?
 
You just open the blade with the stud like any other knife. To disengage the lock, simply pull back on either side of the lock, very left friendly. The axis lock spring sort of looks like an omega symbol, I have seen the patent. I am the lone CPFer that doesn't care for the Axis lock, had a 941, 710, 705.

Doubt if you will ever regret the investment, fine knife.
 
Yes-- you can just open the knife with the stud, however, it's easier (at least for me) to slide my thumb onto the axis lock, slide it back, and flip the blade out with my wrist. Actually, it's not even a flip. With the axis lock pulled back, the blade just rolls out of the handle. It sounds more complicated than just using the stud. It's not. It's very fast and efficient. I like the axis lock so much that I'm stuck on Benchmade even though I like a few other production knives. For me, it has to have the axis lock or I'm not interested. (I have a 942-- not the 710, so it may not be as smooth. I really don't know.)

Scott
 
Actually, your 942 is probably smoother. I have a 940, and it could well be the smoothest Axis Lock BM there is.
 
I was wondering how the axis-locking mechanism worked. I currently own a Sypderco Endura & Columbia River Knife (cannot recall which model but it's 4" blade is black and it is in the 50/50 configuration). I can open both of those knives as quick or damn near as quick as an auto/switch blade knife just using the spyderco hole or the stud on the Columbian. Of course I have both of the knives for about 3 years and that of course comes with practice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Yeah, but how quickly can you close them? How about using your left hand? I love the Axis Lock. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
You can flip the 710 open and closed just by holding the button back. The knife is totally ambi so us leftys don't have to adapt or compromise at all.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Skyline said:
Yeah, but how quickly can you close them? How about using your left hand? I love the Axis Lock. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah yes...for those emergency situations that require putting away your knife very quickly. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Mark
 
[ QUOTE ]
Minjin said:
Ah yes...for those emergency situations that require putting away your knife very quickly. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Mark

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, like when you you're standing on a ladder and need to pull it out, cut something, and put it away, when only one free hand is available. The ease of opening and closing makes it less tempting to just leave it open in between uses- it's just safer to use, overall.

Check this site out for a nice description- Equipped.com
 
My point was that you can close them with one hand just fine. It just might take you a couple fractions of a second more...

Whereas we might need to draw a knife for an emergency cutting need, I've never seen a need to close it incredibly fast. If you can't close a one hand opener with one hand, then you need to work on your dexterity.

Mark
 
Quickly (and easily) closing with one hand is almost as important as quick and easy opening if you're concentrating on something else. I find that I can roll my 940 blade out of the handle, cut what needs to be cut, and roll the blade closed and return it to my pocket without conscious thought. It's not important to do this all the time but in a stressful or hurried situation, it sure is nice. (And then there is the "cool factor" to be considered. 🙂

I really like a few Spyderco designs but since I've used the Axis lock, I'm stuck on Benchmade.

Scott
 
[ QUOTE ]
Minjin said:
My point was that you can close them with one hand just fine. It just might take you a couple fractions of a second more...


[/ QUOTE ]

Try closing a righty linerlock or framelock with your left hand. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Being able to close an Axis Lock quickly actually illustrates a more important point: at no time is your thumb in the path of the blade when closing. This is what happens with linerlocks and framelocks.
 
Dukester,

Yes, I own a BM710HS. One of the finest production cutters out there. Excellent ratio of blade to handle length - a lot of blade in as short of a handle as possible. HS (M2) steel is a great cutting carbon tool steel that will hold an edge for a long time. Gets wicked sharp as carbon steels do. Easy to sharpen on a Spyderco sharpmaker.

As said before, the recurve is a great feature the makes the 710 a ferocious cutter.

Axis lock - the only other lock besides a framelock that I have a lot of confidence in. I only own folders with these two kinds of locks.

I tested out the strength of the Axis lock by lashing the 710 to the end of a short stick and using it as a spear to stab, slash, and back cut a large tree. No hint of lock failure during this abuse. What more can I say?
 
Since you're already sold, I'll encourage you by telling about the 710HS I've had for three years as of this month.
I wanted to check out the M2 steel. I intentionally abused it, and used it for my work knife, except the last couple of months, and a 7 month period where I "checked out" one of my customs. Wore the entire coating off from the thumbstuds forward using it on bags of abrasive materials, then had it done up in boron carbide while BodyCote was doing work for individuals, to "test" this new finish that was supposed to be so indestructible (it's not, btw). I've beat it through sheet metal, and plywood, chopped it into boards, and also a coat hanger alongside some customs in S30V when that steel came out. Cut up aluminum cans, sandpaper, thousands of feet of cardboard, hundreds of plastic straps and pieces of rubber hose, pried open a locker, and handles on dockboards, scraped welding splatter off steel, and gunk off my boots, dropped it on concrete and steel floors, and done pretty much anything I could think of to it without risking breaking the blade.
The edge has been reground so many times that the edge bevel is 3/16" wide because it's so far up into the primary grind, and the tip has been redone by Benchmade twice. BM also replaced the scales, as a problem with the pocket that the Omega spring rides in on some of the early ones apparently caused my springs to break (both of them-separate occasions-no problems since the scales were replaced).
The knife has probably had several lifetimes worth of normal use put on it in the last couple of years--all in the name of science, heehee!
Aside from needing LocTite to keep the pivot screw tight, now, the knife still functions perfectly.
I carry a BM520 right now, but the 710HS still rides in my toolbag, and gets brought out for stuff I don't want to mess up my newer, or more fragile knives on.

I highly recommend it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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