The Benchmade 710 knife is a premium quality knife with a bit higher prices than lesser brands but when you buy a Benchmade knife, you have to remember that you are buying quality and durability that you can rely on for a very long time. Unlike some knives that are great for a year, you can expect a 3 years old Benchmade knife to be as good as it was right out of the box. The 710 is definitely no exception. Benchmade is quite well-known for their collaborations and the 710 is designed by two well respected custom knife designers Bill McHenry and Jason Williams. It is also the one of the very first knives to have the Benchmade signature AXIS lock that allows for totally ambidextrous single-handed opening and closing. It’s so simple to use that you do not need any kind of instruction to be acquainted in its operation. It’s almost as if you have been operating it for years.
Designers
William McHenry and Jason Williams are actually two of the most well-recognized knife makers in the world and the fact that they are related just adds a bit more color in their work. Jason is Bill’s stepson and their “art with an edge on it” have gathered both recognition and respect all around the knife enthusiasts’ community.
Blade
The blade of the Benchmade 710 is a reverse-curved plain edge blade with a modified clip point and is made from D2 steel. D2 steel contains somewhere around 1.4 – 1.6 % carbon, about 0.6 % manganese, 11 – 13 % chromium, 1.1 % vanadium and 0.3 % nickel. This makes D2 very tough and first came into the scene in the Second World War. D2 is rarely used on knives and is mostly utilized for industrial grade machines. D2 is however well-known for its superior corrosion, stain and wear resistance. This means you do not need to maintain it as much as other knives which make it and excellent everyday carry knife.
Handle
The 710 handle has stainless steel linings with G10 scales. The shape of the handle is fairly simple with just a few jimping enough to provide you that secure grip with as little discomfort as possible. This means you can use it on a regular basis without having to worry about callouses on your palm. The handle also houses most of the mechanisms of the knife and having stainless steel linings ensures its strength and durability. The handle is relatively heavy but that can be a great plus because it allows you to grip it without having to worry that you might be misshaping any of the internal mechanisms of the folder. All in all, a well-designed ergonomic handle that gives you a considerable amount of control safely.
AXIS Lock
The AXIS lock was designed by William McHenry and Jason Williams and with its simplicity; one might think that it was easy designing it. The truth of the matter is, McHenry and Williams took 4 years to conceptualize, design and develop the AXIS lock. However, the pure simplicity of the design ensures its dependability since simplicity is often a main element of most mechanical tools which of course includes folding knives. The Benchmade 710 is a modern man’s knife and with a secure lock such as the AXIS, it can perform almost as well as fixed blade knives. The price of the Benchmade 710 is higher than most knives’ but anybody who knows Benchmade knives will agree that the price tag is well-justified. With the technology and quality that goes into the knife, the Benchmade 710 can even be considered a steal.
Specifications
Overall Length: 8.80″
Blade Length: 3.90″
Blade Thickness: 0.11″
Blade Material: D2 tool steel
Blade Style: Modified Clip-Point
Blade Grind: Reverse-curve
Finish: Satin
Edge Type: Plain Handle
Thickness: 0.48″
Handle Length: 4.90″
Closed Length: 4.90″
Handle Material: G10
Frame/Liner: Stainless steel
Weight: 4.50 oz.
Lock Type: AXIS
Country of Origin: USA
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