I recently did a review on the Benchmade Griptilian, a model I consider to be a classic Benchmade knife. The Benchmade 710 is another one of those classic Benchmade knives. The 710 has also been reviewed to death, but I wanted to offer my perspective because I really like the knife and you can never have too many reviews.
A little background on the 710, this knife was designed by knife makers Bill McHenry and Jason Williams. These guys actually came up with the Axis lock design and then sold the rights to Benchmade. Benchmade subsequently asked them to design a knife to feature this new locking mechanism and the 710 is what they came up with. The 710 has been the recipient of countless praise, most notable it earned Shooting Industry’s “Knife of the Year” when it first came out in 1999.
Needless to say both the 710 and the Axis lock became a big hit and now more than a decade later, both items are still wildly popular among consumers.
General Dimensions and Blade Detail
The 710 is on the large side. The overall length is 8.8″ with a 3.9″ blade, a blade thickness of .115″ and a weight of 4.5 ounces. Obviously this is not a feather light EDC blade but I feel it is still light enough to want to carry every day (for me at least, your mileage may vary).
The blade is a modified clip point shape with an elegant unsharpened swedge that comes to a fine point, ideal for piercing and thrust cuts. The edge has a slight recurve which helps with draw cuts and allows the already long blade to perform like a slightly larger knife. The 710 has a hollow grind which begins high on the blade and makes this an excellent slicer.
>
Benchmade went with D2 steel for the blade which I think is a very interesting (and excellent) choice. D2 is a high carbon tool steel known for its extreme hardness and ability to hold a wicked sharp edge. Benchmade has heat treated the blade to a rockwell hardness between 60 and 62 which is quite hard. The great thing about D2 is that it can actually handle this kind of hardness without being prone to chipping and it will really hold an edge. (Note: the photos are in fact of a 710 made from 154CM, but the knife looks identical to the D2 version.)
One potential issue with D2 is because it is such a hard steel, it is more difficult to sharpen, but this is the kind of knife that you will want to maintain – allowing this knife to get dull could in fact make it difficult to resharpen without diamond stones.
Another potential issue is corrosion. Like all steels, D2 can rust and because D2 is a high carbon steel it is more likely to rust than most stainless steels. However, with regular cleaning and a little preventative maintenance (a lightly oiled blade and storage in a dry environment) I doubt you will have any issues with corrosion. D2 is a proven steel, because this knife is designed to be used in the field, the fact that it can hold a sharp edge could make the difference between life and death.
Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip
The 710 has a G10 and stainless steel handle with a FRN backspacer. The 410 stainless steel liners have been skeletonized to reduce the weight and the machined G10 is very handsome. Generally, I like the handle a lot, although I do have some criticisms. First of all, I prefer open (pillar) construction with my handles. It makes the knife much easier to clean so to see a FRN backspacer here is a bit of a disappointment. That said, this isn’t a deal breaker and ultimately what we have here is a very strong handle.
What may be more concerning is the texturing on the G10 handle. The texturing is not that aggressive and the handle can become slippery when wet. On a tactical knife, this bothers me. Also, there isn’t a finger choil, which again can compromise the integrity of your grip. The McHenry and Williams flared the handle (in both the thumb ramp and finger choil area), this does help the grip, even in the absence of any functional jimping (which is typical for Benchmade and not an issue for me). If you are seriously considering the 710 as a weapon, I would try one out in person before committing the $140+ this knife retails for.
That said, the handle feels great with it’s rounded edges and lightly textured scales. For an EDC / user knife, the handle will be adequate for most purposes. I imagine Benchmade went with a slightly less grippy texturing to give the knife a more refined look and in order to appeal to a wider audience.
The pocket clip is a standard blackened Benchmade clip. The 710 allows for ambidextrous tip up carry. Some might lament the lack of a “4 corners” pocket clip, but personally, I only use tip up anyways so this is not a big deal (I’d love to hear some comments if this is truly an issue for you). The knife rides low in the pocket, with about a half inch of the handle poking out of the top. For me, this is perfect. I like something to grip onto when I am trying to pull the knife from my pocket.
Deployment and Lock
Not a whole lot needs to be said here, the deployment and lock of the 710 is excellent. This is largely due to the Axis lock and Benchmade’s stellar quality control. If I was writing this review back when the 710 first came out, this probably would have been the longest part of the review, but the Axis lock has been proven and I have written at length about it.
Just to cover a couple points however, the axis lock on the 710 is as smooth as butter. The knife has beefy phosphor bronze bushings which provide a low friction environment to allow the blade to fly out when deployed. With a little practice this knife can deploy almost as fast as an automatic. The lockup is very solid with out any play. I’ll also say the blade retention on this knife is also very good so you don’t need to worry about it accidentally opening in your pocket.
Benchmade 710 McHenry and Williams: Final Thoughts
The Benchmade 710 is an awesome tool with a much deserved reputation for being a solid and reliable folding knife coveted by collectors and users alike. Strengths include a great blade shape with an awesome steel, the legendary axis lock and Benchmade’s excellent fit and finish. The little details like the perfectly centered blade contribute to an overall feeling of strength and precision. I also like how this knife (like all current Benchmade knives) is made in the USA.
My only complaint with the 710 would be the handle. For normal use I actually like the handle a lot, but if you are going to use the knife as a weapon, the texturing may be inadequate, especially in wet or sweaty conditions. Everything else about this knife is awesome however, and it’s great to see the classic 710 stand the test of time in the face of all kinds of “tacti-cool” knives being offered today.
I recommend buying the 710 from BladeHQ. BladeHQ’s customer service is legendary and they offer the 710 at a huge discount off of Benchmade’s typical retail price. Buying anything through any of the links on this site supports BladeReviews by generating a small commission at absolutely no additional cost to you. Any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.
Benchmade 710 – $120.00
Retail Price: $175.00
You Save: $55.00
from: BladeHQ
Benchmade 710 Review
Originally Posted at: BladeReviews.com