Hello All! I have a question...So I have a 710-801 and just bought an M2HS from Stan. Want to know if anyone has both for users and if they have noticed a difference in performance? Aside from obvious difference in the green coated scales do people feel one is better than the other? I am trying to figure out which one to make my user and which one to keep for the collection/display. AND THANKS!

BTW when I started by buying a pair of M4 knives from DJ I considered myself strictly a user and now like a month later I am hooked and a collector! Started a month ago with 2BM knives now have 7, and an empty piggy bank! LOL

I have an old HSSR user. It look pretty beat up but cuts like a hot knife through butter. I lie both in M2 but prefer the serrations I have cut small branches with the HSSR. People who see it think I'm crazy (which of course I am just as Ronin). M2 is tough steel. Sure there's tougher steel out there (like ZDP-189, YXR7 or DLT571) but these are very cost prohibited as well as hard to find in a knife less than 1000 bucks. IMO M4 is great steel but very hard to sharpen correctly without the proper tool. M4 benefits greatly from a two angle edge. My 806 and 710 in M4 have a 15 degree back edge with a 20 degree front edge. I have a Chris Reeve Umnumzaan that I put the same edge on and its nasty nasty sharp!! The M4 blades need to be polished for best results IMO.

Stan

Yes.

No.

Both/either are great.

I have 710HS and 710M4 users. I can't tell the difference. I like both steels.

I figure the differences must be academic from a knife user's perspective. The properties of one over the other may have some benefit in high speed industrial applications, but for low speed low tech slicing soft materials I doub't I'll be able to notice any difference either.

Does anyone know the rockwell hardness of BM's M2 and M4?

I think that's precisely right. The biggest difference is that M2 is history as far as Benchmade is concerned, whereas M4 will hopefully have a continuing future.

quote:

JNewell wrote...I think that's precisely right. The biggest difference is that M2 is history as far as Benchmade is concerned, whereas M4 will hopefully have a continuing future.

Well said!

I think it's exciting that M4 has a place in the lineup. ALso I canna tell the difference between M4 and M2 cutting wise, I do think M4's a little easier to touchup than M2.

I read something somewhere , where they said M4 is M2 on steroids ........
Meanning it was a little better , but as said earlier , unless your a heavy duty user ...... you wont notice much of a difference.