Danzo
12-01-05, 01:02 AM
Hi folks
It was a dark and stormy night. I had been trying to finalise a couple of reviews of knives by a couple blokes you know, one of them in Hong Kong and one in Norway; the words weren't coming but the Dalwhinnie was, and I was surfing the knife sites. Wishing I had more available cash in that difficult pre-Christmas period my eyes came to rest upon something I had either not seen before or else glossed over in my search for bigger and better prey. It was a knife by Benchmade, the 10300 Monochrome (http://www.equipped.com/pp/pic1311.htm) . Thanks to www.equipped.com for the picture.
I really liked the look of the knife and I rather liked the price from my old friends at www.newgraham.com
It was $31.25.
:O
So I ordered one and a week later it arrived. Unfortunately a computer glitch had sent a serrated model rather than a plain edge but a quick email to the wonderful Mary Beth at New Graham got me a plain edge on the way as well. That arrived in less than week. I love Mary Beth, albeit in a polite, from a distance way. She replies in minutes to emails sent from the UK and is simply the nicest person you could hope to have on the end of your email.
:D
So what is the Benchmade 10300?
Well, it is part of Benchmades new 'Red' class of knives. The idea is that Gold class knives are BM's limited editions, Black are the 'tactical' knives such as the AFCK, and Blue is most everything else that is made in the USA or Japan. Red class knives are part of a new range made in Taiwan.
Now, I have no problems with Taiwanese or Chinese made kit of any sort as I believe that both countries are as capable of making good quality goods as anyone else, so long as the investment and quality control is in place. I grew up in Hong Kong so I know I'm right. Don't try and argue, should you disagree, because you are wrong. We all know there can be rubbish made in China or Taiwan, but next time you go on holiday ponder where the wheels on your plane were made.......
:O
Sadly a lot of folks in the USA (and no doubt some here) believe that if something is made in Taiwan or China it must be rubbish.
The nature of world economics means that many US knife manufacturers are being pushed into moving production of some lines to either Taiwan or China. I'm sure that some of you have picked up on Spydercos launch of a small range of knives under the brandname 'Byrd' to test the market for cheaper knives. If not, then google will be your guide.
So back again to the Benchmade 10300 Monochrome. It is designed in collaboration with Steirer Eisen (www.steirereisen.com) who are an Austrian knife design company headed by a guy named Armin Stuetz.
The knife is a classic airframe design, meaning the plain metal has cutouts to reduce weight, but in a framelock design which is where part of the handle moves into the return path of the opened blade to act as the lock. Like a Sebenza or Kershaw Chive. The lock itself is very secure, as is generally case with framelocks. The whole knife, including blade, has an anodised or beadblasted 'smooth' look to it, similiar to a Kershaw Leek.
The blade is from a steel called N690. I had thought that this was just a Central European term for 440C and hence had been more than happy with it on this knife for the price. I'm sure that most of you thought that N690 was the same as 440C.
;)
However I did some googling a few nights ago and came up with this (http://www.islandsecuritystore.com/extremaratio.php) which claims that many of Extrema Ratios knives are made from N690. That is probably a good thing. I have little experience of Extrema Ratio but those who do say they are very, very good knives. This leads me to suspect that N690 may be an Italian steel rather than an Austrian one, but if you know better then please correct me. It is quite extraordinarily sharp out of the box, but then almost all production knives are nowadays. But if this IS the steel used by Extrema Ratio then there is a bit of a bargain developing here.........
;)
The fit and finish of the knife are exemplary. The screws are typical BM Torx screws and the pivot works as well as any knife I have. There is a matching clip, with airframe holes, for tip down carry, as is the case with many framelocks including the Benchmade Skirmish. I would challenge anyone who hadn't read this to guess the price of this knife and I would expect to be told at least $75 -$100
So. I normally end with a question or two in a full review. Has Benchmades decision to make a knife in Taiwan been a success? A resounding yes. This is a superb knife. It perhaps lacks real character but I think that BM have gone for simple attractive looks and a rock solid package in order to sell this Taiwanese made knife to the US. I think they have chosen a very, very good steel. I won't bore you with more links but I think that N690 is certainly more than a basic, bog standard steel.
Should you buy one? Ohmigodyes! YES! YES! YES!
Remember, this cost less than twenty quid including postage. And here's why: New Graham are lovely people and excellent value but importantly for us in the Mother Country they ship USPS. This means a small package like a paperback book is delivered by your postperson and the criminal gangs called ParcelTheft or UPS or FedEx don't steal all of your money.
:mad:
Buy one of these knives folks. If you haven't got either a Benchmade or a framelock you want probably want one or both so you could do with a 10300. If you have both then you can't do without one; it's a Benchmade framelock and only £20 delivered. Probably within a week. From the US of A. In the depths of winter. A cold cure in a knife. Go. Buy.
:D
Danzo
It was a dark and stormy night. I had been trying to finalise a couple of reviews of knives by a couple blokes you know, one of them in Hong Kong and one in Norway; the words weren't coming but the Dalwhinnie was, and I was surfing the knife sites. Wishing I had more available cash in that difficult pre-Christmas period my eyes came to rest upon something I had either not seen before or else glossed over in my search for bigger and better prey. It was a knife by Benchmade, the 10300 Monochrome (http://www.equipped.com/pp/pic1311.htm) . Thanks to www.equipped.com for the picture.
I really liked the look of the knife and I rather liked the price from my old friends at www.newgraham.com
It was $31.25.
:O
So I ordered one and a week later it arrived. Unfortunately a computer glitch had sent a serrated model rather than a plain edge but a quick email to the wonderful Mary Beth at New Graham got me a plain edge on the way as well. That arrived in less than week. I love Mary Beth, albeit in a polite, from a distance way. She replies in minutes to emails sent from the UK and is simply the nicest person you could hope to have on the end of your email.
:D
So what is the Benchmade 10300?
Well, it is part of Benchmades new 'Red' class of knives. The idea is that Gold class knives are BM's limited editions, Black are the 'tactical' knives such as the AFCK, and Blue is most everything else that is made in the USA or Japan. Red class knives are part of a new range made in Taiwan.
Now, I have no problems with Taiwanese or Chinese made kit of any sort as I believe that both countries are as capable of making good quality goods as anyone else, so long as the investment and quality control is in place. I grew up in Hong Kong so I know I'm right. Don't try and argue, should you disagree, because you are wrong. We all know there can be rubbish made in China or Taiwan, but next time you go on holiday ponder where the wheels on your plane were made.......
:O
Sadly a lot of folks in the USA (and no doubt some here) believe that if something is made in Taiwan or China it must be rubbish.
The nature of world economics means that many US knife manufacturers are being pushed into moving production of some lines to either Taiwan or China. I'm sure that some of you have picked up on Spydercos launch of a small range of knives under the brandname 'Byrd' to test the market for cheaper knives. If not, then google will be your guide.
So back again to the Benchmade 10300 Monochrome. It is designed in collaboration with Steirer Eisen (www.steirereisen.com) who are an Austrian knife design company headed by a guy named Armin Stuetz.
The knife is a classic airframe design, meaning the plain metal has cutouts to reduce weight, but in a framelock design which is where part of the handle moves into the return path of the opened blade to act as the lock. Like a Sebenza or Kershaw Chive. The lock itself is very secure, as is generally case with framelocks. The whole knife, including blade, has an anodised or beadblasted 'smooth' look to it, similiar to a Kershaw Leek.
The blade is from a steel called N690. I had thought that this was just a Central European term for 440C and hence had been more than happy with it on this knife for the price. I'm sure that most of you thought that N690 was the same as 440C.
;)
However I did some googling a few nights ago and came up with this (http://www.islandsecuritystore.com/extremaratio.php) which claims that many of Extrema Ratios knives are made from N690. That is probably a good thing. I have little experience of Extrema Ratio but those who do say they are very, very good knives. This leads me to suspect that N690 may be an Italian steel rather than an Austrian one, but if you know better then please correct me. It is quite extraordinarily sharp out of the box, but then almost all production knives are nowadays. But if this IS the steel used by Extrema Ratio then there is a bit of a bargain developing here.........
;)
The fit and finish of the knife are exemplary. The screws are typical BM Torx screws and the pivot works as well as any knife I have. There is a matching clip, with airframe holes, for tip down carry, as is the case with many framelocks including the Benchmade Skirmish. I would challenge anyone who hadn't read this to guess the price of this knife and I would expect to be told at least $75 -$100
So. I normally end with a question or two in a full review. Has Benchmades decision to make a knife in Taiwan been a success? A resounding yes. This is a superb knife. It perhaps lacks real character but I think that BM have gone for simple attractive looks and a rock solid package in order to sell this Taiwanese made knife to the US. I think they have chosen a very, very good steel. I won't bore you with more links but I think that N690 is certainly more than a basic, bog standard steel.
Should you buy one? Ohmigodyes! YES! YES! YES!
Remember, this cost less than twenty quid including postage. And here's why: New Graham are lovely people and excellent value but importantly for us in the Mother Country they ship USPS. This means a small package like a paperback book is delivered by your postperson and the criminal gangs called ParcelTheft or UPS or FedEx don't steal all of your money.
:mad:
Buy one of these knives folks. If you haven't got either a Benchmade or a framelock you want probably want one or both so you could do with a 10300. If you have both then you can't do without one; it's a Benchmade framelock and only £20 delivered. Probably within a week. From the US of A. In the depths of winter. A cold cure in a knife. Go. Buy.
:D
Danzo