Benchmades M390

CREEXHP70LED

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Nov 5, 2016
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While I have owned Benchmades with M390 for years I never got around to using them as I had about 15 brand new Benchmades at once. This is the best steel I have ever used. It cut and cut and cut while very slowly dulling. I did chip the edge a little but it came right out on my DMT stones in no time. I am going to carry my M4 blades next, as far as sharpening being hard with super steels, it was the easiest steel I have ever sharpened and it stayed sharper wayyyyy longer than S30V even Chris Reeve's.
 

P_A_S_1

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Jul 1, 2010
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......... it stayed sharper wayyyyy longer than S30V even Chris Reeve's.

I read that the C. Reeve s30v was left a little softer then others for toughness, what rhc I don't recall, but the reviewer thought the steel didn't reach it's full potential because of this. Do you have other s30v knives to compare, maybe a Spyderco as they're suppose to be optimally hardened (60rhc I believe).

BTW, what grit DMT made quick work of the steel and what did you finish it on?
 

CREEXHP70LED

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Joined
Nov 5, 2016
Messages
552
I read that the C. Reeve s30v was left a little softer then others for toughness, what rhc I don't recall, but the reviewer thought the steel didn't reach it's full potential because of this. Do you have other s30v knives to compare, maybe a Spyderco as they're suppose to be optimally hardened (60rhc I believe).

BTW, what grit DMT made quick work of the steel and what did you finish it on?

I don't have any Spyderco M390 blades, I was a Reeve dealer so yes they did seem soft to me, but all S30V felt soft to me. Like INFI sort of. I just used a 20 year old 6" fine (red) stone maybe eight or ten passes per side finished with a leather strop with 2000 grit chromium oxide compound. I have a brand new double sided coarse/fine large stone, and about five more DMT's but only seem to need the fine most of the time. Really dull I will use the coarse, and really chipped, 1X30 belt grinder for a re-bevel.
 

kelmo

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Aug 27, 2004
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I have a Benchmade MPR (755?) and it is quite and awesome blade. I used it to hack out some small tree roots with no problem.
 

DMS1970

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Aug 25, 2011
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359
I you think m390 rocks, try a nakamura in s90v. Seems 2x more durable edge than my m390 mini barrage.
 

freebird610

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Jul 1, 2017
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4
Wait til you get a hold of s110v. Not sure why Benchmade doesn't offer it on anything yet. Spyderco uses it a good bit. Blows M390 out of the water in edge retention. It really is amazing.
 
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