910 Stryker
910 Stryker
910 Stryker
Specs:
|
Blade Length: 3.70" |
|
Clip: Black, Removable,
Tip-Down |
From the Benchmade Website:
An angular approach leads to blade geometry of monolithic proportion, and the Tanto is perhaps a misunderstood overachiever in efficiencies of cutting, too. Titanium liners up the ante in the patented modified locking-liner system.
There are plenty of
companies out there that make great knives. Benchmade stands near the top of
the list because for the level of performance they offer they are reasonably
priced. The Benchmade 910 Stryker is almost a legend in the knife world; light,
strong, compact and brutally sharp, it’s been a mainstay of law enforcement
officers and rescue personnel for years.
A slim 4” 154CM steel tanto blade is carried in 4.6” titanium-lined G-10
covered handles. Thumb disk for easy opening, textured handle scales, ridged
finger choil and blade spine for safe control. The knife is set up for tip down
carry only.
Compact and Smooth
The Stryker is not a large knife,
and despite having a nearly four inch blade it just somehow seems to disappear
until you want it. The pocket clip allows the knife to ride fairly low and
unobtrusively in the pocket (if that’s where you carry it), and its very flat
cross-section means the knife isn’t bulky or awkward either. The knife is
really easy to draw without getting caught on clothing, and easy to orient once
fully drawn. I’ve never been a fan of thumb disks (I prefer studs), but the
910’s thumb ramps made finding and opening the blade very easy. Once pressure
was applied to the disk, the blade was freed from the detent and sprang open.
The opening action was very
smooth and predictable. Once open, the titanium liner lock snapped into place
and held the blade rigid. Even after weeks of use, and heavy cutting, the blade
showed no play laterally or vertically. Lockup was solid and the knife stayed
tight even after repeated spine whacks.
I’d like to focus your
attention on the handle of this knife for a moment because some of its features
are not obvious in photos. First, part of the reason I got this knife was great
textured G-10 handle. I’ve seen G-10 done poorly many times. Benchmade did an
outstanding job on the scales because they are not only super-tough and
comfortable, but they look great for a long time. That may not mean much to you
if you’re going to be using the knife hard and dropping it in the heat of a
moment, but if you’re going to use it as an EDC its nice to know the thing
won’t look like old socks after a few weeks of carry. The texture is rough
enough to give you a firm grip in wet or slick conditions, but not so rough as
to be an impediment to frequent or hard use.
The handles are contoured to
allow a hand-filling grip; once you have it settled where you want it, you feel
you really have a connection with the knife and blade. Notice how the back of
the handle has a gentle curve that terminates in a thumb ramp? This allows the
meaty ball of your thumb to rest along it in either saber or reversed grips. I
found this knife to be very comfortable to use, and surprisingly able and
useful. See below.
Cutting demon
The knife was used to open over
100 cardboard boxes, cut plastic strapping, carve hardwood stakes, cut two
kinds of rope, slice plastic tubing, and cut cheese and sausage for a light
snack. The Stryker has a very thinly ground blade. While the stock it is made
from might be 0.120 of an inch, you’ll notice the main bevel of the blade
nearly meets the false edge at the top all along the blade length. This
facilitates cutting through any medium because the steel doesn’t have as much
material to force through whatever it’s cutting. This also means the blade itself might be prone breakage if it is
subjected to alternative or abusive uses. If you use it as a cutting tool, it
will be fine.
There are a large number of
theories as to what makes a better cutting tool, a straight edge or a curved or
“recurved” blade. I’ve come full circle in my use of knives, believing that a
straighter edge makes more sense, then experiencing recurved blades, and
finally arriving at “It makes very little difference in my line of work.” I
like the elegance, symmetry and simplicity of straighter lines and edges, and
the Stryker has laser-sharp lines. I knew the knife would be a good cutter but
I was genuinely surprised at how the easily knife went through anything I cut
with it. Yes of course it cuts cardboard, seatbelts and leather. But I wasn’t
expecting it to go through rope like it was butter. I made over 50 cuts on my ¼
inch manila rope, and the blade not only ate through it but showed no sign of
tiring. 3/8 inch polypropylene was a bit tougher; the knife didn’t always cut
in one pass and felt like it was sliding off the slippery plastic, though it
still did an admirable job. After 25 cuts I figured it was time for to touchup
the blade. I have found 154CM to be a great steel for holding an edge and have
had no problems getting this steel to shaving sharp.
I think there is a
misconception about knife points and penetration. Often, when you read a
review, the author talks about the “penetrating power” or “armor piercing
point” of tanto points. Other reviewers talk about the penetrating power of
drop or clip point blades. The Americanized tanto point we usually see is less efficient at penetrating anything
than a more acute point like a clip point. What it can do is transfer enough energy to break through almost anything, without breaking itself. That is “the
penetrating power” of the tanto point. Because there is “more metal behind the
tip,” a tanto will survive, say, being thrust through a car door much better
and more in tact than one of its sharper-tipped brethren. Keep in mind- this is
a trade off; a clip point will get through to an opponent easier, but risks
breaking, a tanto might require more effort but will surely survive to try
again.
Try this before you throw
away your 2005 phone book: stab it with a tanto point and another style point.
Note how deeply (to how many pages) the point penetrated. Now also note the
size of the hole left by the point on the top page. You’ll see the difference.
Next I’d like to draw your
attention to the point of the 910. Most “Americanized” tanto points are very
abrupt or obtuse; see how acute the point of the 910 is? The Stryker is very
narrow and well suited for penetration. See photos comparing the 910 to other
well-known tanto deigns. The
Conclusions
The 910 is a well-designed
knife for people who want a high-quality, compact and easily concealed knife.
It is very well-rounded for almost any use. It combines the piercing power of a
drop point with the strength of a tanto, but won’t have the traditional tip
strength of a tanto when push comes to shove. The knife sacrifices strength
laterally in order to give better cutting ability; people who think they will
use the knife as a pry bar should look elsewhere.
The 910 is currently
available from a number of web dealers for under $100, and Benchmade also
offers the blade in what it calls a “High Speed” steel (M2) for a little bit
more money.
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