That is so gross <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> ... I think I am going to get sick <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" /> ... Aaaaargh <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> ...

i take it you dont eat meat or something ADAMLAU ?????

.338 STALKER,

do you have any poisonous snakes around there??

I am a vegan and a member of PETA <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> . Go Martha Stewart <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> ...

Yes. Funny you mentioned that. I did nearly step on a 6' Tiger snake just over the hill from here. Pretty much one of the top 10 most venomous in the world I think.
We had a mutual understanding. He went one way, I went the other. And that way I didn't have to give some 338 medicine. I only kill them if they try & kill me. It's a fare trade.
We also have Browns getting around that area. If one of these bite you, you're f##K##. A Browns poison eats your kidneys real fast <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Now you did it 338.............. Now I am hungry for venison! Good work and great pics! Thanks!

I'm glad to see that you're putting that YKLE to good use 338! Excellent pics, and nice work dressing out your kills. And nice work raising your son and teaching him outdoor skills !!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> He's a good looking lad who will remember his trips with you the rest of his life. Well done! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Tom

Jane explains to Bambi why he is struggling to find his mum !!!!













Before ya ask, yeah I am just messin, I'd eat that deer in a heartbeat !!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I thought it looked familiar.

I actually love the axis lock! It is a VERY strong lock and with some practice, I can flip my blade open and close VERY fast and smooth. Better than auto in and auto out for me. Just pull back the lock with thumb and index finger and sling open. Same thing to sling close, but a little timing to release the lock as it shuts catches it closed without bounce. (*** But, in all fairness, I made a slight little tweek mod to the cam part of the back of the blade that rolls around the axis lock. See below.)

I am guessing your son's is D2 (????) If so, I agree with you. I prefer S30V over D2. D2 is (typically) a PITA to sharpen and get a good edge. S30V is IMO more than sufficiently tough for a folder, holds a VERY sharp edge. S30V is not easy (IMO) to sharpen. But, I consider it reasonably enoough considering how sharp it can get and edge retention. There are worse steels for sharpening.
The 710 has been around for quite a few years now and I think it was made in a few different steels including 154CM and ATS-34.

My 710 is actually the limited (#210 of 400) M2 steel and the only M2 blade I have ever owned. The M2 blade comes black coated. As most here know, I generally can't stand coated blades. But, there are some exceptions. And this is one of them. I don't mind (as much) if the coating is VERY thin and smooth. On the Benchmade, the coating is very thin and smooth. The only other coating that I like (I actually like even more) is the Boron Carbide coatings put on by Kershaw on some of their knives like the Leek and Chive. Those coatings are actually smoother and harder than the blade steel. So, they absolutely don't interfere with cutting and they are actually quite nice looking to me... but, another tangent on my part.

There is a great review on the 710 here: Benchmade 710 review

There are 3 pages of the review, so you have to click "NEXT" at the bottom.

Anyway, I thought about stripping the coating off my M2 blade. I decided to pass because of the thumb-stud which I just didn't want to remove. I would never be able to strip the coating and make it decent looking without removing the stud. So, I left it. I did put a whicked convex edge.
I did quite a few handle modifications to mine. I always felt the knife had great potential and, but I HATED the thumb ramp. It just isn't right for me. You mentioned the Strider having "better ergos". I don't know. But, for me, the thumb ramp killed potentially good ergos for the 710. However, my mods by removing the ramp and working on the handle a little made the ergos of the 710 on of my BEST. I am somewhat freakish about ergos. I "REQUIRE" my knives to be comfortable and functional in my hands. I don't want to make awkward adaptions with my hand to get around poorly thought out designs. I have discussed this ramp with quite a few people (I have had similar discussions with others about the thumb ramp on the Al Mar SERE 2000. I hate it. Many others are not bothered by it (??????) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> - More about SERE2k below).


I put off modding the 710 for a long time. But, finally did it and now it is easily my favorite folder.
So, I removed the thumb ramp, I scalloped the belly of the handle slightly to fit my hand more to my preferences and I smoothed the area of the scale under the pocket clip for easier/smoother pocket entry and removal. I tend to have a beef with a lot of folders that have rough scales under the pocket clips as they drag too much and create too much friction. On the 710, I smoothed between the vertical groove lines. The smoothed area actually looks nicer than the factory rough scales. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

*** The other mod I made was to the cam part of the back of the blade the rolls around the axis lock. I had always noticed that the blade rolled out smooth to a point and kept catching on the blade. I determined a long time ago that the rounded butt part of the blade must have a cam shape that was extending up into the blade as it closed and down from the cam as it was opening. This very often caused the blade to catch half-way when closing by swinging shut - which is my prefered way to close the blade. If it catches, it is not a big deal. You just push it shut. But, it was never quite as smooth as I wanted.
Then I got my RUKUS. The big Monster Benchmade axis folder. The Rukus blade was VERY smooth and didn't seem to have any cam action. Upon lots of analyzing and comparing, I determined the RUKUS had a more rounded butt of the blade that rolled under the axis lock and the 710 did indeed have a bit of a cam (egg) shape. I determined, I could round the egg shape to a more round shape without effecting the strength of the lock - *** Or the indent in the blade where the axis bar slides into the blade to hold the blade closed. I was learry about this mod for a long time. But, finally bit the bullet. I had to set the blade up on a pivot pin to rotate the blade and keep the pivot point from moving as if it were in the knife. And I slowly worked the egg shape to round by rotating the cam back and forth into a Dremel that I slowly worked closer and closer in on the cam to make it more round. Then I polished it all up super smooth.

The action is now SUPER smooth CUSTOM quality.

Unfortunately, that is probably a very tricky modification for most people. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
I am not a machinest. But, that is a factory / machinist precision type mod. I don't think I could recommend most people try it unless they are confident in their precision ability.

I feel the butt of the blade should have been shaped this way from Benchmade and would have made the knife that much better.

Here are a couple pics:






(* I am working on modding my Al Mar SERE 2000 as well with similar mods. I hate the thumb ramp on my SERE2k as well and I would like to thin the scales a little and smooth under the clip as well. - The SERE2k will be a close contender.)

I have removed the thumb ramp from my SERE2k a couple of months ago, but didn't have time to finish and haven't gotten back out to work on it. I still have to round over the scales where I removed the ramp at the sides and corner, thin the scales and smooth the scales under the clip. So, far from done. But, here are some pics with the (1st stage of the) thumb ramp removed from my SERE2k.






SERE2k with 710:




The Al Mar SERE2k is a VERY stout knife. Probably one of the most stout factory knives of it's size. The RUKUS and Lone Wolf Harsey T3 are both mosters. The SERE2k is definitely stouter than the 710. And the SERE2k is VERY slick, smooth operating with a VERY stout liner lock. I don't need a lock any stouter personally. To each their own on the lock thing I guess. But, I grew up with folders that didn't have locks. And I don't really use my knives in such a way as to stress the lock. So, for the most part, I look for a lock to do is keep the blade reasonably solid in place with use. And then I want it to easily and quickly release to allow for quick and easy one-handed closing. I have actually ground material out of liner locks to make them easier to bend out of the way for easier closing. But, maybe that is just me. I don't like "Hard" to release lock bars or mechanisms.


Anyway, the SERE2k is a FINE knife for the money - IMO.

-------------------------


Your son getting a Strider for his 11th makes me jealous. You can be my dad. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I was talking to Tolly the other day about a lanyard for a folder that could be clipped to a belt loop. That was in rare cases where I thought I might be crawling through brush and loose my customized 710 or similar $100 - $150 folders. With an 11 year old and a $300 - $500 folder, I might have to consider something similar for my boy (if I had a boy). I would get miserably sick to hear my boy lost such a knife. I would personally probably have to (consider) "keeping it safe for him in the safe" except when out on hunting trips together. - Help in loss prevention or temptations from misguided friends for a few years.

I honestly don't own any Striders. Some of his designs, I just personally don't like. But, some are QUITE nice. The SnG and PT both look like great designs and very stout robust build - no doubt. I like Strider's Drop point and spear point blades. I don't care for cord wrapped handles and tanto tips for my uses. I own a couple of actual Tantos, but more for collectibility.

In all fairness, a $400 - $500 custom Strider SHOULD dang well be nicer than a Benchmade. And if you want a folder to handle skinning chores, both the PT and SnG have that nice choke up design that I think should be awesome for skinning and detail work. Personally, I don't tend to skin and process game with folders. I have some great (and cheaper) fixed blade options I like for skinning and processing game.

I like folders for EDC. I carry a small customized (chopped) Leek in my front pocket EVERY day. Here is a pick of my "chopped" Leek with my EDC pocket stuff:



And when I have pants that can handle a larger folder, I carry my 710 for EDC (sometimes a few others).

I have some expensive fixed blades, but I have never been able to chunk down $300 - $500 + for a Chris Reeve or Strider folder..... yet..... Maybe someday (????).

Anyway, I still love my customized Benchmade for my uses. And the SERE2k has great potential at near or above quality of many custom folders.


-------------------



Based on all of that, with hike in and carry out situations, I can totally understand and appreciate processing at drop point on the ground.

I didn't realize how heavy your deer are.

I grew up hunting in Central Texas Hill Country. The deer don't get very large there. They are typically around 100 - 140 pounds or so. South Texas deer can get over 200 pounds and that is still NOTHING compared to 500 lb. game.

But, we also have a lot of ferrel hogs in the Texas Hill Country that we have hunted and killed a few as well. Some of the ranch owners like them gone because they are basically just scavengers and can eat up a lot of stuff the ranch owners would rather have for deer and cows. We haven't taken many of the hogs. They aren't the best for eating. But, we took a few and a couple were in the 350 - low 400 range. What a PITA to deal with. VERY heavy. We were hard headed and set in our ways I guess and 3-4 of us wrangled the dang things into trees anyway. Your way would make a lot more sense. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

With deer, we usually can't exactly get trucks to many of the drop points, but a 100 - 140 pound deer can be dragged a few hundred yards for easier truck access. I typically just gutted at the drop spot (hogs clean up) and skinned and processed at camp. It was so much easier to skin and process when hanging.

But, I can appreciate your technique under the circumstances. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

.

BIG +1... I love seeing that.

I have to ask, what is the orange thing around the muzzle of your rifle?

Electrical tape, so dirt & rain do not enter the barrel. Although it doesn't matter with this rig, as it's barrel is made from KRUPP steel. Still, to be sure to be sure <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

KRUPP sounds like a coffee maker.