I bought one of these about a year and a half ago. Maybe two years ago. It is the very best knife I have ever owned. It is no longer made so I'm glad I found it before they couldn't be found. I carry it daily and actually use it on a regular basis. It is tuff and durable and maintains a good edge.
I'm a retired Sheriff's Deputy. I carried the 810 for years and it served me very well without ever failing me. I did a little chamfering with my Dremel around the edges of the handle and that got rid of alot of the over texturing. M4 is a great steel... When I wasn't busy of pull off on am abandon truck stop and strop the blade with the inside of my leather inner belt. This kept it razor sharp for years.
nice to hear that! i know they are discontinued but my local knife & weapon store still has one in stock and it is really tempting me. i'm a bit concerned with the m4 starting to rust though (never had m4 before), how did your blade hold up in terms of corrosion resistance? best regards from switzerland
@@RU-vid-Censorship-Police I haven't seen a dot of rust on it. I have a few M4 knives and don't really have any with rust. The 810 has a gray DLC or Cerakote coating on the blade which prevents rust.
@@RU-vid-Censorship-Police You will love it... Make sure you get a deep carry clip. I didn't like the bottom sticking out of my pocket. It takes a wicked hair wittling edge easily with just a strop and green compound.
Work in a warehouse. Lots of cutting and breaking down boxes also boxes are sturdy ship like 40lbs of nuts and bolts fasteners in them. Works great don’t have to worry about damaging blade if I hit one of the aforementioned staples.
I have been carrying this knife EDC in my pocket for 8 years. I have torn it down and rebuilt it twice, still works as new and holds an edge. Wish I could find one new.
I was just thinking of this as I was watching. I am waiting on mine to arrive but everybody says it is a lot less rough on the texturing. Plus it is the same $180.
Great review and totally understandable! Like you asked, I'm replying because I carry it. Not only to I carry it, I swear by it As an ironworker and gas station remodeler. This thing has held up to everything and DAMN it takes a lot to get dull! I don't appreciate how you were talking down on the texturing, because if it wasn't there, it wouldn't be the knife it is! Absolutely Incredible knife, excellent video.
The blade on mine was off center and the action was stiff. Figured out how to center it on the second day I owned it and it has stayed true for months and broken in to be my favorite knife. These can all be centered just fine by the owner. They will probably even need to be re centered after a normal disassembly.
Nick, I know I've been critical of some of your reviews. However, I appreciate that you were able to say it's a great knife, it's just not a great knife for you. I've felt before that larger knives got a harsh review just because they didn't fit the criteria that you look for in an EDC for yourself. I think you did a very impartial review, and really came to fantastic decision.
For what it's worth, I found the "excessive" texture in the G10 to be a non-problem. Yes, out of the box it feels very aggressive, but most of that wore off in the first couple of days.
I carry this thing in my bunker gear and cut through roof shingles with no problem in a fire, it dulled abit of course and the coating got scratched up, but the tip is fine and it's still tight. Just know it will rust in the uncoated sections so be sure to wipe it down before stowing away... overall I'd recommend for hard use.
The coating is cerakote not dlc. It comes off and gets damaged much easier. Cheaper to do and less effective. I wouldn't consider it a plus. Might want to annotate that in.
it's an awesome knife. Probably overkill for opening packages and cutting tape. But, seems I remember that the weight of it is almost the same as a Rat 1. I carry that, and a ZT 0630 and such regularly. 5 ounces is never even noticed. Especially if the other option is 4 oz. The texture concept is similar to what I like on a handgun grip. Having an "almost sandpaper" type grip is a wonderful thing to me. There is a time and place for the Delica types.. But, I'm really glad that there are options for each if us.... As for the ones who fear looking at a knife, well,...... Thanks for another great review....
While I do like you sharing your opinion of this knife from a regular civilians point of view, this is clearly intended for military or LE as it's in the black class. So a lot of the feature you thought were overdone such as the texturing are a big plus in a combat environment. Love your videos!
"Murdery" is a great description. I know what you mean about the QC. The lockup and blade alignment on mine was excellent, but the edges on the scales were not chamfored at all leaving really sharp edges along the scalloped edges. It made it feel like I was holding onto the wrong end of a steak knife until I took the dremel tool to it and smoothed it down. I don't carry it as much as I thought I would precisely because of how big and "murdery" it is. I thought I would carry it a lot more when I was doing SAR, but found that most of the time I was on a call out, it was just easier to carry a fixed blade.
hey nick, im going to address a few things here. this knife is meant for GLOVE use, that is why it needs the texturing. keep in mind you usually don't cut straight down, and the hundreds of times ive carried my 810 i've never had the thumb stud get in the way. ive experienced no jean shredding from carry, either. and yeah! disassembly sucks! also, i got mine and had no QC errors, and I've never gotten one in the 4 i have bought. luck?
My understanding is this knife is targeted towards military and law enforcement. Strong blade (puncturing, prying etc) and built like a tank to stand up to the hard use it may see in those fields. Also where the glass breaker comes into play (a feature hinderer lacks). My opinion, better option than the hinderer especially considering the money involved. This is definitely not an everyday EDC knife but rather a tool to carry when on duty.
Jeremy Hiles I see way more practicality in a fixed blade even smaller length. Serious question but why would law enforcement prefer folders. There's a delay in the unlocking the blade compared to a fix blade, locks fail but a solid chunk of steel doesn't. I only see an issue with the size of a fixed blade but a 3-5 inch blade of a fixed blade wouldn't be much harder to carry than this.
@@jussa101 I don't normally reply to such old posts but this is actually something I get asked a lot. Im former active duty and did a ton of security work and am close friends with many law enforcement. The big thing with fixed blades is that in the military is that unless you're deployed, uniform regulations simply don't let you carry fixed blades openly. I've seen a few booters get chewed out for thinking they're Rambo at the base exchange. Sure you can get away with a small blade but you're looking at about 4 to 5 inches of handle (small handles aren't ideal in gloves, cold weather or in an adrenaline rush) plus however long of a blade you want and cant fold. Plus, depending on what you do, having something strapped to you just isn't an option. Engineers, for example, can't have watches, rings or "dangley things" on them because of it gets snagged on something... well I have a friend with 4 fingers that can tell you more about that. Something that goes in the pocket can always be on you. Plus, at the end of the day, even if you're in a war zone a knife just doesn't get much use and when it does it's usually not for a task that requires more than a half decent folder. I used to carry a crkt m21-14sfg because I could wave it open and if I lost it or damaged it, no big deal but the large blade could do any job I needed and then disappear in my pocket. I have a friend that's on the force in virginia beach that carries a cold steel push dagger on his vest but I've never seen him touch it but he has a pair of medical shears that are scratched up from so much use. This is just my experience from working with navy, marines, and virginia beach PD as well as my other military and police friends and family.
I own many benchmade knives. some are autos and some are not. Each has a special place in my heart for what they can do. i bought the contego 810 almost 5 years ago. It has the CPM-M4 with bk2 coating. and it was a carry knife for 1 year. I let my hunting buddy us it and after the (successful) hunt i thought it was lost (he could not find it). then 1 year later he found it in his rifle safe. But those 2 years was like losing a lover, i missed that knife almost everyday. When i finally got it back it was like amazing. But in the mean time i had bought a ZT 0630 but it never compared to the contego. I work in a profession in which i need 2 sets of clothes and shoes. 1 for exec duties and 1 set for field work. The contego is my go-to EDC no matter the suit and slacks or the carhartt and boots. it really is a great tool! and you did justice to it in your review.
I have both the M4 and M390 versions. Here is my take. You have to remember that these are black box knifes( military and law enforcement). With that in mind M4 and the glass breaker is best. For a hard use EDC I really think the knifeworks version makes more sence. The jimping is less sharp and no glass breaker and the m390 doesn't loose it's bite when you cut a orange. I have one if the first 300 with a m4 blade that I have at least 3 years HARD EDC on. The first ones were a little soft but I hear they fixed that. I reworked the handle and really love the knife. If you like the shape of the handle then a light sanding and steel wool will take the bite off. I am a welder by trade and it does work very well with gloves. I now EDC a Gayle Bradley since I work in the office and the Contigo' s are huge and can raise eyebrows even on a construction site. Especially since you tend to flick it open and and that MASSIVE blade makes some noise😲.I also wonder if it's heavy enough to cause the knife to loosen up. Mine is quite loose and I need to send it in for a new spring at least but it looks like i might have lock wear.
I just got one a month ago in blue with M390 steel. The blade is nearly 4" and size of knife somewhat large, both of which I prefer. For self defense, the little Spyderco is not good if a stabbing method is used. Great locking system (AXIS), excellent steel, handle contour fits well, blade comes fairly sharp, blade well centered with zero play. Mine has no glass breaker, which I have never had a reason to use. I have several different pocketknives, but this is my current EDC knife. Love it. I have a few Benchmade knives, and every one of them has come with no problems. I have no idea what this guy is talking about with QC issues.
Hey Nick, great video. While I don't necessarily carry a knife with a glass breaker, the function is incredibly useful if you happen to be inside of a vehicle that's sinking in water. We don't find ourselves in that situation much, most of us never...but hopefully, most of us never need a knife fir self defense either, yet we choose to carry them. While a knife is useful for other things , let's be real, a three dollar box cutter, and a half dozen replacement blades would get us through our daily necessity. Thanks for doing the knife world a great service sir.
Nick, It just seems to me that the flipper is the way to go in almost every knife. I have Benchmades, Spydercos and ZT flippers and when it is time to pick the knife of the day I default to the flippers. Always going to be easier to deploy and not danger of screwing up and cutting myself. What do you think?
It's not quite there yet, unless you're ahead of the news. It's only through one chamber, iirc. But I am looking forward to reviewing some automatic knives by Protech, Kershaw, Piranha, Benchmade, G&G Hawk, or maybe even Boker. In light of recent events, some brands may be omitted, though!
I don't own any glass breaker knives, but I think the idea of the glass breaker tip is a simple principle: Its better to have and not need than need and not have.
Ryan Young no because the glass breaker on these types of knives is made from carbide being much denser than steel used in the knife itself and absolutely obliterates glass with very minimal effort
Wow. I really agree about the price. Wish I had been in the market for a huge Benchmade when this review was made. M4 is an awesome choice for this knife.
I own the fixed blade version of the Contego, and it is a very well made, rugged knife. I have a 940-2 which is my EDC, and I bought the fixed blade Contego for back-woods / camping / hunting use. I’m looking for a big heavy duty folder as an option to bridge the gap between the big fixed blade, which I don’t use that much, and the smaller EDC folder. It sounds like this 810 Contego might fit the bill, but I am still shopping around a bit.
This knife is perfect for first responders/search & rescue personnel. As somebody who uses this knife in all kinds of environments I greatly appreciate the aggressive texturing.
I have had many Benchmade knives. Never had a QC issue with any of them. Should I go buy a lottery ticket? I'm not saying they've all been great knives... the Ascent I bought in the late 90s was pretty awful. And I hate the single bevel chisel grind on my old CQC7. But they've all been sharp, centered, and very well put together out of the box. Guess I'm just lucky.
Been using a Contego as one of two EDCs for 4 years (other one is a BM 710). Your review is quite spot on. It's a big one, but I don't find it heavy personally, it rides well in the pocket. A little work with some fine sandpaper or a buffing wheel makes the handle scales more comfortable. The axis assist lock springs break every now and then if you're a flick-a-holic. I make my own from steel wire. The blade is very thick already right behind the edge giving it so-so cutting characteristics for fine work in wood. But, with a good edge it is serviceable. However, the high heat treat M4 steel can be brittle and sometimes chip and takes time to sharpen. It also rusts very easily, much more so than some of my older carbon steel knives that at least develops protecting patinas. Even with the blade coating, this is a knife that cannot be used in a coastal or marine environment unless it's cared for religiously. It do got exceptional nice balance and good handling characteristics for a folder and that is, for me, the most attractive thing with it. In the end, this is a tactical knife and I would not recommend it for someone that actually use their knife for other things than poking people. Its rust issues makes it unsuitable for outdoor/hiking use, even if the blade size and strength is good. In hindsight it was a silly purchase (for me).
A little 500 grit wet dry paper knocks down the sharp edges in a few minutes and makes this guy much more pocket friendly. After breaking two Kershaw Blur blades in just general use I bought one of these and have had zero issues with it. The coating on the blade even holds up fairly well. It's not something I toss in my pocket to take to work in a federal building, but it lives permanently in my Carharts I wear when I'm "working" around the house or building something.
Logan Weber I've always wondered how the "Gold Class" holds up to the standards. I get nervous when people post gold class BM's that cost upwards of $300 and I just can't help but think that they're going to have the exact same problems. I've never actually heard complaints about it though, maybe people are to proud to admit their $300 knife from their most trusted company came messed up. Who knows
Logan Weber - I was at Sportsmans Warehouse and handled a Nakamura that had vertical and horizontal blade play. The grind was noticeably higher on one side than the other.
I've owned 3 of these, got rid of the first one because of audible blade play. the second one seemed a bit better, but it had a lock failure and sent me to the hospital, Benchmade was very helpful and even paid my hospital bill as well as replace the knife. I'm on my third one and I have noticed that in order to get zero vertical blade play I have to run the action pretty wet and keep it oiled. The only reason I still have one is because of the blade, it's a masterpiece. And I completely agree with Nick, do your own quality control when you buy one, because chances are that Benchmade didn't. And the lock issue is why I never carry it, whenever I need a hard use knife I always reach for the Steel Will Apostate or my Recon 1
I have several Benchmades and have had no issues. One of my knife-nut buddies just keeps buying them (all his kids have multiple Benchmade knives) and no issues. Not saying there aren't QC issues, just that maybe it's not as prevalent as some seem to think. And hey'll fix it for free and forever. Not excusing the QC issues. Just trying to add some perspective. Agree 100% on the maintenance - axis lock takes more time.
John J. Baranski "QC issues" for someone like Nick who spends their days reviewing $1k customs is probably not noticeable for the vast majority of users. I have a soft spot for Benchmade, being my first nice knife many years ago, but I can't deny that the North Fork and Grippy I got recently did need a little love. Luckily a disassembly, internal polish, lube, and tuning eliminated the side to side play and made the action smoother than a greased hog on a water slide. Contrast that to ZT, every one of which has been flawless out of the box for me so far.
Yeah, ZT is doing a great job. Nick has accurately called this out more than once. I'm not sure he's wrong about Benchmade QC. Just trying to add some balance based on my experience. And I'm spoiled because I can drive there and get help. And yes, Nick likely has higher QC expectations. But he also called the Kershaw Blur a gem, so I think he considers all levels of quality pretty well. Also no question Nick is a bit of a jerk for educating us so well. For example, a few months ago I would never have considered spending > $200 on knife. Now I want a Grimsmo. (My wife wants to speak to him.)
Thanks for your thoughts on this monster. I hate to be "that guy", but any plans for a Benchmade 710? The Knifeworks exclusive version in m390 has me interested. $180 for 3.9" of m390/layered G10 scales sounds pretty good to me.
The BM 710-1401 knifeworks exclusive was my favorite EDC carry knife for the past two years. It is a significant but not huge improvement over the standard BM 710D2. Which was my EDC for the ten years before that. The single biggest improvement is the contouring on the scales. My recommendation, stainless deep carry clip, first thing...
I just got a mini grip from knives ship free and I guess I lucked out because it has no blade play. The blade is a little off centered though kinda bummed about that.
even with an uncentered blade or smaller issues, a Benchmade is still better than most knife brands. They don't use any bad metals, their heat treatment is always on point, the axis lock, and the life sharp you get with every knife. I myself can forgive a sloppyish edge, because I always put a new edge on any knife that I have when I get it. But for some people who can't work on their own blades that is inconvenient. But that's where life sharp works, and they are really good at sending you a replacement knife if yours fails. While they aren't the top dogs right now, they are still one you don't want to get a bite from.
I really want this knife and contrary to everyone else I would love a knife with rough handle scales in my line of work. I have a manix 2 G10 S30V and I think the knife could use a bit more body on the handle when I have to make real heavy cuts. The only concern I have with the Contego, as well as all other benchmades, is how easy does the blade fall out of the handle. i.e. How weak is the detent. I don't want a knife with the blade just flopping out by itself.
I have the knifeworks blue/black g10 with satin blade, m390. Love the look of it. But my complaint about it is the jimping. It's everywhere which isn't a bad thing but it's so damn sharp that it's painful to use without a glove. And btw, a knife is only murdery if it's in a murderer's hand.
The 810, 0452CF and a Spyderco Military are everyday knives. It's just uncomfortable to cut stuff with a small knife, and the 4' size class is just right. The Contego is a little heavy for the city, though. And the texturing is perfect for skinning game.
It's too bad the Contego doesn't have the reinforced Axis lock bar and thicker liners of the Adamas... Seems odd to me to sell this giant tactical blade and not include that. If you're already going to have a huge, heavy knife, you might as well also have the stronger lock system.
Nick I love your reviews, keep them coming! I own two Benchmade knives (grip and 940), and the Griptilian is off center. The 940 has the screws showing in the liner, but thankfully missing the blade. I hope they watch your videos and start getting some QC people hired versus sales folks. Keep up the good work, look forward to your next uploads.
Thank you Nick. I have rarely found use for a glass breaker. Along with the strap cutter that isn't sharpened rounds out two of the first things I do not look for in my EDC.
Never looked at this hog before.. I like it. For whatever reason, I never got into Benchmade. Never encountered one anywhere in person, but I never really looked either. I see lots of folks bitching about x problem with newer ones on the forums, but theres lots of bitching there anyway so it gets lost in the background after while. Price is right there too, for what you get.
The pm2 is the better edc knife in my opinion. Mine has been in my uniform pocket for years. unless you are left handed then the pm2 compression lock is challenging.
Hey Nick, what do you think about the ZT 0450CF? I don´t like the coating that mutch but apart from that it looks pretty solid. The steel is great and the weight is almost like that of a Victorinox. Would like to hear your opinion even if you never had it in hand. But i guess its like the 0452CF only lighter (saw your video about the 0452CF). Do you think it is worth the current prices or should i upgrade to a Z Hunter instead. Thank you for your great videos by the way!
That's not DLC. It's cerakote. DLC is a porous coating and doesn't protect against rust. Rust totally ignores DLC. The best thing DLC can do is hold on to the oil you apply to help protect against corrosion. This coating is cerakote which is sprayed and baked on, and isn't porous so it does help with corrosion. The more you know...
tehBar0n most of the knives we want are. I feel he needed some to gig the 940 on so he hit it for that. He has knives he has showcased that were far overpriced imo.
I think it's a bit odd to make the knife this big and beefy without it. But most people could probably get by on the strength of G10 with a smaller, inlaid steel liner to hold the axis lock guts.
It is also a knife you can use with gloves on, which is quite nice. You know me, I EDC my contegos. The latest edition to the stable is an m4 contego with a slicer regrind. I added scales and titanium spacers and got the weight down to somewhere near 5oz. The contego is a great knife, probably the best current production benchmade.
At one point I considered buying one of these just to have a BM folder, and I had the chance to handle one IRL. Literally *everything* you said about the knife, I told myself when I thought about it. Just kinda interesting to me.
I always wonder what kind of pants nick wears when hes so concerned about the space these knives take up. Seems like the difference in a single inch is make or break for him lol. Knife with a 3in blade is an insta gem and anything over 3.5 is just crazy big lmao...nick pls stop wearing swim trunks the world would appreciate it if u bought some jeans
great review. with the m4, a must for large knive fanciers, probably a first buy when looking for tactical type blades especially with the osborne reverse tanto--maybe not constant carry, but a very nice mate for the more manageable 940....
The glass breaker is for police, fire and EMS personnel. I carry the benchmade triage at work as a Firefighter/Paramedic. I've used the glass breaker a few times to gain access to patients. We are supplied with other means to break glass but this just makes it a little more convenient.
I used this knife for work for years. I work industrial construction so using it at work isn't weird and I have construction hands so the texture was never a problem it is very aggressive though I do admit. It is on my top 10 list. It is tough I need a tough knife and this really fits the bill!
way too nitpicky. Yes its a beast of a knife. Thats what it was designated for. Not a knife for school girls. Its like saying that Ferrari is too fast! too sleek! too expensive! Again not for everyone, but is damn good for what its made for.
Really want to buy this but i’ve heard M4 rust easily, and my knives get covered daily in sweat in my line of work. I know the blade is coated but the cutting edge isn’t.
