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Let's talk about Benchmade Ares!

anatolynik

January 06, 2013 20:12

Hello! I am a new user at this site. I initiated thread about Benchmade Ares on Russian knife forum,
and now I want to translate and post it here. Is it interesting for you?

I'm sorry for my elementary English

Let's go!

Year 2000
So, first knives are produced by Benchmade company in 2000 and have number 730.
There are Benchmade 730, 730S, 730BT, 730SBT. Handle is burgundy-black, blade is plane or half-serrated (symbol "S" in model).
Also, plaines are black covered (BT2 Coated Blade, symbol "B" in name) or no coated. There is Allan Elishewitz's signature on the back side of the plane. Steel is ATS34.

Year 2001
In next year, models 735, 735S, 735BT and 735SBT has been realesed. G-10 handle has a green-black colors, blade's steel - 154CM. Previous knives (730-line) have been manufactured too.

Year 2002
New model with carbon-fibber handle.

Year 2003
There are not Elishewitz's etch on the blade since this time. Perhaps, models 730BT and 735BT are out of production. I think so because it not listing in 2003 Benchmade catalogue as available knives.
In this year we saw the greatest limited Areses: 733-01 and 733-02. The are winewood/carbon or winewood handle, no-coated S30V plain blade, every knife numbered (# of 500).

Year 2004
There are 732BT and 732SBT Areses. Black plain or serrated blade, black handle. I think, other models are out of production.

Year 2005
"BT"(Xylan black corrosion resistance) cover replaced by new "BK"(BenchKote) cover.
Available models: 732BK, 732SBK.

Year 2006
Limited Edition - "Leupold Ares". The knives have half-serrated black plane, G-10 Sand or Winewood handle.
Individual numered knives: # of 1500 (winewood handle), # of 500 (G-10 handle).

Year 2008
New limited knives numbered # of 100. Model 730-801. Customer - German Shop ACMA (knives distributor). Blade's steel - S30V.

Year 2009
"Russian Ares", model 730-901. Customer - Russian knife shop Basselard. Limited Edition, knives # of 100, individual numbered. No-coated plain blade, blue-black G-10 handle.

Year 2010
730-101 Ares, Benchmade Gold line.

Year 2012.
3 Limited Areses:
730-1201 - "Russian Ares - 2", again Basselard, again blue-black G-10. There is not benchmade butterfly logo on the blade. Individual numbered, # of 100. M390 steel.

730-1202 - # of 400, black handle, no-coated plain blade. M390 steel.

730-1203 - # of 120. Black-green G-10 handle, black plain M390 steel blade.

Listing of ALL Areses (regulary, prototypes, limited, 1st productions etc.):

730 Ares R&D concept,
730 PROTO;
730 PPR;
730S PPR;
730 FPR;
730 SFPR.

730;
730S;
730BT;
730SBT.

730CFHS;
730CFD2;
730M2HS.

730S KOTM Apr. 2000;
730S KOTM Nov. 2000.

730-801;
730-901;
730-101.

730-1202;
730BK-1203;
730-1201.

____________________

732;
732ВТ;
732BK;
732SBT;
732SBK;
732D2BT Prototype March 2003;
732D2BT;
732D2SBT;
732D2SBT Prototype;
732SBTSN Ares Sand (Leupold);
732SBTWW Ares Winewood (Leupold).
____________________

733-01 PROTO Jan.2003;
733-01 PROTO Aug.2003;
733-01;
733-02 PROTO Jan.2003;
733-02 PROTO May 2003;
733-02.
____________________

735;
735S;
735BT;
735SBT.

Comments

136 comments

po

January 06, 2013 20:50
Welcome Anatoly! Amazing post! One for the archives.

There are many Ares fans on here, so I'm sure all will be grateful for the information.

I think your English is amazing. You must really like the Ares to compile so much information about them, so what is it that you like so much about the Ares?

Cheers!
0
crazyhorse

January 06, 2013 20:58
It would seem like I've had a few, loved a few and traded a couple.. I'm not talking women here although..
Recently departed was a 730-1202 and I already miss it. Still looking for the 730CFHS. User would be OK. Excellent post anatoly_nik.
Makes me wanna spend money.
0
carson

January 06, 2013 21:04
I expect Agony to be along any time to weigh in

Very nice post and welcome to the forum, anatoly_nik!
0
whodareswins

January 06, 2013 21:11
Welcome to the Forum anatoly_nik,

That is an absolutely amazing first post and one that will have the Ares Fan reading in astonishment, congratulations on such a remarkable first post one that will I am sure stimulate even more to become enthusiasts of the Ares line of Benchmade Knives..
0
amethyst

January 06, 2013 21:12
Hello Anatoly,

welcome to this forum and thank you for this great post
0
anatolynik

January 06, 2013 21:13
quote:

Originally posted by Po:
Welcome Anatoly! Amazing post! One for the archives.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorse:
Excellent post anatoly_nik.

quote:

Originally posted by Carson:
Very nice post and welcome to the forum, anatoly_nik!

quote:

Originally posted by Who Dares Wins:
Welcome to the Forum anatoly_nik,
That is an absolutely amazing first post

Thanks, but i did not get all information myself,
other Russian forum's members helped me,
especially in lists making.

quote:

Originally posted by Who Dares Wins:
I am sure stimulate even more to become enthusiasts of the Ares line of Benchmade Knives..

I hope so.
0
bigdaddyw20

January 06, 2013 21:21
a lot of good information there about one of my favorite models - thanks and welcome to the forum!
0
agony

January 06, 2013 22:03
Welcome to the forum!
Great post, looks like the complete Ares list is pretty accurate.

You are missing:
730M2HSBT, 2001 prototype.
732M2HSBT (unnumbered, only 37 made).
735SBT "Pardue" mismarked blade.

And I'm not sure if the 732D2BT/732SD2BT were actually a regular production, but both a prototype and limited edition run were made.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
0
anatolynik

January 06, 2013 22:30
quote:

Originally posted by agony:
You are missing:
730M2HSBT, 2001 prototype.
732M2HSBT (unnumbered, only 37 made).
735SBT "Pardue" mismarked blade.

Of course, I know about Pardue misprint, thanks.
What do you know about 73*M2HSBT? What is the different between 730 and 732? Handle's color?

quote:

Originally posted by agony:
And I'm not sure if the 732D2BT/732SD2BT were actually a regular production, but both a prototype and limited edition run were made.

Mhasman wrote about these knives on Russian thread. There are # of 100 limited Areses, plain and half-serrated.
0
mhasman

January 06, 2013 22:30
735 WARDEN
0
charloosi

January 06, 2013 22:32
Very nice collection of pics. I was never a fan of the 730 but some of those look pretty nice. I did have an eye out for a carbon fiber version of it though.
0
anatolynik

January 06, 2013 22:43
quote:

Originally posted by mhasman:
735 WARDEN

mhasman, very glad to see you! Now I'm here too.
0
sharpeye

January 06, 2013 22:47
Anotoly, welcome and thanks for putting together all this info. I've been a fan of the Ares but didn't have the info on the Ares varieties out there.
0
neuro

January 06, 2013 23:12
Also the 730-1201 was a run of 100 not 120 as stated on the first page.
0
agony

January 07, 2013 03:04
quote:

Originally posted by anatoly_nik:

quote:

Originally posted by agony:
You are missing:
730M2HSBT, 2001 prototype.
732M2HSBT (unnumbered, only 37 made).
735SBT "Pardue" mismarked blade.

Of course, I know about Pardue misprint, thanks.
What do you know about 73*M2HSBT? What is the different between 730 and 732? Handle's color?

There was a 730M2HSBT prototype. I don't know if there was a limited run afterwards. It had the red/black scales.

The 732M2HSBT was a limited run of 37 knives made for a security/police/military contract that apparently was rejected. These knives suddenly showed up on ebay back around 2004-2005. They are black scaled, plain coated blade, regular silver liners and axis.

The only tell-tale sign of it's existence is that the blue box's sticker reads 732M2HSBT.
0
agony

January 07, 2013 03:07
quote:

Originally posted by mhasman:
735 WARDEN

Good call!

Wish I had one of these, you're lucky.
0
mhasman

January 07, 2013 05:28
quote:

Originally posted by agony:
Wish I had one of these, you're lucky.

You have your brilliants, I have mine
0
digdeepordie

January 07, 2013 14:38
Terrific post Anatoly! I really enjoyed reading this and it helped me to better understand the different releases. Thank you.
0
joekarp

January 07, 2013 15:39
Welcome to the Forum Anatoly. My compliments to a fabulous first post, and as friend Po said, your contribution is one for the archives.

We have many amongst us that love the Ares models; I own a 732 and the new 730-1202 and have owned more that were eagerly accepted as trades and sales.

I hope for more from you, with thanks!
0
jimr

January 07, 2013 16:49
I agree with all the others re: great first post! I thoroughly enjoy learning about the history of the knives. And, it is an absolute must for me as a collector to have as much knowledge as possible about my hobby! I have always liked the Ares models. I too have picked up the 730-1202 and think it's another great rendition of the Ares. I was slightly disappointed that the lettering and numbers are so hard to see, but it is not that big of a deal. Thanks again for a great history lesson on one of my favorite subjects!

JimR
0
anatolynik

January 07, 2013 19:43
Two different 735 Ares: Year 2001-2002 (with Elishewitz etch) and later model (my EDC knife).
0
anatolynik

January 07, 2013 19:50
I saw a picture (sigforum.com) in which there are two 733-01 prototypes: January 2003 and May 2003. Is it correct?
0
anatolynik

January 07, 2013 19:52
quote:

Originally posted by Neuro:
Also the 730-1201 was a run of 100 not 120 as stated on the first page.

Thanks, corrected it.
0
anatolynik

January 07, 2013 20:07
And more. I have both Leupold Areses.
On Winewood's blade I saw "BK" symbol,

but it is absent on "Sand" Ares:

It is BK covering?
0
kenmade

January 07, 2013 20:13
Welcome a_n, great post.

Po, I forgot how to archive. Quick lesson please.
0
markg

January 07, 2013 22:47
Welcome and again great post, I think there should be a Benchmade Wiki on this site myself.

Not sure if anyone brought it up yet, but there was the 730KOTM versions, one being the green/black 730 that preceded the 735.
0
agony

January 08, 2013 03:12
quote:

Originally posted by anatoly_nik:
I saw a picture (sigforum.com) in which there are two 733-01 prototypes: January 2003 and May 2003. Is it correct?

Haha, that's me on sigforum.
And yeah, both the 733-01 and 733-02 had two different prototypes.
0
agony

January 08, 2013 03:16
The difference between the two 733-02 prototypes are the color of the spacers:

Otherwise the 733-01 protos are identical.
0
anatolynik

January 08, 2013 08:17
quote:

Originally posted by agony:
Haha, that's me on sigforum.

Haha!
I had not thought of that! "Agony", of course! Forgive my inattention.
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anatolynik

January 08, 2013 09:26
quote:

Originally posted by Mark G.:
Welcome and again great post, I think there should be a Benchmade Wiki on this site myself.

Not sure if anyone brought it up yet, but there was the 730KOTM versions, one being the green/black 730 that preceded the 735.

Thanks.
Yes, I know. Both KOTM knives are coming me now. Although model number is 730, one knife's handle is green/ black, other handle has only black color G-10.
0