Ganzo G704

Recommended knife with handle with metal handle with G-10 composite blade, axis-lock lock and blade made of 440 material. One of the mála zavírací knives, suitable for both leftáand rightáhands - the pocket clip can be converted from rightá to left side, the controls are identical on both sides of the knife.

• blade steel: 440C
• Blade length: 85mm
• blade thickness: 4.0mm
• weight: 148g
• blade opening length: 200mm
• blade length closed: 115mm
• colour: blacká, greená, orangeá, blueá, redá, yellowá, camouflage

Carbon má markedí F7041-CF

Userá review of the GANZO G704 knife

   Ganzo knives of blacké vý roby are slowly but surely starting to´ win theiré place on the Czeché market. They are cheaper, despite their low price, very well made, made of steel of sufficient quality and very often their shape is based on much more expensive original designs of renowned brands. Sá I own the third´ knife of thisé brand, to this day none of them has betrayed me and I am satisfied with them.

Let's take a look at the Ganzo G704 knife.

   This knife evokes inspiration from the well-known Benchmade 14210 Heckler&Koch knife at first glance - the result of a collaboration between two companies that specialize in high-quality tactical knives and firearms. The author of this knife is Mike Snody, who gave Benchmade knives a very distinctive spirit. Between the auctioned (and nowadays hard to find) original and the black replica, there are several differences:

• Ganzo má blade made of 440C steel (much usedá for exampleá on španý knives;Muela and Nieto knives), Benchmade from 154CM steel (this steel is used by Benchmade for example on the Griptilian knife and on the 14210 H&K model with a hardness of 58-61 HRC)
• Ganzo has three holes in the back of the handle for attaching the clip, Benchmade has the same holes, but with recessed edges (aesthetic only)
• Ganzoábí came in several handle colors, Benchmadeáb´ came with a black handleí (at least to my knowledge)
• Ganzo came out with a smooth bladeí (no serrations), Benchmade came out with a smooth, semi serrated bladeí even a tanto bladeí

   If we compare the two knives, weáll find that the pronouncedých differencesá are really only málo. Ganzo is indeed a very successful replica of the Benchmade 14210 HK. They both have the Axis Lock ambidextrous lock (and Ganzo has it well done), they both have theí option of two clip positions (in the back´ of the righté or lefté side of the handle). Both knives have G-10 blades and even have the same shaped clip for attachment in the pocket in black.

   Parameters for the Ganzo G704 uvádí knife inýedge these:

• Steel: 440C (a very good stainless steel thatá grinds very wellá and has sufficient durability for most commoná activities)
• Blade: 85mm longá, non-leatherá, modifiedý drop point, falešné sharpenedá at the blade tip (increasedšincreases the penetrating ability of the tip), a newý iný sharpening (more suitable for roughý prá)
• Lock: double-sided Axis Lock (reliable and well made lock on this knife)
• Handle: G-10 with metal attachments (the handle is softly roughened, so that the knife does not slip in the hand)
• Thickness of the blade: 4mm (at the spine of the blade, gradually getting thinner in the blade's falešném and in theýedge)
• Weight:  148g (this váhu already feelátíin your pocket, before you get used to it, you haveáfeel that you are pulling a smallákámen in your pocket. Notá ú fully ideá lná to pants of softerá materialá betterá jeans, tightá pocketsá etc.)
• Blade length: 115mm
• Knife opening length: 200mm

   If you look at the Ganzo G704 knife, from the very first moment you  see its primary purpose as a tactical knife. The term tacticalý knife is nowadays a much marketedý term and loosely translated meansá a knife that„ is guaranteed to be usedá speciallyá withá ln´ iná Ireland“ but you won't grease a má bread knife with it. But this is not the case with the Ganza G704. With this knife, you can also „tactically“ enjoy your wife's paštike, just as well open a beer and slice up a pork chop with onionsí. On firstá impression, it doesná looká unstuffy, nothing anywhere, no rubs, loose etc. It takes some getting used to, though. On firstý impression it can look tooý rough, itsý appearance evokes aggression, it is quite massiveý and for aý racý knife quite heavy. The handle, when first´ pressed in the palm of the hand, feels „squareá “, as if it wants to š round you out in´ the handle. But it's just a matter of habit. If you have been accustomed to Victorinox knives until now, you will be surprised by the weight, the úchop, the massí of the blade, etc. But you will overcome this feeling after a few days of using the blade.

   The blade opensárá a littlešto stiff, ovšem to helpáhá oil and torx to loosená the centeré of the pin (which, by the way, eachý owner of the knife „tunesá“ according to himself). There is no clearance in the blade, neither horizontalální nor verticalální. The facet of the blade is symmetrical all along theé dé and on bothé sides (a phenomenon not so common on the more expensiveé brandé models of late). This knife came to me withšel krá - shaved. Theý check for openingý the blade is double-sidedý, from theý roby well machinedý, the thumb does not rub against it when openingý the blade. When closed, the blade is in the central axis, so the blade is not sideways.

   The Axis Lock is an obíbená lock on more expensive knife models (in fact, it's the standard lock on the Benchmade knife that inspired the Ganzo 704). On the Ganzo, it holds´ very well, it doesná tend to loosen the locked blade in the opené state. Releases well, runs´ smoothly. With a little practice, the blade can be opened and closed with one hand. If the centre pin is well adjusted, the blade can be opened and closed with the lock released.

   The belt clip (or spíše foršting itšin your pocket) is reasonably stiffý and bidý to the handle. The knife won't fall out of the pocket even if you „stand on your head“. It will loosen a little over time, but not so that when you happily „jumpí, the knife falls out iná the hallway. On the úchop it does not pushí and does not in any way exceedá. The noný advantage is that the blackening on its surface will rub off after use over time (doesá affect the functionality of the clip).

   The knife is designed by itsýdesign´še for the connoisseur of „tacticalé“ use (however that term is defined). In the kitchen (meat, fruit, vegetables, fish), the knife is a bit clumsy in its new cutting edge (e.g., you usually can't cut apples because they burst in the middle of the cut), but outdoors in the field (wood, branches, pás in the car, rope, etc.) is easier to work with. It's a knife that is primarily designed for men's use (again with regard to the steel of the blade). Thanks to the thumb rest on the upper side of the blade, you can apply more pressure in the vertical direction (e.g. when cutting shavings, when cutting less pliable material, etc.). My experience is that it is not very suitable for finer work (e.g. cutting out the heart of your love). It is quite heavyý in the palm of your hand when you need to make fineé carvings. Nothingéalwaysáliesí on the owner's ability.

   Lovers of Cold Steel knives and their marketing videosý would surely try hanging, rappelling and puncturing the hood of a car with a knife. I don't know how the original Benchmade knife did, but I wouldn't pierce a car hood with that knife. 440C steel is not fully suitable for such ú pieces. In anyé crisisé situation, when youá hangá life on the knife, you will not look at the quality of steel and the price of the knife thatá you have in your pocket. Someý knifeé owners (and rá time survivalisté) with theirý loveá goingá different„prasárny“, which usually result in theýškození of the knife as a whole or of its individualýparts– handle, blade, etc. A knife made of 440C steel is not designed for these activities, but if you know how to do it, you can take on such a task. Even if it doesn't looká, doing threeísky with a closedírací knife usingá a hammer really is possible – but it takes knowing how to do itá. Otherwise, the knife and especially its lock afteršcodeíte.

   A certain inconvenience when used in pacifist environments  can b být the aggressive appearance of the knife. Especially if you open it with a šhinge, which usually gives a scaryý impression to people around. It's not only you that has to get used to it, but also your surroundings.

    So how do you valueím Ganzo G704? It's affordable – it's a quality – and affordable – it's a replica of the joint „dí body“ of Benchmade and Heckler&Koch. It fits well in the hand, does not pressí, is tooí gentle to work with. It has a reliable safety that holds the blade well in the open position. The 440C steel is quite easy to sharpení, which is appreciatedí especially by those who are not so experienced in this artí. The sharpness, when welláá maintained, lasts long enough. The knife is heavyší and you have to get used to carrying it in your pocket; it is good to carry it in tighterší trousers. The clip on the handle holdsí well, it just wears off its blackenedí after someé time.

   What do you say to theálid? Ganzo has not disappointed me with this model. Iám in it a reliableá companion for everydayá useá (of course, I do not neglectá iná theá originalální and moreá models of knives), with which you donát have to go to town or to the countryside. It's massive enough for hard&scaronš prá prá at the same time, it's „snacké activities“ and yet doesn't looká cheap (like from the market).

Jan Pokorný