Buck Knife Return…

Cool, service is as important as anything else with knives.

Field Report

Interesting knife.

I would be pleased if you would give us a field report on it after you've had a chance to put it through its paces.

Buck also has a great custom shop where you can design your own with certain models. Sometime back I bought a Custom Buck 110 off of Ebay that had beautiful Elk antler handles. The blade had been aggressively buffed by the owner and I was a little disappointed - although he did offer my money back. I contacted Buck and for $10.00 they put a new blade in it and paid return postage. The lady I talked to at Buck Knives, told me when you buy a Buck, you have it for life. Great customer service and they stand behind their products.

In the end I have a very beautiful, like new, one of a kind knife.

It's marked on the blade "13c26". I hope it's the same steel they use in their saw blades. Think I'll do a little research on the internet and find out about that particular steel.

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for a detailed review of all steels go to www.cutleryscience.com/reviews/blade_materials.html

You got yourself a winner!

A thin blade means easier sharpening.

Edge 2x

Also note, Buck has more recently (like a couple of years ago) changed the bevel angle to something they call "Advanced Edge 2x," which is a more acute angle than in years past.

You will want to pay attention to that when it's time to re-sharpen.

Somewhere, I have a printed sheet that they give away at the factory that gives the actual angle. It really ought to be a PDF on their site, but they've not gotten around to that evidently.

You can discover the actual angle using a felt pen and a little care.

Take a felt pen and color only the sharpened bevel, then using a shallow shim and a very fine stone and a very gentle touch, dress the edge (did I mention gently?), changing the angle until you are removing the felt pen and nothing else. That's your angle.

I will call the factory today and see if I can get the actual bevel angle.

You are, of course, free to change the angle to suit your preferences but, for myself, I try to stay with their factory settings. After all, they've spent a lot of time and money figuring it out, and I don't imagine I'm smarter than they are.


EDIT TO ADD:

Okay, I just got off the phone with Buck's customer service (warranty) department. The "Advanced Edge 2x" sharpening angle is 15° (fifteen degrees) on each side -- a total angle of 30° across both sides.​

Your Fault

Well, I hope you're happy now.

A few days ago I ran across that knife (Buck 346, Vantage Avid) at a local shoppe (Black Sheep Sporting Goods).


It was on the shelf beside the Buck 345. They are the same size and pattern. The differences are 1) the #345 has a black glass/nylon handle while the #346 has their new Dymondwood handle; 2) the #345 blade is 420HC while the #346 blade is 13C26 Sandvik, with Bos heat treat.

This is the Buck 345 (Vantage Select):
--


The other one in that line, the Buck 347 (Vantage Pro), has a blade of S30V (Bos treated) and a handle of G-10.
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Something about the blade shape rang a bell . . . and then I remembered it.

Last year at one of Buck's sale-and-signing gigs, I spoke briefly with Chuck Buck. Lying on the table by his arm was a Mayo design I didn't recognize. He handed it to me and let me fondle it, flip it open/closed, test the edge. I was impressed. It was the Mayo TNT, with titanium handles. Pricey piece of work.


The new Vantage line of knives has that same blade.

The Vantage Pro uses the same steel.

And the knife is a fraction of the cost.

And so . . .

. . . this evening . . .

. . . on the way home . . .

. . . I stopped at Black Sheep . . .

. . . and picked up the Vantage Avid.

. . . Burma Shave.

Black Sheep price: $24.95 (the Select in 420HC is $21.95). Really not in the budget, but I had a little help from someone sympathetic to my looming birthday.

I went through a couple before I found one whose blade was well-centered.

The edge is superb. High hollow grind.

Used it to make dinner.

Moved it into EDC rotation starting tonight.

And it's your fault. I hope you're happy.

I've always been impressed with Buck knives. I especially like the little "sermon" they add with all of their knives.

Since many Bucks (like Schrade and others) are now made in China they may be getting more returns! I hope so!

China?

williamd said:

Since many Bucks (like Schrade and others) are now made in China they may be getting more returns! I hope so!

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I do believe that, if you do just a little research, you will find that the bulk of Buck knives are still made in Idaho, USA.

If you do a little more research, you will find that -- according to Buck employees -- they are moving their entire production back to the states over the next several months.

And, though I could be wrong here, it is my impression that one of the main reasons for moving their overseas production back to the USA is the PERCEPTION by people who draw conclusions from isolated fragments of information that "all or most" of Buck's production "is now in China."

It isn't true today, and it hasn't ever been true.

The majority of Buck's production continues to be done right here.

Had a few Buck knives in the past but I became tempted by the siren of 'Luxus' style knives. They are better than the solid, understated Buck, of course. They cost more, which made them undeniably better. I bought a Vantage Pro a few months ago thinking "S30V for 43 bucks, why not?". A Sebenza it is not, but 2 cost me 86 bucks and if one breaks, I'll have the other til Buck sends it back. Of all the knives I own, this is the best value in a knife I have; I'm sorry I sold this fine company short during my snob years. Too soon old, too late smart. get one, you'll be surprised.

To back Arfin up, Buck is well known for being proud of its domestic production.

Today's paper where I live had an article in the business section mentioning how Buck stood with the industry against the whole customs/assisted opener debacle, even when they actually stood to gain a leg up on the competition, since they import so little product.

FWIW.

Last year at one of Buck's sale-and-signing gigs, I spoke briefly with Chuck Buck. Lying on the table by his arm was a Mayo design I didn't recognize. He handed it to me and let me fondle it, flip it open/closed, test the edge. I was impressed. It was the Mayo TNT, with titanium handles. Pricey piece of work.

The new Vantage line of knives has that same blade.

The Vantage Pro uses the same steel.

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If you meant the Vantage pro uses the same steel as the ti scaled Mayo collab , the Mayo Collab Ti scaled TNT uses S30v , the aluminum handle ( Northshore Model ) uses 420 HC steel.

Same Blade

JTW Jr. said:

If you meant the Vantage pro uses the same steel as the ti scaled Mayo collab , the Mayo Collab Ti scaled TNT uses S30v , the aluminum handle ( Northshore Model ) uses 420 HC steel.

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Actually, I wasn't referring to the steel. I was referring to the blade's shape.

They may not, in fact, be identical. I haven't had them both in my hands at the same time. They are, however, similar enough that I could mistake one for the other.

Something told opening this thread could be expensive.

Kerf, that replacement is one helluva nice looking knife. Now, I have to have one. I wonder if Walmart sells them?

Arfin, If I may ask, how much did you pay for the 347 with the S30V blade? (My favorite using knife steel.)

347 . . . ?

Mike U.

Arfin, If I may ask, how much did you pay for the 347 with the S30V blade? (My favorite using knife steel.)

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Actually, I got the 346, in 13C26 Sandvik (w/Bos):

And so . . .

. . . this evening . . .

. . . on the way home . . .

. . . I stopped at Black Sheep . . .

. . . and picked up the Vantage Avid.

. . . Burma Shave.

Click to expand...

They didn't have a 347 on the shelf.

If they had actually had one in stock, I reckon it would have cost me between $40 and $45.

Online pricing? Knife Center: $48.00; Not-Your-Mamas-Knives: $44.00; Knives Plus: $49.00; Knife Supply Company: $53.00; Best Knives: $49.00; Cutlery Shoppe: $39.75; Blade HQ: $51.00; Reliks: $75.00 ( ); Blade Matrix: $47.00 (all prices rounded up to next whole dollar).

Sorry, I misread your post.

Thank you, sir! I see a new Buck or two in my future.

Have purcahsed seveal brand name knives the last couple of years and found they were bargains because they were made in China. Got what I paid for. Good for use aroiund the farm for those jobs I will not use my good knives for! Did not mean to imply that all Buck, or any other brand, were entirely China-made. But, some are 'cause I own some! US knives ... looks at Moore Knives made in Matador, TX. Quality!

Best and Cheap ? Define cheap..... cheap to some is $7 , to others $35 , and yet others $ 50.

Look at Moore Knives of Matador, TX. Very good and made in US.

I heard Buck is bringing all manufacturing back to US. They need to!

an elf told me there's a good ol Buck 110 somewhere under that tree ....

Great News about Buck...

...moving production back to the US....I went to a hardware store last Christmas time and every Buck in the case was made in China...kinda like the flag fadin' (that's where I got my "isolated fragments of information")...really disappointing and I didn't buy any...reckon I'll go back and look this year....

...according to the factory, only 25% of their knives are made in China so that they have some inexpensive ones for "the box stores"...and when we go to their website, and look at "view the details" there is an American Flag on the page for the ones made here...that'll help us sort it all out...