I love how Buck kept this design as it was back in the 60's with only some minor changes unlike KA-BAR who changed their MK 2 fighting knife so much over the years that it is not the same knife anymore. I love the current version but wish it looked more like the original ones.
I have been buying knives for around 50 years . Nothing lasts as good as a buck knife . I have a most of my knifes i have in my life . Not one other knife has held up over the years like a buck .
I’ve got the same knife dating from 1967-1972. It was passed down to me. I never really liked the full flap sheath, that is, until I used the newer style and now I actually like the older one better.
Ive bought 3 this year in 2023, 110, 117 and 119, all brand new, clearly marked "knife made in Idaho, sheath imported". But the sheaths are very nice as well.
I bought my Dad a Buck fisherman 121 while stationed in Iceland in 1982. That knife was discontinued in 1986. I paid the whopping price of 18.00. Dad passed 10 years ago and I inherited it. It's in like new condition , the sheath mint. I had it appraised today by an expert . it was appraised at 125.00 - 175.00. That's the best 18.00 I've ever spent. On another note. That groove most people call a blood grove , is actually called a fuller. Excellent video.
I'm one of those guys that peruse pawn shops and thrift stores to see if there is anything interesting in stock. Once, I managed to find an old Buck Frontiersman for $20 that was pretty beat up as most outdoor knives are. I was 19, had no clue what I was holding, and traded it to my uncle for a box of Mall Ninja junk knives. He paid $30, had it completely restored to new by Buck, and still uses it to this day while I down own a single one of the knives I traded it for. Worst deal I've made in my life
Thanks for this video. My uncle just gave me my late fathers Buck 119 knife and just found out it was manufactured in my birth year! Kind of neat. 1993 for anyone curious.
I got a 119 in 1981 during the brief year or two when they used 425M. Of course the salesman in the knife store (Santa Barbara, CA - Merlo's Cutlery ?) said it was 440C because it had been one or two years before.
On top of that man I don't know what lost passion you're talking about on top of that bucks heat treat is what makes them so well known and makes them hold an edge perfectly on top of that this is not really a good comparison it's nice to see two old birds put beside each other but to do a real comparison you need to put the really old one with the current version that they're making now to do a true comparison I've done plenty of these on my videos as well on top of that the current CEO of buck is hoyt's grandson and they don't just make China knives they make a small branch of it it's like 20% China and 80% USA
Sorry to be a pain in the arse - but if you would put a few commas and periods in, it would make reading your comments so much easier. (Imagine kind smiley face here.)
I'm a Buck fan. And your points are valid. But I feel that Buck should not put their name on an inferior, foreign-made product. It leads to people (like the guy in this video) making comments about Buck's "lack of passion". Like I said, still a fan, but this was a poor business decision on Buck's part. Peace.
@tristan barnett For the record, I own several of the modern-production USA made Bucks. From 2018 to present. And I can witness to the fact that Buck's passion is very much ALIVE. They are all quality made, if you look closely you can see the pride in them. Equal to or better than any of my one or two liners. There are still a very few American companies that can say that.
@@mattcarroll5603 I definitely agree with you my friend there's no other brand I would vouch for the most then Buck because I've been collecting them for years and I've been using them for years I started carrying a buck 119 that was made in 1972 to 86 and I carried it for a couple of years until I eventually bought a modern one and I would definitely say I agree their passion is still very much Alive and Kicking I definitely say their quality is getting better and better with each passing year there's no other brand I would vouch for and in my opinion they're the only old American knife brand that's still around and still making the same good quality products that they should be I definitely agree they should not be making China I don't know who made that decision if it was up to me I would cut off the China line completely but from a business point of view I can definitely see why they did it because I run my own knife business as well it's just extra money that they can put to better use and more inventory so from a business point of view I can understand it but as an American I would say you need to cut out China completely because they're ruining our Cutlery industry
Got my Buck 119 back in 84, the "date stamp" reveals it was made between 1972 and 1986, still going strong. It is a great knife. The sheath on mine is what they call sandwich style. A back piece, the middle gusset piece, and the front piece. I think it would be cool to have aht holster style. Keep it sharp, and keep it clean and oil the leather now and then.
If you don't know what a fuller a pommel or micarta is you probably shouldn't be doing an in depth video on a knife. Just an observation. To say the 119 is not a great knife by today's standards is completely inaccurate in my opinion!
Hello my friend a friend of mine told me about this video and I'm going to correct you on this I've been buying and selling buck knives and collecting them for over 10 years and I have bought and sold hundreds if not thousands of China bucks and none of them ever say USA they just say buck and whatever the model number is you need to do your detailed homework before you sell something like this because a lot of collectors get very pissed when you do that kind of stuff just some friendly advice
I used to have a buck 119 that I bought in the 90’s......I got did of it and regretted it. I recently got the new special buck 119 in s25vn with Paul Bos heat treat and green micarta handle it is a nice upgraded version
One who sell knives, don't know much about them. And all there good fixed blade knives are made in the USA! Only their cheap folders are made in china.
Like I said my friend you need to do more detailed research you basically covered the basics you need to do more detailed research when you review a knife like this on top of that for the money that those go for it's a great knife I've been carrying one for years and I always get a brand new current one of the current year and retire my old one on top of that those were called read my Carta inlays and they switched to Black for the modern ones if you get a custom order you can request to get red ones put in like I said my friend you need to do more extensive research into what's going on in the buck now because you did get a few things wrong which does not look good if you're trying to sell knives
Correct! It's called a Fuller. Removal of metal lightens but also weakens. The Shape is in a similar form as an I beam. to recover the strength. Yeah, I've heard it called "Blood Gutter" all my life by older WWII veterans too...
Curtis, I love your store, and your video on these different knives. However, I drives me crazy when anyone says that buck knives are not good knives today. I understand what you mean, if you're referring to the fact that this steel isn't meant to be abused. However, you cannot beat a buck knife for the price, quality of heat treat in the steel, and the lifetime guarantee that they do honor. Also, most of them are made in the United States in Idaho. Yet, they have a few that are made in China and a lot of people throw that out there sounding as if all their knives are made in China now. Not true. Most are American made. Gerber makes a knife, the strong arm, and a few others that American military guys have done videos about because they use them overseas and beat the crap out of them, and it still works. I can't believe that a gerber 420 is better than a buck 420, therefore, I I conclude that the use of the 420 steel is still pretty darn effective. Would I pick an ESSE knife with 1095 steel if I could only choose one and I knew I was going to be beating on it. Possibly. However, if I only had one knife I doubt I would be beating on it, meaning batoning. Or sticking the tip into a piece of wood to pry something out, if it was my only knife and the only thing between me and death. And the great thing about Buck knives is you can buy two or three of them, compared to the cost of one super steel knife. Which, I would prefer because even a super steel knife can break, so no I'd rather have 2 or 3 knives on me . And I do have a couple of bucks made from the s30v, and D2 steel, but I'm still not going to abuse them. And I still haven't found a knife that didn't need to be honed everyday with regular use. Also, I think it's been proven that Buck knives last a lifetime with proper use and maintenance just as well as any expensive knife. So thank you for your video showing those great knives, and taking the time to do it I appreciate it. I just needed to say something about buck knives after hearing many TH-cam knife people say the same thing about how buck knives are not great today.
The pommel is the metal at the back of the handle.. the plastic handle is called phenolic resin.. commonly called bakelite.. ive always found it to be too smooth and slippery.. but nice !
Had a 1970 120 General great knife held a fantastic edge. Wish I still had it (divorce). Got a new 119. Good knife but the older ones were better. The groove is called a fuller.
I have owned a Buck 119 for many, many years. It has no date code, other than Buck 119, USA I do not see any description for this knife on your date listing. Does this possibly mean it was made in China ????
THE PEOPLE THAT OWNS THOSE 2 KNIVES DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO CARE A GOOD BUCK KNIFE OR SHARPEN A GOOD BUCK KNIFE,I HAVE KNIVES THAT CAN BE RESOLD AS A NEW KNIFE.HOW CAN SOMEONE BUY A NEW KNIFE AND IT ENDS UP LOOKING LIKE THOSE 2 KNIVES I JUST CANNOT UNDERSTAND
I have 3 119s. I have 1 of the old sheath in good condition but it's kind of annoying . And without the plastic insert There is always a risk the blade will go right through the leather if you're a little bit too aggressive. Good for a showpiece but not too good to use. The new ones are much better.
ANYONE THAT BUYS A BUCK KNIFE FOR USE TO DIG UP DANDYLIONS DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO CARE A QUALITY KNIFE.IF I WAS SELLING A QUALITY KNIFE AND THAT PERSON CAME IN TO BUY A KNIFE FROM ME I WOULD NOT SELL IT TO HIM OR SHE..
when you first start watching you get the idea that he doesn't really know much about knives, but it's fine, even if you work at a knife store, but then he insults Buck and makes false claims about their current owner and lineup.. bit disappointing.
I have a buck knife 119 bought it from harbor freight paid 60 bucks for it and had a guy at a pawn shop tell me it's a fake bcuz it's not marked with buck on the side and said it's a Chinese knockoff but I bought it straight from harbor freight pulled it out of the buck knife packaging and I'm just trying to figure out why it's not marked and why this guy at the pawn shop thinks it's a Chinese knockoff
Thank you! I know Buck Knives are not what they used to be, but in the early 70s we didn't have the choices we have today. I bought a half dozen of the Buck 100 series when I was in high school. Before I went to Navy boot camp I ordered my first Randall Made knife, across the counter in the Randall shop in Orlando. Not what I would think of as a custom knife today but it is still beautiful and feels great in the hand. The knife in the video with the brass buttcap is probably a theater knife. I had one from Korea with circles of plexiglass from a helicopter front window stacked, instead of leather, for the handle. It was a crude copy of a Ka-Bar but from decent steel and nicely hardened. They call it a theater knife because it was made inside the theater of the war. Any time you feel like sharing old, or new, interesting items from a knife shop perspective, I will eagerly take a look.
Yes and No......the 119 Special has a lower grade of steel, which is 420HC. 420HC does not have the hardness or edge retention of the 440C or 425M steel used back in the 70's and 80's. But the 119 Pro uses S35VN and the 119 Custom Shop uses S30 which is a premium grade, stronger steel that is harder and holds their razor sharp edge a lot longer, but are more difficult to sharpen. The issue is economics and the 119's with the premium S35VN and S30 grade steel are going to start at $200, while the basic 119 Special with 420HC is $75. So, you can still get a Buck like they used to be.....but you better be willing to pay a damn high price - $200 dollars and more - for one of the really good ones.
I disagree the Buck knives are just has good has the older one's I've been collecting Buck knives for over 50 years note any Buck knife made in China dose not have usa stamp on them
That got me too. This sounds like a good knife shop to avoid. Guy doesn't seem to like any of the knives in the video and didn't do the slightest bit of research before opening his mouth.
Need to do some more research before you do a video. The knives that Buck makes in chine just says Buck with China on the backside of the blade or on a secondary blade. Anytime it says Buck USA it is made in the …..USA.
In the 60's they were hand made by individual makers, not cnc machined, and depth of hollow grinds, edge geometry, tip thickness, it varied significantly. Pay enough attention to vintage ones for sale and it seems likely that certain guys made them to their tastes, and an end user could I suspect hand select their preference in many cases when buying at a store. Certainly we can today on Ebay. With hand made 440c and steel pommels, I would argue that the 60's variants are bargains at twice the price of the new, however the new s30v versions are also quite excellent and offer great predictable consistency. I think today they use junky 420 stainless because most people that buy them don't actually use them that hard or often and it offers excellent corrosion resistance over many decades of rare use.
@@southernshop8424 I have been using buck knives hard for 22 years, I've owned more than a dozen, currently own two in 440c, 1 in 420hc, and 2 in s30v. I own countless other brands too and make knives as a hobby. My opinion is not based on ignorance. The Buck's are not stupid, they aren't kidding about their mastery of heat treating, and 420 hc is an optimized choice for their mass produced knives. It is not ideal for more demanding users, and that is why they also offer them in s30v, 5160 and occasionally 440c to celebrate the past.
@@southernshop8424 I very dorkily picked that name in the very first months of gmail when I was a teenager due to being a fan of his knives. Nothing more or less to that one.
Not a great video, if I'm being honest. You came totally unprepared. Didn't seem to know very much about the knives you were talking about. Also very negative and off-putting that you kept repeating that the knives were "not very good" and "I'm sure it's not worth anything." I hope you can do better in the future.
“There is no short answer to this so hear goes... You have to take into account the hardness, the included angle, and the edge geometry, plus to a certain extent, the blade finish.” “One thing I do know about our 440C, 425mod, and 420hc is that we get the same basic rockwell out of each of them. 58 to 60 was the range and that was Chuck's law, never to be trifled with. When we were using 440C the edge geometry was a lot diferent than our Edge 2000 geometry. The comment most often heard during the 440c years was that Buck knives held a great edge, but boy was it hard to get that edge on. Those earlier knives had an extra operation in production that we called a "flat edge". Take a look at a new 110 from back then and you can still see a faint line running the length of the edge. That edge was slightly radiused to, thus lending to the hard to resharpen comments because how do you lay a blade edge flat on a stone if the edge is not flat to begin with? Those blades were thicker through the hollow grind which made meant they could stand up to more prying, but again, made it a lot harder to resharpen as you got higher up in the blade. VERY tough edge and tough blade for sure but our customers were telling us that wanted something they could sharpen. Gradual changes in the blade and edge geometry took place over the years to address this need. Off the top of my head I think we did away with the flat edge operation before we went to 425mod. Before we changed from 425mod to 420hc, Chuck had to be convinced that we would still get our 58-60 hardness. We did numerous tests in heat treat, and backed them up on our C.A.T.R.A. machine, a device that tests several aspects of an edge, before we made the switch. Many of our opinions on which steel is best are clouded by all the other variables that really need to be considered together. I hear someone sware that his 103 skinner from the 60's is the best knife ever and I know that if I took a 2007 Skinner, and ground the edge the same as his, it would likely perform the same. Does that mean that we should go back to the earlier geometry? Nope. It means that for that particular person, that particular combination of rockwell, geometry, angle, works best for him and his particular needs. My opinion has always been that to a certain extent, everybody uses their knives diferently, and sharpen them diferently so they should find the knife and sharpening technique that works best for their needs. The best thing that Buck can do to help is deliver a consistant edge to begin with. That is part of what E2k was all about. We shoot for a 26 to 32 degree included angle, which our research has shown is a good all around edge. You might want a lower number for a fillet blade and a higher number for chisel. We also made the edge more visible, easier to see and lay flat on the stone. It may appear that the edge is actually higher but that illusion is due to the fact that we don't polish the burr off anymore in the final sharpening operation. To polish it would be to give it a slight radius so we now strop it off, leaving it good and flat, therefore easier to sharpen for the customer. I hope this helps some. In case anyone was wondering... We changed from 440C to 425mod because we wanted to fineblank our blades. If we could fineblank them, we could get greater accuracy on our tolerances. Much more accurate than trying to mill and drill later. We could also make the blades quicker which translated into keeping our cost down, always a good thing. This is vastly diferent than saying we "went to a cheeper steel to cut costs". Remember Chuck's law, only then it was also Al Buck's law. That 425mod was a special steel the mill made for Buck, and we paid for it. Then years later, at the mills request, we considered the change from 425mod to our current 420hc. We were the only ones that wanted 425mod and they mainly made it for us because they liked us...seriously! But 420hc was an on the shelf variety of steel and was basically the same so...Many test later, as mentioned above, and we made the switch. Again, not Buck switching to a cheeper steel, just Buck finding a better way to keep its costs down without impacting the customer. Its a win win, my employer stays in business and we continue to deliver a quality knife.”
Better yet if he did some research before hand to learn that Chinese Bucks don't have USA on them, the handle material is phenolic, the butt of the knife is called a pommel, the groove is a fuller, etc. This guy comes off as completely knife-illiterate.
I promise to watch this again when I'm not so drunk.. I'm a total Buck fan boy. I think I have 15 Bucks now. Anyway next time when I'm not so drunk I'll say something that requires an IQ of over 81.
I dont like the idea of "old was better" it always bugs me. It bugs me as much as "New" in advertising as if new is better. Better is better. And I think the new sheath is fucking great.
I believe the handle material on the older version is polished micarta, not fibreglass like you suggested. That’s what it looks like anyway. Micarta is fabric, paper, or other fibrous material soaked in epoxy and pressed/dried. It’s a much better material than the new plastic phenolic ones.
The new Pro and Heritage series are much nicer steel. I have both and they stand up to brands like Bark River Knives. You are right though the 420HC is not good steel.
And if they went back to 440 with the way they know how to heat treat. The knife would be awesome! 420 sucks. Only, because. They know how to heat treat. Is the only reason, it can hold a edge.
You are so wrong been bush crafting before bush craft was a word at 68 years old collecting and use knives for over 62 years buck is no one I have 100s of knives still carrying my119. 120 110 I'll put them up with anything you can dish out if you don't have a buck knife on your side you don't have a knife ENOUGH SAID
You have a knife store and dont know what a fuller or a pommel is
You beat me too it.
Exactly.
Exactly he barely knows anything about Bucks history and doesn’t care about any knife that doesn’t look new.
Only amatchures go for only the flashy new knives classics are ware it's at
Thank you
I love how Buck kept this design as it was back in the 60's with only some minor changes unlike KA-BAR who changed their MK 2 fighting knife so much over the years that it is not the same knife anymore. I love the current version but wish it looked more like the original ones.
it is definitely refreshing to see a company sticking to what works
I have been buying knives for around 50 years . Nothing lasts as good as a buck knife . I have a most of my knifes i have in my life . Not one other knife has held up over the years like a buck .
Knives, not knifes. You sound like a total idiot
Agreed
The groove in the blade is called a fuller, the end is the pommel.
The name that you can't remember is Bob Donley that's scratched right onto the knife case
The made in China Bucks do not say USA on them. They have the model # and date stamp.
I just got my grandpa's brother Mark 2 he carried in Vietnam.
Your Great Uncle. Your Grandfather's brother is your Great Uncle. A piece of your family history, you are lucky to be given it. Treat it well. :)
Nice!!!
I’ve got the same knife dating from 1967-1972. It was passed down to me. I never really liked the full flap sheath, that is, until I used the newer style and now I actually like the older one better.
Ive bought 3 this year in 2023, 110, 117 and 119, all brand new, clearly marked "knife made in Idaho, sheath imported". But the sheaths are very nice as well.
the old blood grooves were much more beautiful than today's
I bought my Dad a Buck fisherman 121 while stationed in Iceland in 1982. That knife was discontinued in 1986. I paid the whopping price of 18.00.
Dad passed 10 years ago and I inherited it. It's in like new condition , the sheath mint.
I had it appraised today by an expert . it was appraised at 125.00 - 175.00. That's the best 18.00 I've ever spent.
On another note. That groove most people call a blood grove , is actually called a fuller. Excellent video.
$18 in 1982 would be worth around $55 in 2022, calculating for inflation.
still a great deal
I'm one of those guys that peruse pawn shops and thrift stores to see if there is anything interesting in stock. Once, I managed to find an old Buck Frontiersman for $20 that was pretty beat up as most outdoor knives are. I was 19, had no clue what I was holding, and traded it to my uncle for a box of Mall Ninja junk knives. He paid $30, had it completely restored to new by Buck, and still uses it to this day while I down own a single one of the knives I traded it for. Worst deal I've made in my life
Hey at worst you lost 20 bucks, worse deals have been made, don't let the jealousy of his net gain affect the perception of your net loss
YOU WORK IN A KNIFE STORE AND YOU DONT KNOW JACK ABOUT KNIVES,
How do you stay in business?
All buck 119s are made in the USA
No cheap chinese products
@@zaccorpseman7366 but, he’s right. All buck 119s are made in the USA.
Thanks for this video. My uncle just gave me my late fathers Buck 119 knife and just found out it was manufactured in my birth year! Kind of neat. 1993 for anyone curious.
Gawd I feel old .
I got a 119 in 1981 during the brief year or two when they used 425M. Of course the salesman in the knife store (Santa Barbara, CA - Merlo's Cutlery ?) said it was 440C because it had been one or two years before.
On top of that man I don't know what lost passion you're talking about on top of that bucks heat treat is what makes them so well known and makes them hold an edge perfectly on top of that this is not really a good comparison it's nice to see two old birds put beside each other but to do a real comparison you need to put the really old one with the current version that they're making now to do a true comparison I've done plenty of these on my videos as well on top of that the current CEO of buck is hoyt's grandson and they don't just make China knives they make a small branch of it it's like 20% China and 80% USA
Sorry to be a pain in the arse - but if you would put a few commas and periods in, it would make reading your comments so much easier. (Imagine kind smiley face here.)
I'm a Buck fan. And your points are valid. But I feel that Buck should not put their name on an inferior, foreign-made product. It leads to people (like the guy in this video) making comments about Buck's "lack of passion". Like I said, still a fan, but this was a poor business decision on Buck's part.
Peace.
@@mattcarroll5603 fine Pont I definitely agree
@tristan barnett For the record, I own several of the modern-production USA made Bucks. From 2018 to present. And I can witness to the fact that Buck's passion is very much ALIVE. They are all quality made, if you look closely you can see the pride in them. Equal to or better than any of my one or two liners. There are still a very few American companies that can say that.
@@mattcarroll5603 I definitely agree with you my friend there's no other brand I would vouch for the most then Buck because I've been collecting them for years and I've been using them for years I started carrying a buck 119 that was made in 1972 to 86 and I carried it for a couple of years until I eventually bought a modern one and I would definitely say I agree their passion is still very much Alive and Kicking I definitely say their quality is getting better and better with each passing year there's no other brand I would vouch for and in my opinion they're the only old American knife brand that's still around and still making the same good quality products that they should be I definitely agree they should not be making China I don't know who made that decision if it was up to me I would cut off the China line completely but from a business point of view I can definitely see why they did it because I run my own knife business as well it's just extra money that they can put to better use and more inventory so from a business point of view I can understand it but as an American I would say you need to cut out China completely because they're ruining our Cutlery industry
All of bucks more expensive knives are made in usa
Interesting Buck 119 comparison, sheaths differ but the knives are basically the same. Good video overall, thumbs up and subscribed
My first and favorite sheath knife. I have the flap over sheath Buck 119 USA ... which is late 70's - 80's. Great info. Thanks.
Got my Buck 119 back in 84, the "date stamp" reveals it was made between 1972 and 1986, still going strong. It is a great knife. The sheath on mine is what they call sandwich style. A back piece, the middle gusset piece, and the front piece. I think it would be cool to have aht holster style. Keep it sharp, and keep it clean and oil the leather now and then.
Why would you say they are not a very good knife by today's standards? Because they are not full tang? Thats a stupid statement.
If you don't know what a fuller a pommel or micarta is you probably shouldn't be doing an in depth video on a knife. Just an observation. To say the 119 is not a great knife by today's standards is completely inaccurate in my opinion!
He probably thinks anything that isn't a $600 knife made put of super steel is trash
Hello my friend a friend of mine told me about this video and I'm going to correct you on this I've been buying and selling buck knives and collecting them for over 10 years and I have bought and sold hundreds if not thousands of China bucks and none of them ever say USA they just say buck and whatever the model number is you need to do your detailed homework before you sell something like this because a lot of collectors get very pissed when you do that kind of stuff just some friendly advice
I used to have a buck 119 that I bought in the 90’s......I got did of it and regretted it. I recently got the new special buck 119 in s25vn with Paul Bos heat treat and green micarta handle it is a nice upgraded version
The handle is delrin, the spacers are micarta.
They dont last very long?
You are so full of it
The handle is phenolic which is what pay phone handles were made from
One who sell knives, don't know much about them. And all there good fixed blade knives are made in the USA! Only their cheap folders are made in china.
back handed complements
Wish Buck would go back to the "Flap Sheath"
I dropped mine in a river fishing back in 1984-85, i remember pops being pissed, anyway cool knife
How about some of the first tops knives
Like I said my friend you need to do more detailed research you basically covered the basics you need to do more detailed research when you review a knife like this on top of that for the money that those go for it's a great knife I've been carrying one for years and I always get a brand new current one of the current year and retire my old one on top of that those were called read my Carta inlays and they switched to Black for the modern ones if you get a custom order you can request to get red ones put in like I said my friend you need to do more extensive research into what's going on in the buck now because you did get a few things wrong which does not look good if you're trying to sell knives
Do you have a web sight look at the knives
The fuller. It's removed metal from the blade to lighten up the weight of the blade
Correct! It's called a Fuller. Removal of metal lightens but also weakens. The Shape is in a similar form as an I beam. to recover the strength. Yeah, I've heard it called "Blood Gutter" all my life by older WWII veterans too...
Curtis, I love your store, and your video on these different knives. However, I drives me crazy when anyone says that buck knives are not good knives today. I understand what you mean, if you're referring to the fact that this steel isn't meant to be abused. However, you cannot beat a buck knife for the price, quality of heat treat in the steel, and the lifetime guarantee that they do honor.
Also, most of them are made in the United States in Idaho. Yet, they have a few that are made in China and a lot of people throw that out there sounding as if all their knives are made in China now. Not true. Most are American made.
Gerber makes a knife, the strong arm, and a few others that American military guys have done videos about because they use them overseas and beat the crap out of them, and it still works. I can't believe that a gerber 420 is better than a buck 420, therefore, I I conclude that the use of the 420 steel is still pretty darn effective. Would I pick an ESSE knife with 1095 steel if I could only choose one and I knew I was going to be beating on it. Possibly. However, if I only had one knife I doubt I would be beating on it, meaning batoning. Or sticking the tip into a piece of wood to pry something out, if it was my only knife and the only thing between me and death. And the great thing about Buck knives is you can buy two or three of them, compared to the cost of one super steel knife. Which, I would prefer because even a super steel knife can break, so no I'd rather have 2 or 3 knives on me . And I do have a couple of bucks made from the s30v, and D2 steel, but I'm still not going to abuse them. And I still haven't found a knife that didn't need to be honed everyday with regular use.
Also, I think it's been proven that Buck knives last a lifetime with proper use and maintenance just as well as any expensive knife.
So thank you for your video showing those great knives, and taking the time to do it I appreciate it. I just needed to say something about buck knives after hearing many TH-cam knife people say the same thing about how buck knives are not great today.
Digging up dandelions or skinning deer...119 kicks ass
The pommel is the metal at the back of the handle.. the plastic handle is called phenolic resin.. commonly called bakelite.. ive always found it to be too smooth and slippery.. but nice !
Had a 1970 120 General great knife held a fantastic edge. Wish I still had it (divorce). Got a new 119. Good knife but the older ones were better. The groove is called a fuller.
It's called a Fuller and its used to reduce the weight of the blade, with out compromising strength.
Aren’t fullers (blood groves.lol) used to lighten a blade?
Interesting video.
Subscribe because of that video.
Interesting & informative video on some great knives!
It’s not a great knife by today’s standards?😂 that was a good one!
Do a search Where are Buck Knives made? In the USA? Overseas in China? How do I tell?
audio in this video has my hackles up like nuts
I have owned a Buck 119 for many, many years. It has no date code, other than Buck 119, USA I do not see any description for this knife on your date listing. Does this possibly mean it was made in China ????
"Pommel"...the grips on the "new" one is micarta and the fillers are micarta.
Appreciate the details..
Been looking for a kalinga.
THE PEOPLE THAT OWNS THOSE 2 KNIVES DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO CARE A GOOD BUCK KNIFE OR SHARPEN A GOOD BUCK KNIFE,I HAVE KNIVES THAT CAN BE RESOLD AS A NEW KNIFE.HOW CAN SOMEONE BUY A NEW KNIFE AND IT ENDS UP LOOKING LIKE THOSE 2 KNIVES I JUST CANNOT UNDERSTAND
I have 3 119s. I have 1 of the old sheath in good condition but it's kind of annoying . And without the plastic insert There is always a risk the blade will go right through the leather if you're a little bit too aggressive. Good for a showpiece but not too good to use. The new ones are much better.
Very nice
ANYONE THAT BUYS A BUCK KNIFE FOR USE TO DIG UP DANDYLIONS DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO CARE A QUALITY KNIFE.IF I WAS SELLING A QUALITY KNIFE AND THAT PERSON CAME IN TO BUY A KNIFE FROM ME I WOULD NOT SELL IT TO HIM OR SHE..
Buying a Buck 119 to dig out dandilions is better than buying a Buck 119 to take out all the mayonaise from the jar. Lol.
I got a sale pamphlet of buck knifes from long time ago
Great video,I'm a great Buck fan,greetings from Germany,I have subed your channel
The only reason you can't see the pen is because it's nickel plated over it. When the pommel ages the Penn will show
I've seen a buck 119 review by someone who knows so little about buck knives.
when you first start watching you get the idea that he doesn't really know much about knives, but it's fine, even if you work at a knife store, but then he insults Buck and makes false claims about their current owner and lineup.. bit disappointing.
I got a 120 from 83
Buck 19 blade steel is 420 hc. its not 440a or 440c steel which is a harder steel. I own a buck 19 and i will keep it cause i lost the receipt.
they used to be made of 440C but Buck switched steels because customers complained of the blades chipping
I have a buck knife 119 bought it from harbor freight paid 60 bucks for it and had a guy at a pawn shop tell me it's a fake bcuz it's not marked with buck on the side and said it's a Chinese knockoff but I bought it straight from harbor freight pulled it out of the buck knife packaging and I'm just trying to figure out why it's not marked and why this guy at the pawn shop thinks it's a Chinese knockoff
Harbor Freight does produce a Buck 119 knock off, you can tell which is which by the stripe on the guard and pommel, the knock offs don't have them.
Thank you! I know Buck Knives are not what they used to be, but in the early 70s we didn't have the choices we have today. I bought a half dozen of the Buck 100 series when I was in high school. Before I went to Navy boot camp I ordered my first Randall Made knife, across the counter in the Randall shop in Orlando. Not what I would think of as a custom knife today but it is still beautiful and feels great in the hand.
The knife in the video with the brass buttcap is probably a theater knife. I had one from Korea with circles of plexiglass from a helicopter front window stacked, instead of leather, for the handle. It was a crude copy of a Ka-Bar but from decent steel and nicely hardened. They call it a theater knife because it was made inside the theater of the war.
Any time you feel like sharing old, or new, interesting items from a knife shop perspective, I will eagerly take a look.
First , Thank you for protecting our freedom as Brother. My Grandfather on my Moms side was USN during WWII, my adopted brother went Navy about a year before I went AF. I served a year straight short tour remote at my first duty stationed at Keflivick NAS Iceland. 😂
So it seems dispute going USAF I still couldn't escape the Navy or Marines. 😂
My girlfriend while I was there was Navy and besides my flight of security police officers I served with daily. The US Marines , of which we had a detatchment of there , were my best friends. Not to go on about my service. But funny story as to how I became friends with the whole lot of them. Sorry to ramble. But I promise there are 2 payoffs to my comment 1 funny the other informative to those who are unaware.
The chow hall served everyone Navy , Marines . British AF and Royal Marines and any swinging dick who had business with multinations DOD including civil contractors.
AF Security Police were the only force on station allowed to carry loaded weapons.Inset.( insert USN , USMC joke here ) 😂Not sure exactly why this was just know it was. And we also had a 11 PM curfew and had to be on base by that time. I do know why that was. The Marines and Navial persona had started so many bar fights over the years. We all paid the price. 😂 May be the reason in AF could carry loaded weapons. Not sure.😂
As I was eating chow a Marine came to my table. Near our table was a weapons rack to hold our M- 16's. This Marines kinda dances around it to approach me . He then asks " Excuse me. Is it true you guys carry rubber bullets. Now this is 1982.late cold war. The USSR in fairly close. We are there to keep Russian aircraft outta intefnational airspace and their ships and dubs outta those same waters. It's a known fact the Russian agents live on Iceland and speak both perfect Icelandic and English as do all Icelandic nationals. English is their second language and it's mandatory in school. I know everyone on starion knows this because it's part of the orientation classes we all take upon arrival. Now keep in mind. Im a slick slave. Probably been there 4 month's. I without hesitation open my ammo pouch and grab a 30 round mag. Shiva it in his face and say. Those look like rubber to you Mothergu©ker ? The other 3 Marines that were sitting at his table bust out laughing. The kid , I late find out. A boot fresh off the boat , spun on his heals. When my buddies i waseating with just out laughing after they saw I wasn't gonna get my ass kicked or that they would have to save me busted out as well.. 😂
A few days later I was throwing darts and drinking at the airmans club. This Marines I didn't know walked up and asked if I'd be his partner for the night. Of course I said yes. Not knowing who he was or which branch he served. But I found out after our introductions. We mopped the floor that night on the boards. We were playing for drinks. We both got so drunk we had to change it to 1.00 a game because we couldn't drink anymore! 😂
So we close the club down 3AM. And he invites me to the Marine barracks for a few more drinks and a meal . I accept. I had no idea they had their own bar and grill on the first floor.😂😂
He walks in ahead of me. I can hear troops talkkng and yelling. Music playing . As soon as I get in the door I hear the bar tender yell. Mr Rubber bullets! What the fuck are you doing here? A few guys at the tables bust out laughing. And tell my dart partner . You just brought a real life , living legend in our bar !! Of course he's at a loss. I'm on edge because I'm not sure if they are pissed im there or if they are just Fuckin with me . I'm sure my eyes betrayed me. 😂
My dart partner says really ? How so ? They proceed to tell him the story of the boot they sent over and my response. He busted out laughing and said. If the fucked why its have as well as heays darts. I don't think I'd wanna fuck with him. They all busted out laughing and so did I. 😂
From that day forward I had permission to eat and drink there anytime no need to be invited. And anything I ordered was to be put on a tab and my partner would cover it. Oddly enough the only time I collected was when he took me. 😂 I wasn't gonna take advantage of my buddy or his kindness. So that's how i became friends with the whole detachment of Jarheads. 😂
Now the informational part. We had some rsally nice knives in the 70's Buck was but one such manufacturer. Schrade was another. The used high quality high carbon steel in their blades. And the made several awesome knives. Examples are the old timer 152 Sharpfingerr and the old tomer 150 Deerslayer. Both basically the same blade and handle. Just one ( Deerslayer ) large ) and the smaller 152. Both excellent for skinning and processing wild game and farm animals alike.
In 1973 Schrade introduced the 49er series I think it started with 7 different models, which was shortly whittled down two 2 I believe. Im fuzzy on all the particulars at the mmoment however my favorite was the 498 , Skinner / hunter. It also had an upswept tip. But was better suited to both skin and dismember process all sorts of animals.
The 49er series would have x number of knives a year removed from the profuction line and given to master bladesmith that would fine tune and improve the fit and finish of those knives as well as further polish the blades add the special 49er embossed sheath and add 2 hallmarks to the butt plates. These were factory made benchmade knives. The first mark is an anvil which denotes manufacturer , which was Schrade the second hallmark denoted the years of production the 498 had a 7 year run 73- 79. Those are just 3 knives I think we're outstanding and stack up nicely to modern knives. I'm a Schrade fan But I own and have owned many knifes , by many manufacturers. Granted we didn't have a ton of outstanding knives . But we had some quality blades to choose from
Yes and No......the 119 Special has a lower grade of steel, which is 420HC. 420HC does not have the hardness or edge retention of the 440C or 425M steel used back in the 70's and 80's. But the 119 Pro uses S35VN and the 119 Custom Shop uses S30 which is a premium grade, stronger steel that is harder and holds their razor sharp edge a lot longer, but are more difficult to sharpen. The issue is economics and the 119's with the premium S35VN and S30 grade steel are going to start at $200, while the basic 119 Special with 420HC is $75. So, you can still get a Buck like they used to be.....but you better be willing to pay a damn high price - $200 dollars and more - for one of the really good ones.
You come across a 1993 119 and want to sell it for 35 I’ll take it lol
I disagree the Buck knives are just has good has the older one's I've been collecting Buck knives for over 50 years note any Buck knife made in China dose not have usa stamp on them
Fuller, pommel, phenolic. You're welcome.
Not a good knife by today's standards??!! Are you kidding me? 119 shits on 99% of modern knives!
That got me too. This sounds like a good knife shop to avoid. Guy doesn't seem to like any of the knives in the video and didn't do the slightest bit of research before opening his mouth.
Need to do some more research before you do a video. The knives that Buck makes in chine just says Buck with China on the backside of the blade or on a secondary blade. Anytime it says Buck USA it is made in the …..USA.
In the 60's they were hand made by individual makers, not cnc machined, and depth of hollow grinds, edge geometry, tip thickness, it varied significantly. Pay enough attention to vintage ones for sale and it seems likely that certain guys made them to their tastes, and an end user could I suspect hand select their preference in many cases when buying at a store. Certainly we can today on Ebay.
With hand made 440c and steel pommels, I would argue that the 60's variants are bargains at twice the price of the new, however the new s30v versions are also quite excellent and offer great predictable consistency.
I think today they use junky 420 stainless because most people that buy them don't actually use them that hard or often and it offers excellent corrosion resistance over many decades of rare use.
You dont know much about 420hc or the Bos heat treat method, the best in the industry
@@southernshop8424 I have been using buck knives hard for 22 years, I've owned more than a dozen, currently own two in 440c, 1 in 420hc, and 2 in s30v. I own countless other brands too and make knives as a hobby. My opinion is not based on ignorance.
The Buck's are not stupid, they aren't kidding about their mastery of heat treating, and 420 hc is an optimized choice for their mass produced knives. It is not ideal for more demanding users, and that is why they also offer them in s30v, 5160 and occasionally 440c to celebrate the past.
@@RexApplegate plus youre rex applegate!
@@southernshop8424 I very dorkily picked that name in the very first months of gmail when I was a teenager due to being a fan of his knives. Nothing more or less to that one.
Umm 🤔 wrong man 420 HC heat treated by world renowned Paul Bos is a outstanding steel. I don’t care how long you’ve owned or made knives . Your wrong.
Blood Grove or fuller
But even though I'm drunk.... Plenty of destruction tests On the internet of the 119... Sorry man it's more than a fine knife. This knife kicks a++..
To fix or save the old bucks case, soak it with mink oil. Let it sink in.
Not a great video, if I'm being honest. You came totally unprepared. Didn't seem to know very much about the knives you were talking about. Also very negative and off-putting that you kept repeating that the knives were "not very good" and "I'm sure it's not worth anything." I hope you can do better in the future.
“There is no short answer to this so hear goes...
You have to take into account the hardness, the included angle, and the edge geometry, plus to a certain extent, the blade finish.”
“One thing I do know about our 440C, 425mod, and 420hc is that we get the same basic rockwell out of each of them. 58 to 60 was the range and that was Chuck's law, never to be trifled with. When we were using 440C the edge geometry was a lot diferent than our Edge 2000 geometry. The comment most often heard during the 440c years was that Buck knives held a great edge, but boy was it hard to get that edge on.
Those earlier knives had an extra operation in production that we called a "flat edge".
Take a look at a new 110 from back then and you can still see a faint line running the length of the edge. That edge was slightly radiused to, thus lending to the hard to resharpen comments because how do you lay a blade edge flat on a stone if the edge is not flat to begin with? Those blades were thicker through the hollow grind which made meant they could stand up to more prying, but again, made it a lot harder to resharpen as you got higher up in the blade. VERY tough edge and tough blade for sure but our customers were telling us that wanted something they could sharpen. Gradual changes in the blade and edge geometry took place over the years to address this need.
Off the top of my head I think we did away with the flat edge operation before we went to 425mod.
Before we changed from 425mod to 420hc, Chuck had to be convinced that we would still get our 58-60 hardness. We did numerous tests in heat treat, and backed them up on our C.A.T.R.A. machine, a device that tests several aspects of an edge, before we made the switch.
Many of our opinions on which steel is best are clouded by all the other variables that really need to be considered together. I hear someone sware that his 103 skinner from the 60's is the best knife ever and I know that if I took a 2007 Skinner, and ground the edge the same as his, it would likely perform the same. Does that mean that we should go back to the earlier geometry?
Nope. It means that for that particular person, that particular combination of rockwell, geometry, angle, works best for him and his particular needs.
My opinion has always been that to a certain extent, everybody uses their knives diferently, and sharpen them diferently so they should find the knife and sharpening technique that works best for their needs. The best thing that Buck can do to help is deliver a consistant edge to begin with.
That is part of what E2k was all about. We shoot for a 26 to 32 degree included angle, which our research has shown is a good all around edge. You might want a lower number for a fillet blade and a higher number for chisel. We also made the edge more visible, easier to see and lay flat on the stone. It may appear that the edge is actually higher but that illusion is due to the fact that we don't polish the burr off anymore in the final sharpening operation. To polish it would be to give it a slight radius so we now strop it off, leaving it good and flat, therefore easier to sharpen for the customer.
I hope this helps some.
In case anyone was wondering...
We changed from 440C to 425mod because we wanted to fineblank our blades. If we could fineblank them, we could get greater accuracy on our tolerances. Much more accurate than trying to mill and drill later. We could also make the blades quicker which translated into keeping our cost down, always a good thing. This is vastly diferent than saying we "went to a cheeper steel to cut costs". Remember Chuck's law, only then it was also Al Buck's law. That 425mod was a special steel the mill made for Buck, and we paid for it.
Then years later, at the mills request, we considered the change from 425mod to our current 420hc. We were the only ones that wanted 425mod and they mainly made it for us because they liked us...seriously! But 420hc was an on the shelf variety of steel and was basically the same so...Many test later, as mentioned above, and we made the switch. Again, not Buck switching to a cheeper steel, just Buck finding a better way to keep its costs down without impacting the customer. Its a win win, my employer stays in business and we continue to deliver a quality knife.”
This video would be a lot better if you didn’t click that pen around like that. Super annoying.
Better yet if he did some research before hand to learn that Chinese Bucks don't have USA on them, the handle material is phenolic, the butt of the knife is called a pommel, the groove is a fuller, etc. This guy comes off as completely knife-illiterate.
I promise to watch this again when I'm not so drunk.. I'm a total Buck fan boy. I think I have 15 Bucks now. Anyway next time when I'm not so drunk I'll say something that requires an IQ of over 81.
I dont like the idea of "old was better" it always bugs me. It bugs me as much as "New" in advertising as if new is better. Better is better. And I think the new sheath is fucking great.
The Handel is pknalic
Its USA made!! For $75 bucks, you cant beat the quality and value. Orher companies like MKC charge 300 bucks for similar products!!
I believe the handle material on the older version is polished micarta, not fibreglass like you suggested. That’s what it looks like anyway. Micarta is fabric, paper, or other fibrous material soaked in epoxy and pressed/dried. It’s a much better material than the new plastic phenolic ones.
**DO NOT CLICK THE LINK.**
It looks like the company went out of business and someone else bought the URL.
It’s better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
This gentleman has an odd attitude imo towards the old knives that he says he thinks are cool. I'm not sure I believe he feels that way.
The new Pro and Heritage series are much nicer steel. I have both and they stand up to brands like Bark River Knives. You are right though the 420HC is not good steel.
And if they went back to 440 with the way they know how to heat treat.
The knife would be awesome! 420 sucks. Only, because. They know how to heat treat. Is the only reason, it can hold a edge.
As the other person said 420 HC.
And also a great steel especially with bucks legendary Paul Bos heat treat!
Nice video
You are so wrong been bush crafting before bush craft was a word at 68 years old collecting and use knives for over 62 years buck is no one I have 100s of knives still carrying my119. 120 110 I'll put them up with anything you can dish out if you don't have a buck knife on your side you don't have a knife ENOUGH SAID
Your bias is showing, sir.
Your kinda off bro they do last and it is a really good knife one of the best get your shit rt.
Are you on meth? Buck 119 is absolutely a great knife.
Bored to death
Ur talking to effn much
Don't act.