Hey, everyone.
David C. Andersen here coming at you from the KnifeCenter, and today we’re taking
a look at the best Buck Knives that you can get in 2019.
Let’s check em out.
Now, Buck Knives is one of the most recognizable names in the knife industry.
Even outside of knife enthusiast circles and throughout the world.
But for such a widely-known company, they still have plenty of products that us knife
nuts can get excited about.
From their classic models that are full of heritage, to their fully modern designs using
all the latest and best materials, these are the best Buck pocket knives and fixed blades
you can get your hands on in 2019.
And even better: they’re all made right here in the USA.
The first, without a doubt, is the Buck 110 folding hunter.
Now, this was a game changer when it was introduced in 1963, and they’ve kept it relevant through
the years, all the way up through today.
It’s certainly one of the most iconic folding knives ever created, and much like Kleenex
or Xerox, any knife that’s roughly this shape can oftentimes be referred to as a buck
knife, even if Buck didn’t actually make it.
This version right here is the modern iteration of their classic 110.
It has brass bolsters and some nice wood inlays.
Now, in a recent switch, Buck has actually started to partner with Taylor Guitars to
get the material for these inlays.
Taylor uses ebony for their fretboards on their acoustic guitars, which requires fairly
large pieces that have no imperfections.
From the sections of wood that are left over after Taylor uses them, Buck will take the
good wood that’s left and use them in these modern iterations of the 110, and the smaller
112 Ranger for that matter.
For a while, they were using laminated wood products here, but this is a return to form;
more classic like the original now that they’re using that wood again.
The steel on the blade is 420HC, which they heat treat with a process that was developed
by Paul Boss.
Because of this, Buck is widely regarded as being able to get more performance out of
this steel than anyone else out there, and despite most connotations with 420HC, these
are a lot better performers than you might expect.
The blade itself has a clip point profile with a classic American hunting knife shape.
We have a deep clip and plenty of belly, which is perfect for skinning, which is why this
model is called the Folding Hunter.
Nowadays, this classic iteration is just the start of the 110 range.
We’ve got variants featuring upgraded materials, as well as more affordable versions, too.
This version here is the 110 Pro.
It features G10 inlays and S30V steel.
You get the same great profile as the original, but with more traction and better edge retention.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have the 110 LT, which, instead of the classic
handles, opts for a synthetic handle with no bolsters.
It gets you lighter weight, and makes it more affordable, too, which makes it a good hard
worker.
It should be noted that this version of the knife also comes with a stonewashed finish
on the blade, which is gonna help your scratches, as you use the knife, kind of blend in and
hide a little bit more, which is great on this knife that you’re really gonna want
to work.
They’ve even got automatic versions of the 110 and the 112 Ranger, and these were an
instant hit as soon as they were released.
We’ve got a nice shield here on the front, which acts as the push button deployment,
pops that blade right out and then it still locks up with that classic lock back.
In addition to the classic looking configuration, there are also pro versions of the automatic
that have the G10 and S30V blades, just like this manual one.
We’re still not done talking about the 110, however, because they’ve continued to upgrade
it, even beyond these models.
While all of these versions are a little bit thicker and come with belt sheaths, either
leather or nylon, depending on which version, the new 110 Slim versions are now available
with a pocket clip, thumb studs, and either GFN handles, or micarta or G10 with S30V blades.
These are a fantastic modern update that was only recently introduced about a year ago,
and they really bring these knives in line with the way a lot of us carry our knives
today.
It’s very easy to stash in the pocket, carries nice and thin, it’s lighter weight than
those old school models, and they open very easily thanks to those thumb studs.
They’ve also gone and changed the profile of the blade ever so slightly.
Now it features a straight clip on these slim versions rather than the fully scooped out
version.
Now, the 110 slims are not the only way that Buck have evolved with the times over the
years, and we’ll talk about a couple of models, and the first is the Vantage series.
This is an ambidextrous flipper design with nice graceful lines and a liner lock for security.
And the handles feel really nice in the hand.
They’ve got some nice contouring to them, and they feel great, whether you choose the
large or the small version.
Like many Buck products, we get a range of materials as well.
We get Select versions with 420HC steel with a solid synthetic handle.
This one here happens to be the small version of the knife.
And we also get pro versions that feature S30V steel for even more edge retention, and
synthetic handles with G10 inlays.
The Vantage line also comes in an intermediate level called Avid, and it has rosewood inlays
along with 420HC steel.
In addition to that, we’ve even got Vantage Force models, which are their tactical versions
with a slightly different blade shape.
Here with the standard Vantage Pro, you can see we have a drop-point blade, still a great
blade shape for hunting, but it’s an even better all around shape for EDC.
These knives are hollow ground like just about every Buck Knife out there, and it also has
one of the best deep carry pocket clip designs on the market.
It’s easily reversible, and because it mounts from the back of the knife, it truly buries
the knife nice and deep in your pocket when you’re carrying it.
The next model that’s allowed Buck to keep moving the ball forward are these Sprint folders.
Now, these feature Buck’s first use of ball bearing pivots in a folding knife design.
Now, the action on these is very smooth, but it’s a little bit different than a lot of
flipper manufacturers out there.
They do require a little bit more of a backwards pull, as well as a little bit of a breaking
in period, because they don’t fit it with an overly strong detent.
However, the result is very smooth and satisfying, especially once you get used to the way they
operate.
Now, these Select versions of the Sprint feature glass reinforced nylon handles, either in
they gray you see here, or in black or green.
Now, Buck has recently invested heavily into creating cerakote capabilities in their facilities,
and you’re gonna see that a lot on more of their modern designs.
Since they control it all in house, they can cerakote strategic places of knives, such
as in the backspacer on these Sprints for a nice pop of color.
Now, these Select versions also feature stonewashed 420HC blades, and overall the whole knife
is a very good size for everyday carry.
It’s easy to take with you, and still has enough blade to get a lot of stuff done.
Upping the style and the materials are the Sprint Pro versions.
The first swap we get is S30V blade steel, but that’s just the start.
They are satin finished instead of stonewash, but we also see some really nice file work
here on the spine.
Makes a really good place to choke up with your thumb instead of using traditional jimping.
It still works well, but looks even better.
Now, as far as handle options go, there is a version with burlap micarta, as well as
this one here that comes with marbled carbon fiber, again with some fantastic cerakoted
accents: the clip, the backspacer, and the pivot hardware.
In addition to that, there’s even a tactical option with the Sprint Ops.
It features a cerakoted blade with a dropped tip, blacked out hardware and black and blue
G10.
Of course, Buck is known for more than just their folding knives.
They have a number of classic and modern fixed blades in their lineup, and the first is the
119 Special.
You can kind of think of the 119 as the bigger fixed blade brother to the 110 folder.
We get a 420HC blade with a long clip point profile.
There’s versions with a phenolic handle and silver bolsters and pommel, or this version
here with cocobolo dymondwood and brass hardware.
Thanks to the shape and the width of this handle, it provides a solid grip, and these
materials here especially give us a timeless look.
And that makes sense, because this is a classic large hunting knife that goes back to the
very early years at Buck Knives.
The design even predates the 110 Folding Hunter.
Now, it’s perfect for camping and big game hunting and skinning, and it can even cross
over to tactical roles thanks to the aggressive blade profile and the prominent finger guard.
But for something that’s purely tactical from the outset, Buck has the Nighthawk series.
Now, there are a few different sizes of clip point blades that are available, but this
7.5” drop point model creates the biggest impression.
The blade is 420HC with a non reflective sniper gray cerakote finish.
It offers plenty of reach for combat situations, and at nearly a quarter inch thick, it has
plenty of brute strength to back you up.
Now, a word about the cerakote on their blades, the finish is nice and smooth.
This is not some cakes on powder coating that you see with some of their competitors.
Now, the cerakote protects the blade very well, it also increases the corrosion resistance
of the steel, and it manages to do it all without reducing the cutting efficiency in
the process.
Now, these blades are rockstars, but the handles are really the headliners with this model.
Ergonomically the design is very strong.
Despite the finger grooves, they still manage to fit a variety of hand sizes quite well.
That’s a really hard feat to pull off, because normally aggressive finger grooves can really
limit the hand or finger sizes, but that is not the case here.
You can also see we have some nice swelling from the top as well that really helps it
lock into your hand.
In addition to that, we’ve got some grippy rubberized inserts in this gray color here
that really make it almost impossible to lose your hold on this knife.
The final detail that I really appreciate is this fantastic thumb pad for control and
tactical grips.
The wide surface area makes this very comfortable, more so than typical thumb ramps that you’ll
see on the spines of many blades these days.
In addition to hunters and fighters, Buck also has the Compadre series, built from the
ground up to cater to hardcore campers and survivalists with a more rugged aesthetic.
The series consists of a hatchet, a chopping froe, and this capable camp knife fixed blade.
You can tell from the get go that these are designed to serve those that need a rugged,
no-excuses tool.
The natural canvas micarta handles have a matte finish that provides a good amount of
grip, and it’s actually enhanced further when it gets wet.
Because of the material, that canvas feels slightly tackier until it dries out again.
The blade itself features a cobalt cerakote finish, a straight clip point profile, and
it’s hollow ground from 52100 steel.
This spring steel is non stainless, and it’s renown for its toughness and shock absorption
properties.
This is a steel that can withstand a wide range of abuses.
The cerakote plays a very important role here.
In addition to being that durable coating on the steel, it’s going to help prevent
corrosion, as I mentioned earlier.
And that’s about one of the only drawbacks to 52100; it is known to rust very easily,
but that’s negated in this case thanks to the coating.
All you have to worry about is the very edge itself.
Because of the design of this knife, I find it to be a very easy recommendation for anyone
who’s venturing into the outdoors.
It’s gonna work great as a survival knife, work well at camp, even bushcraft.
And because the Buck heritage and DNA that’s still baked into this knife, it’s even going
to perform well in a hunting or skinning role.
So here’s where you all chime in.
What did you think of our best Buck Knives?
Did we leave anything out?
Be sure to let us know your favorite Buck Knife in the comments.
In the meantime, to get your hands on any of these great Buck Knives, you can click
the link in the description to head over to KnifeCenter.com, and be sure to sign up for
our KnifeRewards program while you’re there, too.
Because the only thing that beats a new knife is getting free money to spend on your next
one.
I’m David C. Andersen from the KnifeCenter, signing off.
See you next time.