When you are choosing a knife, selecting a well-known and trusted brand such as Buck Knives ensures you will have a reliable tool by your side for years to come. Buck has made high-quality outdoor knives in America for over a hundred years. Some of their models are among the most common in hunting and the outdoors in general.
Choosing a knife can be a daunting task. Regardless of the outdoor adventures you plan to embarking on, this Buck Knives Buyer's Guide will help you find a knife to fit your needs.
Why Buck Knives?
Buck Knives makes high-quality, reliable blades in many shapes and styles. These knives are perfect for outdoor lovers. Some of their designs are classics that have stood the test of time so well that families have passed them down through generations.
Even though they are an old company, they have embraced modern designs, materials, and steel in the production of their blades. This means you will find a knife that will last for generations. You can count on the manufacturer using high-quality materials and methods.
Which Outdoor Activities Do You Enjoy?
Before selecting a knife, consider which outdoor activities you are most likely participate in. This is probably the most influential part of the knife selection process, and the point at which you need to start your journey.
Hunting
Buck knives are well-known and respected in the hunting community, and many of their knife models are excellent for hunters. A hunting knife needs to be robust enough to handle camp tasks, but also precise and sharp enough to field-dress game.
In hunting knives, there is never a one-size-fits-all solution. Most hunters will have a folding knife in their pocket, a sturdy belt knife, and a dedicated knife in their pack for processing game.
One suggested hunting kit includes the 110, the Paklite Field Kit and the 105. The Buck 110 line of folding knives is great for pocket carry. The Buck Paklite Field Kit is ideal for processing game. You can't go wrong with a rugged fixed-blade Buck 105 Pathfinder on your belt.
Hiking
If you’re out on a day hike or doing a multi-day trek, you need a knife any time you’re out in the wilderness. For many hikers, a sturdy pocketknife is the name of the game, but some like to carry a small fixed blade. Regardless, you’ll want a knife that will be more of a jack-of-all-trades, allowing you to cut cordage, carve wood, or slice food.
Most hikers find that any Buck 110 folding knife (pictured below) is a great option. However, for a light-fixed blade, the Buck 662 Alpha Scout Elite is a good choice.
Camping
If you are car camping or out in the backcountry, you need a good fixed-blade knife for camp tasks. The question people often ask is, what is the best knife for camping? A full-tang, strong fixed blade is ideal for spending the night in the wilderness. It lets you cut what you need, and baton through firewood.
The Buck 104 Compadre Camp Knife (pictured below), Buck 120 General Knife, or the Buck 685 BuckLite Max II are all great options for camp knives.
Fishing
Most anglers can get away with a simple pocket knife for fishing. All you need is something that can cut the line and clean fish. Any of Buck's pocketknives will do the trick for the average angler.
Buck has a few good options for fishing knives, but the Buck 301 Stockman is a great choice with its multiple blades, and the single-blade Buck 722 Spitfire's (pictured below) light weight and locking blade is also a good, easy to carry fishing knife..
Which Blade Shape is Best for Your Activities?
Once you know what you’re using your knife for, you should consider how the shape of the blade influences what that knife is meant for.
Drop Point
Drop-point blades have thicker points, with the top of the blade dropping down to the tip. This blade profile is great for an outdoor knife or a hunting knife because it is versatile and tough. Most outdoor and hunting knives are drop-point blades.
Skinner
Skinner blades have a narrow tip that sweeps up to a blunt edge. Designers create them to cut through thick layers of hide without cutting into internal organs by mistake. These knives excel at processing and skinning game animals and are not suitable for heavy camp chores.
Gut Hook
Gut hooks are usually found on the spine of hunting or skinning knives and are in a hook shape with a sharp blade within the hook. They aim to cut through the hides of animals without cutting anything else.
Clip Point
You’ll often see these blades used on pocket knives. The blade is ‘clipped’ in a concave profile towards the point. This makes it thin and sharp, which is ideal for piercing or detailed fine carving and cutting.
What Type of Blade Steel is Best?
The steel of the Buck knife you are choosing boils down to two basic options. Each option has different variations. These variations use different metal combinations. This helps to customize the knife steel for its specific task.
Carbon Steel
Many high-quality knives are made from carbon steel, and these blades are fantastic but have a major drawback that you need to consider. Carbon steel will rust readily, which means that you need to take extra care to keep the blade clean and well-oiled.
Carbon steel is often easier to sharpen and keeps its edge better than stainless steel. Recent upgrades in knife steel have made carbon and stainless steel more alike in sharpness and edge retention.
The carbon steel that Buck uses in a few of their knives, like the Buck 104, is 5160 carbon steel.
Stainless Steel
The main benefit of stainless steel is that it doesn’t rust easily. That is not to say that stainless steel won’t rust eventually. The material just doesn’t rust.
Stainless steel blades do not hold an edge as well as carbon steel. However, most outdoor enthusiasts will hardly notice the difference.
Which Steel Should You Choose?
Most Buck knives have stainless steel blades. Common types include 420HC, S35VN, and S30V.
If you are thinking about a Buck knife, you will get a stainless steel blade. This is good because most people who enjoy outdoor activities find a stainless steel blade works well. The preferred choice is also easy to maintain.
What Knife Handle Material is the Best Option?
A knife should stay in your hand while you use it. The handle's material keeps you safely connected to your knife. Buck knives use several handle materials to make their knives. Each material has its pros and cons.
Metal and Wood
If you look at the iconic Buck 110 folder, you’ll see that the handle is a beautiful mix of brass and wood. While this looks great, it is not the best option for times when your hands are slick with sweat, slime, blood, or other slippery substances.
This does not mean that classic knives are not a good choice. You just need to know that the grip on the handle may not be as good as other types.
Plastics
In most cases, plastics used for knife handles are lighter than other materials. You can shape them to provide grip and texture. While these handles are not as pretty as metal and wood handles, they are often less expensive but still functional.
Composite Materials
Many new composite materials for knife handles now exist. People also use these materials to make buck knives. These handles often offer superior grip, good aesthetics, and good resistance to weather and wear.
Which Knife Handle Material Should You Choose?
Ultimately, the choice of handle material comes down to what you are planning on using the knife for. People use hunting knives in rough conditions where they must contend with rain, cold weather, blood, and sweat. If you are going for a summer day hike, the Buck 110 folding hunting knife is a great choice. Its stylish wood and metal handle will serve you well.
Is a Folding Knife Or Fixed Blade Knife Better?
Generally speaking, a fixed-blade knife serves heavier tasks, while a folding knife suits light-duty, smaller jobs. This is where you need to be realistic about what you plan on using the knife for.
A fixed-blade knife is important for any hunter. Hunters often need a strong blade for many tasks. This includes field dressing an animal and cutting firewood. Fixed-blade knives are also important for camping and, in some cases, for hikers as well.
A manufacturer designs a folding knife for small tasks. Great for everyday carry, hikers, and anglers. It can also be a secondary knife for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.
When choosing between these types of knives, consider getting both!
If you look at the gear of most outdoor people, you will likely see a pocket knife. It often goes along with the strong knife on their belt.
What Type of Knife Sheath or Pouch is Best?
A couple of options regarding the type of sheath are available for you. The classic leather sheath is a fine, classic option, but these days, there are other choices as well.
Leather
Leather sheaths give a classic look, but suffer from a couple of drawbacks. A leather sheath will last longer and stay in better shape with a little TLC (such as oiling it). If you ignore it for too long, the sheath may become brittle. Leather sheaths generally have a single option for a carrying position. Many of the knives Buck makes come with a leather sheath.
Nylon
Nylon sheaths are much like leather sheaths but require less maintenance. They also have drawbacks similar to those of leather sheaths. Several models of fixed-blade Buck knives come with a nylon sheath.
Plastic
Plastic sheaths offer the user a variety of carry options, since the belt clips can often be rotated. The designers shape these sheaths to fit one specific model of knife. This helps the knife stay securely in the sheath.
You can attach plastic many sheaths to MOLLE webbing, pack exteriors, or other straps. You usually cannot use leather sheaths in these ways.
What You Should Look for in a Survival Knife
Buck does not create knives specifically named "survival knives." However, most of their knives can work well in a survival situation.
When you are in a survival situation, you need to build a shelter. You also need to make a fire and prepare for an unexpected night in the wilderness. Most of the knives Buck offers will do a fine job in any survival situation.
A knife that you want to use for survival needs to have a two essential features.
1. Full Tang Fixed Blade
No doubt exists that you need a knife that will not fail in a survival situation. To this end, any knife you expect to use for survival must be a full-tang fixed blade. The reason for this is that survival knives must be able to chop, baton, and do fine carving tasks all in one package.
2. Good Knife Steel
The last thing that you need is your survival knife to break or get dull too quickly. Fortunately, Buck Knives uses high-quality steel in the construction of all their knives. When deciding between a carbon or stainless steel blade, carbon steel has one key advantage.
In a survival situation, you can use flint to strike sparks off the spine. This can help you start a fire.
The Best Buck Knives for Survival Scenarios
The Buck 120 General
This fixed-blade knife is made from 420HC stainless steel and has a seven-inch clip-point blade that will handle nearly any task you throw at it. Hunting, camping, and even survival will be a reliable option.
Buck 685 BuckLite Max II
The 685 is a full tang fixed blade knife but has a shorter 4” blade. This does not mean it is not a good survival knife. A four-inch blade can handle many survival tasks. Small enough to fit in your pack ‘just in case.’
Buck 656 Pursuit Pro
This knife is like the others but has the advantage of an Orange handle. This may not seem like a significant issue, but losing track of your knife in a survival situation can be deadly. If you are looking for a basic survival knife, the 656 is probably the best Buck knife for survival.
Final Thoughts on Choosing Your Knife
Choosing a knife is not a task that should be taken lightly. If you choose a good knife, you will pass it down through the generations. When you are outdoors, you need a knife that lasts. It should be ready to help you face nature.
