110 Blade Steel

D

Doug Selsor

Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Messages
113
Is it true that the blade steel used in the currently manufactured 110's is 420HC. Has this always been the case? If not, can anyone tell me the history of the type of steel used in the 110, i.e. what was used prior to 420HC, and would there be any markings on the blade or other characteristics that might be used to distinguish one type of steel from another?

The reason I ask is that one the local stores has a couple of 110's that they have had in their inventory for a very long time. I've thought about getting one, but wondered what steel might be used in the blade.

Thanks,
Doug
 
Hey Doug,
Yeah it's true. Buck's been using 420HC for quite a few years now. It's not the best steel in the world, but it works for a lot of us here. It's not really all that bad, and it sharpens up really nice.
There's a couple of guys here that can give you the exact years of the change overs. you can tell the years by the symbol on the tang.
Before 420HC was 425 MOD. I only have one knife in this steel and it's marked with year symbol X.
You can get a copy of the symbols with the years on the Buck website.
Before 425 MOD was 440C. If you can find a 110 with no symbol, chances are you have 440C.
And dont forget Pete's. ATS-34 and BG-42.
Stick around. I'm sure some of the experts will be around soon and can give you better answers than mine.

Later,
Alex
 
Oh yeah. I forgot. Don't forget the search function. There's about a scrillion threads on Buck steels.

Later,
Alex
 
Alex,

I visited your Photo Gallery. Great collection! I especially like your finger groove 110 with the Koa wood handles. Looks great. I didn't realize the Koa looked so good. Thanks for sharing.
 
Doug,

440c was the original steel used on 110s and used until 1981. 425m was then used until 1994 when 420HC was adopted. Hope this helps.
 
Hah!!! I told you someone would be along that knew more than me.

John,
Thanks for the compliments. I took all the pictures, but they would not be on the forums without the help of my son Andy(13 yrs). I wouldn't have a clue without him.

Later,
Alex
 
Just to add a bit of detail, 110 blades with 4 dots indicate the switch to 425mod. So, all standard factory production 110 blades marked BUCK, BUCK dot, BUCK / 110 / U.S.A., dot 110 dot and dot 110 dot dot are 440C. The four dot 110s indicate the switch to 425 mod. and around 1994, the change was made to 420HC. As has been mentioned, this does not cover 110s from Pete's Custom Shop. It also does not include the original Buck Custom Shop or special runs made in recent years in specialty steels. I believe all of the recent special runs are identified on the blade or, in the case of damascus, no identity is necessary.
 
Larry wrote:
>"... all standard factory production 110 blades marked BUCK, BUCK dot, BUCK / 110 / U.S.A., dot 110 dot and dot 110 dot dot are 440C."

===========================

Does this same guideline hold true for the 112 Ranger?
 
Yes, 112s follow the same guidelines. I notice that I left out two liners (BUCK / U.S.A.) in my original answer. Obviously, two liners are also 440C steel. For the 112, two liners are the starting point. The 112 was first introduced about 1970 right before Buck began using the three line stamp with the model number. The earliest 112s have black micarta inlays and a brass spacer at the non-pivoting bolster. The brass spacer was soon changed to steel. For a very short time, Buck used segua wood inlays before converting to the same macassar ebony used on the 110s of that era. The segua 112s are easy to identify once you know what you are looking for. The wood is tight grained and is a rusty red/orange hue. Find one with a two liner blade and you have a very rare find. I only know of two of these but there must be more out there.
 
Lets see if I Got this, its late. I have a 110 with a sales reciept dated 10/1985. Tang stamp reads as follows:

BUCK
..110..
U.S.A.
This is 440C? thanks...
 
Originally posted by Larry Oden
The four dot 110s indicate the switch to 425 mod. and around 1994, the change was made to 420HC.
Click to expand...

If I am reading Larry correctly, your **110** would be 425 Mod. Steel. John (BuckCustom) also wrote earlier that 440c was used until 1981 and 425Mod was used until 1994. Your sales receipt of 1985 also indicates 425 Mod.
 
Yes,
..110.. means the blade steel is 424mod and the knife was made between 1981 and late 1985, which fits the date on your sales reciept.
Hope this helps,
 
my 110 tang stamp reads as follows:
BUCK
110 \
U.S.A.

and it is a second-hand knife,i don't know when it was produced,and whether it is 440c or 425,because this stamp hadn't mentioned above.
in addition,is there much difference in hardness between 440c,425and 420hc??thanks
 
and why did buck replaced 440c with 425 and then 420hc?are there any superior property for 420hc to 440c?
 
Prior to 1968, Buck knives were just stamped "Buck".

In approximately 1968 (perhaps 1967 on some models), Buck added the "U.S.A." to the tang stamp. These knives are also referred to as "two-liners" (BUCK + U.S.A.).

Then in late 1971, Buck began to add model numbers (eg. 110 or 112) to the stamping and these are called "three liners" (Buck + model number + U.S.A.)

The stamping identification marks began with dots on either side of the model number. Two dots were used in 1978-1980, three dots in 1980-1982. The three-dot knives were the last of the 440C steel blades.

In late 1982-83 the blades with four dots were the new 425M steel.

In 1986 the date stamping was introduced with symbols, the Buck website has details on the years and symbols used here: http://www.buckknives.com/cms/index.php?Category=22

In about 1994, Buck switched to 420HC steel.
 
There are numerous threads on Buck's steel choices but I will summarize here...

My father pioneered 440C into production knives first as forgings and then conventionally blanked. 440C held a great edge but was prone to rust, pitting and breaking half moons out of the blades of users.

In 1981 we switched to 425M. It was a hard choice as our brand was built on the edge performance. The little we lost in edge performance we more than made up for in ductility and corrosion resistance. And we gained the ability to Fineblank which turned out very precise parts and better action in our folders then we had ever gotten.

420HC is a very close aproximation of 425M and we get every ounce of performance out of it through our heat treating. You have got to remember that the steel you use, the balance of ductility and edge retention, is maxed out in Heat Treat. Folks out there have had bad experiences with 420J, a material popular with asian knives, that does not perform even close to Our Paul Bos heat treated 420HC.

This started as a summary but turned into a soap box...and hopefully not too much of a commercial...
 
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