A new appreciation for the Buck 300 series

S

Stelth

Joined
Jul 15, 2007
Messages
5,205
A year ago I would never would have imagined that I'd be buying slipjoint knives. It started with Case Sodbusters which IMO are a must have for any knife enthusiast. Thursday I bought my first Buck slipjoint...a mismarked 310 Whittler. I've come to love this little knife in the short time I've had it. I always carry 2 knives: a small "friendly" knife that I can take out in public, and a large folder ( like a Buck 110, 112, Case Mako etc.) for more serious cutting. The 310 is a perfect small knife. But now I'm longing for a 303 Cadet. I want the Chairman model with the red Dymondwood like this:
bu301cws.jpg

I've looked at the Case knives and I think the Bucks are better. The Case slippies seem expensive for what they are and I hate bone handles which is 95% of the Case product line. Are there any other Buck 300 series enthusiasts? If so, do you have the Dymondwood handles...I'd love to see pics and hear your opinions.
 
I'm not a Buck 300 series enthusiast, but I have two 301s, a Schrade-made and a Camillus made Buck 301. I bought both in 1972, one as a backup and it's never been used. The user is still a good knife, the blade has been sharpened a lot and the edge is worn down a bit, there is a slight blade play on the main blade when open, but not enough to effect its use. That can probably be fixed with a rubber mallet. In short, the 301 is a very good pocket user.
 
I always carry some type of pocket knife,even though around here nobody bats an eyelash when a big knife is being used.I quit smoking in 1999 and the buck whittler helped me tremendously.I didn't use any type of cessation tools,just a piece of wood and thew whittler,I litteraly wore the blades out on the thing,and I have no plans on sending it in for new blades,it serves as a good reminder of my stupidity for smoking in the first place.:yawn:
 
Stelth, Last year when those were first available for the Buck collectors "300" did a write on those and after reading that I wanted one . So, I got two, the 301 and 303 . I gave the 303 to my step father and so far kept the 301 . I may give that one away as well not that I don't like it I just owe them some payback . They are handsome knives and carry easy . I think you'll like one, its the first time they've been offered in that configuration . DM
 
I've also recently developed a fondness for the 301's. I had a few in my collection but never carried them. I bought one of the Dymondwood 301's and don't really like the way that the center rivet sticks out, but it's a nice one anyway. I also picked up a Chairman's series 301.

Then I got one of the new yellow handled one's and I've carried it every day since then.:thumbup:
 
I wish they would bring back the 307 in with yellow handles. I love that one best of all. I have a couple of new "old" ones, but I don't carry them. I'd for sure carry a new yellow 307!
 
I carried a 303 daily for ~10 years in the 70s and 80s. In those years I worked as a truck driver, an electrician, a paint chemist, a carpenter, an engineer. (jack of all trades. master of several.) No matter what I was working at, my 303 did everything I needed it to do.

I still have a fondness for the 300 line and still carry a 301 or 303 on occasion. They are some of the best working knives around.
 
Plumber, I think you have a good idea about the 307 Wrangler . I'd buy one of those . Thats my favorite of the 300 series . If in my travels, I come across a 307 pre-93 at one of my honey holes in decent shape and he doesn't think its made of silver ... I'll be leaving with it ! DM
 
I remember seeing my grandpa's 307 when I was about 9 or 10 in the mid 70's. It was huge, his came with a sheath but he always hurked it around in his front pocket. He took really good care of it and I think I learned some knife etiquette by seeing how he used his and never left it laying around.
I bought my 1st 300 series- a 309 companion in 1979 or 80 (I was 13ish) after doing a few lawns to save up since it was my 1st knife I earned. I took great care of it, and then a high school pal and I were dropping our BUCKs into the maple school floor and the tiniest tip of the clip blade chipped off. What a terrible day! I re-shaped it with my stone and it is sharp and functional still with almost completely smooth derlin now, it would be the last one I let go. I since have added another early 309 to my small collection, but the original has a slightly longer pull. I also have acquired the following: 301, 303, 305,307,309(2),313,314 & 317 & a 701 which I think falls int same catagory except it is wood handled. The stockmans are all long pull clip bladed except the 303 which is mid to late 90's made. I carry the 313 most often, and sometimes one of the 309's as it is about perfect in size just above a pen and just smaller the a medium jack. Probably why they call it a "companion".
 
Stelth, I have carried the DW 301 since it first came out, do not use the belt sheathe but carry it in my pocket. Tried to carry it alone in my back pocket but old habits are hard to change and it rides most of the time with keys, Uncle Henry stockman, coins and sometime bolts, connectors and a 4” crescent. All in all it has held up way beyond my expectations for a wood handle. Steel works well for me and cuts great.
 
It's funny how when you don't care about a certain type of knife they all look the same...then when you get interested you start seing all the little nuances and differences. I can see how it can become addicting to try and get all examples or variations of a pattern.
 
I really like the 307 as well. Would love to have a yellow handled 307. It would be in my front pocket to. Just got this one redone and think it looks great
005.jpg
 
No, had a guy close to the house here do it. I can get his name and number to you, if you are interested.
 
I learned something this week about the new yellow handled ones. The shield in the handle is only held in by a little dot of some kind of double sided "tape". I pulled mine out to use it and saw that the shield was gone. I finally located it in my pocket. I stuck it back in and it stayed for awhile, then came out again, luckily in my pocket again. I removed the "dot" and used super glue to put it back again.

The factory method is not a very secure way to attach it, so beware. It could drop out anywhere and get lost. I was lucky that both times it was in my pocket.
 
Dang,

Makes me feel like I did when I found out there was a thing called a 'padded' bra....

Maybe it is uGlu from TV commericals. Super glue is good but I am epoxy man 99% of the time...
300Bucks
 
300Bucks said:
Dang,

Makes me feel like I did when I found out there was a thing called a 'padded' bra....

Maybe it is uGlu from TV commericals. Super glue is good but I am epoxy man 99% of the time...
300Bucks
Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess I should have used epoxy, but I didn't have any handy. This is something Buck should address. I don't know if the heat from being carried in a pocket caused the double stick stuff to lose it's grip or what, but it could fall out unnoticed and be lost very easily.:(
 
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