"Beater" Stockman

One thing I never really noticed about the 301 pattern until this thread made me take another look at them is that the spey blade is next to the clip and the sheepsfoot is down at the far end by itself. Do 301 users find this is better when using the main blade because the raised profile of the sheepsfoot isn't interfering with the index/middle fingers on your grip?


-- Nate
 
Beater??
None of these are beaters, they are knives that given respect will last you a lifetime.
Scratches are part of using tools

Any Case, Buck or Boker
The Queen Stockman in D2 comes in at $54
 
jujigatame said:
One thing I never really noticed about the 301 ... is that the spey blade is next to the clip and the sheepsfoot is down at the far end by itself. Do 301 users find this is better when using the main blade because the raised profile of the sheepsfoot isn't interfering with the index/middle fingers on your grip?
Click to expand...

I have the smaller version, the 303. I love this blade layout. To me, it makes a ton of sense and does indeed make for a more comfortable grip. The OP should absolutely go 301 or 303, IMO.

neeman said:
Beater??
None of these are beaters, they are knives that given respect will last you a lifetime.
Scratches are part of using tools
Click to expand...

Neeman makes a fine point here.

-- Mark
 
I think you'd be surprised to find the current day offerings from Rough Rider to be right up your alley too. Of course in your price range there's no reason not to find a nice Case either.
 
neeman said:
Beater??
None of these are beaters, they are knives that given respect will last you a lifetime.
Scratches are part of using tools

Any Case, Buck or Boker
The Queen Stockman in D2 comes in at $54
Click to expand...

I know. That is indeed true, I was just saying that I tend to really baby my knives, so I was looking for something break that bad habit.
 
beestokk said:
Any more details or opinions on that 703? THat looks sweet! USA made? NIB on that auction site? Measurements?
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Dwight nailed it with his reply to your questions.

I would also like to add that some of the 703's have the spey blade on the same axis as the clip blade and the sheepsfoot blade is on the other end.

I sent an email to Buck not too long ago asking why they made the change and they told me that they decided they could make a better knife if they made it with 3 backsprings. Somehow when they added the third backspring those two blades were repositioned in the process.

The 703 in my photo has 2 backsprings but they can also be found with 3 backsprings and this different blade placement.
 
Buck makes a very good value knife indeed.

Consider CASE's Large Stockman in cv or stainless, an authentic Stockman. Böker Germany do a very nice and good for value carbon Large Stockman, more compact than the CASE.

An oldie but goodie which can still be found on the bay is an Imperial stockman in cream delrin, a rough and tough knife that bears a very fine edge indeed. Mine was a present from a dealer, but they are out there.

Also, Rough Rider's Large, Medium Stockman or Sowbelly in the Old Yellow series are cheap to buy but by no means under par. Beater they can do.
 
thesouthernguitarist said:
I know. That is indeed true, I was just saying that I tend to really baby my knives, so I was looking for something break that bad habit.
Click to expand...

I guess I was lucky or unlucky, dpends on your point of view. When I was 8 y.o. my Dad bought me my first pocket knife. It was a Schrade Walden serpentine Jack. I carried it everywhere. I was staying with my grandfather for a few weeks at the time and the knife had eventually gotten dull. I was in his workshop trying to sharpen it with the pocket stone my Dad had given me with the knife. I was being careful and following all the directions included with the stone. I could not get an edge on it.

My grandfather walked in and asked what I was doing. "Here give me your knife. I'll show you how to sharpen it." He took my knife and ran his thumb along the edge. "Sure is dull..." He opened one of the drawers on his workbench and pulled out a huge carborundum stone. "The stone your using is too hard, most are". He sprayed the stone with some WD-40, laid my knife blade flat on the stone and scrubbed the hell out of both sides. My jaw dropped, I was devastated, I was on the edge of tears.

He handed me back my knife, which was whisker sharp by the way. Saw the look on my face and said "It's a tool buddy, If you are not going to use it just keep it your sock drawer and admire it once in a while. C'mom I'll show you how to whittle a rooster with it."

I still have that knife. Both blades are sharpened to toothpicks, it has lost it's snap, the pin is krinked from being tightened up so much, and the blades wobble. It did teach me a lesson that if you are going to carry a knife then use it and use it well and hard. Those that you want to keep pretty just put in your sock drawer and admire. That is what I do.
 
willgoy said:
Buck makes a very good value knife indeed.

Consider CASE's Large Stockman in cv or stainless, an authentic Stockman. Böker Germany do a very nice and good for value carbon Large Stockman, more compact than the CASE.

An oldie but goodie which can still be found on the bay is an Imperial stockman in cream delrin, a rough and tough knife that bears a very fine edge indeed. Mine was a present from a dealer, but they are out there.

Also, Rough Rider's Large, Medium Stockman or Sowbelly in the Old Yellow series are cheap to buy but by no means under par. Beater they can do.[/QUOTE]

You make some good points here, willgoy.:thumbup:

I can vouch for the Rough Rider Sowbelly. I have carried and used mine off and on for about 1 1/2 years and it's a great knife. The price is just the icing on the cake and if you lose it you are only out the cost of a fast food lunch.

IMG_0222.jpg


IMG_0221.jpg
Click to expand...
 
jujigatame said:
One thing I never really noticed about the 301 pattern until this thread made me take another look at them is that the spey blade is next to the clip and the sheepsfoot is down at the far end by itself. Do 301 users find this is better when using the main blade because the raised profile of the sheepsfoot isn't interfering with the index/middle fingers on your grip?


-- Nate
Click to expand...

I always thought is was a manufacturing quirk. Each blade is on it's own spring and if you put the blades together the only arrangement that makes sense, both aesthetically and provides access to all the nail nicks, is the way Buck did it
 
I have a 703. Bought it new in the 80's. Made in-house by Buck. 425M steel, I think.

I like the 301 and 303 better. The ends of the 700 series don't taper, so it has a very squarish profile. As a result, my 703 feels a bit angular in the pocket and for me does not carry as well.
 
jujigatame said:
One thing I never really noticed about the 301 pattern until this thread made me take another look at them is that the spey blade is next to the clip and the sheepsfoot is down at the far end by itself. Do 301 users find this is better when using the main blade because the raised profile of the sheepsfoot isn't interfering with the index/middle fingers on your grip?


-- Nate
Click to expand...

Yes, I like the Buck stockman blade layout better than that of others.

I also like that, because each blade has its own spring, the blades are straight instead of bent. I find this makes them easier to use and easier to sharpen.

I held up my old Camillus-Buck 303 (2-spring on right of photo) next to a current 303 (3-spring) and found there is no difference in the width of the knife. I have a photo, but it is not good.

100_2886.jpg
 
Well,

I guess I will be forced to comment.....ha
Here's a pic of the 303 Stockman across recent time. The left is Camillus made for Buck, 2nd from left is first variation Buck made themselves, with 425M steel, 3rd from left is the change to three springs and everything is SS. The right side is a almost current day model. Current days is 420HC steel, heat treated by Paul Bos method, he just retired but left his heat treatment process in the Buck factory long time associate to take over. All SS, the shield is intergal to the liners, the Valox sawcut scale of the current issue is pressed into place over the shield and plastic melts into special edged holes to hold them on. They are on pretty tight as I have had to cut them apart to get them off, when I was photoing how they were made or putting on my own custom scale. Buck warranty is almost always satisfying to owners. Only the one on the left is in catalogs, the other will require auction action.
303compare.jpg

The 301s are basically the the same but just a little larger. 303 - 3 1/4" the 301 - 3 7/8" . There are a couple of other scales besides black sawcut, dark Dymondwood, which can vary to grey; red Dymondwood with Chuck Buck signature etched in and yellow smooth Delrin. I personally like the light grey streaked Dymondwoods and the yellow Delrin. They were a few yellow Delrin sawcuts made by SMKWs special order back in the 80s.
301Group.jpg


As stated there are China contracted stockman also, they look just a little different and have BUCK on their nickle silver shields. Also as stated 37X and 38X model numbers. There price is low, if that point is attractive to anyone, handle them then decide the issues.

Other makers are good also, I had several as a youngster, but I collect only Bucks now and once in a great while a military TL-29 pocketknife. Knarfeng knows metal, what he states I take as gospel.

Beater knife is something you find in a gravel road that has been run over a dozen times, I think everyone would agree that good pocket knives are tools. I have some Buck Stockman that were bought used from the early seventies that have been sharpened a couple three times and still tight as a tick.

300Bucks
 
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I will be picking up a couple of those smooth yellow Bucks pretty soon. I have the Cadet and Lancer in my shopping cart now. :-)

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I keep coming back to Bokers. Their carbon/ delrin knives are plenty tough. Bone is prettier but if you want something you're not afraid to use it's hard to beat delrin.

Frank
 
Reading this thread I,m a little triggerd to own one. All stainless and black delrin scales.
Kind of appealing in its own way. I have never been tempted by them before but today I sure is inspired to own eather a 301 or even more a 303 as its my prefered usersize these days. Im sure they dont come to sweden very often and if they do it would be at a price compared to at least 100usd. Nice never the less to feel the feeling of needing a new knife.

Bosse
 
I also vote for the 301. It's the knife I pocket when the weather turns wet & nasty or I think I may have a dirty job to do outdoors.

The 303 (thanks to a forum pal) gets the nod for the same reasons when I'm heading to town, the market or running errands.

Both are reliable companions.
 
Talk about "Buck Fever"!

Anyways, I am going to stray from the "herd" a bit and suggest an old USA made OT like someone else did:

img_1201.jpg
 
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