Blade swap: great turnaround time

KeithAM

KeithAM

Joined
Dec 15, 2003
Messages
3,154
I sent my 560 in for a BG-42 blade on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Buck received it last Monday. Today (only 1 week later) the 560 arrives at my home with a brand new, scary sharp BG-42 blade (think "Buckbenza").

If you have a 110 or 560 and you're thinking about blade replacement, don't hesitate to send it in. Send it to Buck at its Idaho address, attention Joe Houser. You'll get it back quick.
 
chickentrax said:
I'm curious...does anyone know *why* Buck doesn't return the original blade to you??? :confused:
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I believe it is a libality issue.
 
KeithAM said:
I sent my 560 in for a BG-42 blade on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Buck received it last Monday. Today (only 1 week later) the 560 arrives at my home with a brand new, scary sharp BG-42 blade (think "Buckbenza").
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Mind if I ask what they charge for that blade swap?
 
Hi guys! I have a Buck 186 Titanium, is Buck upgrading these blades like they are for the 560? Is the blade on a 560 the exact same blade as on the 186 or are there differences?
 
Joe will probably chime in here soon, but I seem to recall him telling me the 186 blade is a bit different than the 560. I wanted to upgrade my 186 to a BG-42, that is why I didn't.

As far as returning the old blade in an upgrade, I'm wondering if I removed the old one first I could keep it, or do I have to "trade it in"?

How 'bout it Joe?
 
LFH said:
Mind if I ask what they charge for that blade swap?
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Sorry, I should have included that in my original post. For a BG-42 blade swap the cost is $35, which includes return shipping. I think that's a very reasonable price, considering it includes: (1) a BG-42 blade; (2) the labor involved in swapping it; amd (3) return shipping.

I plan to send a recently aquired 110 in by the end of the week. :D
 
I called several times today to call and vewrify the exact amount and make sure there was no special thing to put on the shipping label. No answer, so I finally left a message.

Maybe I should just send it to the regular warranty address with a check for $35?
 
The 186's are getting pretty tough to acquire these days... just my two cents but I would leave it with the stock blade to preserve the value of it.
 
Carl64 said:
I called several times today to call and vewrify the exact amount and make sure there was no special thing to put on the shipping label. No answer, so I finally left a message.

Maybe I should just send it to the regular warranty address with a check for $35?
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The address is the regular Buck address but add Attention: Joe Houser.

Buck Knives
660 Lochsa Street
Post Falls, ID 83854
Attention: Joe Houser

The amount to send for a BG-42 blade replacement is $35, which includes return shipping.

I included a letter with the knife saying basically enclosed please find one Buck 560 knife and sheath and a check payable to Buck Knives for $35. . . . Please replace the current blade with a BG-42 blade, etc.


Good luck -- I think you'll be pleased with the final result. ;)
 
Thanks Keith.

Too bad I can't call them to ask about other blade options, although I probably just want the BG42 anyway.
 
Carl -- if you have questions, email Joe Houser. He will return your email same day or within a day or so (I imagine as director of customer relations he's very busy). ATS-34 is also available, but I don't know the price. I imagine damascus is too, but I didn't ask about that.

I asked about S30V, but didn't really get an answer. I'm happy to get BG-42. I haven't used it much yet -- this is only my second BG-42 knife -- but I believe its a premium steel. If you go to the Chris Reeve forum, you'll find some die hards who actually prefer the older BG-42 Sebenzas to the more recent S30V ones.
 
KeithAM said:
Carl -- if you have questions, email Joe Houser. He will return your email same day or within a day or so (I imagine as director of customer relations he's very busy).
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Yeah, that would have been a good idea.

ATS-34 is also available, but I don't know the price. I imagine damascus is too, but I didn't ask about that.
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I think I like BG42. It's not the perfect steel I was hoping for, but I have a custom shoppe 110 and it seems to hold up pretty good. I haven't sharpened it too much, so it may improve some.

I am not done with testing to know if it will get better, but so far it doesn't seem worse than anything else except possibly for an M2 Benchmade AFCK and of course a hand-modified Buck 503 with a HSS blade.

I asked about S30V, but didn't really get an answer.
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That interests me too, but for now I don't think I will regret getting BG42. I can always get that one from Cabelas for the s30v version.

I'm happy to get BG-42. I haven't used it much yet -- this is only my second BG-42 knife -- but I believe its a premium steel. If you go to the Chris Reeve forum, you'll find some die hards who actually prefer the older BG-42 Sebenzas to the more recent S30V ones.
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I think CR's s30v is 58-59, so I wouldn't be surprised if some other premium steel were preferred by many people if made harder. It's not bad, but I can imagine better.

It took a lot of sharpening to get my s30v Native to behave, so I will give the BG42 Buck more time. It may be better than it has been so far, which sure isn't bad.
 
Thanks for the address Keith. Still waiting to hear back from Joe about the damascus before I send in a couple for blade replacements.
 
Does anyone have the direct e-mail address to the Custom Shop? I'm still waiting for a response, and I don't want to bother Joe if I don't have to!

Would I be better off calling them on the telephone?
 
rhino said:
Does anyone have the direct e-mail address to the Custom Shop? I'm still waiting for a response, and I don't want to bother Joe if I don't have to!

Would I be better off calling them on the telephone?
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Here is their e-mail and phone number off their site. Let us know what you find out. It's probably better to call.

ckscomments@buckknives.com or (800) 326-2825 x270.


Tom
 
Thanks, Tom!

For those of you who have both ATS-34 and BG-42 ... which do you prefer overall? Which takes the sharpest edge (or is it a tossup)?
 
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