Browning Damascus linerlock Folding Knife

[gearnoise]

I posted the following under the General Knife Discussion, "Your most recent purchase?" thread on the on 7/20, edited on 7/21, but there has been no activity on that thread since.

Bass Pro Shops has a "Browning Damascus" that sounds too good to be true for $49, but hey it's worth the 10 mile drive over to check it out. Here is the description on their website:

The Browning® Damascus Folding Knife is a slim handled knife that comes complete with a highly figured Quince wood handle, genuine Damascus blade, Browning Buckmark on the bolster, thumb stud, locking liner, and pocket clip. Blade length: 3''. Overall length: 7''.

The two folks who did an online review of their purchases on the BassPro website sound extremely happy with their purchase, and the local store here in North Carolina has it in stock. I couldn't find any mention of this knife on Browning's website nor any online knife store, so I'm thinking maybe Browning made this exclusively for Bass Pro Shops.

Monday update: Well, I did buy the knife. Bass Pro has tons of them in bubble packs. The cardboard says its a Browning BP400 knife. It's made in China (for that price, of course!), well at least the pocket clip is. The clip also has a model 159 designation, I don't know if that is another model number for the knife, or the clip itself. The blade is 3/32", with the center material 1/3 of that. I couldn't find a designation anyplace as to what that center steel is. Layers? Not sure how to count, but there were at least 14 dark layers. The quincewood is beautiful. It's a lot bigger than the Browning presentation series lockbacks, and the wood gets thicker toward the back, with the knife going from 14/32 to 19/32 . Sorry, I can't post any photos, but you can go to the website: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_95834____SearchResults

So, has anyone else here bought/seen the knife, and if so what did you think of it, any insight as to the type of steel used for the edge?
Also, the knife that I bought in its bubble pack was a bit tighter than the one on display. It adjusts pretty easily via a hex key(s), but I am wondering is this adjusting just by trial and error? If I get it loose enough for the blade to flip open easily, it is a bit wobbly, plus the 2 sides appear to be separately adjustable. Can someone point me to a thread/ youtube video that explains this kind of adjusting?
Thanks.

 

[JTR357]

That's a beautiful knife.I love quince wood.

However the price is suspiciously low to be real layered damascus IMO.

If it's real,I'd pick it up in a heartbeat!

 

[gearnoise]

An update: I called Browning customer service to inquire about the steel; It's a mystery! They do know it is genuine 37 layer damascus (I'm guessing they are counting both sides and the core), but they themselves don't know what their Chinese manufacturer used for the core.
Also, it is a special makeup commissioned by and only sold at Bass Pro Shops, it was done as a pricepoint by Bass Pro. Well, it certainly worked that way in my case!
The damascus layering, since the core is a full 1/32", doesn't make it all the way to the blade edge. I went through about 20 bubble packs to find the one which came closest to doing so; there were one or two knives that the layering covered less than 50% of the surfaces (my choice comes closer to 90%), every one of them had great looking quincewood handles. I have no complaints about the solid construction either. I think I got a real bargain, Chinese manufacture or not. If you have a Bass Pro Shops near you, stop in and take a look at one.

 

[JTR357]

Thanks for the update.

none in my state yet though(closest one's in MD)....heard there's one being built in Belmar...jerzee blows:grumpy:

 

[Harry950]

Thanks for the update.

none in my state yet though(closest one's in MD)....heard there's one being built in Belmar...jerzee blows:grumpy:

BEWARE. Alliexpress.com in China are selling these in bulk. They describe them as SIMULATED damascus. Don't know how you can simulate it - maybe just a surface covering. They make clear in pigeon English that the material is not real.
The photos of the knife they show are exactly the same as the one in this thread.
Buy with caution.

They are even available on Amazon.co.uk