Buck 110 blade steels

oldschool45

oldschool45

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Does anybody know if the buck 110/112 folders were every offered in any blade steels other than 440A & 420HC? I have a good friend who swears that he saw on Bucks website a 110 offered in ATS-34. I would love to find one for him but if I can’t he’ll have to take my Benchmade 912 in D2 and a Kershaw Blackhorse in ats-34 retrofitted with wood scales.
Thanks,
 
Because I keep a foot in both forums, I can give you a quick answer - Yes, but I am a slipjoint guy. But, if you want to know details down to the atomic level, ask the question over in the Manufactors area, in the Buck forum. All the 110 guys will fill your head to the hair roots with info.

300Bucks


PS Originally posted in Traditional forum, I advised to bring question to here.....
 
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oldschool45 said:
Does anybody know if the buck 110/112 folders were every offered in any blade steels other than 440A & 420HC?
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As far as I know, Buck 110/112's have never been available in 440A.

Here are the steels for standard production models.


Before 1981.- 440C
1981 to 1994.- 425M
After 1994.- 420HC

Custom shop and limited edition steels over the years have included

ATS-34 (Not currently)
s30v (currently from the Custom Shop or Cabale's in the Alaskan Guide)
BG-42 (Not currently)
CPM154 only from Bass Pro Shops
I think 154CM and a few more steels, but I can't think of them right now.
 
Chris and all thanks for the quick responses.
Apparently he was in the build your own area. ATS-34/154cm isn’t available but S30v and 420HC in 3 different finishes are available; black, mirror or satin. As far as the 440a, that must have been a miss print from an online retailers shop. Now if I could fine one with custom scales for Fire/EMS I’d probably do it for him for Fathers day ,his 1st as a father, this year. I may pick up a Walmart Special in 420HC and retrofit it myself.
Who ever moved this Thread thanks.
Seaplane, where can you find one in Damascus? Boker has some nice sub $100 Damascus /wood handled folders but Damascus a 110 might make me go get a piece of History.
 
I saw a post here a couple of months ago stating that the custom shop had a limited number of Damascus blades available. It was something you had to call and ask for, as it wasn't listed on their "Build your own "page. When I ordered mine around that time, I was hoping I could call and get a BG-42 blade, But they said they were out of that one. The S30V is priced right and I chose that option. I think the Damascus blade added about $100 to the price, If I remember right. I'd also recomend the Bass Pro shops 154 bladed 110 for the price. I think the Alaskan series might still be available from Cabellos with the wood scales, But the Stags are long gone from what I have seen. The 154 steel is pretty much the same as ATS-34, except it's made in the USA by Crucible and the ATS is a Hitachi made Japanes steel. If someone here with a little more knowledge can verify that, I'd appreciate it! Also, Just recently, I think I read there is a difference in 154 CM and 154 CPM. Is this true ?
 
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Seaplane,Yes,your correct.ATS-34 and 154CM are essentially the same steel.The first made in Japan then we had tarriff increases which preempted the American made 154CM.
However,154CPM is also made by Crucible but with their proprietary process Crucible powder metallurgy.This process refines the grain structure much smaller thus giving it greater toughness,more stability, ease in sharpening and allows a finer sharper edge.It may also be heat treated one unit higher w/o brittleness problems than the aforementioned steels.From this some increase in edge retention maybe noticed.DM
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
I usually forget a few! They say the mind is the second thing to go...I can't remember what the first one is?????? :confused:
Click to expand...

Yeah, It's your mind first, Then the left knee,The right Knee and last, the WeeKnee! :)
Thanks for the info David, Now that S30V seems to be the flavor of the month, I have to wonder what the next super steel will be? I guess cost of manufacture will play a large part of it. I guess most of us remember when 440C was the super steel that had everyone drooling! I know some old school makers that still swear by it. I'm pretty satisfied with the performance of a good old 1095 carbon steel, If it is heat treated properly and cleaned and oiled regularly. I love my old Bucks with the 440c Blades!
 
Haven't been here for a while.
I hope this isn't too much of a thread drift. :o
Does anyone know the blade steel of the 100th anniversary
Buck 110's ?
They came in the tin box with the Buck pln,etc., 2002.

Thanks. :thumbup: :)

Doug
 
I have a 112 with Carbon steel blade on it´s way from Buck. But it is a "custom" one.
 
I remember back in the early 80's when 154cm was a good upgrade from 440C and then ATS-34 was the same recipe as the 154cm only better processed. I am liking the S30V we currently use because at 60-60.5rc we are getting the same edge retention results as 154cpm at almost a full degree of hardness less...so less brittle.

Without too much detail I think 154cm and 154cpm are the same recipe only the cpm is a powdered metal process that ensures a more accurate mix of all the elements in each knife blank and thus a more controllable grain structure. If you think about a couple of ton melt and the random mixing of elements in the 4-6 ounces of steel for your knife blade you get the point about controlling mix.

As in all blade steels it is a personal compromise with edge retention (hardness), ductility and corrossion resistance. Usually you get to choose any two of those three.

If you can get more hardness from less carbon, or more wear resistance from say vanadium so it does not have to be as hard to hold that edge then you can try to maximize all three attributes above and get a blade that will resist rust, hold an edge and not be too brittle.

Did I mention the importance of the heat treat in all of this? Starting with the right mix of elements is key and then the proper heat treat is required to get the performance out of those elements. Heat treat actually creates molecules and then aligns them in a solid grain structure. Kershaw used a great analogy a while back about baking a cake requiring all the right ingredients but also the right processes. We have been doing our own heat treat and working with Paul Bos since the late 60's. That is how much it meant to my father and we will continue to do our own heat treat. It is just too important to trust to anyone else.
 
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