Buck 119 in s 30v rosewood edition custom vs 119 in s35 vn micarta scale, which one to buy,price is about same???

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lonestar1979

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Mar 2, 2014
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Does anyone have both bucks 119 s35vn and s30 v,by buck...which one is better knife overall?the one in s30v has rosewood handle and is probably from custom shop and is even little less expensive than s35vn.I like both knives bit have to chose one...or maybe theres better choice...
 
I have both... the S30V was first and then I brought the 119 pro recently. S30V is difficult to sharpen due to its hardness, it requires a diamond stone, but the edge on my S30V has held up so well, I haven't needed to try and sharpen it yet... there's always the option to send it back to Buck for reshapening.

From what I've read, S35VN is a modified S30V to make it easier to sharpen on conventional stones, while still having the characteristics of S30V.

I'd go with the 119 Pro.

If you become a Buck Collectors Club (BCCI) member (BCCI-Become a member) which is currently $20 per year, that makes you eligible to get a "pro" account (Buck Pro Program) at Buck Knives. That gets you a BCCI discount at Buck, which is pretty significant, and for what you'd get the 119 pro for with the discount, the savings will more than pay for the cost of the BCCI membership many times over, with that one purchase.
 
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I liked a nice wood handle. So I would get the one with the rosewood handle. S30v and S35vn are both great steels. I have a 110 in each. I have and used both, and have yet to find a reason to prefer one over the other. It is pretty hard to go wrong with either steel.


O.B.
 
S35VN is fantastic! It will take scary sharp edge. It's by far the best I have ever used.
 
I have played with many Bucks in both steels. they are very close, so close I dont think you'll notice any real difference while using or sharpening if all things being equal in geometry and bevels from the factory. s30v a bit harder to sharpen in my experience, but not so much that I shy away from it at all. I've used ceramics to touch up s30v....sic stones also work well for reprofiling and more than touchups......you don't have to use diamond, unless ya want to.

thought the whole point of s35vn was a bit less wear and tear on makers equipment. I could be wrong though.

id say pick the one ya prefer over which steel.
 
I’ve used both and they are very close in overall performance. The S35vn will take a nice keen edge because it has a finer grain structure and just a bit easier to sharpen using diamond sharpeners. The s30v might be a little better edge retention cutting tough materials but not much. I think either one will do what needs done. Personally I’d get the S35vn at near the same price but it comes down to which you like.
 
Beautiful classic knife whichever u decide..I own the s35, bought it over 40 yrs ago as a kid for maybe 25 bux..I wonder what they go for today.. good luck n have fun deciding.....or just go lil crazy n buy both😁
 
i got s30v 119 ,red micarta handles,was cheaper $35 than s35vn version and better looking lol...how are versions with 5160 or d2 carbon steel and are they worth it?or is better to get s35vn or even regular 420hc....i dond wanna knife chipping,and would like to touch it uo in couple swipes on dmt or whatever,is bucks s30 ,d2or s35 brittle?has anyone broke one through normal use?i only have 420hc versions and theyre pretty good .
 
am planing to get 120....is s35vn too brittle for that size of blade,even 420hc,are there versions in 5160?
 
lonestar1979 said:
am planing to get 120....is s35vn too brittle for that size of blade,even 420hc,are there versions in 5160?
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there was versions of the 120 in 5160..they were c&c a dealer exclusives and are long gone except for on the exchange or secondary market ya might get lucky.

naw s35vn isn't too brittle. it will do fine as a knife. it isnt a great chopper or baton type knife though. the hollow grind, the size, the thickness and shape of it. light chopping is fine ive done it.....not trying to cut through a log...ya might be able to but I wouldn't pick this knife for that task myself.

remember Buck has the lifetime warranty they arent gonna pick steels that won't work for the knife. have to trust the experts there that they know what they are doing. plus they test products. key here is they test for a knife being used as a knife. not an axe.
 
bucks hollow grind is for cutting...will use axe for hardest jobs,120 id pretty good defense fighting knife,but without slippery handle....way better than most other offerings for price
 
A couple of weeks ago I took my s35v Buck 119 out and intentionally put it to some hard use, well beyond what I typically do just to see how it would hold up. It did marvelously. After 5 days of constant (ab)use it really didn't need sharpening and still looks great. Short of prying fence staples out of a post I think it would be up to pretty much anything you could throw at it. Mine will now see easier normal duty and my confidence in the blade shape and steel has grown. I'm very impressed with this knife.


Add: I do have Buck Knives with S30V, but not a 119. Performance wise I can't tell the difference. Both take wicked sharp edges and hold them very well. I did turn the burr once when I chopped it into the edge of a shovel. A hard Arkansas brought it back to invisible in short order. The shovel was not so lucky.
 
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ill get 120 in s35vn, i think price ,quality and grind wise is better than bark river,fallkniven and similar hyped up offerings,bucks grind cuts way better ...and is easier to sharpen also strong enough,im not battoning log with knife lol i ise axe or whatever
 
has anyone tested 120 in 420 hc ,or s35vn,thats bigger blade,i hope it wouldnt snap....s30 and S35vn are ok for small blades,id love to find 120 in 5160 carbon.
 
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