Buck 301 vs Ka-bar coppersmith which Stockman is better?

[Rappy]

I'm looking for a Stockman pattern for EDC, and maybe see some whittling
when I go to the park to kill some time.
I only have Buck knives 112, 102, 124

What will hold an edge better Buck's 420HC, or Ka-bar's 440C.?

I like them both, lots of uses for a tiny package
the copper on the Ka-bar is amazing.
and the blade shape on the Buck is cool.

 

[supratentorial]

Which Ka-bar stockman are you talking about? I'm not really familiar with the Ka-bar knives but I think some of them are made by Canal Street Cutlery and I do have a stockman from them. They're both great knives but they are made very differently and the knives made by CSC will be around 4x times the price of a Buck 301.

The CSC stockman has 2 springs and a crinked sheepfoot. The Buck 301 has 3 springs and no crinked blades. The blade steel is also different. Both are good knives. It just depends on what you want.

 

[Rappy]

Which Ka-bar stockman are you talking about? I'm not really familiar with the Ka-bar knives but I think some of them are made by Canal Street Cutlery and I do have a stockman from them. They're both great knives but they are made very differently and the knives made by CSC will be around 4x times the price of a Buck 301.

The CSC stockman has 2 springs and a crinked sheepfoot. The Buck 301 has 3 springs and no crinked blades. The blade steel is also different. Both are good knives. It just depends on what you want.

Whoops Sorry, it's the Ka-bar coppersmith stockman

 

[afishhunter]

I can't speak for the Ka-Bar, but I think it would be difficult to beat the 301 for an EDC work knife.
Buck does the best 420HC. The only experience I've had with 440C was back in the 60's and 70's when virtually every knife from the no name gas station specials to name brands claimed to have 440C.
I was not impressed. Difficult to sharpen, would not hold an edge. Part of the problem may have been the soft or hard Arkansas Stones that were available then. Diamond stones had not been invented yet.

 

[Rappy]

I live next to a mall with a knife store, that has a Buck knife section
I'll go later this week and handle the Buck stockman then.

 

[knarfeng]

What will hold an edge better Buck's 420HC, or Ka-bar's 440C.?

440C holds an edge quite a bit better than 420HC. As mentioned above, you want a synthetic stone for sharpening 440C. Aluminum oxide, Silicon Carbide, or diamond all work fine. Using a natural soft Arkansas on 440C is challenging and takes a long time.

 

[Rappy]

440C holds an edge quite a bit better than 420HC. As mentioned above, you want a synthetic stone for sharpening 440C. Aluminum oxide, Silicon Carbide, or diamond all work fine. Using a natural soft Arkansas on 440C is challenging and takes a long time.

I own Lansky system I have one diamond coarse stone, the rest are natural.
it'll take longer for me to sharpen 440C.

Thanks for the info Knarfeng, I have much to consider. :thumbup: