Buck 302 Solitaire is pretty cheap and pretty dang good!

mongomondo

mongomondo

SUPPRESSING FIRE
Joined
Sep 17, 2006
Messages
3,290
I'm getting into slipjoints now and the 302s looked so simple and good so I bought two of them.

The black dymondwood model is a little disappointing because the backspring doesn't have a nice snap. Otherwise the blade is perfectly centered and they also did a nice job sharpening it. The yellow delrin one really impressed me. Very good fit and finish throughout and a crisp snap in the backspring. The blade grind is a tiny bit uneven but no big deal. Strangely enough the nail nick is more pronounced on the yellow one. I really like the texture of the delrin, I think I'm getting more knives with this material in the future.

Overall I'm really happy with these knives and for about $25 a pop they are good values. They are also MUCH easier to open than the GEC and I love that. I've owned a few 301 Stockmans in the past and did not like how the blades scratched each other and they also had bladeplay. These are nice and slim with one blade and have no play.

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I bought one of the prototypes last fall, so the blade is marked "301". It is a joy. I hope the fit and finish on the production 302's is as nice as that of the prototype. And you're right about the spring strength. Mine is just right. I much prefer that to that of the GE's/

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Glad to hear your report. The yellow scales have some type of hold over me also. They just feel and look better to my eye for some reason.....I bet its just my eye.....I too hope the productions are as finely fitted as the protos were.

I am starting to politic for a TWO blade version, a main clip like normal but only a full length WARCLIFF blade as secondary. I think it would be a hit over the fence....

300Bucks/ch
 
Thank you for the info, mongomondo.

300Bucks said:
...I am starting to politic for a TWO blade version, a main clip like normal but only a full length WARCLIFF blade as secondary. I think it would be a hit over the fence....

300Bucks/ch
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That would definitely be a winner!
 
300Bucks said:
I am starting to politic for a TWO blade version, a main clip like normal but only a full length WARCLIFF blade as secondary. I think it would be a hit over the fence....
Click to expand...

So...a Hawbaker muskrat? Or a wharncliffe trapper? Either way, I'd be in for one too. I'm waiting for Rough Rider or Steel Warrior or somebody to come out with a cheap Hawbaker. A Buck in dymondwood would be great.
 
I have the Dymondwood. My favorite aspect to the knife is the ease of opening. My only gripe is that the knife blade is too short or the handle is too long. Either way, the ratio is a bit off. But I geuss it's just a 301 minus the other two blades,
How do you all feel about that?
 
Yes, I understand that. The 'thin' cross-section may be consdiered a trade-off for that. My 2 blade idea would end that problem.........ha
300
 
300bucks, I like that two blade idea too. Except for the wharncliffe blade itself, they have everything they need to make it. Minimal design work and I think it would be a hit too.

My thoughts are a two blade jack in the same handle.

Slider817, I had the same feeling as you when I first got the knife. But, I find I like it a lot and carry it fairly often.

Ed J
 
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