Buck 303 Cadet

M

Morgoth412

Joined
Oct 4, 2002
Messages
1,297
Wow, this thing is great. I've had it for a while now, and its my EDC for life I think. Of course I'm always going to carry something bigger for heavier work, but for the little things I think I have found the "one." :D

Ok, so it doesn't hold an edge forever... ok, so it isn't one hand opening... ok, so it can't pry doors of the hinges or stab through brick walls... :rolleyes:

Oh well, maybe 420HC isn't the greatest steel, but with heat treat by Paul Bos it does quite well, and with three blades I have alot of steel to waste before sharpening.
Oh well, I have to use two hands to open it... those 2 seconds aren't that vital to me.
Oh well, It's not the toughest thing around, but I'm not in the service, or doing hard labor.

This thing is so amazing to me becuase it can CUT. It cuts great!! Better then most tacticals I've owned! (Except Spyderco's with flat grind, they are amazing. Thanks Sal!). It's thin blades glide through stuff and the steel gets sharper then any of the super steels out there, and it gets sharp quicker! And certainly it has a great LOOK to it. It's just attractive. (Mine is the Poly Pearl one.) Most tacticals, especially Spydercos and Benchmades (my two favorite "one hander" companies, especially Spyderco) are not that attractive, to me at least. (Kiwi is the exception, and I can't wait to get one of those when I move out of my house here.) It's cheap, I'm talking really cheap, as in 20 bucks cheap. If it breaks... oh well, I'll shed a tear for a minute, then buy a new one. Finally, I feel some sort of "soul" in this knife, that I don't in my one handers... Hard to explain, but it's there.

Anyways, enough of my rambling. I want to know if anyone else has a great love for slipjoints, and what kind they carry. Also, Jazzman, if you read this, can you give me an update on your 303 Cadet? Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this,
-Kevin :)
 
I have an old 303 that I got back around '77 or '78, manufactured for Buck under contract by Camillus, I've been told. It was the first stainless steel bladed knife I ever had that really impressed me, and to this day, I can't say I've ever seen a better built slipjoint. (BTW, if anybody knows, I'd be interested to know what the steel is in my knife; pretty sure it pre-dates 420HC.)

Don't be surprised if you still have the same Cadet 25+ years from now, Kevin.

Dave
 
ColoradoDave said:
I have an old 303 that I got back around '77 or '78, manufactured for Buck under contract by Camillus, I've been told. It was the first stainless steel bladed knife I ever had that really impressed me, and to this day, I can't say I've ever seen a better built slipjoint. (BTW, if anybody knows, I'd be interested to know what the steel is in my knife; pretty sure it pre-dates 420HC.)

Don't be surprised if you still have the same Cadet 25+ years from now, Kevin.

Dave
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Wow, Thanks Dave! I think you are right about having that 25 years from now.

Sorry, no info on what the blade steel was... I'll do a search for you though.
-Kevin
 
My mother gave me a poly-pearl 303 for my last birthday and I really liked it. My wife loves it and it has been her edc for the last nine months or so. ;) I'm glad she likes it.
I always have slip-joint on me, usually a stockman or sometimes a trapper and always a sak. My slip-joints as of now are all Old Timers. Good knives but a BUCK 303 or maybe a 301 is on my list.
I usually carry a BUCK 110 or 112 as well and I like their 420hc. Works very well in my opinion. If your 303 should break or wear out someday don't throw it away, just send it back to BUCK. They have the best warranty in the business. BUCK is a good company and one that I have alot of history with.
 
Ok, did a search. I read that it was 440C, a better steel then the 420HC used today. Hopefully someone else will respond soon and back me up on this.
-Kevin
 
Grateful said:
My mother gave me a poly-pearl 303 for my last birthday and I really liked it. My wife loves it and it has been her edc for the last nine months or so. ;) I'm glad she likes it.
I always have slip-joint on me, usually a stockman or sometimes a trapper and always a sak. My slip-joints as of now are all Old Timers. Good knives but a BUCK 303 or maybe a 301 is on my list.
I usually carry a BUCK 110 or 112 as well and I like their 420hc. Works very well in my opinion. If your 303 should break or wear out someday don't throw it away, just send it back to BUCK. They have the best warranty in the business. BUCK is a good company and one that I have alot of history with.
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Yea the warranty is great. I have a 110 in my pocket right now too, but its a little too much to take everywhere all the time. And yea, the 420HC isn't too shabby.
-Kevin
 
Kevin -- thanks for the info! I kind of recall reading somewhere that some of the older Camillus-contract knives were 440C, but never really checked it out.

I just wish I could show you my Cadet ... it's still nice and tight, and has that crisp slipjoint "snap" just like it did when it was brand new.

Dave
 
ColoradoDave said:
Kevin -- thanks for the info! I kind of recall reading somewhere that some of the older Camillus-contract knives were 440C, but never really checked it out.

I just wish I could show you my Cadet ... it's still nice and tight, and has that crisp slipjoint "snap" just like it did when it was brand new.

Dave
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Your welcome, I'm the one who has to thank you though for the info your giving! Reading stuff like the above makes me pull the thing out of my pocket and open and close all the blades, LOL.
-Kevin
 
The Cadet is awesome. I've got a mid 90s black one. It is my absolute favorite whittler. The fit and finish are excellent. Some traditional "stockman" guys don't like the third backspring and the "funny" blade positions but these don't bother me at all. It is in my EDC rotation and usually finds it way into my pocket during summer. ft
 
Having a chuckle here ... it'd probably been 5-6 months since I last pulled out the knife roll with the Cadet in it (become sort of tactical folder EDCer as of late) but of course had to get it out after this thread. :)

So many nice things about this knife -- especially like the shape of the sheepsfoot blade, which is more Wharncliffe-like than most, and a very handy shape. Nice, full belly on the clip point, too. It's even gratifying to see all the little scratches on the blades, from all the good, hard service it's given me (tho' with a bit of buffing, it'd look like new.)

OK ... I'm drafting the Cadet back into EDC service! And thanks for starting this thread, Kevin.

Dave
 
ColoradoDave said:
Having a chuckle here ... it'd probably been 5-6 months since I last pulled out the knife roll with the Cadet in it (become sort of tactical folder EDCer as of late) but of course had to get it out after this thread. :)

So many nice things about this knife -- especially like the shape of the sheepsfoot blade, which is more Wharncliffe-like than most, and a very handy shape. Nice, full belly on the clip point, too. It's even gratifying to see all the little scratches on the blades, from all the good, hard service it's given me (tho' with a bit of buffing, it'd look like new.)

OK ... I'm drafting the Cadet back into EDC service! And thanks for starting this thread, Kevin.

Dave
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You're welcome! I'm feeling good just knowing that it has made you happy in some way. :) Man, I wanna go and cut something now, haha. It's like a sickness!
-Kevin
 
I've got two cadets. The standard model with the black handles and the Poly Pearl. Good knives.

My slipjoint(s) carry goes through phases. Currently, I'm carrying 3. A Robeson Wharncliffe that is a two blade in a dogleg handle about 3.25 inches in length - main blade is ATS-34. Also a Case XX USA (1965-1969) Small Stockman with Stag handles - blades are carbon steel. And a recent purchase - a Case Seahorse Whittler which is fun to play with.

Dean
 
I also EDC a Cadet. It's a great little knife and I like it as much if not more than the Schrades I've been carrying. Even with the 3 spring layout, I don't think it's that much thicker than the Cases I own and it's really not much thicker than the Schrades. I also like that all the blades run straight, just looks neater to me.

Rob
 
RDaneel said:
I've got two cadets. The standard model with the black handles and the Poly Pearl. Good knives.

My slipjoint(s) carry goes through phases. Currently, I'm carrying 3. A Robeson Wharncliffe that is a two blade in a dogleg handle about 3.25 inches in length - main blade is ATS-34. Also a Case XX USA (1965-1969) Small Stockman with Stag handles - blades are carbon steel. And a recent purchase - a Case Seahorse Whittler which is fun to play with.

Dean
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Nice stuff. One day I'm going to have to take a trip down to the flea market and see if I can find some older slipjoints like that Case.
-Kevin
 
Dr. Nick said:
I also EDC a Cadet. It's a great little knife and I like it as much if not more than the Schrades I've been carrying. Even with the 3 spring layout, I don't think it's that much thicker than the Cases I own and it's really not much thicker than the Schrades. I also like that all the blades run straight, just looks neater to me.

Rob
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I couldn't agree more! I think the fact that the blades run straight is one of it's greatest features.

I've been thinking of picking up a Schrade Old Timer Middleman, just to add to the slipjoint portion of my collection. I've heard good things only about them as well.
-Kevin
 
Josh Feltman said:
A Buck 303 was my first knife. I think I got it when I was around 6 or 7. I still have it.
--Josh
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Hey Josh,
If you don't mind me asking, what kind of condition is it in now? How did it hold up through all the years, and how much did you use it??
-Kevin
 
I had all three Buck stockman knives. The largest one 301 was the one I carried. I now carry a Craftsman 4" stainless stockman. I was carrying a Schrade 4" stockman Old Timer 80T then the smaller Old Timer stockman 340 T but it kept dropping out of my pocket. So I went to the larger and heavier stockman. It tends to stay in my pocket. I think Schrade made it for Sears but I don't know for sure. Sure looks like a Schrade + stockman with a wood handle. Also carry a P.O.C. brand tactical one hand opener. It gets all the use. Always carry more than you need. :)
 
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