Buck Compadre Chopping Froe 108

Ferahgo

Ferahgo

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Mar 6, 2014
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I will be putting the Buck 108 through a series of test to see how it preforms in various environments. All of these tests will be expected test. I will not be doing any sort of torturing.
And now, the knife.







Specs
Blade - 9.5"
Blade Thickness - 1/4"
Weight - 24oz
Over all length - 16.75"
Handle Material - Heritage Wallnut
Steel - 5160, red powder coated
Price at Buck Site - $180
Grind - Skandi
Sheath - Leather

Out of the box, it feels excellent. The handle is smooth, but grippy. Being the size it is, you can hold high or low, or even take a double handed grip (I found it handy for heavier tasks.) The blade is a nice length and thickness, but the lack of tip takes some getting used to. The factory edge was nice, but with a little bit of work, it was hair whittling sharp. The sheath is very well made, but there is no belt loop. A carbiner is the only was to carry it, which I am not fond of at all.

I did a bunch of kindling cutting before I began with an official review.



The coating is on there pretty good, but with enough work, it wore off. I have a lot or respect for this steel. From the time I initially sharpened it on, I did no more work to the edge. At the stage in the picture is when I decided to do some maintenance. Before I sharpened it, though, I decided to see just how sharp it still was. It would cut peppers in fine enough to see through slices. It also works great on meat. I would know, as it bit the crap out of my finger.
So anyhow, at the stage in the picture, I decided to sharpen it up. It took a total of about 5 minutes to take the edge back to where it was. After looking at it for awhile, I decided it was just too ugly. Therefore, I stripped the remaining coat, and soak it in vinegar. Here are the results

I mean, it is based on the froe, which is an ancient design.






[/UR


Much better!
It was somewhere around this stage that I decided to do a review on this thing. I found a format in the past that I very much so enjoy for testing. Kitchen duty, outdoor work, kitchen duty. No sharpening in between. So, I brought this thing to its usual edge, and on I started reviewing.

For the first stage, I went for a nice salad. I know how annoyingly finicky tomatoes are, so it was a great test subject.

[URL=http://s103.photobucket.com/user/senor_blanco/media/IMG_0011_zps53pnlrid.jpg.html]








All I can say, is it is actually an excellent kitchen tool. I cut through everything as good or better then my current kitchen knives. It cut super finely, with no crushing at any point. It even cut through a light bread without crushing it even remotely. Kitchen work is not its intended purpose, but it did the job very well.
Kitchen Performance 1 rating ---- 9/10

The next stage will be working in the woods. Pics and review will come. Oh, and there will be no sharpening for the duration of the review.
 
Does anyone have suggestions for a fair outdoors test? I already have some ideas, but suggestions would be appreciated.
 
That is a whole new knife stripped, excellent job there :thumbup: If they offered it bare, I think it would be more popular. next time you may wish to acid-etch the logo before stripping.


Regarding use-tests: batonning, limbing, debarking, draw-knife... Do you have a good knife to compare it to, something of similar length used for similar purposes?

Thank you for bringing us this review.
 
chiral.grolim said:
That is a whole new knife stripped, excellent job there :thumbup: If they offered it bare, I think it would be more popular. next time you may wish to acid-etch the logo before stripping.


Regarding use-tests: batonning, limbing, debarking, draw-knife... Do you have a good knife to compare it to, something of similar length used for similar purposes?

Thank you for bringing us this review.
Click to expand...

I was just too ugly with the coat. I think the patina adds an element of elegance to it. And that is something to consider. I could always strip it and do that, I suppose.

I have a BK9. I would say that would be a fair comparison knife. I just need to bring the edge back on it, and I might do a side by side comparison all the way through the review.
 
Heavy work test - day 1
Last night, I decided to bring the patina back up a bit before I started testing. I wrapped it up in some TP, and gave it a soak. A fun new pattern every time! I think I like this one any more.

I thought I would begin this test by cutting through a small tree that had to be downed anyhow.



This tree was about 2.5-3" in diameter. It took exactly two strokes, and this tree hit the ground hard. This is soft pine, but it is also green. For this particular test, it did impressively well.

Next came a fallen tree that came down in a recent windstorm. It is still green as well. This one was about 12" or so. I didn't have a ruler or a tape or anything like that. I also had to limb the tree by about 5 feet on either side to make room for the test. All limbs and branches came off with a single hit for each.

(A close up of the type)

1 minute mark

After about three minutes


Only three minutes for a log is like this is impressive, by my standard. At this point, there were no hot spots, no blisters, nothing. Still very comfortable. I also noticed that as I sweat, the handle becomes even more grippy. A quick check of the edge shows there is no dulling of any sort.


Debarking test 1 or 2

About 8 seconds later


The lucky log chosen for the draw knife test.

I have a draw knife, but I never had a need to use it. Honestly, even if I had a need, I have no idea how to. lol. So, I just winged it for this test.
During this test, I kept one hand on the handle, and put the other hand up on the spine, by the tip.
Instantly took the bark off in large flakes.


Took some effort to work it, but it took the wood off in nice shavings, If this were a smaller log, it would be a great base for starting a fire.
Plus a nice pile of shaving was collected.



The lucky tree chosen for a few different tests


Limbed it quite quickly and easily


It made short work for bark stripping part two.


It also made it a decent little walking stick, about three feet long.


However, it was better spent making a pair of batons for tomorrows testings.



So far, it is preforming wonderfully on all tests.
 
congrats on getting a good chopper , looks like it served well in woods and kitchen ,versatile:thumbup:
 
dingy said:
congrats on getting a good chopper , looks like it served well in woods and kitchen ,versatile:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Not my first choice for a kitchen knife, but it works surprising well. And as a chopper, it works excellently.
 
Ferahgo, I would love a good blem if I could get my hands on it. Nice pickup. :thumbup: Definitely worth the 80.
 
Thank you for the fast response with follow-up photos! :thumbup:

That pine-round you debarked look like it would shed i you dropped it ;) Do you have any oak around to demonstrate de-limbing and de-barking on? If not, no worries, that's just what is most prevalent in my area.

How was the weight & balance when chopping? Does it feel overly heavy compared to another tool you might prefer for these uses?

Looking forward to the next update :cool:

Finally, for a belt-loop on the sheath, I suppose you could get something like this (I just googled "leather belt key"):

169.jpg
 
chiral.grolim said:
Thank you for the fast response with follow-up photos! :thumbup:

That pine-round you debarked look like it would shed i you dropped it ;) Do you have any oak around to demonstrate de-limbing and de-barking on? If not, no worries, that's just what is most prevalent in my area.

How was the weight & balance when chopping? Does it feel overly heavy compared to another tool you might prefer for these uses?

Looking forward to the next update :cool:

Finally, for a belt-loop on the sheath, I suppose you could get something like this (I just googled "leather belt key"):

169.jpg
Click to expand...

Sorry for the lack of update today. Our local area (including our property) may or may not catch on fire. So, I will be spending the next day or two preparing for that possibility.

And yeah, that bark was barely on. I could have peeled it off myself, but thats why I skinned the smaller tree and stripped the bark during the draw-knife test. And out here, we only have pine. Pretty much nothing else. At all. It makes for a rather boring and green Autumn.

Weight and balance are excellent. It does not pull in any specific direction when chopping. It is a little heavier than the BK9 and notably lighter than my Khukuri of the same size, but for chopping, it out preforms both.
 
Nice review man! Thanks for posting. I think it looks great in profile. In the woods I like choppers that look more like tools than weapons personally, and I really like 5160.
 
mistwalker said:
Nice review man! Thanks for posting. I think it looks great in profile. In the woods I like choppers that look more like tools than weapons personally, and I really like 5160.
Click to expand...

Thanks! And I don't care much how my chopper looks, so long as it does the job better than any other option. And the 5160 is sweet.
 
Ferahgo said:
Sorry for the delay of progress. I will be resuming shortly
Click to expand...

Thanks for doing all this. I look forward to more!

Although I'm already sold-- my own Buck Froe arrived today. :)

(You had me intrigued from your first picture post in Traditional, and I finally went for it. I still want to see more of yours, however!)

~ P.
 
pertinux said:
Thanks for doing all this. I look forward to more!

Although I'm already sold-- my own Buck Froe arrived today. :)

(You had me intrigued from your first picture post in Traditional, and I finally went for it. I still want to see more of yours, however!)

~ P.
Click to expand...

What are your first thoughts on it? And I completely recommend stripping it.
 
Ferahgo said:
What are your first thoughts on it? And I completely recommend stripping it.
Click to expand...

Keeping in mind this is my first tool of this sort? My first thoughts are, I like it very much!

It seems just the thing for the brush and small trees near my property line. I didn't have long to hack and hew in the short span between its arrival yesterday and the darkness that now comes all too soon, but already appreciate its weight, balance, and handle-to-blade angle (easy on the wrist).

I have more to learn regarding the most effect technique/approach (this is the first time I've used something other than a small saw or some other mis-applied tool), but was still able to dispatch limbs and larger sections of wood with aplomb. [It was fun.] I look forward to giving it a proper go with more time and light.

You "used off" much of the coating on yours before removing it entirely, yes? The froe left red marks on the wood I was cutting, but its coating looks very intact for all that! Whether I attempt removal soon, later, or at all, how do you recommend going about it? I do like the looks of yours. :thumbup:

Mine's still cutting paper after I put it through what felt like a lot of blunt force blade trauma outside. Kewl. But, when the time comes: what did you use to sharpen it?

~ P.
 
I just used sandpaper to take it off, once i had used most of it. I then wrapped the blade in TP and let it soak in vinegar.
For sharpening, I just used some generic Arkansas stones then different leather strops.
 
Ferahgo said:
I just used sandpaper to take it off, once i had used most of it. I then wrapped the blade in TP and let it soak in vinegar.
For sharpening, I just used some generic Arkansas stones then different leather strops.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I got more time with mine yesterday. Afterwards, I noticed some small notches in the froe's edge near the blade tip. I sharpened 'em right up and out with a medium Sharpmaker rod (rod in one hand, froe in the other).

I'm going to wait to "chop" off more of the red coating before attempting more direct removal.

Good stuff. :)

~ P.
 
Awesome thread you got here. Cant remember last time i saw a knife with a attitude like the Froe at a price like that and specially after that it have been stripped!

Cant wait to get my own Froe and and to stripp it down to bare metal and to which is most important, to put it to use! Thanks again for pics and testing :thumbup:
 
ragnerok said:
Awesome thread you got here. Cant remember last time i saw a knife with a attitude like the Froe at a price like that and specially after that it have been stripped!

Cant wait to get my own Froe and and to stripp it down to bare metal and to which is most important, to put it to use! Thanks again for pics and testing :thumbup:
Click to expand...


The red was just too ugly. I hope to get the companion camp knife and do the same strip and soak. Let us know when you pull the trigger
 
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