Buck Haxby 259

[DeSotoSky]

I do a lot of shooting as well. Not powder rifles though. I've got a nice collection of spring powered air rifles. My top air rifle is a Weihrauch HW97K and its been highly tuned for me by a professional tuner. Major modifications to the internals. There isn't another one like it. Its unique. I use it for hunting if me or the family fancy something different for the table, but it's mainly used to dispatch vermin (pest control) .

Have many firearms but am an airgun nut. I have an extensive collection of CO2 and pneumatic airguns, I've had a few but never did much with springers. My primary squirrel and bunny gun is a Daystate QC. Funny, as a younger man I hunted but in my old age and now owning my own land full of wildlife I would rather look at them than shoot em. Had an HW77 for many years, Sorry I let it go. No 12 ft/lb limit here. I have airguns capable of 100fl/lb and up to .50 cal. Also have a number of Saxby Palmer cartridge rifles and pistols along with an Enfield Mk4 demilled and converted to air cartridge. I think the air cartridge systems are no longer allowed for you. Never found the cartridges for the Enfield.

I purchased a number of the Ridgeways from Buck when they were clearing them out. $15usd. Great bargain for a cute little knife.

 

[Tyson Fury]

Have many firearms but am an airgun nut. I have an extensive collection of CO2 and pneumatic airguns, I've had a few but never did much with springers. My primary squirrel and bunny gun is a Daystate QC. Funny, as a younger man I hunted but in my old age and owning land full of wildlife I would rather look at them than shoot em. Had an HW77 for many years, Sorry I let it go. No 12 ft/lb limit here. I have airguns capable of 100fl/lb. Also have a number of Saxby Palmer cartridge rifles and pistols along with an Enfield Mk4 demilled and converted to air cartridge. I think the air cartridge systems are no longer allowed for you. Never found the cartridges for the Enfield.

I purchased a number or the Ridgeways from Buck when they were clearing them out. $15usd. Great bargain for a cute little knife.

Nice. I dare say that you still regret not keeping the hw77. My HW97K will remain with me. I'd never move it it on.

As for the buck ridgeway, I'd never heard of it until today...? I searched for a uk seller, and the only one I can find is the one from Plymouth in the link I shared. Nice looking knife. I'm quietly confident that my Haxby will arrive tomorrow. I hope so cos the suspense is killing me.

 

[plb]

The 317 Ridgeway was a real bargain at $15. Its integral, one-piece burlwood handle is very nice, and it is the same size as a 501.

 

[Tyson Fury]

Hi all. My Buck Haxby has arrived.

WOW....! What a beautiful knife. I absolutely love everything about it.

Here is my honest and straight talking review/opinion.....

When I first unpackaged the Buck, I was instantly hit by it's fine lines and handsome looks. I spent the first couple of minutes just staring at it and inspecting every detail of the knife. I noticed that the blade was a slightly off centre. Not a problem with the workings of the knife, but if centre blades always haunt me. Then I started to flip it open and get the feel of it. My first impression was that it felt light and flimsy. And when I flipped it open I wasn't sure if I liked the sound of it..? The lock up was a good sounding solid click, but it also had a sharp kind of rattling noise that seemed to echo..? On further inspection and messing about, I discovered that the noise I didn't like was from the pivot bearings. I could feel and hear that they were possibly a bit dry..? The action wasn't as smooth as I expected it to be at first. It reminded me of the sound and feeling of metal on metal contact. The Buck flipped open like lightening. Almost a bit too light. So I got my torx driver out and messed about with the pivot screw. It only took me a few minutes to increase the drag ever so slightly. And by doing this, the blade still flew open like lightening, but it had a more sturdy feel and a nice duller sounding lock up. Even by increasing the tension, the blade still free dropped when I pushed the lock over. After solving that issue, I decided to have a go at re centering the blade properly. It was even quicker and easier than I thought. I back the pivot screw right out until it was hanging by a thread, then I used a bit of folded cardboard to slide between the liner and the blade to force it in the opposite direction to where it was leaning to. Then I tightened the pivot screw right down as tight as it would go. Obviously, the blade wouldn't flip open after doing this, but I expected that to be the case cos of other knives I've had to re centre. I took it really slowly and millimetre by millimetre I gently undid the pivot screw and checked the action each time I got a turn on it. Success...! Perfectly centred blade, a lightning smooth action, and a nice dull solid clunk as it locked up. Time to put a bit of lube in the dry pivot. I didn't dismantle the Buck completely though. No point in going that far. I just a needle oiler to put a couple of miniscule drops of oil each side of the pivot just above the bearings. I rapidly flipped it open and closed it about a dozen times and all of a sudden it really did become a whole different knife. The next thing I noticed was that when I disengaged the liner lock, it made a tiny little squeaking noise as the liner slid across the blade stop. Again,..nothing to worry about. It was just bone dry and the two mating metal surfaces hadn't had time to bed in and form there own shape on the surface of the new steel. So to speed things up, I used an old trick of mine to get rid of the dry squeak and the rough feeling of metal on metal contact...? I used a dentist's pick to apply a tiny tiny bit of my air rifle tuning grease to the detent and the tip of the liner lock. The stuff I use is made for me by a friend who is one of the best UK rifle tuners in the business. He makes the lube by mixing an exact amount of high grade molybdenum grease with an exact amount of graphite powder. You end up with a very thick black grease that has a grey sheen to it. When you use his secret formula grease, an old saying comes to mind...

"Less is more"

And that couldn't be any more true when using this lube.

So what have I got so far.....?

I've got a stunningly beautiful Buck Haxby 259 that flies open like a rocket if a butterfly flaps its wings within an inch of the flipper stud. And I've got a Buck Haxby with silk and feather coated bearings that locks up with a fascinating and positive solid thud. And I've got a Buck Haxby that now has a liner lock disengagement that's as smooth as the rest of its team mates.

Mmmmmnnnnnn.......what haven't i checked yet ??

Oh yes, that's it. The last thing I need to do is check how sharp the blade is.

And I found out the answer within a nano second...!!??

Don't worry, it's not what you're probably thinking I'm gonna say...? All my fingers are intact and I don't need stitches and a blood transfusion.!

My brand new Buck would have struggled to cut through polystyrene even if I'd got my blowtorch out and heated the blade up to a nice cherry red. !

But once again,....not a problem whatsoever. Reason being is that I absolutely love sharpening knives. I used a black sharpie to colour in each bevel, and clamped the Buck in my Lansky. I then used the fine honing stone in the 17° ...20°...and 25° settings to establish a near enough angle that my new Buck Haxby "HADN'T been sharpened" to...? I'm not a perfectionist, and nor do I seek it,.....but I quickly discovered that the Buck was somewhere around the 20° mark on each side. (40°) overall edge.

No messing about this time....??

Out comes the Lansky turnbox with the medium and fine ceramic rods that can be set at either 20° or 25°. I went straight to the fine ceramics and stuck the two rods in the 20° holes in the top of the box.

My guesstimate was correct. With only approx a dozen runs on each side of the blade and a few light swipes on a flat leather strop, .....the Buck Haxby changed from Clarke Kent into Superman within literally minutes..!

This thing is now sharper than I've ever got any other knife in my collection before!

CONCLUSION AND FINAL SUMMING UP.........

THE BUCK HAXBY IS WITHOUT A SHADOW OF DOUBT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND SOLIDLY BUILT KNIFE I'VE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF HANDLING. I HONESTLY WOULDN'T HESITATE TO RECOMMEND THIS SUPERB KNIFE TO ANYONE.

WELL DONE BUCK,....AND WELL DONE CHINA. A FANTASTIC TEAM FOR SURE.

 

[jbmonkey]

Hi all. My Buck Haxby has arrived.

WOW....! What a beautiful knife. I absolutely love everything about it.

Here is my honest and straight talking review/opinion.....

When I first unpackaged the Buck, I was instantly hit by it's fine lines and handsome looks. I spent the first couple of minutes just staring at it and inspecting every detail of the knife. I noticed that the blade was a slightly off centre. Not a problem with the workings of the knife, but if centre blades always haunt me. Then I started to flip it open and get the feel of it. My first impression was that it felt light and flimsy. And when I flipped it open I wasn't sure if I liked the sound of it..? The lock up was a good sounding solid click, but it also had a sharp kind of rattling noise that seemed to echo..? On further inspection and messing about, I discovered that the noise I didn't like was from the pivot bearings. I could feel and hear that they were possibly a bit dry..? The action wasn't as smooth as I expected it to be at first. It reminded me of the sound and feeling of metal on metal contact. The Buck flipped open like lightening. Almost a bit too light. So I got my torx driver out and messed about with the pivot screw. It only took me a few minutes to increase the drag ever so slightly. And by doing this, the blade still flew open like lightening, but it had a more sturdy feel and a nice duller sounding lock up. Even by increasing the tension, the blade still free dropped when I pushed the lock over. After solving that issue, I decided to have a go at re centering the blade properly. It was even quicker and easier than I thought. I back the pivot screw right out until it was hanging by a thread, then I used a bit of folded cardboard to slide between the liner and the blade to force it in the opposite direction to where it was leaning to. Then I tightened the pivot screw right down as tight as it would go. Obviously, the blade wouldn't flip open after doing this, but I expected that to be the case cos of other knives I've had to re centre. I took it really slowly and millimetre by millimetre I gently undid the pivot screw and checked the action each time I got a turn on it. Success...! Perfectly centred blade, a lightning smooth action, and a nice dull solid clunk as it locked up. Time to put a bit of lube in the dry pivot. I didn't dismantle the Buck completely though. No point in going that far. I just a needle oiler to put a couple of miniscule drops of oil each side of the pivot just above the bearings. I rapidly flipped it open and closed it about a dozen times and all of a sudden it really did become a whole different knife. The next thing I noticed was that when I disengaged the liner lock, it made a tiny little squeaking noise as the liner slid across the blade stop. Again,..nothing to worry about. It was just bone dry and the two mating metal surfaces hadn't had time to bed in and form there own shape on the surface of the new steel. So to speed things up, I used an old trick of mine to get rid of the dry squeak and the rough feeling of metal on metal contact...? I used a dentist's pick to apply a tiny tiny bit of my air rifle tuning grease to the detent and the tip of the liner lock. The stuff I use is made for me by a friend who is one of the best UK rifle tuners in the business. He makes the lube by mixing an exact amount of high grade molybdenum grease with an exact amount of graphite powder. You end up with a very thick black grease that has a grey sheen to it. When you use his secret formula grease, an old saying comes to mind...

"Less is more"

And that couldn't be any more true when using this lube.

So what have I got so far.....?

I've got a stunningly beautiful Buck Haxby 259 that flies open like a rocket if a butterfly flaps its wings within an inch of the flipper stud. And I've got a Buck Haxby with silk and feather coated bearings that locks up with a fascinating and positive solid thud. And I've got a Buck Haxby that now has a liner lock disengagement that's as smooth as the rest of its team mates.

Mmmmmnnnnnn.......what haven't i checked yet ??

Oh yes, that's it. The last thing I need to do is check how sharp the blade is.

And I found out the answer within a nano second...!!??

Don't worry, it's not what you're probably thinking I'm gonna say...? All my fingers are intact and I don't need stitches and a blood transfusion.!

My brand new Buck would have struggled to cut through polystyrene even if I'd got my blowtorch out and heated the blade up to a nice cherry red. !

But once again,....not a problem whatsoever. Reason being is that I absolutely love sharpening knives. I used a black sharpie to colour in each bevel, and clamped the Buck in my Lansky. I then used the fine honing stone in the 17° ...20°...and 25° settings to establish a near enough angle that my new Buck Haxby "HADN'T been sharpened" to...? I'm not a perfectionist, and nor do I seek it,.....but I quickly discovered that the Buck was somewhere around the 20° mark on each side. (40°) overall edge.

No messing about this time....??

Out comes the Lansky turnbox with the medium and fine ceramic rods that can be set at either 20° or 25°. I went straight to the fine ceramics and stuck the two rods in the 20° holes in the top of the box.

My guesstimate was correct. With only approx a dozen runs on each side of the blade and a few light swipes on a flat leather strop, .....the Buck Haxby changed from Clarke Kent into Superman within literally minutes..!

This thing is now sharper than I've ever got any other knife in my collection before!

CONCLUSION AND FINAL SUMMING UP.........

THE BUCK HAXBY IS WITHOUT A SHADOW OF DOUBT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND SOLIDLY BUILT KNIFE I'VE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF HANDLING. I HONESTLY WOULDN'T HESITATE TO RECOMMEND THIS SUPERB KNIFE TO ANYONE.

WELL DONE BUCK,....AND WELL DONE CHINA. A FANTASTIC TEAM FOR SURE.

enjoyed your review and details on getting it just right. glad ya weren't let down and turned out well for ya, Sir.

 

[Tyson Fury]

enjoyed your review and details on getting it just right. glad ya weren't let down and turned out well for ya, Sir.

Cheers JB. yes mate,...I'm over the moon with this Buck. I'm addicted to playing with at the moment. I can't put it down for more than a minute or two without picking it up and flipping it open..! It's got better and better the more I've played with it. The chances of me ever losing this Haxby are very slim cos its gonna be my indoors "EDC". but if for some reason anything ever happened to this Haxby,....I wouldn't even hesitate for one minute before ordering the exact same knife again. That's how good I think it is mate.
The shame of it is JB....?
I recorded a video of my new Haxby to show you all on the forum, but I don't understand how to post it up mate..? I've clicked on all the different symbols available at th top of the page, but I couldn't work out how to do it..? I haven't got a real computer etc, all I use is an android Samsung tablet..? And I'm not ashamed or embarrassed to say that I'm not very tech minded or knowledgeable about this kind of thing.

But getting back to my new knife JB,....its snatched the top "fiddling and fidgeting" spot from under the nose of my trusty Ontario RAT 1...!

The RAT is sitting right beside me on the table now, but I'm typing this message with the Haxby in my other hand..! The only thing I've noticed it that I've put a couple of scratches on one side of the carbon fibre scales. Probably where I've had it in my pocket with loose change today. I don't know anything at all about carbon fibre, so I've just watched some youtube videos to learn how to maintain and polish out scratches etc. The video I recorded of the Haxby was also narrated by me. I did it personally for all you fellas that helped me out the other night with my questions etc. If i can work out how to share it to the forum, I'll do it asap.

It's a lovely bit of kit JB. I'm really chuffed with it. I've got a few knives that were made by the chinese. And to be totally honest with you, they're all very well made. But the quality and the build of this Haxby is in a league of it's own. Now that I've tuned it and broken it in, it's gone from a fantastic knife to a superb one. My review post was very long JB. And people might read it and imagine it took me a long time to add my own personal touch to the Buck...? But that's not the case mate. To sort out the little gripes I had with it and sharpen to a razor blade, the whole project took less than 30 mins to complete. This knife cost me £52. IMO, you get a lot for your money with this Haxby. And with less than half an hours work to tidy up and smooth out a few loose ends here and there, I'd happily pay twice that price for the knife I've got in my hand right now. I cant fault it JB. This is my first ever Buck knife, and I'm more than impressed with it.

 

[jbmonkey]

Cheers JB. yes mate,...I'm over the moon with this Buck. I'm addicted to playing with at the moment. I can't put it down for more than a minute or two without picking it up and flipping it open..! It's got better and better the more I've played with it. The chances of me ever losing this Haxby are very slim cos its gonna be my indoors "EDC". but if for some reason anything ever happened to this Haxby,....I wouldn't even hesitate for one minute before ordering the exact same knife again. That's how good I think it is mate.
The shame of it is JB....?
I recorded a video of my new Haxby to show you all on the forum, but I don't understand how to post it up mate..? I've clicked on all the different symbols available at th top of the page, but I couldn't work out how to do it..? I haven't got a real computer etc, all I use is an android Samsung tablet..? And I'm not ashamed or embarrassed to say that I'm not very tech minded or knowledgeable about this kind of thing.

But getting back to my new knife JB,....its snatched the top "fiddling and fidgeting" spot from under the nose of my trusty Ontario RAT 1...!

The RAT is sitting right beside me on the table now, but I'm typing this message with the Haxby in my other hand..! The only thing I've noticed it that I've put a couple of scratches on one side of the carbon fibre scales. Probably where I've had it in my pocket with loose change today. I don't know anything at all about carbon fibre, so I've just watched some youtube videos to learn how to maintain and polish out scratches etc. The video I recorded of the Haxby was also narrated by me. I did it personally for all you fellas that helped me out the other night with my questions etc. If i can work out how to share it to the forum, I'll do it asap.

It's a lovely bit of kit JB. I'm really chuffed with it. I've got a few knives that were made by the chinese. And to be totally honest with you, they're all very well made. But the quality and the build of this Haxby is in a league of it's own. Now that I've tuned it and broken it in, it's gone from a fantastic knife to a superb one. My review post was very long JB. And people might read it and imagine it took me a long time to add my own personal touch to the Buck...? But that's not the case mate. To sort out the little gripes I had with it and sharpen to a razor blade, the whole project took less than 30 mins to complete. This knife cost me £52. IMO, you get a lot for your money with this Haxby. And with less than half an hours work to tidy up and smooth out a few loose ends here and there, I'd happily pay twice that price for the knife I've got in my hand right now. I cant fault it JB. This is my first ever Buck knife, and I'm more than impressed with it.

its your membership level. without a basic paid ya can't post pics and videos....but even with paid its tricky on pics. can't be over 1mb in size. so requires cropping or reducing.

videos I haven't done, so not sure, but most tend to post on YouTube or similar and then link here.

regardless your words are well done and working well on showing your tale on this Buck. im enjoying it like a novel...I enjoy reading well crafted words over videos myself.

if I can help, let me know...im not real techy but can figure out basic stuff.

 

[DeSotoSky]

A+ on your assignment.
Again, welcome to the Buck forum. Hang around.

 

[Tyson Fury]

its your membership level. without a basic paid ya can't post pics and videos....but even with paid its tricky on pics. can't be over 1mb in size. so requires cropping or reducing.

videos I haven't done, so not sure, but most tend to post on YouTube or similar and then link here.

regardless your words are well done and working well on showing your tale on this Buck. im enjoying it like a novel...I enjoy reading well crafted words over videos myself.

if I can help, let me know...im not real techy but can figure out basic stuff.

Cheers mate. That explains why I couldn't share my photos and video that I did for you fellas. It makes sense now. And thanks for your offer of help if I get stuck on something in the future. I'm enjoying this forum. I'm still working out how to use it properly, but I'll get there in the end. Since I joined, I've been typing all sorts of stuff into the search bar. I can't believe how big this forum is..?
Its huge..! A bottomless pit of information and shared knowledge available on absolutely anything that has a blade. I've already learnt lots of stuff that I didn't know about.

And cheers for your kind review of my review JB..

I enjoy putting a bit of effort into things like that. Whatever you might read on future posts from me will always be truthful and honest. And 9 times out of 10 I like to mix things up a bit. Sensible and serious one minute, then chuck in something for a laugh the next. I've got a youtube channel already set up from a long time ago now. But it's just a blank canvas at the moment. I'll see if I can load the video on there tomorrow some time. If all goes well, I'll let you know so you can have a look.

God bless..

Be lucky

 

[rje58]

I'm glad you like your 259. I like the design, and I would have probably bought one myself if it was 420HC, or even 8Cr or AUS8. I'm not a steel snob, but 7Cr is just outside my minimum criteria, which bottoms at 8Cr and AUS8 - for pocket knives, anyway. I think otherwise reputable companies like Kershaw do themselves and their customers a disservice by offering knives in 5Cr and 3Cr?!? At least 7Cr is usable and serviceable...

 

[Makael]

Wish it was built here. I guess ill pick up an Onset. I like the Sprint line but the Onset looks like it will fit my hand better. Good review though.

 

[GPyro]

I use an image compression application to get pic down to 1mb. There are a number of them to choose from.

 

[Tyson Fury]

I'm glad you like your 259. I like the design, and I would have probably bought one myself if it was 420HC, or even 8Cr or AUS8. I'm not a steel snob, but 7Cr is just outside my minimum criteria, which bottoms at 8Cr and AUS8 - for pocket knives, anyway. I think otherwise reputable companies like Kershaw do themselves and their customers a disservice by offering knives in 5Cr and 3Cr?!? At least 7Cr is usable and serviceable...

I'm enjoying learning about the different steels they use for blades. I'd class myself as an eager to learn novice when it comes to knives. One thing that has helped me get an understanding of how different steels "work" is my self taught love of sharpening. I can't think of anything more relaxing than sharpening anything with a blade or a cutting edge. My Husqvarna axe is made from drop forged steel, and I've made it so sharp that it dry shaves the hairs from my arm with ease using no more force than the weight of the head itself. My most expensive knife is a Spyderco paramilitary 2 with a black s30v. The para 2 is also razor sharp, but it took me a while to get it where it is now. I haven't gained the knowledge yet to know a steels capabilities by reading the letters and numbers etc etched into the blade, so I've taught myself to feel it instead. I can feel that the drop forged axe, and the para 2 are harder steels just by going through my sharpening process with them. Other than those two, the rest of my stuff Is either carbon (opinels), or other steels like AUS 8. I'd never heard of 7Cr stainless until I liked the look of the Buck Haxby. It was blunt when it arrived. But within a few minutes I put and edge on it like a razor. I've invented my own terminology for what I call a blade that is sharp. I call it "sticky sharp"...? This Buck is so sharp that I've only gotta put a finger on the blade with the lightest touch you can imagine, and my skin will stick to it like it's made from velcro. I've not even had the Buck for a week yet, but in that time since I sharpened it I've used it for various different tasks. Cutting open packages, cutting rope, and numerous slicing tasks in the kitchen. And I'm being totally honest when I say that this Buck with the "allegedly" inferior 7CR steel has out performed my para 2, the carbon Opinel , and the AUS 8 Ontario rat 1...? All I do to maintain the edge on this Buck Haxby is give it a couple of runs on the fine ceramic rods in the Lansky turnbox at 20°, then a couple of swipes on the leather. I can't fault this knife. It just gets better and better. And I'm especially pleased with the sensitivity of the pivot screw adjustment. The pivot screw is absolutely solid. It remains solid no matter how much you loosen or tighten it. No need for semi permanent thread locker on this beauty. I can alter the tension and speed that the blade flies open by turning the pivot screw so slightly that I have to concentrate and use feel instead of sight.

From what I read about this steel in my research,.....i can't work it out....?

All I can think is that the Buck I received is a prototype that they were testing with a high end steel, or its completely original and the 7Cr stainless is not what everyone says it is..?

 

[jbmonkey]

I'm enjoying learning about the different steels they use for blades. I'd class myself as an eager to learn novice when it comes to knives. One thing that has helped me get an understanding of how different steels "work" is my self taught love of sharpening. I can't think of anything more relaxing than sharpening anything with a blade or a cutting edge. My Husqvarna axe is made from drop forged steel, and I've made it so sharp that it dry shaves the hairs from my arm with ease using no more force than the weight of the head itself. My most expensive knife is a Spyderco paramilitary 2 with a black s30v. The para 2 is also razor sharp, but it took me a while to get it where it is now. I haven't gained the knowledge yet to know a steels capabilities by reading the letters and numbers etc etched into the blade, so I've taught myself to feel it instead. I can feel that the drop forged axe, and the para 2 are harder steels just by going through my sharpening process with them. Other than those two, the rest of my stuff Is either carbon (opinels), or other steels like AUS 8. I'd never heard of 7Cr stainless until I liked the look of the Buck Haxby. It was blunt when it arrived. But within a few minutes I put and edge on it like a razor. I've invented my own terminology for what I call a blade that is sharp. I call it "sticky sharp"...? This Buck is so sharp that I've only gotta put a finger on the blade with the lightest touch you can imagine, and my skin will stick to it like it's made from velcro. I've not even had the Buck for a week yet, but in that time since I sharpened it I've used it for various different tasks. Cutting open packages, cutting rope, and numerous slicing tasks in the kitchen. And I'm being totally honest when I say that this Buck with the "allegedly" inferior 7CR steel has out performed my para 2, the carbon Opinel , and the AUS 8 Ontario rat 1...? All I do to maintain the edge on this Buck Haxby is give it a couple of runs on the fine ceramic rods in the Lansky turnbox at 20°, then a couple of swipes on the leather. I can't fault this knife. It just gets better and better. And I'm especially pleased with the sensitivity of the pivot screw adjustment. The pivot screw is absolutely solid. It remains solid no matter how much you loosen or tighten it. No need for semi permanent thread locker on this beauty. I can alter the tension and speed that the blade flies open by turning the pivot screw so slightly that I have to concentrate and use feel instead of sight.

From what I read about this steel in my research,.....i can't work it out....?

All I can think is that the Buck I received is a prototype that they were testing with a high end steel, or its completely original and the 7Cr stainless is not what everyone says it is..?

7cr17 is just a Chinese equivalent to 440a.
proper heat treat makes all the difference in this steel just like 420hc.

 

[Tyson Fury]

7cr17 is just a Chinese equivalent to 440a.
proper heat treat makes all the difference in this steel just like 420hc.

Nice one. So do you reckon my buck must have had a good heat treatment..?

 

[jbmonkey]

Nice one. So do you reckon my buck must have had a good heat treatment..?

yes. Buck isn't gonna let their good name get drug down by a subcontractor factory. they have some sort of qc checks on products...but all big makers do this.

plus 440a is not a bad steel at all when done well.

 

[Tyson Fury]

yes. Buck isn't gonna let their good name get drug down by a subcontractor factory. they have some sort of qc checks on products...but all big makers do this.

plus 440a is not a bad steel at all when done well.

Sounds good. Once I've learnt about how the different steels hold up in practice and sharpening etc, I wanna learn about heat treating. In the meantime, when I see another folder that catches my eye, I think I'll try out D2 if there is the option.? I've never had a knife with D2, but it seems to be quite popular from what I've seen so far.

 

[jbmonkey]

Sounds good. Once I've learnt about how the different steels hold up in practice and sharpening etc, I wanna learn about heat treating. In the meantime, when I see another folder that catches my eye, I think I'll try out D2 if there is the option.? I've never had a knife with D2, but it seems to be quite popular from what I've seen so far.

many here love d2 a lot. I do not. i think its alright at best. reasons being..... its toughness is low compared to 420hc. I find it a pain to get right sharpening. for a folder smaller knife i dont dislike it so much, as toughness isn't really needed if using a folder as folder should be used. for a bigger fixed blade I do not like it. prefer much tougher steels like 5160 and 420hc and 3v. even cpm154 is tougher.....talking about steels Buck uses.

also its edge retention isn't as great as many think. isn't bad at all but 3v, s30v and s35vn are better. 154cm is close but just below d2 in catra testing. it is a steel that works well in a knife, but I just prefer other steels to it myself. my biggest hand up is it's lower toughness and pain to get right I sharpening. for you, ya might enjoy the challenge sharpening it. it doesn't seem to like a very refined edge with high grits. performs much better and lasts longer with a toothy edge in my experiences.