Buck Heat treating ??

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ericvar101

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Feb 24, 2012
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I am interested in buying a Buck knife (spacifically the 337BKS-B Paradigm - Pro ) it is made with premium S30V steel, but as you know, heat treating is as important as blade material when it comes to blade quality, but I have not been able to find any information on the hardness of the blade. Does anyone know how I would find the HRC(Rockwell hardness scale) rating on knives made by Buck. they are commonly listed for other knives I own made by Benchmade and Sypderco, but I cant find anything on Bucks website.
 
I wouldnt worry to much with Buck knives. Their heat treat is done by the best in the business Paul Bos. Any steel you get from Buck will probably be as good as it can get heat treat wise
 
ericvar101 said:
I am interested in buying a Buck knife (spacifically the 337BKS-B Paradigm - Pro ) it is made with premium S30V steel, but as you know, heat treating is as important as blade material when it comes to blade quality, but I have not been able to find any information on the hardness of the blade. Does anyone know how I would find the HRC(Rockwell hardness scale) rating on knives made by Buck. they are commonly listed for other knives I own made by Benchmade and Sypderco, but I cant find anything on Bucks website.
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I do not know the HRC on their knives, but I would imagine all the major companies would be around the same area. I have one of the Paradigm Pros, and I have yet to notice anything bad about the S30V. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that hardness is not the whole of what makes up a good steel?
 
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The hardness is absolutely important the quaility of the blade. It would be nice if Buck will give you this information. I'm sure the Buck will be fine, but I know exactly what my Benchmades (581 Barage & & 746 mini-Onslaught) are rated at becuase BM tell you. It would be nice if Buck would give you that info.

if you do a google search you'll find some good reading on the importance of the harness of your blade. its evident when you look at your blade under a microscope.
 
ericvar101 said:
The hardness is absolutely important the quaility of the blade. It would be nice if Buck will give you this information. I'm sure the Buck will be fine, but I know exactly what my Benchmades (581 Barage & & 746 mini-Onslaught) are rated at becuase BM tell you. It would be nice if Buck would give you that info.

if you do a google search you'll find some good reading on the importance of the harness of your blade. its evident when you look at your blade under a microscope.
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I think you misunderstood what I typed. I did not say it was not important, only that it is not the only factor to good steel. If I remember correctly, a very hard steel will be difficult to sharpen and may be prone to chipping.
 
Buck stays around 58 (give or take one or two) on most everything as far as I know.

You don't want to get that S30V too hard or it will chip.
 
Paul Bos retired,but trained the guy who does the heat treating for Buck.I can't think of the guys name,maybe someone here can help me with that.I think Buck knives blades are some of the best,when it comes to the heat treatment.
 
I hope Buck will update thier website listed above to include the HRC of the Sandvik steels
 
Yes, its in there 2011 catalog, real easy to find and states they heat treat S30V to 59-61. Plus, I agree with Kim, heat treating is important but there are other factors of equal level. ie. blade profile, edge grind, steel mfg., ect. Come to mind. DM
 
Yes, the Sandvik steel is in there as well on the same page. Buck heat treats it to 58-60RC. DM
 
As far as I can tell, from all the reading that I have done, Paul Bos set the standard for heat treating and others have had to play catch up.
 
Actually, Hoyt Buck set the standard.

His knives sold well and gained popularity because he had a superior heat treat.

Bos continued that standard.

:)
 
Paul Bos told me that he targets 59.5-60 for S30V. And I seem to recall Chuck Buck saying that was what they were running it at in production knives. Knarfeng's Rc test would appear to confirm this.
 
...Just because a blade has a high RC rating does not mean that it has been properly heat treated. Buck is second to none in the that department. I don't worry too much about the RC rating on a Buck knives because I know they have maximized the potential of the steel. ...My two cents.
 
GRIM 62 said:
Paul Bos retired,but trained the guy who does the heat treating for Buck.I can't think of the guys name,maybe someone here can help me with that.I think Buck knives blades are some of the best,when it comes to the heat treatment.
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Paul Farner, that guy's been working under BOS for 10+ years before taking over. Pretty safe to say he is as good as Paul Bos.
Though he does have a different name, we will just call him BOS2.0 out of convience.
 
ah .. i have two centiveveo's to add to this thread

holt hardened hoes then later in life made knives for army air gi's near his home

he tought al to make them from files and large saw blades
it is my understanding that they were sescussfull because
the took their knives to a higher hardness then most every one else did
and they offered sharpening service on them

the general idea back in the 40's and 50's was softer so it was easy to sharpen
esp if you used one a lot and again softer blades did not break so easy also

when buck incorpated they went to stainless steel a 440C
but hardened it much more them others did

bucks oven befor BOS and the 3 dots got hot but
did not have but one heat sensor in the center
this would allow at times for the center batch to be great but
some on the edge might not get as hard through and through
i KNOW from my 1960's and 1970's knives that some knives when warn 1/16 back
they would get to the point they would not take an edge

this improved drasticly in the 3 dots
as
Bos took and put high temp fans in the oven and more heat sensors
thus every blade got the true good temper that most bucks had
Bos was an early expermenter in cold treatment of blades also

so ... i hope i am not wrong on the above
if so
SOME ONE CORRECT ME !!
;)
 
In 1950- Emerson Case of Robeson Knives perfected the freeze treatment of stainless steel blades. Many heat treaters began discovering this cryogenic treatment thur his notes later, 15-20yrs. later. As he was the fore runner. Information came much slower then because no internet. However, Buck was one of the first cutlery companies to move in this direction hence, good heat treating is synonymous with their name. DM
 
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