Buck Model 124 information please...

Plumberdv · Jun 2, 2013

Hypermole said:
Hello,

I'm hoping to get my first fixed blade soon and started looking at the different styles today. Are there any particular things I should keep a eye out for on the Buck 124?

Thanks

I'm not sure what you are asking. I've never seen or heard of a fake one, so I wouldn't be concerned with getting duped in that way. Otherwise, I'd be on the look out for new or like new condition if looking at the older ones, but you can't go wrong with one of the new models available right now.

Hypermole · Jun 2, 2013

Plumberdv said:
I'm not sure what you are asking. I've never seen or heard of a fake one, so I wouldn't be concerned with getting duped in that way. Otherwise, I'd be on the look out for new or like new condition if looking at the older ones, but you can't go wrong with one of the new models available right now.

I guess that is what I'm asking. Were they made with better materials in the past? Also, would this be the first fix blade you would want with you in a survival type environment? I have a friend who keeps trying to convince me to save up for a Busse.

Plumberdv · Jun 3, 2013

When they were first introduced, they had a phenolic wrap around handle, but I don't think that lasted long. They changed to a micarta handle and used 440C steel. The handles changed to resin impregnated birch about 1983 and continued with the 440C steel until about 1981 when they changed to 425M. In 1992 they started phasing in 420HC steel and that's what they used today in the new re-introduced models.

Some will say that the 440C is a better steel than the 420HC, but that depends on what you want in your knife. The 425M is supposed to be about the equal of 420HC. The new ones have great looking micarta handles similar to the early models and I don't think there's any reason to think the old micarta is better than the new stuff.

I don't know the first thing about a Busse and hope to never get into a survival type environment, so I won't comment on that. I do think that the 124 will handle just about anything you throw at it.