Buck or Case?

cgmblade

cgmblade

Joined
Jun 4, 2009
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1,358
Okay, so I just got the Queen Lg Stockman w/ Bird's eye maple handles. It's a very nice knife, but now I need to start thinking about next month.

Looking to stay with the stockman style. I'm considering either the Buck 301 or 303 or the Case CA-35 medium stockman w/ cv and yellow delrin handles.

At 4" closed the Queen is great for weekends and when I expect to have a real need for a good knife, but it's a little large for edc when working. I believe the 301 is 3 7/ 8" closed and the Case is about 3.5" and the 303 is the smallest at about 3". Does anyone have any thoughts on these knives and which one might be best for edc in terms of ease of carry and functionality?

Also, I'm a little confused by all the handle materials for Case knives. Which ones should I be looking at if I'm interested in users and not just collector models?

Thanks much.
Chris
 
Just get a Buck. They are inexpensive and they do the job every time, and you don't have to worry about if they're collectible or not. Just buy and use.
 
case medium cv in yeller cannot be beat, actually case gets labeled a collectors knife but all of the case i have are my users and perform wonderfully, even their stainless trusharp is pretty good!
I would recommend the Cv line in amber bone too! I have a large stockman that is one of my everyday carries... But my favs are my yeller cv medium stockman and my soddie jr... excellent knives and excellent value too:thumbup:
i'm sure the bucks would be more than capable too, i just have a soft spot for the yeller cv line:D
good luck to ya
ivan
 
Well, I've owned and carried both Bucks and Cases for a long time, and while I don't have any new-new ones, I'd say either way you won't be disappointed. If I were you, I'd go for what you like cosmetically.

Parker
 
catspa said:
Well, I've owned and carried both Bucks and Cases for a long time, and while I don't have any new-new ones, I'd say either way you won't be disappointed. If I were you, I'd go for what you like cosmetically.

Parker
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Another vote here for buying what you like. That being said, I also have a soft spot for the yellow Cases. One of my fave EDC's is a barehead slimline trapper in yellow, great little workhorse.
 
I too have owned and used both. The yella handle Case in Cv is a must have for a traditional knife affictionado. I don't know if it gets any more classic than well patined carbon blades and yellow scales.

On the other hand...

The knife I carried and used the most was a Buck 301. I put that knife to a lot of chores, and a lot of dirty jobs, and it always came out fine. I don't know if they still do, but Buck used to make it an advertising point that they had a stainless steel pivot pin in the 303 and 301 knives. I also don't know if it really made a difference in the real world survivability of these knives, but they are the tanks of the pocket knife world. I've heard it said that the new 301's are actually better than the old ones made by Camillus.

You need to have both. Either is an exellent knife. It really comes down to taste.
 
The Case and the Buck are really different knives. Buck is a tank of a knife. Case is much more refine. Instead of the yeller handles. I would go the Medium Stockmen Amber Bone in CV. The Case f&f has a huge leg up on Buck.

God Bless
 
catspa said:
Well, I've owned and carried both Bucks and Cases for a long time, and while I don't have any new-new ones, I'd say either way you won't be disappointed. If I were you, I'd go for what you like cosmetically.

Parker
Click to expand...

+1

I would have no reservation about buying and carrying either. I have several Buck Fixed blades, but no folders. If the quality of their folders is equal to the quality of their fixed blades (which I suspect it is) they are excellent knives. My EDC has been a case full size trapper, and its been great.
 
Buck 303 or 373 are just about as perfect as a Stockman can get. At least as far as utility go. The domestic Buck 303 usually comes in a black delrin handled package, tough scales made to take a beating. The imported 373 have wooden handles, and look "prettier", but still tough as nails. They are a bit hefty, but smaller then 301. A tad bit shorter then the Case medium stockman, but heftier. Big enough to handle ANY cutting chore, while just small enough to look totally unthreatening and very sheeple friendly. As has been said, though, Case knives are great. Their CV steel, while not as great at edge retention as the Buck steel, is an awesome user steel, and their tru-sharp is not bad at all either. Buy both and it's a win-win if you ask me. LOL.
 
Case 63032 in amber bone cv. like this brown bone. 3 5/8.



P1010041-2.jpg
 
It's going to be a hard choice to make. Eventually I'm sure I'll get all three of them, but for now I just don't know. I'm leaning toward the 303 Cadet simply because it is smaller than the others and fills a void in my collection, size-wise.

I appreciate all the input and opinions.
Chris
 
I'll jump on the bandwagon, and agree with the others. Both are very good knives. The Buck is more utilitarian, while the Case seems more nostalgic IMO. Functionally, I think they are comparable.

One thing not really mentioned is that although the 303 is smaller, the cutting edge of the blade is very close to the larger 301 and Case Medium Stockman. The 301 has a larger handle which makes cutting more comfortable, and the blades are noticably thicker.

Today I spent the entire day standing in a day long snow shower. While the snow came down, I used one of my 301s to clean crud off of a bunch of old bolts, and to open some packaging that a friend was working with. I also used it to dig a splinter out of my finger after I finished splitting firewood. I mention this because the knife got soak and wet from the snowflakes, and got put away in my pocket wet. I chose the Buck over my CV Case knives because it was less worry while working out in the elements. Tonight I'm taking my wife and kids to an ice skating birthday party and I'll have a Case CV in my pocket.
 
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I carry a Buck 303 and love it. Had it for 20+ years. If they still make 'em as good as they did then, you can't go wrong.
 
Voltron said:
Buck 303 or 373 are just about as perfect as a Stockman can get. At least as far as utility go. The domestic Buck 303 usually comes in a black delrin handled package, tough scales made to take a beating. The imported 373 have wooden handles, and look "prettier", but still tough as nails. They are a bit hefty, but smaller then 301. A tad bit shorter then the Case medium stockman, but heftier. Big enough to handle ANY cutting chore, while just small enough to look totally unthreatening and very sheeple friendly. As has been said, though, Case knives are great. Their CV steel, while not as great at edge retention as the Buck steel, is an awesome user steel, and their tru-sharp is not bad at all either. Buy both and it's a win-win if you ask me. LOL.
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I love Bucks, and own several of them.

I think they get better performance out of 420 steel than anybody in the industry.

But to say that their 420 stainless holds an edge better than Case CV?

I don't know if my experience would verify that.

Is there a test someone has done that proves this?

I would be surprised if that were the case. My unscientific opinion is that the CV would do a little better than Buck's 420.
 
Coonskinner said:
I love Bucks, and own several of them.

I think they get better performance out of 420 steel than anybody in the industry.

But to say that their 420 stainless holds an edge better than Case CV?

I don't know if my experience would verify that.

Is there a test someone has done that proves this?

I would be surprised if that were the case. My unscientific opinion is that the CV would do a little better than Buck's 420.
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Yeah. A few people on here have done tests in the past and and the Buck steel out cut the CV, but not by much. I don't have a premium account, so I was going back page by page just looking to see topics I missed before I joined, and there were a few tests. Wouldn't know where to tell you to look though, what year or month. Perhaps a mod can help you with that one.
 
Case, because I am a CV fan. If you were going stainless, then it would be a toss up. My decision is purely based on aesthetics, rather than performance. I just love the look of the CV steel on a knife.
 
If you decide on a Buck. Get the sawcut black scale, the word 'Tank" was mentioned.
If you want a fancy Buck, look on auction site for a pearl scale Buck. Made about 3 years in the early 2000s, you see them for sale frequently. They will do for a nice 'Sunday-go-to-meetin' knife' in case you need to cut a hanging string off the hem of a pretty girls dress.

300Bucks
 
Since this is the traditional forum I will try to use traditional examples.

This is one decision you don't need to worry about. You can't go wrong!
It's like deciding to go home with Rita Hayworth or Marilyn Monroe :D
 
Relayer said:
I carry a Buck 303 and love it. Had it for 20+ years. If they still make 'em as good as they did then, you can't go wrong.
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They do. I have a Camillus-Buck 303, which I carried every day for years. I also have a Buck Buck 303. While the designs are slightly different, the new is as good as the old.

100_2884.jpg
 
Doug S said:
I'll jump on the bandwagon, and agree with the others. Both are very good knives. The Buck is more utilitarian, while the Case seems more nostalgic IMO. Functionally, I think they are comparable.

One thing not really mentioned is that although the 303 is smaller, the cutting edge of the blade is very close to the larger 301 and Case Medium Stockman. The 301 has a larger handle which makes cutting more comfortable, and the blades are noticably thicker.

Today I spent the entire day standing in a day long snow shower. While the snow came down, I used one of my 301s to clean crud off of a bunch of old bolts, and to open some packaging that a friend was working with. I also used it to dig a splinter out of my finger after I finished splitting firewood. I mention this because the knife got soak and wet from the snowflakes, and got put away in my pocket wet. I chose the Buck over my CV Case knives because it was less worry while working out in the elements. Tonight I'm taking my wife and kids to an ice skating birthday party and I'll have a Case CV in my pocket.
Click to expand...

While I don't worry about snow in San Diego, I do live near the beach. When I go to the beach, it is usually a Buck that is in my pocket for much the same reason you take one into the snow. No worries.
 
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