- Joined
- Dec 2, 1999
- Messages
- 12,249
I received a free Buck River Rafter Crosslock model with the purchase of some other blades. Unfortunately the liner snapped past the blade tang.
I sent it back to Buck and they sent me a replacement. I'll do a little review here.
The knife uses the Cross Lock handle which is a smooth black and yellow torpedo shape. The blade is a sharp, and very sturdy sheeps foot blade. It's at this point that some aspects of the knife become difficult to review.
The problem is that by the name River Rafter I would assume this model was designed for use while rafting or while being around water.
If I where designing a knife with this is mind I'd made sure the handle was no slip of some kind, this handle is "slip". I would probably put some sort of guard as an extra precaution to keep the hand from sliding up on the blade. There is no guard. I would probably make it so that it would be easy to open with cold and or wet hands. Well it's not bad to open, but the thumb stud lies right against the handle and in fact I think it doubles as a blade stop. So any kind of one handed opening while cold and wet would be more difficult.
When I received the knife the liner locked up at about 50% in the center of the blade. After 5 openings it now is at 75%. It seems to have stopped further movement, and it survives a light spine whack without any problem.
Overall the execution of the knife is good, but for some reason I just can't figure out why it was designed the way it was since it's called the River Rafter.
I wonder if the crosslock series was created, then they added different blade shapes for different functions, while leaving base handle design the same.
Update:
This replacement knife developed the same problem as the first knife, that is liner snapping past the tang after about an hours worth TV play.
So, it goes back someday, I don't think I'll ask for a replacement.
I sent it back to Buck and they sent me a replacement. I'll do a little review here.
The knife uses the Cross Lock handle which is a smooth black and yellow torpedo shape. The blade is a sharp, and very sturdy sheeps foot blade. It's at this point that some aspects of the knife become difficult to review.
The problem is that by the name River Rafter I would assume this model was designed for use while rafting or while being around water.
If I where designing a knife with this is mind I'd made sure the handle was no slip of some kind, this handle is "slip". I would probably put some sort of guard as an extra precaution to keep the hand from sliding up on the blade. There is no guard. I would probably make it so that it would be easy to open with cold and or wet hands. Well it's not bad to open, but the thumb stud lies right against the handle and in fact I think it doubles as a blade stop. So any kind of one handed opening while cold and wet would be more difficult.
When I received the knife the liner locked up at about 50% in the center of the blade. After 5 openings it now is at 75%. It seems to have stopped further movement, and it survives a light spine whack without any problem.
Overall the execution of the knife is good, but for some reason I just can't figure out why it was designed the way it was since it's called the River Rafter.
I wonder if the crosslock series was created, then they added different blade shapes for different functions, while leaving base handle design the same.
Update:
This replacement knife developed the same problem as the first knife, that is liner snapping past the tang after about an hours worth TV play.
So, it goes back someday, I don't think I'll ask for a replacement.