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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Buck Stockman 301
- Thread starter 22 hornet
- Start date
David Martin
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Welcome 22 hornet, Bear Claw or 300 Bucks will know this . Hang in there they will be along to answer . DM
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Buck switched the blade layout in 1991, when they went to a design where each blade has it's own backspring, rather than the sheepsfoot and spey blades sharing one like most stockman patterns.
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- Jul 30, 2006
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In this thread
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=682949
A Buck 303 was tested and compared to a Queen and North Woods.
Along toward the end of the thread, the OP gets to the hard use part. He said that the layout of the blades on the Buck, plus the three-spring design that does not require that the blades be bent, made the Buck significantly easier to use for serious cutting tasks.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=682949
A Buck 303 was tested and compared to a Queen and North Woods.
Along toward the end of the thread, the OP gets to the hard use part. He said that the layout of the blades on the Buck, plus the three-spring design that does not require that the blades be bent, made the Buck significantly easier to use for serious cutting tasks.
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- Apr 19, 2005
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- 5,533
I may be dreaming this. I know I have heard why but can't find it written down to quote.
But for better or worse on my part here goes...... the spey blade is the least used blade in a stockman. Generally in the past era the spay was kept as a fine and thin edge used for delicate cutting...hence the reference to "spay". The sheepsfoot was second in use (clip being first) and was a heavier made blade which lent itself to hard cutting, scraping, carving, chipping,etc. Placement on the opposite end, using Bucks three spring construction, gives that blade (and pin) support of the other spring ends which makes that end of the knife "stronger". It also centers the blade in the axis of the knife and arranges the nail nics to better fit with the Buck Stockmans scale profile to improve access by fingernail. You will notice with the change in from two springs to three the blade locations are better suited for the spey to be with clip and on the outside of the reverse, as it goes deeper into the blade well and the sheepsfoot is taller in the blade well and makes nic access better for a center blade. Note the scale profile changed from Camillus made two springs to three spring made Bucks. Which came first the chicken or the egg. Or in this case Camillus or Buck.... The clip blade itself was reduced in width from the Camillus made knife to the Buck made knife. The older knife the sheepsfoot was as high as the ciip, in the first three spring knife the clip is almost overshadowed by the sheepsfoot height (width). More than you wanted to know.........
300Bucks
Represented here by 303 for smaller photo.
Camillus 2 spring, spey opposite clip: Buck made 2 spring, notice scale change: Buck made 3 spring 1991, spey with clip/ sheep opposite
But for better or worse on my part here goes...... the spey blade is the least used blade in a stockman. Generally in the past era the spay was kept as a fine and thin edge used for delicate cutting...hence the reference to "spay". The sheepsfoot was second in use (clip being first) and was a heavier made blade which lent itself to hard cutting, scraping, carving, chipping,etc. Placement on the opposite end, using Bucks three spring construction, gives that blade (and pin) support of the other spring ends which makes that end of the knife "stronger". It also centers the blade in the axis of the knife and arranges the nail nics to better fit with the Buck Stockmans scale profile to improve access by fingernail. You will notice with the change in from two springs to three the blade locations are better suited for the spey to be with clip and on the outside of the reverse, as it goes deeper into the blade well and the sheepsfoot is taller in the blade well and makes nic access better for a center blade. Note the scale profile changed from Camillus made two springs to three spring made Bucks. Which came first the chicken or the egg. Or in this case Camillus or Buck.... The clip blade itself was reduced in width from the Camillus made knife to the Buck made knife. The older knife the sheepsfoot was as high as the ciip, in the first three spring knife the clip is almost overshadowed by the sheepsfoot height (width). More than you wanted to know.........
300Bucks
Represented here by 303 for smaller photo.
Camillus 2 spring, spey opposite clip: Buck made 2 spring, notice scale change: Buck made 3 spring 1991, spey with clip/ sheep opposite
Last edited:
David Martin
Moderator
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- Apr 7, 2008
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- 19,520
Thanks 300, good write up and supporting photos . The 1991 example looks to be the arrangement Buck is still using today, going on 20yrs.. In Blade's Guide To Knives, I've read that the spey blade was a shape actually designed for Veterinarians to perform that operation (spay) . To me thats the better skinning blade on this pattern . But I never use it for castrating, only the sheeps foot . Then the clip for more general use . DM