Buck's new wood-handled, USA-made slipjoints

[mnblade]

Has anyone seen the new wood-handled slipjoints Buck is reportedly making at their factory in Idaho? Any info (first-hand accounts and/or links) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[300Bucks]

mnblade,

I had a photo in the help-me-pick-a-knife thread. But here is one with all four knives. Note: Color varies, I like the grey wood over the dark. Seems to me more common in 301Stockman than with smaller guys. Rivets are all the same size and in my opinion look a little large on the two small pen knives. USA made. New style shield. Bose heat treated 420HC. Comes with leather pouch, 301 has metal belt clip. What else do you want to know? They are on the Buck website....
300Bucks

 

[FLymon]

mnblade,

I had a photo in the help-me-pick-a-knife thread. But here is one with all four knives. Note: Color varies, I like the grey wood over the dark. Seems to me more common in 301Stockman than with smaller guys. Rivets are all the same size and in my opinion look a little large on the two small pen knives. USA made. New style shield. Bose heat treated 420HC. Comes with leather pouch, 301 has metal belt clip. What else do you want to know? They are on the Buck website....
300Bucks

I have been to the Buck website, but I can't find these. I see a Stockman with 301 in the description but the knife they picture has a different shield and the blades don't look as good as the ones in your pics. Could you post a link?

 

[2brothers]

When I first saw the Buck thread in General about new USA made slippies
I immediately asked my bro to find out some info on them.
He sent me these pics, said they were just "stock" photos but would
have "real" pics when he gets stock on them.
It will be nice to have the USA made stuff back again. :thumbup:

mike

 

[300Bucks]

Flymon,

First, I just don't like there website. Second, Bucks model numbers on the slippes have a code after model number, old black zytel scale 300s have BKS. China BRS, new ones are GYS. The website only showed me 309s and 305s.

I checked two commerical sellers, well known to all, both have them in stock. One had them priced 301GYS 33.95 plus shipping, old style 301BKS 29.95 plus shipping.

I am partial to the lighter grey colored wood but it is a crap shoot with dark wood unless you get to hand pick one.

I am still testing my first one and see no difference in the cutting between the two models. My grey one just looks a little better than black one. 300bucks

 

[FLymon]

Thanks for the info. I found a few different sellers myself. Is it just the photos, or do the blades on the larger stockman have a better grind/finish?

 

[stockdog]

I bought the new wood ones for my Dad and myself, the new 301’s are very smooth, only concern is how the wood will handle chemicals like oils, grease, brake fluid, acetone ect but mine is going for the gusto.

 

[300Bucks]

Fly,
I sorta feel like a salesman but am not, and I have read hundreds of words extolling the virtues of some particular knife in this forum so am not going to worry. After all it is a question thread about new Bucks......

The new wood scale and old plastic scale 300 series both have what is called the edge 2000 grind, mine is sharp enough out of the box that I have no hair on back of left hand. There is a polished 'spine' from tang to back peak and along spine, then remaining blade goes to a ground finish to the cutting edge. The nail nics are in the polished area. All are finished about the same in relation to their blade size. The grind area will have striations from edge of polished blade flat, beveled to cutting edge.

From a good source Buck said it is trying with this new Dymondwood wooden scale and new shield design to slightly upgrade over the old plastic scale models. If all the wood color was a little lighter, I might agree.......But with dark wood it just isn't enough difference for me to get excited over the difference. I am old enough to like old stuff, change has to be for the 'way' better not just for change. If you can go somewhere to compare in hand see if you can find one of the lighter colored ones and see if looks better or not. After all opinions are like rearends everbody gots-em one...... 300bucks

 

[kidwholaughs]

300,

I remember that I used to have a medium stockmen with mop celluloid scales and all steel bolsters and liners. Like a retard, I returned that knife and regret it ever since.
Do you know if Buck still makes that knife?
Thanks

God Bless

 

[Doug S]

I agree with 300 Bucks, they are nice knives, but the color does vary. I also prefer the lighter gray color, but of the 4 I bought, 2 are dark, 2 lighter. Actually on the one, it is very dark on the emblem side, and very light on the reverse, so there isn't much attention given to the scales evidently. I like the look better than the older black ones. Comparing them visually, I think the blades look a little thinner than my older black 301.

 

[Peter Parker]

Yep, yep, yep going to have to have one of those large stockmans!

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I believe you'll find that the spey blades peak above the handle when closed. A little bit of a turnoff for me, but easily fixed.

 

[JD Mandrell]

Actually on the one, it is very dark on the emblem side, and very light on the reverse, so there isn't much attention given to the scales evidently.

I ran into the same thing, front scale was very dark, rear scale was much lighter, and had a few spots where there was no finish at all, just plain bare wood.

Sent it in to see what can be done for that , and a main blade that was loose.

 

[mnblade]

From a good source Buck said it is trying with this new Dymondwood wooden scale and new shield design to slightly upgrade over the old plastic scale models.

I wonder:

Is Dymondwood really wood? Or is it like a "leather" jacket made out of Pleather® ? (I.E. fake wood)

How do you think those shields will hold up in a pocket full of coins and keys and what not? Think that blue paint will chip off ala their old script shields they put on the 700 series slippies?

 

[300Bucks]

Folks, I am just one of you, they are new to me also and untested. Since the scales are pressure finished wood, color may vary. And I was told there is a color difference the supplier is allowed to vary within. It would appear to me that the production line person is the scale matcher. I am thinking they don't have a lot of time on the line to decide whether the back prefectly matches the front. I hope that I am more wrong than right. Even bone scales vary, but somehow you just feel better about that.
Like you'all no idea on the new shield. Some like it some don't. If I was on the TV show that tested all that stuff, I would throw one in a rockhounds tumbler with a few coins and run it a couple of hours and see what it looks like.

I bet it is a work in progress and some tweaks will happen with feedback as all common man testers report their "results" and make comments. I was told by someone in the know that Buck movers and shakers read forums. This discussion has not occurred yet on the Buck forum. I am staying over here more than there...go figure......will watch that spey blade issue on new knives I see and send in comment if it is a standard effect. I have had that on one or two older knives also. One was a late 60s Schrade made Buck. I will end with American made, mid 30's cost, Paul Bos heat treatment, forever warranty. Those are the nice factors. Now if that lighter color was the norm..........

kidwholaughs,
Watch auction sites for white celluloid 303s.

300Bucks

 

[Ice Tigre]

I wonder:

Is Dymondwood really wood? Or is it like a "leather" jacket made out of Pleather® ? (I.E. fake wood)

Yes and no... That's like asking if canvas micarta is cloth.

Dymondwood is thin sheets of wood laminated and pressed with epoxy... Kinda like super plywood. (The same thing that those fancy laminated gun stocks are made of.) Stuff is pretty durable, much like micartas are.

I'm wondering why buck chose grey/black... It is one of the better looking colors of Dymondwood available, but never actually looks like wood.. A nice brown would have been nice IMO.

 

[300Bucks]

Ice Tigre,

Only guessing but, as American made, the dark wood ties it back to old 300 series black scales and brown wood might look too much like the China model scales....Just WAG .......

Now just for record, I liked the old Delrin black plastic scales better than the new black Zytel plastic scales because they seem to take on a better used look. Sorta of an unpolished horn look. But in production cost mode a nice chipped bone or other handle would have increased our costs as knife buyers (especially a concern in this era) . But if I was creating a upscale line to go with my regular line of knives, I would have upscaled the scale also. Nice micrata, yellow bone or brown jigged bone, it would have been worth 15 or 20 bucks more to me. Especially on knives bought as gifts or for special occasion. Whenever I get the $$ courage to buy a stag scale it always seems like a special occasion to me anyway..... Just my opinion.

Like I said before, company people from many manufactors, and I know for sure Buck, lurk in these forums so say what you like or want to see changed. I'm going to...

300Bucks

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

To me the gray has a nice way of appearing like heavily weathered wood.

 

[kidwholaughs]

300

Thanks for all the great info. I think I might invest at 303. Do you know if it still has the SS bolster and liners?Thanks

God Bless

 

[300Bucks]

KWL,

Stainless all the way home.....

42,

I agree on look, and I agree on like.

300