Cabela's Alaskan Guide Series Vanguard

M

monk71

Joined
Mar 14, 2002
Messages
32
Hello all,

It's been a long time since I last posted on this forum.

I am looking for a new fixed blade and I just came across this blade today.

Any opinions on it from those here who own it? How durable is the wood handle?

I am looking for a bushcraft-type blade.

Does this fit the bill?

Thanks!
 
I've got one and I'm very happy. The handle is sturdy and very ergonomic. The S30V blade takes and holds a very sharp edge. It is reasonably tough for utility work. The blade is hollow ground and cuts very well. It is optimized as a hunting knife. You can probably find an ordinary Buck Vanguard in a sporting goods store to handle and see if it fits your needs as a "bushcraft" knife. It is not heavy enough to be an efficient chopper, but it cuts so well it still might work for you. It is an incredible value if it meets your needs.
 
Let me add some pictures:

Buck-Vanguard-21.jpg


Buck-Vanguard-22.jpg


Thanks, Vassili.
 
I have the Cabela's Vanguard and also an earlier version that came with an ATS34 blade and checkered Krayton (or some kind of similar rubber stuff) handle. Actually I liked the feel of the Krayton handle better than the wood one, but that is just a personal preference. I generally don't like wood handles as well as more "grippy" materials like Krayton, G10, or micarta.
 
Actually a couple of internet dealers had the Buck 819 for sale far cheaper than Buck's list price. Their price was $139. However, now they are showing the knives as "Sold Out".

My reservation about buying a Buck 819 is that the knife is a collector's model with Chuck Buck's signature engraved on the blade. I would be reluctant to use the knife for fear of ruining its collector's value.
 
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