CSAR-T Avid on the way (pics)

J

joe-bob

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Sep 9, 2007
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Well, I thought I was all done with tactical knives until I saw the Buck/Tops CSAR knives. I had no idea that a more afforable one was coming out until today, and I just couldn't help but pull the trigger. I'll put up pics when it comes.

Scroll down for phtots.
 
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Well, I guess I didn't research this enough before I pulled the trigger. I thought this knife would be a brute like the original, but without the boutique steel. I just found out that the blade is only 2/3 as thick as the original, (.120 vs. .175), and .120 isn't particularly stout.

Anybody have one of these? Can you share your opinions?
 
I didn't really look at them. Was a bit bummed when I saw the price difference since I have one of the older versions.

Sounds like the new one looks the same but isn't. Explains the price some I guess.

Hope that you're not disappointed with it. I think it could be better in some ways and would be less of a sharpened pry bar.
 
ohen cepel said:
Sounds like the new one looks the same but isn't. Explains the price some I guess.

Hope that you're not disappointed with it. I think it could be better in some ways and would be less of a sharpened pry bar.
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Well, I'm a little disappointed already, but we'll see when it gets here. You may be right that it could actually be better.

The handle is different, I knew that, and I'm not really a big fan of the over-textured handle of the original. Many years as a mechanic showed me that I want smooth tools in my hands, not something that's going to chew my skin off.

What I didn't know was that it wasn't the same thick blade. It's due in Monday, I'll keep y'all posted.
 
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The knife came in today. New Graham sends you free Band-Aids! ;)

It's a stout folder with a nice heft to it. The blade is sharp and evenly ground. The lockup is very tight, as was the pivot; which I loosened some. As mentioned above the blade is .120 thick, the handles are Kraton/rubber...something. It's grippy. The knife has two .075 liners and anothe .050 liner just for the lock. The sheath is very "tactical" but a leather one would be better IMHO, a pocket clip option would be nice, too.

I'm sorry the pics aren't good, I just have an ancient point-n-shoot digital camera.

CSAR-T1.jpg


CSAR-T2.jpg


CSAR-T4.jpg


CSAR-T5.jpg
 
Wow, what it looks like to me is that Buck took a folding Alpha Hunter, put a hex socket in one side of the lanyard hole and added the csar style blade. The rubber grips and frame look near identical.
 
joe-bob said:
The knife came in today. New Graham sends you free Band-Aids! ;)

It's a stout folder with a nice heft to it. The blade is sharp and evenly ground. The lockup is very tight, as was the pivot; which I loosened some. As mentioned above the blade is .120 thick, the handles are Kraton/rubber...something. It's grippy. The knife has two .075 liners and anothe .050 liner just for the lock. The sheath is very "tactical" but a leather one would be better IMHO, a pocket clip option would be nice, too.

I'm sorry the pics aren't good, I just have an ancient point-n-shoot digital camera.
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I'd be willing to bet that a leather sheath for the Alpha would work just fine for you.

Scratch the leather Alpha sheath idea. I just tried my CSAR in it and there's too much blade (the spine) sticking out to fit well. If it wasn't for that it would work fine with the clip removed.
 
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I always thought Buck should do a satin Alpha blade in a Bravo frame. You would have a better blade shape/grind for general utility with the G10 scales and pocket clip of the Bravo. The CSAR Avid blade would work just as well too, even though I dont like the holes in the blade. I dont know why Buck did the Alpha frame with those rubber scales and no pocket clip. Even the CSAR-T has a pocket clip.
 
BTW, the CSAR style blade and sheath will cost you $26 more than a regular Alpha, even though its the same steel, length, and thickness.
 
Here's what I mean about too much blade to fit the Alpha sheath. The leather sheath is too narrow to fit this monster.

AlphaandCSAR-T.jpg
 
Thanks for the pic, Plumberdv. My blade sits the same way yours does, and yes, this looks like a slightly modified Alpha. I'm actually fine with that, the CSAR-T Avid is a solid working knife.


BTW -- the black knife easel in my pics is courtesy of Knife Crazied, who was kind enough to send me a couple. Thanks, Ashley! :D
 
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Stringfellow Hawke said:
If this is the Avid, are we to consider the original CSAR-T the Pro?
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Last years style is still the "Pro" this year. There are now two "Avids", the one that the OP has is actually called CSAR-T Avid, the other is called the CSAR-T Responder. Both how ever have the "Avid" symbol next to them in the catalog.

I wonder why they are designated "Avids" with 420HC blades? Nearly all other Avids (Vantages, Paradigms, Alpha's, Lux etc.) have either 12C27Mod or 13C26 Sanvik steel blades and the others with 420HC like the two CSAR-T Avids are designated as "Selects". :confused:

Every other with the exception of the 113 Skinner with 420HC is designated as a Select.

csars.jpg
 
Thanks, Plum.

I just checked BUCK's site and they don't refer to the 095 as "PRO" on it's page, but on the Avid's it does-

Basically, this folder is a reduced weight version of the CSAR-T Pro Folder

I imagine it will start being refered to as PRO in the future, though.

On the 420HC/Avid combo, might they have thought the 420HC was better suited, as in tougher, in a knife marketed as hard-use?

Also congrats on your knife, joe bob. Use it in good health.
 
Stringfellow Hawke said:
Thanks, Plum.

I just checked BUCK's site and they don't refer to the 095 as "PRO" on it's page, but on the Avid's it does-
Click to expand...

You're right about that ("Pro" isn't in the knifes name) but next to the knives on the top right hand side in line with the knifes name, there is a symbol with an anvil in it. They are either "Pro", "Avid" or "Select" designating which the knife is considered. The "Pro" symbol is next to the orginal and the "Avid" is next to the other two models.

That refers to the catalog, not the web site.
 
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Plumberdv,

After thinking about it a little, in your picture, it's clear that the original CSAR-T is an Alpha frame, too.
 
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