Custom 124 is now available with D2, MagnaCut, and CruWear blade steel options - Officially Released on 1/24/2026

[t1mpani]

I'd like some feedback on how well balanced it is, or isn't. Sure digging the stag handle.

Well, I know this is a bit old, but you asked, and I just received mine, in elk and Magnacut. To be honest, I’m not thrilled with it. Very nicely made, beautiful knife, but the full flat grind COMPLETELY changes the character of it. The 124 is traditionally the big heavy bruiser of the Buck line, my old one that I’ve carried and camped and split small firewood with for decades is full thickness all the way out to the swedge at the front and is ever so slightly blade heavy. The new one (because of the grind) drops to 5/32” right in front of the ricasso and is a little over 1/8” out by the swedge grind, decidedly handle-heavy. The blade is just—-I don’t want to use the word dainty, but it’s way more of a fighter/slasher now than a light chopper. I know the new geometry would be a better slicer but I wasn’t really looking for a chef’s knife with a big guard, as I don’t dice many vegetables when I’m out in the field. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very nicely done, not quite what I was hoping.

I may just have to make one—probably do it in 3V as long as I’m taking the trouble because I still think that steel fits this knife the best, and might try my hand at the old Buck compound grind (shallow hollow transitioning into convex at the bottom) because why not—if I screw it up I can always make the hollow deeper and act like I intended it.

 

[GPyro]

Well, I know this is a bit old, but you asked, and I just received mine, in elk and Magnacut. To be honest, I’m not thrilled with it. Very nicely made, beautiful knife, but the full flat grind COMPLETELY changes the character of it. The 124 is traditionally the big heavy bruiser of the Buck line, my old one that I’ve carried and camped and split small firewood with for decades is full thickness all the way out to the swedge at the front and is ever so slightly blade heavy. The new one (because of the grind) drops to 5/32” right in front of the ricasso and is a little over 1/8” out by the swedge grind, decidedly handle-heavy. The blade is just—-I don’t want to use the word dainty, but it’s way more of a fighter/slasher now than a light chopper. I know the new geometry would be a better slicer but I wasn’t really looking for a chef’s knife with a big guard, as I don’t dice many vegetables when I’m out in the field. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very nicely done, not quite what I was hoping.

I may just have to make one—probably do it in 3V as long as I’m taking the trouble because I still think that steel fits this knife the best, and might try my hand at the old Buck compound grind (shallow hollow transitioning into convex at the bottom) because why not—if I screw it up I can always make the hollow deeper and act like I intended it.

Well let's see it.
A picture would be nice.

 

[t1mpani]

Well let's see it.
A picture would be nice.

I’ll pop a few when I get home from work

 

[t1mpani]

So here is some divinely inexpert photography, showing the flat grind version against one of several 124s laying around, including some shots of the calipers showing the thickness differences.

 

[t1mpani]

And, just because I have to, here is Lamont Coombs’ (built to my order) version, 1/4” thick A2 steel, stainless furniture. He said the hardest thing was duplicating the old swivel sheath.

 

[jbmonkey]

So here is some divinely inexpert photography, showing the flat grind version against one of several 124s laying around, including some shots of the calipers showing the thickness differences.

it looks good, but yeah........ the thicker stock hollow grind just looks better to my eye.....

 

[pjsjr]

the thicker stock hollow grind just looks better to my eye.....

I agree, but then I'm a staunch traditionalist.

 

[XJ-linux]

These days, if it isn’t Magnacut, it’s just “steel” to many people. I appreciate choice, but I’d just get a Shokwood in 440, a spare Custom 112/110, and call it a win.

 

[t1mpani]

I was intending to do a bit of a comparison, Bos heat treated 420HC vs Magnacut in cutting some saplings/brush I need to clear. Not abusive but enough chopping and snap cutting to get an impression of the toughness difference, after resetting both edges to exactly the same geometry. I may still. Obviously the Magnacut will out “edge-hold” the 420, but I wanted to compare resilience doing some splitting/twisting, without going crazy with it. I’ve split plenty of deer sternums with 420HC over the years—it’s always impressed me in toughness. These days I make most knives in AEB-L, similar in toughness and can get up into the low 60s HRC so it’ll keep an edge a bit longer. I’d love a 124 in AEB-L too. Hmmm, AEB-L, 3V…decisions decisions….

 

[riversidedep]

I really wish they would add the option to have longer blade lengths on the custom 124s like the old custom shop offered.

 

[ferider]

it looks good, but yeah........ the thicker stock hollow grind just looks better to my eye.....

I disagree, no better, no worse, just different. Good to have a choice …. Flat grind is easier to cut - say - salami or cheese with. I’m glad I got it …. I have plenty of hollow ground 119 and 124 already. And my first BOS Cruwear knife, too …

 

[jbmonkey]

I disagree, no better, no worse, just different. Good to have a choice …. Flat grind is easier to cut - say - salami or cheese with. I’m glad I got it …. I have plenty of hollow ground 119 and 124 already. And my first BOS Cruwear knife, too …

functionally this flat grind should work better for some cutting tasks, no disagreement here. visually I prefer the hollow on this knife. its not a bad looker though with the ffg.....somehow the hollow makes it look better visually to my eye. maybe cause there is so few hollow ground bigger knives nowadays and so many ffg ones. dont know....just prefer the hollow visually on this knife

 

[cbach8tw]

functionally this flat grind should work better for some cutting tasks, no disagreement here. visually I prefer the hollow on this knife. its not a bad looker though with the ffg.....somehow the hollow makes it look better visually to my eye. maybe cause there is so few hollow ground bigger knives nowadays and so many ffg ones. dont know....just prefer the hollow visually on this knife

The hollow ground does look better than the FFG, but it does make the small swedge up front look cool, you notice it more because of the FFG.