First Buck

[Longden]

Well, after a string of SAKs, Spydercos, Kershaws, CRKTs and Benchmades, I got my first Buck ever, a 501 "Squire", Master Series.

A great knife with a great edge, easily rivalling everything else in my collection for sharpness (out of the box at least).

My questions:

1) How does the edge grind angle compare to Edge 2000? The edge on the BG-42 blade already seems really aggressively thin (looks like a 1/16" edge bevel on either side, like my Kershaws).

2) Is oiling of the pivot recommended? I guess I'm used to the easy one-handed openers. The 501 is reasonably smooth using two hands ... just wondered if it would benefit any from a bit of oil.

3) Another website mentioned a Buck HoneMaster as a great sharpening guide (discontinued) ... any ideas where I can get one or at least see what it looked like?

Thanks to member Jeff Clark for pointing me to finding this guy. I've always wanted a Buck, and maybe this will be the first of many (checked out Pete's Knife Shoppe ... the 110 in BG-42, silver bolsters and Asian water buffalo handles was tempting). Thanks.

 

[Longden]

Doggone it, the Buck crew must've checked out for the weekend. Don't they know the sun never sets on a knife-knut?

 

[David Williams]

Well it's Sun, 12:12am and I'm here

I'm just checking a few forums before I goto bed. I'll have to look up the 501. Is that button fly? Well, I'm a big fan of the 110's and 112's so I check here once in a while to see what's up.

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"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"
-Nordic proverb

 

[Longden]

Hi David. This how you spend your weekends?

He, he, button-fly and this 501 have a lower speed of deployment

The 501 is the Squire, a folder of the 110 type, but thinner handles, drop point and smaller blade.

The Master Series of this knife added BG-42 steel and special handles (diam-wood? or something like that), and is discontinued.

The beveling on this knife seems really aggressive and I just wondered how it compared to Edge 2000. Looked at some of those in the knife shop over the weekend and it seems the beveling was similar. Did MS of knives just use the grind angle before they called it Edge 2000?

 

[Joe Houser]

Hello Long,
Sorry for the delay, I have been working on our club's newsletter.
I will offer my opinions on your questions. Please do not use the honemaster. It is set for one angle. It was a good idea in its time, i would recomend anything that helped hold an angle. These days, if you are like me and need "training wheels" for your sharpening stone, you should try one of the Lansky type devices. Disregard the settings that are usually stamped on the vice and just use the setting which matches your current edge. I could go on and on and on but you did have another question. ;-)
The edge on your 501 may very well be the Edge 2000. We started last year unofficially.
Lastly, i would recomend oiling the blade rivet but more importantly, if you are going to carry the knife in your pocket, make sure you regularly clean out the slot in the blade where the rocker locks in. It can get filled with pocket lint and effect the locks strength.
Hope this helps.

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Joe Houser
Director of Quality, Buck Knives Inc.
Buck Collectors club Administrator

 

[Longden]

Thanks for the info Joe.

I already have the Spyderco Sharpmaker 204, and that's equipped with a 15 degree angle, so I guess that'd work OK too.

Thanks for the tips on oiling and cleaning, yes I am doing a pocket carry right now.

And thanks for clarifying about the edge angle ... it did seem really acute and I wondered how Edge 2000 could be any thinner without rolling over on the first cut