Gots a new Companion

[knarfeng]

You know I've used 301's and 303's for decades. Never tried the little 309 Companion. Over in the Traditional Forum, there's a fella who goes by the name of jackknife who writes up little stories. Always fun to read. A couple of weeks ago he had a story in which a 309 figured prominently. After reading it, I figured maybe I was missing something. So I bought one. You know by golly I think I HAVE been missing something. This is a really cool little knife.

It's a robust, solidly built, little thing, just as you would expect from Buck, and the snappiest blades I've seen on any modern Buck. The shape of the main blade took a bit of getting used to. It's kind of a cross between a Clip and a Wharncliffe. It's very sharp and pointy at the end and just barely has a curve to it. I've been carrying it this weekend and I found it to be really well suited for a small knife. Great for opening packages and plastic bags, just like a regular Wharncliffe or a Sheepsfoot would be.

I have to take my hat off to the Buck designers on that blade shape, even if it does look a bit odd.

I know most of the fellas here are collectors, but, if by chance you need a nice shiny new small friend to help you open all those packages of knives, I do recommend a nice little 309.

 

[supratentorial]

I had a chance to chicken eye the 300 series knives at a local knife store this weekend. Oo The 309 would fit nicely in a watch pocket. I especially like the old yeller handles.

 

[whetrock]

I love the 309 it's one of Bucks more overlooked patterns for sure also the yellow Derlin handles look great that knife just looks like it is just begging to be carried.

 

[fishinfs]

Thanks for the pic!

 

[ItsTooEarly]

Knarfeng, nice little 309 you got there... I have a Black handle one that I use... ITE ... :thumbup:

 

[300Bucks]

Knar, The new 309s I say have a 'stealth fighter' main blade. I use to carry one in my uniform pants in the watch pocket but now I wear lighter pants with no watch pocket. I have had to go to the small in-pocket sheath I hang from my belt, which I have shown many times in the past. My EDC 309 is one of the web special elk scales. Typical situation though, one side good one less so......

300Bucks

 

[zerogee]

I've probably had more 309's than any other knife - they're the only ones I've ever carried and used to the point of being "used up". Great little knives - they're the perfect minimum to me. Just long enough and just wide enough to be easy to handle and use and plenty small enough to be easy to carry in several ways. I much prefer a two blade pen to a two blade jack -- with the pen it doesn't matter how it's oriented when it comes out of my pocket.

The only real negatives are that I would prefer that they had the main blade sit higher and be a bit longer and deeper (there's plenty of room to do so) - there's no reason that it couldn't be just a tiny bit smaller than the 303 main blade - and of course, the aesthetics of the main clip - yeah, it's kinda ugly, but it does work well.

 

[300Bucks]

For your photo pleasure, Subject 309s (It's a 109 outside, looking for reason to stay in)

Likely the most common model 309, Camillus made contract knife.

Here's photo to compare old yellow 309 with new yellow 309. You get the idea of what my friends are talking about on the main blade.

Here's a group of 309s with a Camillus made model on the left and they get newer as you go right.

Here's a group of the fancy scaled old models.

Here's the front view of my new elk 309. Boy, does that look pretty to me. I realized its a personal relationship. Another 1/8 inch in
blade length sure looks possible.

Here's the back view. Think I can use some color and improve her looks, but how?

300Bucks

 

[zerogee]

Here's the front view of my new elk 309. Boy, does that look pretty to me. I realized its a personal relationship. Another 1/8 inch in
blade length sure looks possible.

Here's the back view. Think I can use some color and improve her looks, but how?

300Bucks

If you lift the main blade up about 1/8" from closed, you can see that they could easily put rather more blade in the frame.

As for coloring the scales, an easy thing to try would be to use some 400-600 grit sandpaper to open the surface of the elk, degrease them thoroughly (Dawn, hot water, soft toothbrush, then some pure alcohol), let them dry, then use a q-tip to apply some oil based leather dye - perhaps a light brown or medium brown. To begin with, I'd wipe it off after a bit to see what's happening, rather than letting it dry - you can adjust your process once you see how fast or slow the elk is coloring. You'll probably need to do it several times (and may want to heat the scales a bit if it's being too slow -- just be careful of heat, since the scales are glued on).

 

[300Bucks]

Thanks Dwight,

I will follow the golden rules: go slow and carefully, stop before you go to much.

300

 

[knarfeng]

Here's the front view of my new elk 309. Boy, does that look pretty to me. I realized its a personal relationship. Another 1/8 inch in
blade length sure looks possible.

300Bucks

Looks pretty to me, too. Very, very nice.