Nothing fancy, but it's a Buck, it's American made, so a Squire has been added...

PocketKnifeJimmy

PocketKnifeJimmy

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Aug 4, 2013
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Was at a local sporting goods store... So, of course I checked out their knife selection. Nothing was new in since my last visit to them, so I simply asked to see one of their standard carried knives, a Buck 501 Squire... Ahh, what the heck, home it came with me! :-)
 
Good choice!

The 501 is my favorite size they make. It fits in a pocket just right as well as my hand. :)
 
I don't own a ton of Bucks, but I do have Buck represented in my collection of American made folders, including the 110, 112, and now this 501. I had to send a brand new Buck 55 to the factory because it arrived to me with a very wobbly/loose blade. When she comes back, it too will be added. I Also own a few fixed bladed bucks, and how could that not include a 119 Special ;-)
 
The 501 was my first Buck. Not sure exactly when I got it, but it was late '70s or early '80s. Well before they started putting the tang date stamp on 'em. Love that knife. It was one of two EDCs that I had back then and it got real work in the field. Never failed me.

I had retired it and a couple of months ago I dug it back out. Noticed some side-to-side blade play and sent it to Buck to fix. It came back better than new as they gave it a free Spa treatment as well [Edit: but they also changed the blade as it was showing wear from years of sharpening :(]. Now I have the whole fam damily - Duke, Squire, Knight and Prince.

Anyhow. Cool knife and a good purchase. It will always be one of my favorite Bucks. :thumbup:
 
It took me awhile to accept Buck's lockback folders being added to my collection. I wanted only traditional folders... and Buck lockbacks based on their model 110, well, simply did not fit the trappers, barlows, stockmans, canoes, and other such traditional patterns. But, I realized that they are traditional, maybe one of the last true traditional patterns to come out before the transition to folks going to the more modern type folders. So, Buck is represented... and whether considered traditional or not by others, Buck has been added to MY personal traditional US made folder collection. I consider them THE transitional traditional :-)
 
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carrying mine proudly today belt sheath and all. the spring on mine needed an adjustment about 6 months ago. sent it out to buck and it came back razor sharp and good as new. :thumbup:
 
I have a 501...I prefer the slightly larger 500 Duke though. Buck makes a fine knife. My 500 rides on my belt about every weekend.
 
I have a few Buck folders, but not the Squire. I've been looking at them for years and just haven't pulled the trigger on one. I'll have to change that soon.

Tom
 
At one point I had a 501 just like the one in Kisatchie's pic. Don't recall what happened to it. But I do remember really liking it!
 
I can't keep from admiring those. They seem much more practical than a 110, much more useful for me anyhow. In the summertime, I have trouble keeping my knife in my cargo short pockets, and a belt sheath may be the answer. I can't warm up to the 110, as a steady EDC though, but I like the looks and size of the 501.
 
I carried a Buck 501 Squire for awhile in high school* until some #$%&*!@#& rifled through our lockers during football practice. Great knife. I'm still looking for that lowlife. :mad:

-- Mark


* Yes, in high school -- we weren't supposed to, but back then getting caught just meant a suspension and I figured I'd just avoid getting caught.
 
Very nice Jimmy; slowly you will add the other 500 series knives - they are a great American traditional in my opinion too. OH
 
IMO, the Buck 500 is series is traditional, no question.

The 500s are far and away my favorite Bucks. One, I find the drop point much more useful for EDC stuff than the clip of the 110, 112, 55. A part of the "usefulness" is the observation that the 500 scares fewer people than the similarly sized 112. Clips are scary (and for good reason, imo).

Second, I find the thin profile makes even the 500 an easy carry in the pocket despite its weight. The slippery bolsters help but with a cost... My 500 was prone to pocket ejects and after several close calls, my beloved 500 disappeared this spring. I suspect it happened at my son's Little League game. Gone baby, gone.

Regarding grinds... I understand why Buck sticks with hollow grinds but it's not my favorite. I do a lot of cutting of wood and find the Buck blades stick more as the shoulder of the hollow grind hangs up when doing things like making shavings for fires. So, I put mine on a stone and thinned out the spine/shoulder area. Noticeable improvement. I hope the lucky somebody who found my knife is enjoying it.


Buck 500 by Pinnah, on Flickr
 
PocketKnifeJimmy said:
It took me awhile to accept Buck's lockback folders being added to my collection. I wanted only traditional folders... and Buck lockbacks based on their model 110, well, simply did not fit the trappers, barlows, stockmans, canoes, and other such traditional patterns. But, I realized that they are traditional, maybe one of the last true traditional patterns to come out before the transition to folks going to the more modern type folders. So, Buck is represented... and whether considered traditional or not by others, Buck has been added to MY personal traditional US made folder collection. I consider them THE transitional traditional :-)
Click to expand...

I agree Jimmy- i understand why people dont define a buck lockback as traditional in that it wasnt really out until the 60s, and i accept that, but to me it is. I am 31 and while my father didnt EDC a pocket knife, his buck 110 is the knife i associate with him. I guess it depends on what generation you are from. Buck lockbacks are still much more traditional in my opinion than a "modern" folder with a pocket clip. Along with not being "tactical" and not being "a switchblade" theyre just so classy looking in comparison.

Also i think the drop point on the 500 series is much less scary to non-knife people. I have a kershaw corral creek with wood scales, it is practically the same size as my newfound love the 503 Prince, yet with its clip blade it looks much more "weapon like" than the 503.
 
Actually, though switchblades are frowned upon, and for the most part illegal in my state of NY... I sure would love to own a great condition Schrade switchblade from back in the day... Switchblades can be modern in syle today... but the Switchblade is a traditional knife :-)
 
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PocketKnifeJimmy said:
Actually, though switchblades are frowned upon, and for the most part illegal in my state of NY... I sure would love to own a great condition Schrade switchblade from back in the day... Switchblades can be modern in syle today... but the Switchblade is a traditional knife :-)
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Yep they are. Because there is a dedicated forum for them, Automatic Knife / Switchblades, that's where they belong. ;)
 
As a side not: Here's a 2 dot 110 that I gave up on because the lock had broken. It sat around for years being used as a small hammer. The bolsters had several nicks in them and the blade wobbled. I sent it to the Buck spa to see what they would do. It came back rock solid and razor sharp.
 
wazu013 said:
As a side not: Here's a 2 dot 110 that I gave up on because the lock had broken. It sat around for years being used as a small hammer. The bolsters had several nicks in them and the blade wobbled. I sent it to the Buck spa to see what they would do. It came back rock solid and razor sharp.
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For a knife you used as a small hammer, it sure looks good! Not only do the bolsters not show any abuse, the handle scales show do dinging up or anything... Did Buck replace the scales and finish off the dings in your bolsters? In any case... your knife looks to be in good shape! :-)
 
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