Question about Buck 889

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BAfarmer

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Feb 7, 2006
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I bought a Buck 889 a few weeks ago. It has become my EDC knife replacing/supplementing my Para. I love the knife but I can not put a edge on this 420HC steel. I am not bragging but I take pride in my sharpening skills. I have used a diamond stone, Smiths ceramic sticks, my Razors Edge sharpening system all with no luck. The only thing that has even come close to shaping the edge is a cheapo hone I bought at a flea market a few years ago. Any suggestions?
 
BAfarmer said:
I bought a Buck 889 a few weeks ago. It has become my EDC knife replacing/supplementing my Para. I love the knife but I can not put a edge on this 420HC steel. I am not bragging but I take pride in my sharpening skills. I have used a diamond stone, Smiths ceramic sticks, my Razors Edge sharpening system all with no luck. The only thing that has even come close to shaping the edge is a cheapo hone I bought at a flea market a few years ago. Any suggestions?
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Any suggestions? Just one, consider your purchase a $50 mistake and replace it with something that uses a real steel.

I know, everybody will chime in and say Buck's 420hc steel is good, and their heat treat makes it top notch. (as if the handicap of a steel that isn't even 1/2% carbon can be overcome by heat treating), Clearly your expierence is contrary to conventional Buck wisdom.
 
When I bought this knife I knew nothing little about 420hc.... I knew it was not a premium grade but I figured since Buck was a reputable company it would not be that bad of a decision........Guess I was wrong. Might try the Strider smf next.
 
420J= bad for blades, 420HC= pretty good. Whats your experience with it to call it the worst?!?!?!
 
From personal experience, I have been able to get any steel shaving sharp or close enough. The problem with lesser grade steels for me is that they don't stay sharp very long with use. I would of thought 420HC would be an acceptable grade if heat treated correctly and it should take a keen edge.

I know you have mentioned that your sharpening skills are high, but as a stab in the dark from what you have stated and what I have seen with this knife, It could be that the manafacturers edge grind is quite obtuse, and when you are sharpening, you aren't finding the edge. Try the felt tip marker trick to see if this is the case. On obtusely ground edges, I normaly work one side only, on a diamond stone, until I can visually see a well formed burr running the entire opposite edge. I try to reprofile the edge to about 30 degrees inclusive or 15 degrees per side. Only once I have seen this burr, I will swap sides and do the same again till the burr forms on the other side. From then on alternate strokes per side working down to finer stones or ceramics.

If you have tried this already and not produced a satisfactory result, then maybe there is a QC issue with the blades heat treatment.
 
From personal experience, I have been able to get any steel shaving sharp or close enough. The problem with lesser grade steels for me is that they don't stay sharp very long with use. I would of thought 420HC would be an acceptable grade if heat treated correctly and it should take a keen edge.
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Stockman hit it right on the head.
My Buck knives with 420HC all are able to obtain a razor-sharp keen edge.

I use a Spyderco Sharpmaker.

Good luck,
Allen.
 
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I have several Buck knives with 420hc which are all shaving sharp. I would have to agree that they don't hold and edge as long as my ats34 Buck/Striders or 154cm blades. The 420hc works well and doesn't cost as much.

Maybe you should have spent the extra money for the ats34 model. Or you may consider getting a Lansky style sharpening system to shape the edge. Then use a Spiderco Sharpmaker to keep it maintained. Also as Stockman said, make the burr. Or search these forms on how to sharpen.

I have been sharpening knives since I was about 8 years old. Every knife I own has a shaving edge. When I get a new knife, it doesn't go in my pocket w/out getting a new edge. I do this with the Lansky system. Then for touch ups I use the Sharpmaker. The one thing I have learned over the years that is most important about sharpening is keeping the same angle.
 
I have the Police Advocate with ATS-34. Nice knife also. This is the first knife I have ever had any trouble putting a edge on. It is very frustrating. I have used and sharpened knives for years. I have read good reviews about the Spyderco sharpmarker... I have usedthe Razor Edge system for the past three years with favorable results. May have to make new investment.
 
BAfarmer said:
When I bought this knife I knew nothing little about 420hc.... I knew it was not a premium grade but I figured since Buck was a reputable company it would not be that bad of a decision........
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That's what Buck was counting on, Sad to say, Buck is perfectly willing to trade their reputation for some short term gain and if they have to sell their customers a vastly inferior product in the process, Tough beans. I'm sure someone in sales and marketing research at Buck has the management convinced that building a base of new loyal repeat customers is folly.

Guess I was wrong. Might try the Strider smf next.
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Hey, Look on the bright side, There are lots of companies who are looking to gain you as a customer. Companies like Benchmade and Spyderco. Neither of which would ever consider using 420hc to make a knife blade.
 
Good point Ilovetoolsteel. I have been a loyal Spyderco/BM consumer in the past. I bought the 889 on looks instead of doing some research first. As a matter of fact this only the second Buck knife I have ever purchased.
 
I'm not an expert but I really believe your problem as mentioned aboveis the bevel angle. I have an 889 and it took a little to get it sharp to suit me but it came up well and holds an edge pretty good. I'm a caveman that still use a stone and oil. whenever I get a new knife the first time I sharpen it is a bear because I change from the factory angle to mine. I realize that 420hc is not the best steel out there but it's far from the worst and when properly treated will serve well. I also have had good luck with buck's customer service in the past and I think they're a good company to deal with. I've got 2 suggestions,
1. when you have some free time, sit down with a beer, or koolaide, or whatever you like, put on some good music and get out your sharpening stuff {whatever you like best it doesn't really make much difference} and go to town. It will probably take a while as the angle is a little axlike from the factory. it'll come around and you'll be happy.
2. forget everything i said and trade me your knife for a little bit of nothing.
when it's all said and done I think this is a pretty good knife and especially for the money. good luck, ahgar
 
I agree, check your angles. I have several ats-34 Buck/striders and a couple of the 889's. I know 420hc is no medal winner in edge holding, but for the money it works. As for benchmade and spydie never using it, check both co cheaper lines, may not be 420hc, but they sure have a lot of cheaper grades of steel in the knives in this price range. Yes , I do own both spydies and I love my benchmades. Steve


BTW, If ya wan't to trade this one off, I have a few knives I could part with, maybe some with a better steel. Shoot me an email if interested.
 
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