question about Case/Buck/Schrade

[SharpBits]

I had very poor luck with the latest Buck Stockman. Two samples, too losers. Both were SFOs, both went back to Buck for rework, both came back functional, but looking like apprentice made knives. My Case experience has been far better overall. The occasional clinker, however.

 

[ShaiHulud]

I had very poor luck with the latest Buck Stockman. Two samples, too losers. Both were SFOs, both went back to Buck for rework, both came back functional, but looking like apprentice made knives. My Case experience has been far better overall. The occasional clinker, however.

Thats surprising because I bought 6 of the new buck stockmans (don't have them now)... but
They were all amazing samples, no: play, Gaps, shoddy workmanship. Not discounting your experience, just surprising is all

 

[VorpelSword]

Back in the 1970s and 1980s I wore a Buck 110 as an at-work EDC. I was working as tree cutter for Davy Tree co and later on worked as a drilling fluids specialist ("Mud-Man")on oil rigs first in West Texas and then the Middle East.

At that time, 40 years ago, all three bands had similar offerings in each category of carry knives, both fixed blade and folders. It is my recollection that all three were considered to be affordable work-a-day EDC tools.

For some reason, I preferred BUCK, but there really was no solid reason to choose one or another back then. I lost, wore out, broke and abused a number of Buck 110s and 112s back then.

 

[chevyrulez1]

I agree with knarfeng's reply generally.
Schrade is not what they used to be. I have purchased more than a few of the older Taylor and current Battenfeld Shrades and have had mixed results
The overall construction, walk and talk, fit and finish I would consider to be good. The main concern I have is the blades. I have had some that were ground way too thick behind the edge, and they didn't cut worth a hoot despite the apex being sharp enough to pop hairs off your arm. Some newer Battenfeld knives have a hollow grind and are much better in this regard. I have had some with blades that will NOT get sharp... period. I don't really have an issue with 7cr17 (440A) as long as the heat treat is good. In my experience the heat treat on these are inconsistent. I have even had a couple of multibladed knives where one blade would be good and another would be absolute garbage on the same knife. For an inexpensive beater knife they may be worth a try depending on how much you expect from your knives. May get a turd, and may get a decent beater knife, but if you can catch them on sale somewhere they are generally very inexpensive.

Case knives are way better, and where I feel that they shine is in their spring tension, handle materials, and blade steel. Every Case I have owned has excellent spring tension. they have a good pull and just enough spring tension to make the knife feel solid when open, but I have never gotten a nail breaker from Case (or Schrade for that matter) Any knife that I fold my thumbnails backwards trying to open and have a sore thumb after using them throughout the day is a pet peeve of mine. (looking at you GEC and A. Wright ) However I equally dislike a knife that feels like the spring tension is too easy, that doesn't want to snap shut or stay open and feels just slightly better than a friction folder. Case knives have good steel (CV, 1095, and Trusharp) and they all take a screaming sharp edge and stay sharp for a reasonable amount of use. I love the hollow grinds on most of their knives, thin behind the edge and they are amazing cutters. The sharpness from the factory usually sucks, they come with a really coarse edge and burrs all over like they were sharpened on a brick. Usually after a touch up on a smooth stone and deburring they are good after that.

Buck knives are good, I own several 303's that are all really good, I did get one that was awful and I had to return. (had large gaps in the back, blades were hanging on each other making it difficult to open) This was the only example from them that I have seen like this over the years. I also own a 301 that I love other than the fact that I feel it has too light of a spring tension. I absolute love the blades, steel and grind on Buck knives. They are the some of the sharpest knives out of the box in my opinion and cut like a dream. Even the Chinese made Bucks are decent knives in my experience, but the US made ones are of a noticeably better quality and are more desirable. I would recommend the Chinese made Bucks before the Schrade offerings at a similar price point.

Anyway, these are just some of my observations after owning multiples of the brands you have mentioned. Maybe this will be helpful to someone.

 

[knarfeng]

Back in the 1970s and 1980s I wore a Buck 110 as an at-work EDC. I was working as tree cutter for Davy Tree co and later on worked as a drilling fluids specialist ("Mud-Man")on oil rigs first in West Texas and then the Middle East.

At that time, 40 years ago, all three bands had similar offerings in each category of carry knives, both fixed blade and folders. It is my recollection that all three were considered to be affordable work-a-day EDC tools.

For some reason, I preferred BUCK, but there really was no solid reason to choose one or another back then. I lost, wore out, broke and abused a number of Buck 110s and 112s back then.

In the 70's and early 80's, Buck was using 440C blade steel for the 110. Schrade, Camillus, et. al. were using 440A. So there would have been a difference in the edge retension.

"Schrade +" was 440A

 

[knarfeng]

I agree with knarfeng's reply generally.
Schrade is not what they used to be. I have purchased more than a few of the older Taylor and current Battenfeld Shrades and have had mixed results
The overall construction, walk and talk, fit and finish I would consider to be good. The main concern I have is the blades. I have had some that were ground way too thick behind the edge, and they didn't cut worth a hoot despite the apex being sharp enough to pop hairs off your arm. Some newer Battenfeld knives have a hollow grind and are much better in this regard. I have had some with blades that will NOT get sharp... period. I don't really have an issue with 7cr17 (440A) as long as the heat treat is good. In my experience the heat treat on these are inconsistent. I have even had a couple of multibladed knives where one blade would be good and another would be absolute garbage on the same knife. For an inexpensive beater knife they may be worth a try depending on how much you expect from your knives. May get a turd, and may get a decent beater knife, but if you can catch them on sale somewhere they are generally very inexpensive.

Case knives are way better, and where I feel that they shine is in their spring tension, handle materials, and blade steel. Every Case I have owned has excellent spring tension. they have a good pull and just enough spring tension to make the knife feel solid when open, but I have never gotten a nail breaker from Case (or Schrade for that matter) Any knife that I fold my thumbnails backwards trying to open and have a sore thumb after using them throughout the day is a pet peeve of mine. (looking at you GEC and A. Wright ) However I equally dislike a knife that feels like the spring tension is too easy, that doesn't want to snap shut or stay open and feels just slightly better than a friction folder. Case knives have good steel (CV, 1095, and Trusharp) and they all take a screaming sharp edge and stay sharp for a reasonable amount of use. I love the hollow grinds on most of their knives, thin behind the edge and they are amazing cutters. The sharpness from the factory usually sucks, they come with a really coarse edge and burrs all over like they were sharpened on a brick. Usually after a touch up on a smooth stone and deburring they are good after that.

Buck knives are good, I own several 303's that are all really good, I did get one that was awful and I had to return. (had large gaps in the back, blades were hanging on each other making it difficult to open) This was the only example from them that I have seen like this over the years. I also own a 301 that I love other than the fact that I feel it has too light of a spring tension. I absolute love the blades, steel and grind on Buck knives. They are the some of the sharpest knives out of the box in my opinion and cut like a dream. Even the Chinese made Bucks are decent knives in my experience, but the US made ones are of a noticeably better quality and are more desirable. I would recommend the Chinese made Bucks before the Schrade offerings at a similar price point.

Anyway, these are just some of my observations after owning multiples of the brands you have mentioned. Maybe this will be helpful to someone.

I find that the current crop of Asian Uncle Henry knives will hold an edge better than Case Tru-Sharp knives. In sharpening and using them, it feels to me as if the new Schrades copied the original Schrade spec for hardness of Schrade + (440A), which was 58 HRC. Case runs their 420HC softer.

440A at 58HRC is pretty good stuff.

Fit and finish on current Case knives is better than the Asian Schrades. Less angular, more polished. More options for different covers.

 

[Railsplitter]

Does anyone know the difference in work quality between the 3?
Case looks nice, I use a Buck 303, & just got 2 NOS 34OT's.
Were the Schrade considered work knives in their day?
Or something you gave a kid as his 1st knife?

Is your Buck 303 one of the Black Sawcut models? If so, you can’t beat the construction of those. I took one apart and made a few posts about it. Here’s one of them if you aren’t familiar with how they are built.

Post in thread 'What Buck are you carrying today?'

Nov 4, 2023

Among the ongoing debates within the Buck community is, which is the best larger Stockman patterned knife, the 301 (made in USA) or 371 (made in China). One man’s opinion: I like them both! To me, the 301 has superior steel (420HC) and a better edge grind, whereas the 371 has slightly better fit and finish and is cheaper. Carrying both today.

Note the 301 is on the left.

View attachment 2379224

I'm always inclined to vote for the U.S.A. made 300 series. Particularly the Black Sawcut models. Not because of where they're made but because of how they're built.

The liner, the bolsters, and...

• Railsplitter

• 
• 
• 

 

[jpvjr71]

Is your Buck 303 one of the Black Sawcut models? If so, you can’t beat the construction of those. I took one apart and made a few posts about it. Here’s one of them if you aren’t familiar with how they are built.

Post in thread 'What Buck are you carrying today?'

Nov 4, 2023

Among the ongoing debates within the Buck community is, which is the best larger Stockman patterned knife, the 301 (made in USA) or 371 (made in China). One man’s opinion: I like them both! To me, the 301 has superior steel (420HC) and a better edge grind, whereas the 371 has slightly better fit and finish and is cheaper. Carrying both today.

Note the 301 is on the left.

View attachment 2379224

I'm always inclined to vote for the U.S.A. made 300 series. Particularly the Black Sawcut models. Not because of where they're made but because of how they're built.

The liner, the bolsters, and...

• Railsplitter

• 
• 
• 

Yes it is the black handled model.
I did peoples knives in the Navy for pocket money.
I think the Chinese Bucks had better springs, & blade retention than the US made versions.
The only design flaw (as a lefty) is I like the sheepsfoot behind the clip like on the Schrade.
But that's just me.
Construction wise I'd say these are on par with the metal handled Victorinox Swiss Army knives, nearly indestructible.

 

[jstrange]

Don’t have much experience with Schrade, but I’ve had quite a few Bucks and Case knives over the years. I would say both companies make good knives with some occasional issues. That said, I’ve never had either that wouldn’t function as a knife or were dangerous to use. Mostly talking about blade wobble, up and down play, off center blades, gaps and so forth. Mostly fit and finish issues that only knife nerds really care about. I could be way off base here, but it appears to me that Case caters more to collectors than people who carry and use their knife nowadays (present company excluded).

 

[VorpelSword]

My wife found a well used and very old Buck 112 in an "antique shop" and bought it for me. I sent it off to Buck for their Spa treatment.

It came back looking as good as it could, and I mean brand new, without replacing the 50 year old scales (which give it character). Only paid $6.50 .

Buck did a great job on it. Now it is a fully functioning 40+ year old knife that looks great, but still shows character.

 

[FarmallSS]

I have enjoyed this thread. Of the three brands you listed, I don't believe you will go wrong. Pick one that you think you might like and don't look back. Only time and how you use and care for that knife will tell, regardless of what I or any one one else says. The reason I like your question is that for me it comes down to the following.
1. Cost, knives have gotten pricey. The brands you listed are reasonably priced. No-one want to lose a high dollar knife because you dropped it, TSA liked it, or you flipped your kayak and now the knife is swimming with the fishes. Sooner or later you will loose a knife. It hurts less to lose a $40 Case sod buster than a $150 (insert brand here).
2. Customer Service, Buck and Case both offer outstanding aftermarket care. I have used both and have always been very happy with their service. I can't speak for the current USA made Schrade knifes.
3. Steel, the blades on these knives don't require a degree in metallurgy to sharpen. My granddaddy showed me how he sharpened his knife on the concrete of the back porch stoop. (A method I don't recommend!) The point is that theses blades can be sharpened easily using common stones, rods, straps or upside down coffee cups. Take care of them and they will take care of you.
4. Sentimental value. This takes time. The knife that I carry everyday, I have had since the Carter/Reagan days. I would be heartbroken if I lost it, but it doesn't do any good in a drawer. It is a Case Texas jack (6232). All the reasons above can be applied to it. Case replaced a cover that I broke and replaced the pen blade that I worn down. It didn't cost that much and I can keep the blade sharpened very easily.
So...as M mph57 said, that's my .02 cent except that pennies are about gone so it's a nickel now!