Questions about a Buck Strider

Badhammer

Badhammer

Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Messages
4,528
Ran across a NIB, Buck Strider 880 SP plain edge. I've only gotten one reply to a thread in the Buck forum so thought I'd try here as well. I know that Buck and Strider collaborated on these and other knives but I don't know exactly when that was, how long they were made or the quality?

What I've been able to dig up seems to indicate that the majority of the 880 SP were made with ATS-34 steel. This one is marked 154 CM and Bos. Is the 154 CM really less common? What the going rate for one of these?

It seems like a very well made knife though not partularly sharp out of the box. I liked it well enough but didn't know much about it or what I should be paying for one so I held off? Any information would be appreciated. TIA
 
That wasn't too long ago. They were being made when I was new here. I don't know how long before that they were in production. I've only heard good things about their quality.


I haven't heard any official word on things but I highly suspect the surfacing of certain facts about certain parties may have been influential in the ending of the collaboration. I could be wrong but who knows.
 
I have had one since they first came out. ATS-34. Mine was not very sharp out of the box. They were not designed as a slicer but as a tactical folder for hard use. Mine was a tanto and has been a great user. Very tough and well made. Not very ergonomic[?] but very stout.
It is a Buck/Strider combo. how bad can it be? Both make great products and have great coustomer service.
 
Seems there were a couple of versions. I had a few to go through my hands and I found the 2nd generation to be better. The easy way to tell between 1st and 2nd generations is that 2nd gens were drilled for the pocket clip to fit the right and left side. I also think that on the 2nd gens the liners were heat treated and you see a faint rainbow on the inside of them. They also had a single washer on each side instead of multiple thin stacked washers, both gens had bronze washers. I imagine that the 154CM version is a 2nd gen as it was late in the game when several American companies made the switch from the Hitachi ATS34 to the Crucible 154CM.
 
154 was used the last year of production, ATS before that. Buck just switched out ATS34 to 154CM in that last year of 880's made. Not collector rare, just the steel used in the last run.
 
Thank you for the replies. IIRC this one had one washer per side that I could see. When was the last year for production? Any thoughts on what one would be worth?
 
Humm didn't know that they switched to 154 CM from ATS-34 ..I have a pre-production model that is BG-42 steel...I like it a lot. I had the exact same knife in a tanto and traded it for the spear point which while not as "stout" of tip seemed a bit more practical.
I agree they are not the must ergonomic but it makes for a great backpack folder.
 
IIRC the very 1st ones were BG42, maybe the 1st 500 or so, then ATS34 then 154CM towards the end, i dont think many were made with the 154 but i could be wrong.

the knives came out ~ '99 or so and they made them for ~ 4 or so, i dont have a clue as to how many.

though its was a collaboration with strider the 880's dont really look like any of the custom striders, they were probably based on the AR & GB but other than the general size & maybe a little similarity in blade shape they share little, the handles are completely different and are so square they blister my hands easily with any real use, something a real strider AR or GB certainly wont do. they are a big thick heavy knife and dont carry well in the pocket imho and are more at home in a belt sheath, they have a really thick almost frame lock liner lock, and locked up well.

as far as value i would say in LNIB shape $100 to maybe $150 or so.

i still have a 880 tanto that joe at buck did a mirror polish on the blade and the clip for me.

AFAIK they have very little collector interest, i dont think i have seen nor heard of one one in i bet 5 yrs, and imho the only ones which would have any collector value would be the BG42 ones, they were always the rarer vs any of the others.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top