Range series

[jbmonkey]

Nothing wrong with CM-154, judging by my CQC7-BW. It's easy to sharpen, takes a fine edge, is more than adequately tough and highly corrosion resistant.

it being 154cm and ats34 were kinda the first super steel in knives....

even today still a great steel for a knife.

 

[SharpBits]

So the Range series is not using type III hardcoat anodizing on the handles? Type II is nice for colors, but doesn't wear as well.

 

[rival22]

So the Range series is not using type III hardcoat anodizing on the handles? Type II is nice for colors, but doesn't wear as well.

At least it's not cerakote *ducks*

 

[58 Special]

I received two Range 791 (standard size) gray and green, yesterday. Being a Buck guy exclusively (I do not have the time, energy or resources to delve into any other makes), I was very anxious to get my hands on a cross lock knife. Turns out, not my favorite - not sure what I was expecting. I do appreciate the one-hand open/close.

One of them (box dated April 2025 so perhaps an early production example) is a bit sticky/clunky upon opening and closing - hopefully that will smooth out over time. The other (box dated August 2025) is smoother, as one would expect.

They are quite thin - excessively so, for my taste. Reminds of why I am not a big fan of the “slim” family of Buck knives. These slim knives are fine in the pocket but more importantly, for me, is how they feel in the hand. I prefer the thickness and heft of the standard knives.

No regrets, I am happy to have them but these won’t see much use.

 

[Lesknife]

I don’t know, the handle looks pretty slim. Im sure it’s nice for the pocket but I prefer a bit thicker handle when it comes to heavy duty work and extended use time. The vantage is about as thin as I can handle and idk maybe the range is about the same. They look kinda similar but I think I’ll wait to get one in hand to know what it feels like. The range looks great in the picture and video.

 

[Danny Linguini]

I received two Range 791 (standard size) gray and green, yesterday. Being a Buck guy exclusively (I do not have the time, energy or resources to delve into any other makes), I was very anxious to get my hands on a cross lock knife. Turns out, not my favorite - not sure what I was expecting. I do appreciate the one-hand open/close.

One of them (box dated April 2025 so perhaps an early production example) is a bit sticky/clunky upon opening and closing - hopefully that will smooth out over time. The other (box dated August 2025) is smoother, as one would expect.

They are quite thin - excessively so, for my taste. Reminds of why I am not a big fan of the “slim” family of Buck knives. These slim knives are fine in the pocket but more importantly, for me, is how they feel in the hand. I prefer the thickness and heft of the standard knives.

No regrets, I am happy to have them but these won’t see much use.

That’s ok, I have about 90 knives that don’t see any use. (But one of these is still on my short list anyway.) Most of them were bought with the best of intentions.

 

[jbmonkey]

got mine today. here's some comparison to a vantage.....

they are similar in size in a lot of ways

so handle is thinner. and blade stock is thinner also. hard to tell from the pic, but the vantage blade has a taper on both sides of the spine so it's misleading in the pic, but look at stock thickness before the tapering. it looks flat ground to me and should make for a very good slicer. it also has partial metal, maybe steel? liners. stop around where my thumb is. so should be strong enough.
all in all a nicely usa made knife with decent materials and not too bad of a price compared to what prices are anymore......

 

[Culprit99]

I stopped by the Knife Center on my way home from work today and picked up my Range and Mini Range! Both were shaving sharp out of the box, thanks to Buck’s factory toothy edge, but didn’t slice blue shop paper towel the way I like. I refined the edge on the Range before dinner and now it’s wow! I’ll finish up the Mini here this evening. I think I’m going to like these.

PS: I’m trying to resist the urge to take them apart and polish the washers. But I’m not trying very hard.

 

[jbmonkey]

I stopped by the Knife Center on my way home from work today and picked up my Range and Mini Range! Both were shaving sharp out of the box, thanks to Buck’s factory toothy edge, but didn’t slice blue shop paper towel the way I like. I refined the edge on the Range before dinner and now it’s wow! I’ll finish up the Mini here this evening. I think I’m going to like these.

PS: I’m trying to resist the urge to take them apart and polish the washers. But I’m not trying very hard.

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nice.

they got a showroom or more a pickup counter there?

 

[Culprit99]

I wouldn’t call it a showroom - they don’t have a storefront but if you live close you can ask to pickup in person. They have two buildings, a warehouse, and a building for offices. You walk in and there is a little sitting area and a big open room with cubicles. The few cubes up front are the ladies that answer the phone and handle the walk-ins. They do have a few display cases of mostly Cases, but no prices. It appears to maybe be the owner’s collection? They also have a couple of display cases with things for sale made of stone - turquoise and maybe lapis lazuli and such. They don’t have any branding on them - it looks like they’re made locally, maybe by an employee. Knives, belt buckles, hair berets, etc. And another display of police gear like handcuffs and such. I would love to see them open up a storefront with full displays and retail sales!

 

[Culprit99]

I couldn’t leave well enough alone. Here’s the disassembled Mini. The construction is very straightforward, exactly as you would expect a lock bar knife to be. There was Locktite on everything except the two pocket clip screws. But the Locktite wasn’t bad - hardly noticed it while disassembling. I used fresh Locktite on assembly, including the pocket clip screws once I put them in the proper Southpaw configuration.

 

[Railsplitter]

I couldn’t leave well enough alone. Here’s the disassembled Mini. The construction is very straightforward, exactly as you would expect a lock bar knife to be. There was Locktite on everything except the two pocket clip screws. But the Locktite wasn’t bad - hardly noticed it while disassembling. I used fresh Locktite on assembly, including the pocket clip screws once I put them in the proper Southpaw configuration.

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How do you like the mini? Does it seem tiny or too thin?

 

[jbmonkey]

I couldn’t leave well enough alone. Here’s the disassembled Mini. The construction is very straightforward, exactly as you would expect a lock bar knife to be. There was Locktite on everything except the two pocket clip screws. But the Locktite wasn’t bad - hardly noticed it while disassembling. I used fresh Locktite on assembly, including the pocket clip screws once I put them in the proper Southpaw configuration.

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thanks for posting. good ref on the setup on these. springs they used look like Benchmade omega type.

 

[Culprit99]

How do you like the mini? Does it seem tiny or too thin?

I’ll need a few days of use to answer that. I like both, and if I had to choose just one, I don’t know which it would be. I’ll try to take some comparison pictures with similar size knives that folks are probably familiar with.

One of my first observations is that the handle to blade length ratio is really good. For example, the mini has a blade length really close to the 301 (just a tad longer, even), but the handle is significantly shorter than the 301.

 

[brianv]

Please keep us posted. I probably won't get either of them but I am interested.

 

[Culprit99]

Well, here we go… First full day with the Range and Mini. There is no 112 on my belt in an Ed Costa sheath, and no Cowbell in my pocket. Just the Ranges. It’s too easy to reach for the familiar old friends, so if I really want to test drive a new design, it’s all or nothing.

 

[DrMegabyte]

I couldn’t leave well enough alone. Here’s the disassembled Mini. The construction is very straightforward, exactly as you would expect a lock bar knife to be. There was Locktite on everything except the two pocket clip screws. But the Locktite wasn’t bad - hardly noticed it while disassembling. I used fresh Locktite on assembly, including the pocket clip screws once I put them in the proper Southpaw configuration.

On a show I used to watch the villain always said, "my evil plan is eloquence in its simplicity." That's how I feel looking at that disassembled Ranger, "eloquence in its simplicity."

 

[jbmonkey]

Well, here we go… First full day with the Range and Mini. There is no 112 on my belt in an Ed Costa sheath, and no Cowbell in my pocket. Just the Ranges. It’s too easy to reach for the familiar old friends, so if I really want to test drive a new design, it’s all or nothing.

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where'd ya find pumpkin pie this early?

 

[Flambeau]

Great......now I have pumpkin pie in my head !

 

[Culprit99]

where'd ya find pumpkin pie this early?

Yeah, it’s too early, but it was sitting out on a display in the aisle at the grocery store (Giant) and it sorta just fell in my cart. Oops.