Steel Question.

[Halfneck]

As I understand it the earlier Buck 110 used 440C steel then switched to 420HC. Does this also apply to the 112? What about the fixed blades like the 102 & 105?

Thanks.

 

[pjsjr]

halfneck, Buck used 425M sometime between the two you mentioned. There is a sticky atop this forum for dating 110/112s. There is mention of the change of steel and date of change.

I think the date changes for those would be also for the other Buck knives but I'm not positive.

Someone with that knowledge should be around and will most likely give you that info. HTH, Preston

 

[David Martin]

PJ, Sounded good to me . Half, In the 60's, 70's and thru 1982 Buck used different variations of 440C . From 1983 (or close)(we can agree on the four dots) thru 1992 Buck used 425M steel . Then in 1993 ( perhaps late 92) Buck began to use 420HC in there standard line of knives . They have also thru the years used many high end steels in special projects and limited editions models . This pratice is still done at Buck . Hope this helps . DM

 

[Halfneck]

Thanks! Learning a lot here.

When I was a kid my Dad had a Buck 110 & talked highly of it. Don't recall seeing it or what became of it - He was in & out of jail a bit. But I do remember being at a knife store with him & looking at a Buck 110 & he said how you could cut a nail in half with one. Wanted a 110 badly after that, then I got distracted by the Puma copies, then instead I got into butterfly knives & modern 1-handed opening knives with pocketclips.

Some reason the last few weeks I have been more interested in old slipjoints & Buck knives.

 

[David Martin]

Half, Your welcome . Now should you have questions about the 300 series slip-lock Buck knives your in luck as we have some of the most knowledgable collectors of those that frequent here . So, ask away . DM

 

[knarfeng]

As I understand it the earlier Buck 110 used 440C steel then switched to 420HC. Does this also apply to the 112? What about the fixed blades like the 102 & 105?

Thanks.

Essentially, yes. I have both a "Pathfinder" (105) and a "Special" (119) that I got in the late 60's in addition to my 110. All are 440C.

As others have pointed out, there was a time period when Buck used 425M, and of course today they use 420HC, but the steel they used in the 60's was 440C on their fixed blades and 110's, 112's and smaller lockbacks.

During the time period that Buck's standard steel was 440C, the 300 series was made for them by other companies (first Schrade, then Camillus). Current thinking is that the 300 series knives were made using the subcontractor's standard stainless steel, which for both Schrade and Camillus was 440A. I have a Buck 303 made by Camillus. The edge retention is what I would expect from 440A.