Steel

Well,I was looking at some of those lightweight bucks online,,they are inexpensive 420 steel...I just want an knife that’s light and will be good for every day use,,maybe cutting some bait.
 
Scattergun2570 said:
Well,I was looking at some of those lightweight bucks online,,they are inexpensive 420 steel...I just want an knife that’s light and will be good for every day use,,maybe cutting some bait.
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Buck does a ridiculously good job with their 420, no problem whatsoever with it.
 
for the sake of accuracy, buck uses 420HC - not 420, which is a big difference

420HC has 0.5 % of carbon, which allows their special BOS heat treatment to reach about 58hrc

plain 420 is used in very low end knives, and only has about 0.15% and will not reach anywhere near 58hrc ... it's literally soft junk (imho)

sadly, one of Buck's 'import' knives, the 389 canoe, uses 420j2 - which is better than plain 420, but not by much, the carbon is 0.15%-0.36% which is not really a good choice

which one will you get?
 
420 and 440 are designations of lines of steel that come in various grades. 420 by itself is a fairly soft but highly corrosion-resistant steel, however, 420HC (High Carbon) is a better steel for general cutting purposes as the higher carbon content gives the knife superior edge retention.

440 steel is most seen in three grades: A, B, and C. If a steel is listed as "440" with no letter designation, it is likely 440A steel which, like 420 steel, is a fairly soft but highly corrosion-resistant steel. 440B is slightly better as a cutlery steel, and 440C is better still. 440C, when treated correctly, is actually a perfectly suitable EDC steel and has the highest carbon content of the 440 series steels.

420HC and 440C are both entirely practical blade steels when given proper edge geometry and heat treatments. The letter designations are important, however, as just "440" or "420" (blaze it, airhorns) are typically low-quality blade steels that will offer minimal noticeable difference to the omnipresent mystery "stainless" and "surgical stainless" steels (if any, since that designation often refers to 420 and 440, and "surgical", when used accurately, is used more to describe the reduced risk of contamination and oxidation than its inherent edge-holding properties.)
 
Well,I was looking on EBay,,at Buck 110 & 112 slim edc’s..I just need an every day knife mid size,maybe 3in blade..cutting some squid or worms fishing etc
 
Scattergun2570 said:
Well,I was looking on EBay,,at Buck 110 & 112 slim edc’s..I just need an every day knife mid size,maybe 3in blade..cutting some squid or worms fishing etc
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Then don't look at eBay.... look at Buck's website or the myriad of BFC approved merchants for said knife.

https://bladeforums.com/threads/paid-dealer-members-list-updated-10-21-2018.1089879/

This should get you pretty much anything you are after, at a good price, from a retailer who will back you up.
 
Scattergun2570 said:
Well,I was looking on EBay,,at Buck 110 & 112 slim edc’s..I just need an every day knife mid size,maybe 3in blade..cutting some squid or worms fishing etc
Click to expand...

Buck 420HC will work just fine for that sort of thing. Personally, I like the 112. I find the blade is "handier" and more controllable than the longer 110. I currently have a 112 LT on order. The 110s and 112's are all made in the US.
 
I have a Buck 112 slim, they're 3" blades so will suit you fine. Also one of the sharpest knives out of the box I've ever owned. Pretty much perfect for what you're looking for. And the heat treatment Buck uses step the steel up a notch.
 
112 slim are great considering the low price, but plastic handles (glass filled nylon-gfn)

if you prefer something more substantial, check out the 722 buck spitfire with aluminum handles for only about $5 more
(worth every penny imho)
 
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