Just wanted to pop in and say thanks.
I never carried a Buck until 2/09. Due to 300Bucks informative posts and the loss of my favorite Case whittler in my checked bags I decided to pick up a 301 for a beater/air travel knife.
Through 2009 I carried it occasionally. It never really wowed me. I was a vintage carbon/GEC/Case kind of guy. Always liked bone, krinks and patina. The black and stainless look always struck me as too modern and reminded me more of a Braun appliance than a pocketknife.
Early this year I had to travel by air and have an extended stay away from home. I took the 301 with me and because it was my only knife I carried it everyday for 2 months.
Well I am hooked, I have come to appreciate it's simplicity and functionality. It comes sharp and with a needle point. I cannot say that for a lot of slipjoints these days. The 420HC that Buck uses is very much like carbon. It sharpens really easy, I can get it hella sharp, and I can refresh the edge easily by stropping it on my wallet. That is an old trick I learned from my dad.
OMG.. It is easy to clean. While away, I had to repaint and stain the exterior of my mother's house. I was using the 301 to cut the banding around a 5 gallon bucket of paint. Foolishly I still had the knife in hand when prying the lid off. Kerplop.. down it goes to the bottom of the bucket. Well I just stirred and used the paint and when the level got low enough I fished it out. I was staring at it when my cousin goes "Rinse it off and chuck it in the dishwasher." Damn if it did not come out looking new. I oiled and stropped it then dumped it in my pocket.
I love the 3-backspring design. It is so easy to clean out lint and dirt with no spacer to get in the way. Some complain of the soft springs. They just remind me of the Schrade Old-Timers, which were not bear traps either. You have to be careful when you bind the blade not to pull straight up to free it. If you do the blade will fold rather easily
I just really love this knife. Since 3/10 it has become my primary carry and I even bought a 303 to carry when I wear dress pants or slacks.
The only negative is it is a coin catcher. The open spaces in front of the spey and sheepsfoot are the perfect size for coins to fit into when you have them in your pocket with the knife.
I will never become a Buck collector and will always tend to go for vintage and carbon. I really do appreciate 300Bucks and his knowledge. His posts are always informative and he has converted another forumite to Buck slipjoints. Heck, I now poke my head in this subforum once a week now to see what is new in the Buck world. Those yellow ComfortCrafts are looking sweet.
I never carried a Buck until 2/09. Due to 300Bucks informative posts and the loss of my favorite Case whittler in my checked bags I decided to pick up a 301 for a beater/air travel knife.
Through 2009 I carried it occasionally. It never really wowed me. I was a vintage carbon/GEC/Case kind of guy. Always liked bone, krinks and patina. The black and stainless look always struck me as too modern and reminded me more of a Braun appliance than a pocketknife.
Early this year I had to travel by air and have an extended stay away from home. I took the 301 with me and because it was my only knife I carried it everyday for 2 months.
Well I am hooked, I have come to appreciate it's simplicity and functionality. It comes sharp and with a needle point. I cannot say that for a lot of slipjoints these days. The 420HC that Buck uses is very much like carbon. It sharpens really easy, I can get it hella sharp, and I can refresh the edge easily by stropping it on my wallet. That is an old trick I learned from my dad.
OMG.. It is easy to clean. While away, I had to repaint and stain the exterior of my mother's house. I was using the 301 to cut the banding around a 5 gallon bucket of paint. Foolishly I still had the knife in hand when prying the lid off. Kerplop.. down it goes to the bottom of the bucket. Well I just stirred and used the paint and when the level got low enough I fished it out. I was staring at it when my cousin goes "Rinse it off and chuck it in the dishwasher." Damn if it did not come out looking new. I oiled and stropped it then dumped it in my pocket.
I love the 3-backspring design. It is so easy to clean out lint and dirt with no spacer to get in the way. Some complain of the soft springs. They just remind me of the Schrade Old-Timers, which were not bear traps either. You have to be careful when you bind the blade not to pull straight up to free it. If you do the blade will fold rather easily
I just really love this knife. Since 3/10 it has become my primary carry and I even bought a 303 to carry when I wear dress pants or slacks.
The only negative is it is a coin catcher. The open spaces in front of the spey and sheepsfoot are the perfect size for coins to fit into when you have them in your pocket with the knife.
I will never become a Buck collector and will always tend to go for vintage and carbon. I really do appreciate 300Bucks and his knowledge. His posts are always informative and he has converted another forumite to Buck slipjoints. Heck, I now poke my head in this subforum once a week now to see what is new in the Buck world. Those yellow ComfortCrafts are looking sweet.
Always welcome, useful, well researched info with great pics to boot. Just wish I could make it to the Smokey Mountains for his talk