The following was originally posted in "the other" major cutlery related forums ....
I've been looking hard for a slip joint that appealed to me for inclusion in my EDC to reduce wear and tear / preserve the edge on my primary knife. I really like the option of multiple blades on one knife, each sharpened to different levels to meet different tasks. I was able to dig up both of the aforementioned Bucks, both equipped with Buck's Edge 2000.
Fit and finish on both models was better than I'd expected and as close to flawless as I've seen of late. No lateral blade play in either model. All of the blades had that toothy Edge 2000 that seemingly tries to grab into anything that nears it. The factory supplied edge on EVERY blade would fling hairs on contact and fillet printer paper. The blades are made of 420HC, while that might not be impressive to some, the key is in the heat treatment - done right here by the Master, Paul Bos. [Re: 420HC, Personally, I'd rather have it than some of the new wonder steels out there for the ease of resharpening and the corrosion resistance. The stuff performs!]
These two knives were thrown into the daily rotation for normal camp tasks. They performed assigned chores flawlessly. Even when the edges dulled to less than shaving sharp, they kept cutting with better than average efficiency. When it did become time to restore the edges, the edges came back in seconds on the Sharpmaker. These knives performed so well, they have earned a place in my pocket as part of my EDC rotation. I hate to call them beaters, but these knives take a beating and keep performing; not only that, but they sure as heck beat a lot of the competition. They're sheeple friendly and will become the knife handed out when asked, "Can I borrow your knife?"
If you're a slip joint fan, these field worthy blades should be looked at. My personal favorite is the 303 Cadet, a bargain at <$20 from Lowe's.
Mike
I've been looking hard for a slip joint that appealed to me for inclusion in my EDC to reduce wear and tear / preserve the edge on my primary knife. I really like the option of multiple blades on one knife, each sharpened to different levels to meet different tasks. I was able to dig up both of the aforementioned Bucks, both equipped with Buck's Edge 2000.
Fit and finish on both models was better than I'd expected and as close to flawless as I've seen of late. No lateral blade play in either model. All of the blades had that toothy Edge 2000 that seemingly tries to grab into anything that nears it. The factory supplied edge on EVERY blade would fling hairs on contact and fillet printer paper. The blades are made of 420HC, while that might not be impressive to some, the key is in the heat treatment - done right here by the Master, Paul Bos. [Re: 420HC, Personally, I'd rather have it than some of the new wonder steels out there for the ease of resharpening and the corrosion resistance. The stuff performs!]
These two knives were thrown into the daily rotation for normal camp tasks. They performed assigned chores flawlessly. Even when the edges dulled to less than shaving sharp, they kept cutting with better than average efficiency. When it did become time to restore the edges, the edges came back in seconds on the Sharpmaker. These knives performed so well, they have earned a place in my pocket as part of my EDC rotation. I hate to call them beaters, but these knives take a beating and keep performing; not only that, but they sure as heck beat a lot of the competition. They're sheeple friendly and will become the knife handed out when asked, "Can I borrow your knife?"
If you're a slip joint fan, these field worthy blades should be looked at. My personal favorite is the 303 Cadet, a bargain at <$20 from Lowe's.
Mike
I have come to the conclusion that no matter what the steel, there is always someone that will argue passionately that it is either the best, or the worst stuff on the planet. It boils down to personal preference, which is found based on usage. So far my favorite is mirror polished 440C, which does a great job field dressing envelopes. When i have had the opportunity to clean larger game, and I don't mean cardboard boxes,