Thoughts on Paperstone?

They should have called it "Stonecarta."

Calling it paper was not a move to inspire confidence.
 
What I don't understand is why they called them 110's and 112's instead of making them part of the Bucklite series and giving them their own number. They seem to me to fit that series better.

ya my friend i is more then in agreement wit ya on dat dey is 110s and 112s first
and should be nubered data way but
who knows what reasoning lies in the hearts of thoes buckaroos what work for buck ....
 
They should have called it "Stonecarta."

Calling it paper was not a move to inspire confidence.

I have to admit that I felt this way. To me, "paper" brings to mind weakness. Now that some have likened it to micarta I may have to rethink my stance. I totally forgot that some micarta has paper as a component.
 
As I have said many times before......they need to check with us on these things.

So many weird mistakes are being made.

Just ask the question......Forum Folks......how should we do this? Or, "This is what we're thinking about doing. What do you think?"

Then let the thread go for two or three days, and they'd have an answer from the people who really care......and from a knowledge and experience base that is truly immense.

Even if they didn't want to go with the right answer--at least they'd have had a chance.

:) (Nod)
 
The paperstone 110's and 112's plus the BCCI offerings and also the paperstone Vantages, seem to have been a big hit despite Buck not getting the approval before hand from the Peanut Gallery. ;)
 
They're out to hit the tree hugger market, hence the eco, fortunately, they're dang fine knives.
 
I'm suddenly feeling the need to examine one of these paperstone 112's...are they comparable to the 422's in their "solidness"...say...tightness of blade...general feel...
the 442's I've handled had side to side blade play...and felt kind of "cheapy"...just curious is all...
 
PaperStone® is an actual brand name.

I suppose Buck could have renamed it for use in knife handles, but if you're gonna use a manufactured material that's branded in a product you make, it's generally considered bad manners to stick some other name on it to suit your perceived market. One would at least consult the manufacturer (brand owner) and get permission for some alternate name.

The people who make it have other similar products, like RainStone®.

PaperStone is used to make things like countertops and cutting boards.

Cutting boards? You reckon a material durable enough for cutting boards and countertops might be able to serve as a knife handle? I'm thinkin' affirmatory.

I'm not so sure it's Buck that's courting the green crowd. Pretty sure the PaperStone folks are.

The material, however, in spite of the cute name, is all business.

 
I'm suddenly feeling the need to examine one of these paperstone 112's...are they comparable to the 422's in their "solidness"...say...tightness of blade...general feel...
the 442's I've handled had side to side blade play...and felt kind of "cheapy"...just curious is all...

They are extremely solid-no blade play. They have a 1/2 liner in them to save weight-heres a poor pic
Ecovariation013.jpg



That's exactly what turned me off to paperstone...it seemed very granola.

Yeah I feel the same way and generally wont indulge in anything "green" but this is and exception-I love these knives.
 
Thanx fritz... I think you just sold me on giving them a try.

As for the "green" aspect... It's very in and Buck is wise to cater to that on some small level... Selling product is what keeps the doors open ...
 
Thanx fritz... I think you just sold me on giving them a try.

As for the "green" aspect... It's very in and Buck is wise to cater to that on some small level... Selling product is what keeps the doors open ...
Yep, not to mention it's also a good idea to be environmentally responsible, even in a small way. Unless, of course, you like to crap in your own bed. :rolleyes:
Also, Micarta has been time-tested as a strong, durable material, and much of it is made of paper. I can't see a reason why this paper-derived product, made in much the same way, should be any less reliable.
 
Thanx fritz... I think you just sold me on giving them a try.

As for the "green" aspect... It's very in and Buck is wise to cater to that on some small level... Selling product is what keeps the doors open ...

You'll love it sit. Like I said, I got one of the 1st "new pivot" 110 ecolites from Buck a year and a half ago and have carried it almost exclusively-solid as a rock. The strange thing is that I prefer the heaviness of a 110 in my pocket but the lighter ecolite has been fine.
 
Yep, not to mention it's also a good idea to be environmentally responsible, even in a small way. Unless, of course, you like to crap in your own bed.

LOL! So true.

I must have missed some part of this discussion, though......the part where someone showed how Paperstone knives are better for the environment than brass and ebony knives?
 
They're out to hit the tree hugger market, hence the eco, fortunately, they're dang fine knives.

Speaking as a tree hugger, as well they should.

The backpacking approach to camping is very different from the field & stream, fishing and hunting approach. I'm ecumenical in this regards and feel as comfortable wearing my Johnson Woolen Mills jacket and carrying my Winchester deer gun as I do carrying an overnight pack while out on a ski camping trip. But generally speaking, you'll find different crowds doing each and very different stores and retailers.

For many, many years, Victorinox (and Wegner) totally dominated the knife selection in backpacking type stores. Then Leathermans started to show up. Today, you're about as likely to see brands like Gerber and Benchmade. Point your browser at REI's web site. You'll find their knife selection on the camping section. You've got to go to page 5 or so before you find the first Buck. Among the Bucks that REI sells is the Paperstone Vantage. IMO, that's really dead on for the "tree hugger" market like myself. (hug trees, shoot deer)

I love Buck knives and am thrilled to see them taking the backpacking community more seriously.
 
The paperstone handled knives don't require cutting down any trees (leaving more to hug) to make them and doesn't require the mining involved with getting the materials used to make the brass. The production of paperstone, as stated before, involves using recycled materials which is a big deal these days. Even the laminates used in the regular "wood" handles" such as Dymondwood use chemical resins where the paperstone uses natural resins. It seems alot more eco-friendly than most other products being used if that is important to the buyer.

Micarta industrial laminates are normally phenolic, epoxy, silicone, or melamine resin based thermoset materials reinforced with fiberglass, cotton cloth, paper, carbon fiber or other substrates. Micarta industrial laminate sheet is a hard, dense material made by applying heat and pressure to layers of prepreg. These layers of laminations are usually of cellulose paper, cotton fabrics, synthetic yarn fabrics, glass fabrics, or unwoven fabrics. When heat and pressure are applied to the layers, a chemical reaction (polymerization) transforms the layers into a high-pressure thermosetting industrial laminated plastic.
Phenolic resins may be made by combining simple phenol with any number of aldehydes, but the combination made with formaldehyde, known as phenolic formaldehyde resin, or PF, is the most widely used. Phenolic resin was the first synthesized resin, and was marketed under the brand name Bakelite, which still exists. The majority of formaldehyde produced is used with phenol and other organic compounds to create resins, which are used extensively in industry.
Melamine resin or melamine formaldehyde (also shortened to melamine) is a hard, thermosetting plastic material made from melamine and formaldehyde by polymerization. In its butylated form, it is dissolved in n-butanol and xylene. It is then used to cross-link with alkyd, epoxy, acrylic, and polyester resins, used in surface coatings. There are many types, varying from very slow to very fast curing. It was initially discovered by William F. Talbot.[1]

Phenolic Impregnated Woods: Dymondwood®
Sold under the brand names Pakkawood®, Staminawood®, and Dymondwood®, and Colorwood®, these are actually plywood products, constructed from birch. Today, these products are made and sold by Rutland Plywood Corporation, who bought out Pakkawood years ago, and modified and updated their technology. The name Pakkawood is discontinued, and the name Staminawood is another name for the same product. There are other names, but today, in knives, it's all Dymondwood.
How it's made: Dymondwood is a densified, impregnated, hardwood composite with the mechanical properties of high density hardwoods, acrylics, polycarbonates, and even brass. Dyes are vacuum-impregnated into the wood, then the wood is pressure-impregnated with phenolic resin at very high pressures, then highly compressed into plywood blocks at 29 plies per inch. With the high compression rates and solid massing of the material, this creates a very dense, solid wood product, that is pretty much waterproof.

PaperStone’s component parts are quite simple and friendly to the earth. First, we use FSC-certified 100% post-consumer recycled paper saturated with our proprietary PetroFree™ phenolic resins containing ingredients like cashew nut shell liquid.
 
Well, trees are a renewable resource.

Brass.....I don't know how much getting brass harms the environment, but the process of combining used paper with resins and other chemicals must use a lot of energy and cause some harm or waste materials.

Reminds me of how people said artificial Christmas trees saved the environment and the truth was that the artificial trees did more harm than good.

Anyhow......I loves me brass and wood.

:D
 
"Anyhow......I loves me brass and wood."

So we hear, over and over and over...............:yawn:

The solution then for you is obvious. Go with what you like. :)
 
Anyhow......I loves me brass and wood.

So do I and I agree that the choices of one environmental choice over another is often a wash. Patagonia famously did a study in the 90s that concluded that their cotton and wool products had a larger environmental impact than their petro based fleece products. The problem was the large amounts of oil used in agriculture (including pesticides) combined with chemical treatments on "natural" fabrics. Bleach was a biggie, if I recall correctly. About 5 years later though, they converted all (most?) of their fleece products to fabrics made from post-consumer waste (soda bottles, essentially) and that was pretty well accepted as a big win.

FWIW, as much as I like brass and wood too (and I do), the Buck 110/112 (or even 500, for that matter) aren't going to sell among the backpacking/climbing/ski touring crowd. The adage in those circles is "Lite is right" or "ounces add up to pounds". For people who trim the edges off of maps and cut the handles of their toothbrushes down, the 112 is a monstrosity. The paperstone knives at least get into the ballpark of reasonable weight. In this light, the choice is between the paperstone 112 and plastic handled knives like the 482 - that is, paperstone vs plastic. In that bake off, paperstone is almost certainly better environmentally. Plus it looks better.
 
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