To D2 or Not to D2

Rebel Nimrod

Rebel Nimrod

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Jan 23, 2014
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I’m helping my uncle get his 112 blade replaced and considering two options. As you can see he is hard on knives, so I am trying to decide if I should just pay Buck to put another 420HC hollow ground blade in it or use the D2 flat ground blade from a spare lil’ Jack. I’m thinking the flat ground D2 would be a significantly more durable blade. What has been your experience with D2 vs 420HC as far as toughness?
 
I agree, D2 might snap just as easy. I have a small (smaller than a 110) Stanley pry-bar that’s worth its weight in gold for little pry jobs. Cheap too - a LOT cheaper than even a Walmart Buck! OH
 
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I think I would send it to Buck and have them replace the blade with their 420. Should he do this again have it replaced again. It's
cheap. The 112 cost more than a 110. DM
 
I think the D2 blade would be more likely to snap when used as a prybar.

I concur with the separate small prybar option, regardless of which blade you decide on. :)
 
5160 would hold up better. it's very very tough since it's a spring steel.

yeah get him a pry bar.....right tool for the job always works best.
 
I didn’t think there would be such a consensus, the 420 would definitely be cheaper. He always snaps the tips, but this is the first time in over 30 years he snapped the blade. Said it really shouldn’t have snapped when it did, but he probably overstressed it previously. I gave him a 5160 droppoint to use till I sort this out for him, that ought to hold him for a while. Said he might actually like it better than the clip point!

PS He’s had this same knife since late 70s or early 80s, so it has some sentimental value.
 
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I say gift him or sell him the 5160 drop point. It should hold up better. Then, have the blade replaced in his with a standard one and tell him to put it away as a back up or keepsake since it has sentimental value.
 
The D2 112 will have some collector value..It seems to me Buck will not take a blade out of a knife to replace a damaged one under warranty.That's a job for Leroy or Joe as a favor. The 420 steel 10.00 blade replacement fee is a killer deal !
 
bucksway said:
The D2 112 will have some collector value..It seems to me Buck will not take a blade out of a knife to replace a damaged one under warranty.That's a job for Leroy or Joe as a favor. The 420 steel 10.00 blade replacement fee is a killer deal !
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Yeah I had already talked to Leroy about swapping it for me if I decided to go that route and spoke to Buck about the 420HC replacement cost. Couldn’t agree more that $10 for new blade is unbeatable!
Deere Man said:
I say gift him or sell him the 5160 drop point. It should hold up better. Then, have the blade replaced in his with a standard one and tell him to put it away as a back up or keepsake since it has sentimental value.
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Good advice, the 5160 is already his to keep, I owe him way more than that for all he has done for me. Getting his 112 fixed is one of the few things I can do for him, he always does more for others than he expects in return.
I was thinking the extra metal in the flat grind (saber) blade of the D2 would be stronger than the hollow ground 420, that doesn’t seem to be the popular opinion I’m hearing.
 
Rebel Nimrod said:
About the the D2 not as strong? Several members above responded that they thought the D2 was the same or more likely to snap than the 420.
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I said the D2 is more likely to snap, but only because it is harder.

I have a 112 with the D2 blade; an SK Blades "Lil' Jack".
I love the knife, but would never dream of abusing it like a 420HC 110 or 440A Old Timer 7OT.
 
Stronger, more durable, tougher, what ever you want to call it, I simply needed input from the fine members here on which blade between Buck’s 420HC or D2 flat grind is less likely to do what the one in the picture did. No one so far has suggested I use the D2 version, so popular opinion must be that the 420HC is less likely to snap, regardless of why. Thanks to all for the the good advice!

afishhunter, I really like my ‘Lil’ Jack too, cool knife!
 
If it’s Buck d2 I don’t think it would be more likely to snap under normal use, because it probably wouldn’t be hardened as high as their 420HC. The only buck I have in d2 is a fixed blade 118 which I haven’t really tested yet, but I have every confidence that I will never break it. Snapping a blade as thick as the 110 or 112 does indicate abuse, so I’d recommend as everyone else has that it be replaced by Buck for their incredible deal of $10. That’s basically a new knife for almost nothing, and they’ll clean up everything else on the knife under warranty.
 
420HC is known for being a pretty tough stainless steel though I'm not sure if that applies to the higher hardness HT from buck. That snap suggests improper use, as mentioned above. D2 should hold an edge better but it's not known for superior toughness though I think it's tough enough for most tasks given proper HT. I've used it a fair bit for carving and woodscraft with some OKC and knifemaker's knives as D2 is my favorite value steel and I wish it came on more knives.

If you put a nice D2 blade on it and tell him it's special is he less likely to side load the heck out of the blade? If yes, that would be worth it right there.

I'm also curious how long that blade lasted, even with the hard use/abuse. If it's been many years, replace and keep on going.

To answer your original question, I don't think D2 will help you out in keep him from breaking the knife due to it's different physical properties.
 
Bucks 112 D2 blade is thick. More steel. Maybe that would help handle the pressure. It sure looks stronger. There is only one way to find out for sure. Someone has to test these things for us! :D
 
bikerector said:
If you put a nice D2 blade on it and tell him it's special is he less likely to side load the heck out of the blade? If yes, that would be worth it right there.

I'm also curious how long that blade lasted, even with the hard use/abuse. If it's been many years, replace and keep on going.
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He is a welder/mechanic/farmer/fixer, the first time he is out on the tractor or under a piece of equipment and needs to use the knife a little rough and doesn’t have a screw driver handy, he will use the blade, D2 or not. It’s a tool for him, not a knife guy, but he’s not trying to break it on purpose either. That last blade is either the third or fourth blade the knife has had counting the original in over 30 years of daily use, it’s the first one he has broke the blade (always breaks the tip). The other blades eventually just got worn away. This last 420HC blade lasted about two years I would guess. Another item of note for you Buck guys, the sheath I bought him when I had the last blade put in is now worn out, going to have to replace it. The original USA sheath lasted a long, long time, the new Mexican sheaths don’t compare.
 
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