Two-dot 112 with skinny blade

Frankki

Frankki

Joined
Oct 26, 2007
Messages
1,557
Hey guys,

need to ask the more experienced folks again.

I got this two-dot Ranger a while ago, nice knife once I got all the dirt and verdigris off. Looks like it wasn't used much, just stored for quite some time. Tight lockup, good and snappy.

The blade, however, looks kinda slim and narrow. Thickness is just under 3 millimetres, no problem there, but looking at the width it almost looks like something's missing. Measuring from spine to edge it's about 18 mm at the heel (sorry, I'm a bit useless with inches and fractions.. metric system country). And the kick looks pretty damn huge too. And yet, if you look at the close-up pics, it doesn't look like a blade that someone fed to the bench grinder monster. That's a factory job on the grind and edge if you ask me. :confused:

Blade length is less than 3 inches as well, but as I've later learned, some 112s did have blades of 2 7/8". But what say you, is the rest of the blade also within normal variation or am I in fact missing some width here?

Pics:

ranger1_zpscs2kuvma.jpg


ranger2_zps8xgyrvsp.jpg


ranger3_zpsx8fznoxq.jpg


ranger4_zpsibmsf1tw.jpg


rangerhand2_zpsw4frarkw.jpg
 
Looks perfect to me. The rounded transition to the shoulder is how they used to do it and IMO makes for better slicing. Cut some potatoes with this one and a current 112 and you may feel the difference.
 
Looks good to me also. The blade looks full and the edge looks like factory. Don't think that knife was used much. Nice find!
 
The 2 dot blades did not have that grind coming out of the factory. They had a semi-hollow grind which has been removed, narrowing the width by about 1/8". Yours was well done and blended in. Also the blade stop is different on a factory 2 dot 112 and does not look like yours. Those blade were originally 3 1/8" in length. DM
 
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Frank, My Buck 112 is very similar to yours (excepting it has been used over the years by me and by unknown predecessors). My blade measures 25/32" wide (2 cm) and 2-7/8" long (74 mm). Mine has been sharpened so it could have lost a little metal over the years. I think your knife is brand new and perfect - all there and very nice! OH

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Look carefully to see the thicker portion of hollow grind near the edge. Plus, the stop is done differently, it has a small divot which shows the machining marks left on it. Whereas yours is cut at a straight angle and sanded. This blade measures 3 1/16" so near the factory stated length. Yours has been modified but done well. DM
 
Here is another photo of the same blade. Look carefully at the choil and cutting edge junction. This blade measures 26/32" wide. It has been sharpened and used very little. DM
 
You can see the thicker portion near the cutting edge in Hunter's photo as well. Thus, it's not a full hollow grind as your. The 3 dot blades are fully hollow ground and done in that respect like yours. DM
 
Frank, Your blade being 18mm as you stated is = to .70 inch. Making your blade at 22/ 32" or 23/32" at the most. Which is well below our findings. DM
 
Good points, thank you David especially.

Have to say, not a half bad job on the regrind, if indeed some previous owner has done one on my knife. It's not too excessively thick behind the edge, could do with a better sharpening and some reprofiling as well, but I'll get around to it later. Still quite a useful blade with many miles left.

I did have the feeling from the start that it ought to have a couple of more millimetres of width there, however as it's my first two-dot 112 I have nothing to compare it to. Been a few years since I handled a modern one as well.
 
Those are radiused bolsters. Buck did not radius the frame on a 112 until the 3 dots. (next version)This one I came across at a Gun & Knife show, the proprietor did know much about it. I thought the previous owner did a decent job on it and the blade looked unused. Over-all it was in slightly used shape. So, I picked it up and I like carrying it at times. I don't often find 2 dot 112's in this good shape. It has the correct sheath as well. So, I'm certain it's original. Other that the handle being radiused. And this one was the first 112 I could lay my hands on when I read Frank's topic. DM
 
You are in for a treat with that 440c steel, Frankki. I just love the 'toothy' edge it takes.
 
A.P.F. said:
You are in for a treat with that 440c steel, Frankki. I just love the 'toothy' edge it takes.
Click to expand...

Yep, I've been quite happy with 440C on other knives, nothing wrong with it and I'm curious to find out how Buck has done theirs. I use diamonds and ceramics for sharpening so the much-talked-about hardness won't be a problem.

Actually, for the longest time I was awfully confused when people were talking about the "dots" in Buck. It was dots this and dots that and so and so many dots... "what bloody dots?!?", I thought. So then as I got curious enough and did some digging, light bulbs started going on. "Chance to get 440C steel and real proper wood inlays? Sign me up, right now!" :)
 
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