Vantage Avid

O

ohen cepel

Gold Member
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Sep 19, 2002
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3,496
After much searching (from TN to NY), finally found one.

Love it! For under $30 it's a steal! I thought about the Pro version since Bass Pro also had that one in stock but I like the diamond wood better than the G10 and wanted to give the sandvik steel a try.

Great knife for the money. May need to look at the smaller version down the road.

Won't replace the 110 in my heart, but it's an amazing knife!
 
Exactly!! Enjoy and give us some feedback on the Sandvik.
Mine, the one I was supposed/planned to give my brother, I've decided to keep but still playing with the Pro so haven't used it. Very interested to hear some feedback on the 13C26.

Btw, I've decided to get him a NIB 701 as a replacement gift.
 
I've got one on order from a local dealer and I can't wait to get my hands on it! Had to pay a couple of bucks more but trying to support local business here. Post a review when you've had some time with it. Everything I've seen on this series from Buck has been positive and it's just one of some really appealing designs they've come out with recently. Wish I could shake this knife addiction as it may be too much for me soon!
 
I have the Vantage Pro, not the Avid. Picked it up at Bass Pro Shops and it hasn't left my pocket since. It has quickly become my regular EDC, along with a couple of slipjoints. Rides great in the pocket and it is a beast of a user.

I hope your Avid provides you with the same performance. Let us know how the Sandvik steel works out.
 
I have the avid. I really like the knife but I HATE the liner. It doesnt settle in the same place every time. If I flick it open with gusto it goes over 3/4 on the stop. If not it goes all the way to the other side of the knife touching the liner. ALL of the Vantage's at the store did this, even the pro's. I dont know whether it because its a new bunch or not. I really wanted the knife so I am dealing with it but its a flaw to me. I also dislike how flat the liner is, it is not contoured to your finger at all and while making fuzzsticks it dug into my finger a little bit. I am going to drummel a little dip in it and make it more comfortable.

I have cut some fuzzsticks and a few steaks with it so far but I had to sharpen it when I got it as the tip was a little thicker of an edge than I like. For 30 some dollars though and the steel you get with who did the heat treat its still a good buy. I have some issues but they arent deal breakers for the price I paid for it.

Everyone else's product may vary.
 
B74, sorry to hear about the Avid you purchased, you mentioned they were all like that? I hope that it was limited to that production run. I've got one coming soon and although it's a budget knife I do expect it to be designed and constructed well. My other favorite manufacturers spyderco, benchmade, and kershaw produce budget lines and the ones that I've bought from benchmade and spyderco have impressed me, a real bargain for the price. I'm expecting the same from Buck as they've always served me well in the past.
 
My liner is good, about 1/4 of the way over every time.

I didn't check the others in the store that much, decided on the one I wanted and moved on.

I'm still impressed with a knife like that made in the USA for under $30! Hope they out with some more versions/handle materials/blade steel mixes.

Looking hard at the smaller version already.
 
I'm hoping to see a small Avid and Pro.
I was thinking just what handle material option would look good on this knife.
It seem to me that some amber bone in a stag pattern would be simple irresistable.
 
Just got my Avid and I'll be sending it back. My liner goes all the way over to the other side or nearly so everytime and the blade isn't centered closed or open. It's off centered to the right and when I close it, the blade scrapes the liner on the non-locking side. I'm really disappointed as the design is excellent, the blade is sharp, and the handle is really comfortable. My 110 is 15 years old and the fit an finish is still great (although worn from use) and the lock up is more solid than the Avid's. Maybe Buck should re-release it as a lockback. I know it won't have the flipper but the thumbhole works just fine. Anyway, disappointed in this model. I had planned on eventually picking up the pro but I'm not so sure now.
 
14Tango said:
I had planned on eventually picking up the pro but I'm not so sure now.
Click to expand...

Tango: Sorry to hear about your problems with your Avid. I don't own an Avid, but I do own the Pro. The one I own is a beast of a knife. The lockup is rock solid, absolutely no blade play. The blade lines up a little left of center when it's closed, but it's no big deal as it is not touching the sides. The liner lock goes about a 1/4 to 1/2 way to the center of the blade and doesn't move.

The steel is also excellent, and cuts like nobody's business. So far, I've only used it on daily household type chores (cutting open packages, opening those plastic clampacks, minor food prep, rope cutting, etc.) and performance is great.

I've had no issues with this knife, and I would recommend it highly.
 
Tango,
Don't write it off yet. I know I would be bummed by the first impression. However, I would give the platform a second chance.

I haven't had a chance to use mine much but am loving it!
 
The blade being off centered when closed wouldn't normally bother me but I do like my blades lined up straight when open. I don't think I can get past the blade scraping the liner everytime I close it or the lockup sliding all the way over. It makes me question the design or the manufacturing process. I know I haven't heard of any of these things happening on the Pro, any reason why? Are 13C26 blades cut differently or something? Like I said I love the looks and it feels great in my hand, maybe I'll give the pro a try sometime but I think I'll wait till I can actually check it in hand and then buy directly. I'm hoping a local knife shop will bring it in soon.
 
My 347 Adavantage Pro has seen some use in the two months I've been carrying it. It's still sharp - even to the point, where the bevel widens. The S30V helps keep an edge - my favorite blade material. It will never be mistaken for a Sebenza, but the fit and finish were - and still are - fairly good. The artificially low-priced $40 WallyWorld Spydie S30V Native, a bargain gone now for most of a year, has been edged out of my pocket. It's still a great EDC - I just like toting a 'Buck' better.

The Pro still has a fairly well centered blade, closed or opened. The framelock is fully involved - feels and sounds, as it locks, quite solid - and I am a lockback guy. The largest fault I have with mine - the open back attracts coins! The Native is sealed - and really a tough, albeit smaller, act to follow. The flipper on the Pro seems to have eased - may be time to tighten that. The Native, by comparison, is riveted at the axle - not good, even if my nearly two year old one is still tight... I like the ability to 'tighten' it when needed.

I guess I'd rate the Vantage Pro as a poor man's 172 TNT. Same blade, too.

Stainz
 
I sent my Vantage Pro back to Buck because of the problems mentioned above, i.e., the liner going all the way to the opposite side. The blade is also not centered when closed. I got the knife back late last week and its better but still a 3/4 of the way now. Otherwise, I'm happy with the knife.

Vinny
 
Wouldn't the use of PB washers go a long way in helping all these off center blade/late lockup issues? I sure hope they don't use the same flimsy little things I discovered in my Hilo. :(
 
If you have one with condition problems send it right back! I'm sure they'll patch it right up. :)

For what its worth every one I've handled has been flawless.
 
I've had my Pro for over a week now. I have all of the issues mentioned in many of the posts above. The blade is off center when open, and sometimes hits the liner when closing. The liner lock is very inconsistent. Sometimes it lines up fine, other times it goes all the way over to the other liner. This knife has tiny little white nylon pivot washers, when combining that with the little itty-bitty pivot bolt/screw, it's a bad situation all the way around. Also, all the screws on this knife (including the pivot) are low quality.

There are many things about this knife that I like a lot. The blade - awesome. The scales - beautiful. The overall pattern - great.

For just a couple more dollars for phosphor bronze washers and better hardware, this knife would have been a home run.

Here's a couple pics showing the lock-up variance. I did not force the lock to that position (second pic), it lands there maybe every 1 out of 5 times. I think the main blame can be put on the nylon washers - too much flex.

4 out of 5 times
IMG_1699-1.jpg


1 out of 5 times
IMG_1701-1.jpg
 
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^^ Thanks for the pics. I watched your review on youtube (thanks for that too) and I could see the liner moving all the way over when you opened it. :(
 
I was 2 clicks away from purchasing the Vantage Pro, then I remembered something about streetmaster63's video that bothered me; it was the late lock up. The next step is to check here, and whaddaya know, a thread about Vantage series describing the problem.

There's a lot to love about Vantage Pro: Bos-treated S30V, ample belly, G10, slim profile, low rider clip, Buck warranty, and sub $50 price. I really want to love this knife, but I can't get over problems like centering and late lockup.

Instead of buying the current batch from a different retailer, maybe I should wait until knifeworks got restocked with the next one.
 
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