What traditional lockback for ~$50 today?

S

Sid Post

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Oct 14, 1998
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Yes, I have a Wal-Mart Buck 110 but, it is just too dang big. My trusty KaBar (I think I got it at Wal-Mart ~30 years ago) is starting to show its age so, I'm looking for a replacement.

The one that has caught my eye at the moment is a PUMA SGB model:
http://pumaknifecompanyusa.com/PUMA0174-SGB0174-Whitetail-Jacaranda-Wood--P214.aspx
Are these any good? My review searches haven't proven useful.

The Buck 112 looks like a good candidate but, around here they are really expensive for what you get. I tried the custom shop option which I'm sure is a super knife but, I'm thinking $102 is a bit much for something that will see harsh service and potential loss.

The Grohmann Drop Point Hunter looks super sweet but it's ~$200 :eek: though, I'm guessing it is more of a custom knife than a production model.
http://www.grohmannknives.com/index.php/products/outdoor/folding-knives/h380s-drop-point-hunter-lock-blade-1-detail

I need something that can be carried in the pocket so, no big or rubber scales and the handle material needs to be durable and resist damage by car/tractor/gate keys, the occasional chainsaw wrench and similar hazards.

What knives are recommended for this sort of use? Is there a dramatic difference in a $100 knife versus a $30~50 similar model? I don't need 'super steels' but, would prefer 1095 or similar carbon but, a good stamped stainless blade has proven sufficient so I'm not hung up on blade material too much (rust resistance versus edge holding trade-offs). It's been so long since I was in the market for knife like this, it's hard to know where to focus my search. With no experience with Bear and Sons and other makes now that Ka-Bar and others have been bought out, sold, etc. and no longer making the knives I knew as a kid (even the old Puma's seem to gone to cheaper and lower quality manufacturing) I'm looking for advice and recommendations.

Best Regards,
Sid
 
AG Russell has a number of traditional knives with back-locks. I think the steel on most of his affordable (i.e. imported) knives is 8Cr13MoV, a Chinese-manufactured steel roughly equivalent to Japan's AUS-8.

Not sure how big you are looking for or how tight your $50 limit is, but he's got several models in different sizes.
 
It's not clear why you went to the Buck custom shop for the 112. If you are concerned about price, a regular Buck 112 would cost less than half what you quoted.
 
I have an old Puma lockback made in the late 80s and it hasn't held up as well as my older Buck 110s. I like Buck but if you want something different the GEC#72 is a great knife but almost double your budget.
 
jc57 said:
AG Russell has a number of traditional knives with back-locks. I think the steel on most of his affordable (i.e. imported) knives is 8Cr13MoV, a Chinese-manufactured steel roughly equivalent to Japan's AUS-8.

Not sure how big you are looking for or how tight your $50 limit is, but he's got several models in different sizes.
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I don't have a hard limit at $50 but, money is a bit tight these days so I'm trying to find good value in a working knife.
 
supratentorial said:
It's not clear why you went to the Buck custom shop for the 112. If you are concerned about price, a regular Buck 112 would cost less than half what you quoted.
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I was price comparing and wanted to see what a custom shop knife would cost. The Buck 112's around here are few and far between as well so, if I am going to pay a premium I wanted to know what the customs would cost. The Custom Shop 112 costs about what a German Puma would which I had at one time long ago but, the blade shape didn't work well for how I used it on the farm. The SGB models are cheap enough I was considering giving it another chance in my pocket.
 
skyhorse said:
I have an old Puma lockback made in the late 80s and it hasn't held up as well as my older Buck 110s. I like Buck but if you want something different the GEC#72 is a great knife but almost double your budget.
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That GEC #72 sure looks nice. If it wasn't ~$100 I'd be all over it. The blade shape looks like a real winner for my usage.
 
I would order a buck 112. They can be easily found at most online retailers for under $50! Your posts say you live in Texas, in which case Academy and sometimes even Wall Mart will stock it if you would rather buy in person.
 
Sid Post said:
I'm watching Ebay but, no luck so far. I was hoping I could find one from one of the TSA confiscation auctions.
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I always seem to work out that way, if you are looking for it it rare appears, I bet it will appear after you buy something else.
 
Ernie1980 said:
I would order a buck 112. They can be easily found at most online retailers for under $50! Your posts say you live in Texas, in which case Academy and sometimes even Wall Mart will stock it if you would rather buy in person.
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Wal-marts out here have terrible knife selections unless you want a Buck 110. Once and a while I see an old Case slipjoint that fell through the cracks in the display case on clearance though. I don't go to Academy often but, I will have to check out their knife display as I really want to see one in person before I spend my money.
 
Sid Post said:
I'm watching Ebay but, no luck so far. I was hoping I could find one from one of the TSA confiscation auctions.
Click to expand...

Sirryacus said:
I always seem to work out that way, if you are looking for it it rare appears, I bet it will appear after you buy something else.
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Yes, Murphy's Law rules at times. I could search for 6 months, buy something and then next week a half dozen will appear while I don't have any money left. :(
 
Here are two mini copperlocks, a Puma ebenholz lockback that cost me about 60 USD and a slimline trapper for size.
The Copperlocks are nice and thin, so they are easy to carry and I think the over all length of the full size Copperlock is the same as the Slimline trapper.
ooMD9nb.jpg

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You really ought to be able to find a Buck 112 in your price range.Or a Buck 500 Duke another good lockback for under $50.00.
 
dammyippon said:
Here are two mini copperlocks, a Puma ebenholz lockback that cost me about 60 USD and a slimline trapper for size.
The Copperlocks are nice and thin, so they are easy to carry and I think the over all length of the full size Copperlock is the same as the Slimline trapper.
Click to expand...

If I could find a Puma Ebenholz for ~$60USD I would love to give it a try. The tip looks slightly more rounded/blunt than my Swiss Army Knife. I find my SAK blade to be very useful but, it is so soft I have to be careful what I use it for.

And thanks for the pictures. Those Copperlocks look like another great option with their thin profiles.
 
redcanoe said:
You really ought to be able to find a Buck 112 in your price range.Or a Buck 500 Duke another good lockback for under $50.00.
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Yes, Amazon or Ebay would let me do that. What I don't understand is why the 112 costs twice as much the 110. Also, at that price point I want to make sure I am not overlooking a better blade for my use The Copperlocks were one I totally overlooked but, they seem like a potentially better choice.

While the GEC #72 is out of my price range, as is the Puma Ebenholz (only found it in Germany for ~$114 shipped), the other option to consider is holding out for Christmas and pooling my money with Gift Cards to up my price range. The main thing for me is getting the right knife the first time as trying again is very expensive when you get it wrong.
 
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