Which one is the better knife?

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Dec 30, 2008
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I just went camping and brought my Kershaw Wildcat Ridge and my Victorinox Swisstool. I realized I don't need the swisstool but i liked having the folder on my waist. I also own a buck 110, brand new. I'm just wondering which knife has the better blade steel, quality and proven usefulness. I know both are made by respectable companies and i know the history of the 110 is amazing. They are both very similar. Here are links to both knives. The kershaw is old, more than half my age. I'm going camping again this weekend so i'm trying to get prepared earlier instead of on that day!

http://www.kershawknives.com/productdetails.php?id=133&brand=kershaw

http://www.buckknives.com/index.cfm?event=product.detail&productID=3044

Thanks.
 
You're right, they're really similar. The performance difference would be so minuscule it's negligible. I would personally go with the Kershaw because the cross-hatched ABS scales give more traction.
 
I'm looking for more on the blade quality, heat treat, edge retention and how the tips hold up. I did some hacking at a tree branch with the kershaw, sharpened sticks, cut stuff and whatnot and the edge held well. I like the Fit and finish better on the buck 110 though and i like that sheath more, but i'm looking more for quality and experience from others as to which is the better overall knife. My kershaw actually has crappy traction because it's old and the scales are pretty worn down.
 
I don't like most of the AUS 6 I've come across. Granted, not sure how the heat treat on that Kershaw is but I'd favor the 420HC of Buck.
 
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Sorry, meant AUS6, not AUS4, it was a typo. If given a choice, I'd still take Buck 420HC over an older AUS6 blade.
 
Buck so far have best Heat Treatment among all manufacturers. They are kind of slow in terms of new steels and technologies - old old very old company, what can you expect? But if they do something - no one will do better.

I will prefer Buck over similar Kershaw.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
I've had both of those knives in the woods of WV with me at different times, although not for more years than I like to admit. IMAO, nothing ever beat the Buck, either a 110 or a 112 (which was my preferred carry). I've also taken Gerbers and Brownings along... Buck was still my first choice and best user at that time.

I never had a traction problem with the wood scales on my Bucks, even when the knife and my hands were wet. The blade steel held up well and the edges were easy to maintain in the field. For an outdoor knife, I'm more concerned with how tough the blade is and how easily I can resharpen it in the field than I am with how hard it is and how long the edge lasts. A field knife (camping, hiking, hunting, etc) can get some pretty hard use. I value toughness in those knives more than edge holding. I used my Buck to cut branches, shave fuzz sticks, whittle, open food tins, tighten glasses, repair stuff, and other things that fall wa-a-a-y-y outside the "right tool for the right job" mantra.
 
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