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Thread: Buck knife..Selkirk

  1. #1
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Default Buck knife..Selkirk

    I will say upfront that have been a Buck Knife fan for a long time....although I do have other options....I thought I would pass along my impressions are on this Buck.

    Going thru my hunting stuff last night....thinking I might add a Buck Selkirk to my kit.

    Bought it awhile back...was on sale, I like the the design....had a cool factor w/ferro rod and all.
    (Y'all are sucking me in to the survival knife line of thinking lol)

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    https://www.buckknives.com/product/s...ife/0863BRS-B/

    I have to say, looking it over I am disappointed for a couple of reasons:

    Heavy, at 7.6 oz...but does have a thick blade.

    Not sharp....Sharpening from the factory is not what I am used to in a Buck Knife.

    Made in China....I guess another company is sold or out sourced.


    I have been carrying a 192 Vanguard....that was a gift....and really like it.
    Little lighter at 6.3 oz....and scary sharp from the factory.

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    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10...leather-sheath

    So I guess I talked my self into sticking with the tried and true.....
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    I have not owned a "straight blade" Buck knife since the 1970s when I had a bad experience with a Special and snapped the blade at the handle while it was still in the sheath.

    I do own the mandatory 110, and a fine old Stockman pocket knife which I use often, but I carry a pocket knife daily and a fixed blade or a big folder only rarely.

    At one time every Buck came with a razor edge from the factory. Not any more I guess.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  3. #3
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    If you look close at the pic's....
    Top
    "Made in China"
    Bottom
    "USA"

    You don't suppose that has anything to do with it?
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
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  4. #4
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Could be.

    I have two of the China made Bucks, the new kind, lockblades with polymer handles and stainless blades. They make fair general purpose knives and they are way better than the average $5 china knife from Rough Ryder or Schrade.

    I also have China made Gerbers, China made Pumas, and one China made Kissing Crane. I am certain that the QC at the end of the production line is the determining factor in the acceptability of the product.

    My China made Puma is as good as any belt knife I have ever owned and if I were in a situation where I could choose from those I own, the knife I carried in some survival scenerio, that would be the one I picked.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  5. #5

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    My last Buck knife was the alpha crosslock purchased about 10 years ago. USA made and sharp. I like a folding knife. I feel comfortable wearing it. If I stop to get fuel or chow it doesn’t draw the look 👀 like a fixed blade does. The alpha is a hefty folder. I wouldn’t baton with it. I carry a small hatchet in the hunting pack for that type of cutting. The alpha is good for field dressing or that fireside steak in the evening.

    http://www.midwayusa.com/product/447...m-handle-black

  6. #6
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rebel View Post
    My last Buck knife was the alpha crosslock purchased about 10 years ago. USA made and sharp. I like a folding knife. I feel comfortable wearing it. If I stop to get fuel or chow it doesn’t draw the look �� like a fixed blade does. The alpha is a hefty folder. I wouldn’t baton with it. I carry a small hatchet in the hunting pack for that type of cutting. The alpha is good for field dressing or that fireside steak in the evening.

    http://www.midwayusa.com/product/447...m-handle-black
    That link is an ad page......

    This it?.....
    https://www.buckknives.com/product/1...ife/0183FAM01/
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    You guys have to remember it doesn't matter where a knife is made the brand owner sets the specs and the factory is responsible for meeting those specs. If a Gerber knife from China is not as sharp as a Gerber knife used to be it is because Gerber has reduced the requirement on grind time or whatever the spec is to acquire sharpness. It isn't about the bad Chinese. They will match whatever specs Gerber gives them. It's all money to them.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Yeah........Gotta agree.

    But I can't help but buy into the old...."Don't make like they used to"....line of thinking.
    Especially side by side.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
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    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I don't disagree at all. As companies look for ways to reduce overhead quality is certainly one of the things that gets impacted. My only point is that is isn't the manufacturer that is to blame. It's the brand owner who sets the specs. If quality is lacking then they are the ones at fault. If Gerber or anyone else paid for razor sharpness in a knife then the manufacturer would be happy to turn that out. They would in turn charge Gerber for the machine time, additional steel, manpower, or whatever else is required to turn out that level of product.

  10. #10
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    I don't disagree at all. As companies look for ways to reduce overhead quality is certainly one of the things that gets impacted. My only point is that is isn't the manufacturer that is to blame. It's the brand owner who sets the specs. If quality is lacking then they are the ones at fault. If Gerber or anyone else paid for razor sharpness in a knife then the manufacturer would be happy to turn that out. They would in turn charge Gerber for the machine time, additional steel, manpower, or whatever else is required to turn out that level of product.
    ....And that is why I did a side by side comparison.....difference is enough that it was very apparent....

    Most new buyers would not have that opportunity or willing to spend the money....Just so happened the the 192 Vanguard was in the fold...so was easy for me.

    That said....I would look for an older "Made in USA" even if used before I would purchase any more of these.....In this case.

    I sure there are American manufacturing companies cutting costs to compete as well.
    That applies to "anything"......not just Chinese knives.

    ..

    If you know this...it's up to the buyer to make that decision.

    I guess you can guess which one I will carry.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  11. #11
    Senior Member Michael aka Mac's Avatar
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    I want to agree with Rick, I really really do, but, I have been seeing so many Chinese knockoffs as of late that I have made reviews on, and made and read other reviews where a manufacturer is contracting China factories to build their inventory, only to be getting subpar merchandise. This was true with Coleman, Gerber, and numerous other name brands, even Zippo is taking a hit from their china made Zippo Hand Warmers.

    Adding cheaper alloys to their mix can make them a lot of extra cash and unless Gerber is going to use an electron microscope, I don't see them able to identify these shortcuts.

    I agree that the "Brand" in the end is the one to blame, as they outsourced their work vs doing it themselves, but what is a company going to do when they get a huge shipment from overseas only to find out a month later that its inferior. They already paid for it if they don't sell it its a total financial loss

    Going back to Buck Knives, I never owned a fixed blade Buck knife, only Buck knife i have is their folder, the 110, and that has been with me going on 30 years. IN hind sight, esp after reading so many threads, I wish I bought a fixed blade buck back then too.

  12. #12
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I thought you were an engineer. You don't think any of these major companies don't have the ability to perform quality control? You don't think they can't perform a chemical analysis on a blade? That's why laboratories exist. They outsource that kind of work to third party labs all the time. If "subpar merchandise" as you call it makes it to the consumer then it's because the brand owner is allowing it to. Factories make products according to spec. They wouldn't be in business very long if they didn't.

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    Senior Member Michael aka Mac's Avatar
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    1st of all, there are numerous types of engineers, many of which are not trained in the same areas. It is like going to a Dentist to treat plantar fasciitis, yea he is a Doc, but not that type of doc.

    Rick you should read this with regard to knives, it is why i posted what i did previously/


    https://www.jayfisher.com/Testing_Kn...his_page_about in particular the section "Why do people (not companies) test blades

  14. #14
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    So you're telling me that knife companies don't test their products? Okay. If that's what you think go with it. I suppose Car makers don't either. Neither do shoe makers. You haven't lived in the world of manufacturing.

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    Senior Member Michael aka Mac's Avatar
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    Well Rick, I learned never to Assume anything as it only makes an A$$ out of U and Me, so I spent this morning calling numerous High End Knife companies. As I thought, they DO NOT do a test to determine the metal content. When they get a shipment from China, they pull one or 2 out of the box to do a basic quality check, mostly by eye, to make sure that everything SEEMS kosher. Not one of the places that I called has ever done a a metal analysis, nor are they doing strength / metal fatigue tests.

    My question to the knife companies, " When you receive a shipment of your knives from china, what forms of quality control do you do and does it include a metal analysis"
    All the replies were "no" on the metal analysis, all of them mentioned they took at random, a knife out of the box, measured the blade and overall length, and checked sheath retention. They were not even checking to see if the knives were sharp right out of the box. Nor static load or dynamic load

    Unlike the car industry that you had mentioned, which has Gov't interference for quality control, and vigorous testing of every single component and feature, Knife manufacturers do not have the same Gov't oversight or regulatory industry standards.

    I did not call Esee blades, they actually do a lot of quality tests, but they also get a crap load of warranty returns so I thought it be a moot point with regard to them.

    But hey proof is in the pudding, give them a call yourself..Fact here is Schrade's phone number 1 (800) 251-0254 to start you out. Make sure you specifically ask about metal analysis, as they had to put me on hold to verify that they do not do it.

    I wouldnt be too quick to make comments like "You haven't lived in the world of manufacturing."

    Now, I dare you to find one that does do a metal analysis... Go ahead and use Esee too, it will probably be your best and only chance to prove otherwise.

  16. #16
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    I'm not calling anyone. The fact is, I don't care. Obviously, you do. Now you know.

  17. #17

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    tick tick tick...
    Wilderness Survival:
    Surviving a temporary situation where you're lost in the wilderness

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    Senior Member Michael aka Mac's Avatar
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    That photo of that log cabin Pete reminds me of my grandparents cabin in the Catskill mountains... Where is the your cabin in that photo at?

    Ours was built on stilts off the side of a mountain and built by all the members of our family. We were luck to have a stream down the hill so we could replenish out water supply.

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