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Buck Vanguard Fixed Blade.

So I’m in the market for a 4 to 5” fixed blade to use when I’m at my wooded lot. I have this SOG which is remarkably efficient, but it’s got a half serrated blade and just doesn’t do it for me. So I’ve had my eye out for a new blade.

I figured I was going to get a Bark River Gamekeeper ($180.00) - it’s a beautiful knife thou I’ve never held it:

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But then over the weekend, I was over at Cabellas and I saw and handled a Buck Vanguard Alaska Edition in S30V.

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Now I’m not going to lie, I had a Buck snap in half on me a million years ago and vow I’d never buy one again! But at $120.00, it peaked my interest. I might have bought it right there but the dude just had a horrible attitude. Like as if he was doing me a favor just showing me the knife, so I walked away. But the knife stuck in my head.

Cutting to the chase, it’s been shipped and should be at the house tomorrow. No doubt I’ll mess with the edge, but I think the first thing I’ll do is redo the handle and stain it black. I should leave well enough alone being it’s rather attractive as is, but... I can’t.

So there it is, I’ll post as I go along messing with the thing - feel free to join along!!


I can’t believe I bought a Buck!
 

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The Instigator
Yes. USA-made Bucks are still decent! (Give the handle a chance) :bored:

The Barkies are so popular, but $,$$$ in my opinion ... I never do pull the trigger.

The classic Buck 110 folder - I bought one to recapture my reckless & stupid youth. So heavy! So much brass. And yeah, you'd snap that blade! There are many, many better choices. :whistling: Just examined it. Like a CB radio; retro cool. Glad I have one., but I'd stick Benchmade or Spyderco in pocket first ...


AA
 
Yes. USA-made Bucks are still decent! (Give the handle a chance) :bored:

The Barkies are so popular, but $,$$$ in my opinion ... I never do pull the trigger.

The classic Buck 110 folder - I bought one to recapture my reckless & stupid youth. So heavy! So much brass. And yeah, you'd snap that blade! There are many, many better choices. :whistling: Just examined it. Like a CB radio; retro cool. Glad I have one., but I'd stick Benchmade or Spyderco in pocket first ...


AA
Thanks brother. I should have given the handle a chance but I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. Where were you two hours ago lol!

So I stippled it, and I love the feel! Love. The smooth was good, but this is just... better. It looked ok too. The gloss was gone.

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But I followed through and put a little black stain on it. It looks like something I lodged into the can this morning. The stain isn’t absorbing very well. I’ll let this dry and give it another coat later.

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Hm, how did you stipple it? 🤔 Dremel?

Feel is everything. If mo better, mo better.


AA
Dremel it was. I actually did a little more stippling, stained it again, and buffed the brass a little since the last picture. It feels (to me) way better now. I’m actually finally a little more excited.

I’ll let it dry overnight and then lacquer it up. Pictures to follow.


PS - thanks @FarmerTan
 
So I tried it all. Completely black. No black. Then deeper grooves to more subtle dimpling. I settled on a combination of black and natural, with subtle grooves.

8D9E8C47-8F5F-4069-96A2-34F4E0B03FC5.jpeg


I hit the brass on the edges with the Dremel on purpose thinking it would give it a more smooth transition between the wood and the brass. It didn’t work. It looks bad. You live and learn, but I love the handle now! It feels absolutely great in the hand and somehow, less cheap. I’m really glad I did it. These pictures just aren’t doing it justice.

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At the end of the day, this isn’t meant to be a “pretty“ knife. If I think it is, that’s icing. It is, and will be a hard working knife that will be abused. I’m hard on knives. But the more they take, the better I love em. I only have one knife that even remotely looks new, and that was given to me by my wife.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
So I tried it all. Completely black. No black. Then deeper grooves to more subtle dimpling. I settled on a combination of black and natural, with subtle grooves.

View attachment 1215202

I hit the brass on the edges with the Dremel on purpose thinking it would give it a more smooth transition between the wood and the brass. It didn’t work. It looks bad. You live and learn, but I love the handle now! It feels absolutely great in the hand and somehow, less cheap. I’m really glad I did it. These pictures just aren’t doing it justice.

View attachment 1215203

At the end of the day, this isn’t meant to be a “pretty“ knife. If I think it is, that’s icing. It is, and will be a hard working knife that will be abused. I’m hard on knives. But the more they take, the better I love em. I only have one knife that even remotely looks new, and that was given to me by my wife.

Go forth, and chop stuff up! It's ready.


AA
 
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