Buck 110 Folding Hunter, Lockback Folding Knife

The Buck 110 Lockback Folding Hunter is a classic American knife that has stood the test of time since the early 1960's and thrived even in today's competitive knife market. This knife has been around, tested, used, and abused longer than many of the current knife companies have been in existence. Don't get me wrong as these other knife companies make excellent knives. But, the Buck is a classic that cannot be denied. If you are a knife collector the Buck 110 is a "must have" in your collection as it is truly a piece of knife Americana. If you are looking for a rugged, dependable, and quality general purpose knife you cannot go wrong with the 110. I have owned mine for over 25 years and it still functions incredibly well.

                                                                          Buck 110

Aspects of this knife that I like include:

+ Comes wickedly razor sharp
+ Easy to sharpen
+ Easy to maintain
+ Quality craftsmanship
+ Very versatile general purpose knife
+ Feels good in your hand
+ The locking mechanism is perfection
+ There is absolutely no play in the blade once the knife is open
+ Comes with a quality leather sheath
+ Has an unconditional lifetime warranty
+ Made in the U.S.A.

Many of today's top knife makers are constantly refining and changing the design of their knives. The Buck 110 has been around for over 50 years with millions of this particular knife in circulation. This knife needs no modifications or refinements. It may lack some of the "flash" of modern knives but there is no loss of functionality or utility. Whether it is cutting rope, opening boxes, or skinning an animal this knife is up to the task and will not disappoint you with its performance. I was recently going through an old box and found this knife packed away. I got it out, cleaned it up, put some oil on it and brought it back to life within 5 minutes. It was like seeing an old friend after a long separation. I still love my Spyderco, Gerber, Cold Steel, Ontario, Becker, Kabar, and others. But, the Buck 110 is no slouch of a knife. And, at the price point you cannot go wrong. There was a time when you couldn't go a day without seeing a Buck 110 strapped to someone's belt tucked away in the leather pouch. While I don't see this knife being worn as much as I used to I definitely have no problem carrying this knife. It would also be a great addition to a bug out bag or even to carry as an everyday carry knife inside the sheath.

You won't see this knife "marketed" as a `tactical knife' or `survival knife.' It isn't one of those knives that is hyped up with an advertising campaign. This knife stands on the merits of 50 years of service. To give this knife anything less than a 5 star rating is to diminish the history, legacy, and utility of this excellent knife. This is a knife that you can proudly pass on to one of your children. The Buck 110 is solid, rugged, dependable, and will probably be around longer than we will be!

This knife can be purchased at: http://www.amazon.com/Buck-110-Folding-Hunter-Lockback/dp/B000EHYZKK/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

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Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife

The Ka-Bar Becker BK2 is a very popular knife these days and for pretty good reason. The Internet and YouTube is full of good reviews on this knife so I will not repeat what is already out there but instead give you some of my main points of consideration. The Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife is a solid knife that performs very well overall.

Becker BK2 with Micarta Handles

My caveats with this knife are the following:

Grips:

-The grivory grips do not work well for me. The shape is fine but the grip is slick and does not feel solid especially when wet. I think it is worth the investment to upgrade to Micarta grips. I put on Micarta grips and am very satisfied with this upgrade and the look of the knife is improved.

Sheath:

-The sheath lacks useful functionality and fails on a host of levels. Improving the sheath will dramatically improve this knife to make it a better selling knife than it already is but the current sheath is very poor.

First, the knife is very difficult to remove from the sheath which overly secures the knife in place. I like when a sheath securely holds the knife but not when it makes it so difficult to remove the knife.

Second, when you are putting the knife back into the sheath is makes a very loud "click" noise. You cannot maintain noise discipline with this knife if needed. For some, this issue will not be a factor.

Third, the knife contains nylon to secure it on your belt which also contains a nylon strap with a button to keep the knife in place. The nylon will eventually wear out and is not durable at all. The rivet that holds in the nylon strap to secure the knife will also pop out of place after a period of time. If you don't use your knife regularly this may not be an issue. Also, when you remove the knife from the sheath the sheath flops around.

Hedgehog Leatherworks makes a nice sheath but it is very expensive which will significantly raise the cost of this knife. Check out Hedgehog Leatherworks at http://www.hedgehogleatherworks.com/Sheath-for-the-Becker-BK-2-Knife-p/h-av.htm. I am still in the process of finding a replacement sheath that works well but is reasonably priced.

Overall:

The Becker BK2 is a great knife especially for its price. Ka-Bar and Becker need to work together to improve the grips and sheath. Depending on your situation you may need to spend some extra money to upgrade the grips and sheath which may make other knives more attractive of an option at that point. At the end of the day I still recommend this knife.

You can find more reviews on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

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