What an OUTSTANDING knife for $40! Originally, I was basically just getting the knife for the blade. Was planning on re-doing the scales and everything, but have decided it's just fine as is. Here's some pics:









1. Scales. They are of some fiberous nylon plastic with about 20 lpi checkering. While not the most beautiful, they serve their gripping purpose VERY well. Probably too aggresive for some bare hands. Anyone who has 20 lpi on their pistol knows it will eat up sensitive hands. Only good thing is that being plastic, the tips will eventually smooth out so it's not as abrasive, yet will remain grippy.

The secondary benefit when compared to something like G10 is weight. This is marketed as a "police" model. Using this type of plastic probably saves a bunch of weight over G10 which is a relatively heavy material. Police have to carry enough junk around that wants to pull their pants down so I'm sure that any weight savings is appreciated. Although someone like me would like G10 better, the target audience for their reason for choosing this material is understood.

2. Blade: While not perfect in grind lines, it is very good. ATS34 steel heat-treated by the reknown Paul Bos is excellent. I would prefer a much taller grind with a thinner blade edge for better cutting, but for $40, what can you say? At least the blade will never suffer from strength issues. The top half stippling is done well and makes it easy to pull the blade out when not using the thumb hole. The blade tension is easily adjustable with a torx wrench.

3. Clip is reversable and the screws actually thread into little metal inserts placed on the back of the plastic liner so stripping out should not be an issue. Buck also is nice enough to fill the empty handle holes on the opposite side with extra screws.

4. Lock: As has been commented in other reviews the liner is thin looking , especially when compared to the great thickness of the blade. Mine locks up solidly and I have no belief that it will fail. It has TONS of sideways tension to keep it in place. If it did fail, the liner would be unlikely to slip off and just immediately fail, but would rather crumple slowly. While a liner crumple would still be a failure, crumples dont tend to chop into your finger like a liner that slips off the blade completely.

Another cost saving is that Buck is not using a true pressed in ball bearing into the liner. It is a little mushroom head thing. While it works fine, it is not as smooth as a tiny pressed-in bearing. It's non-perfect round shape means that it like to catch a little on closure. I'm sure that over time it will smooth out.

5. Pivot area: Has bronze phosphorus (at least looks like BP washers). Odd though in that it has 2 washers on one side of blade and one on other. Either way, opening is smooth and after a little adjustment with my torx driver, blade is parallel to liners (not perfectly "centered", but parallel because of the 2 washers on one side thing)

6. Construction: Rivets hold the handle together so you cant take it apart, but everything seems very solid and tight. I'd prefer regular through screws instead of rivets, but at least the rivets look nice and are solid.

Conclusion: For $40 this is a GREAT hard-use utility knife. I generally daily-carry less tactical more artsy knives, but I am still quite pleased with this knife (which is the only folding knife I have that I have not made myself.

Nice. Next time I'm there, if they have any left I'll be picking one up.

Update. I officially HATE the stippling on the upper part of the blade. It provides for great opening traction, but cut a greasy hamburger or hotdog and the stippled area will NOT clean out without a faucet and hot water. Mustard, cheese, grease, etc gets all squished into the stippling. No simple wipe on a napkin or pant leg!

I had one of them I payed alot more for it. Its a nice blade but a tad on the thick side. It was well built