Comparing Knives

WARNING: The contents of this post may not be suitable for readers in countries where knives are subject to arbitrary resrictions, and freedom is even more illegal than it is here in the USA

Jokes aside, this post is intended to compare and contrast the two fixed-blade knives pictured above. Many people carry knives as a part of their everyday attire in my neck of the woods. I usually just carry a Leatherman Wave multitool (pictured above for scale) as my knife of choice, although I also often have a disposable cheap pocket knife on hand as well. When working in the yard or hiking in the woods, though, it's nice to have something a bit more substantial on hand. These two aren't what knife snobs and self-professed survival gurus would endorse, but they're both perfectly serviceable for those of us with normal budgets and needs.

The top knife is a no-name job, perhaps of Pakistani origin if I had to guess. The steel isn't ideal, and the fit and finish leave something to be desired, but I rather like it anyway. It was cheap, and it has served my needs over the years, so I plan to keep it. Many years ago while engaging in some tomfoolery with a friend, we were throwing knives at an old broken door from a demolished trailer house. This knife stabbed into that door all the way to the handguard, hilt first. It has since been nicknamed, "the club."

On the bottom is a new Buck knife that same friend gave me for Christmas last year. Buck has a factory in Post Falls, Idaho just a few miles east of the border with Washington and not too far from the city of Spokane. This may have been purchased from their factory store. While I can't find this model on their website for some reason, it is very similar to the 105, except the blade is more clearly patterned after the larger 119.

Buck knives are typically made from 420HC, a high-carbon stainless steel that tries to balance corrosion resistance, edge retention, and durability. Every material has tradeoffs, but this is by no means a bad choice on the part of Buck. True high carbon steels are more prone to rust. Adding chromium to the steel alloy makes it more resistant to corrosion. The no-name knife also seems to be some sort of stainless steel, but it doesn't hold an edge as well. Still, what do you expect for whatever pittance I paid?

A knife needs a good sheath. The Buck knife has a good sheath, which it shares with the aforementioned 105. It is sturdy and secure. There is a bit of a mass production feel to it, and there is a little room for rattle, but it's not going to come apart or let the knife fall out

The no-name knife has a sheath, too. It's not complete garbage, I guess... OK, the leather is so thin and the fit is so poor that the knife tip has poked its way through at the end. The stitching gave way on the belt loop, as can be seen in the photo below. The retention strap is adequate, I suppose, but there is room for the knife to slide further than I would like before it is stopped. I think I need to take up leatherworking and make something more serviceable.

If I really wanted to find fault with the Buck, I might complain about the size of the hilt and hand guard, but neither is really a problem. The smaller overall size is much more practical for carry, especially due to the lower weight involved. Large knives are cumbersome, and my knife fight count still stands at zero, so I anticipate little need for a massive Bowie knife. I would not hesitate for a moment before choosing this Buck over a bigger self-professed "survival combat knife." The guard doesn't need to stop an adversary's blade, it just needs to keep my hand from slipping forward of the hilt.

I do like the way the hilt and guard on the no-name knife combine to completely eliminate any possibility of my hand sliding onto the blade though. If I ever give knife-making a try, I would make a copy of that design with better steel in the blade and a better sheath. That could make it into a real contender for the perfect bushcraft knife for me.

As it stands now, the Buck wins hands-down. Better materials, better manufacturing, better sheath. It costs more, but you get more, and more than enough to make it worthwhile if you can possibly afford it.