5th Annual: Help Us Build a Buck: 104 Compadre - Blade Steel

Blade Steel and/or Cerakote Option

  • 5160

    Votes: 7 6.0%

  • 5160 with Cerakote

    Votes: 2 1.7%

  • D2

    Votes: 59 50.4%

  • D2 with Cerakote

    Votes: 4 3.4%

  • CPM-154

    Votes: 27 23.1%

  • CPM-154 with Cerakote

    Votes: 2 1.7%

  • S35VN

    Votes: 13 11.1%

  • S35VN with Cerakote

    Votes: 3 2.6%
  • Total voters
    117
  • Poll closed .
It was close for me between 5160 and D2, but I chose D2. Non coated blades are my preference regardless of steel. I really looking forward to this knife!
 
Maybe no one is voting Cerakote because they are not aware of the full palate to choose from. Stephen's pink EDC is not the only color available, there are browns and black obviously and my favorite alien zombie blood green. Are there more? Can we pick something brand new since Buck has brought this in house?
 
bikerector said:
Is that still made? I've never heard of it but I think I'm an immediate fan. Very nice.
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The Schrade-Walden and Schrade H-15s haven't been made in many decades but are readily available on the secondary market. Of course, other older knives that have thinner blade stocks compared to today's fashion include those made by Western.

IMO, the H-15 and knives like it, are more of a camp knife and less of a bushcrafting knife. I have a 1901 Swedish puuko - very traditional - and the blade stock is quite thick. It's an outstanding woodworking knife, which is exactly what it was designed for. But it is a terrible slicer and not fun for food prep.

In my mind, the goal of a camp knife is versatility. It should work equally as well on a cutting board as working with wood and splitting out kindling. Grind and blade thickness are the keys. The convex saber grind works and splits wood much better than a hollow grind but the thin stock retains good slicing capability.

For me, the H-15 sets the bar over which this Compadre build needs to clear to be interesting to me.

FWIW, in my poll for bushcraft/camp knife steel that I'm running in the General forum the leaders are 3V, 1095 and 5160, which is exactly what I would have expected.
 
BuckShack said:
Maybe no one is voting Cerakote because they are not aware of the full palate to choose from. Stephen's pink EDC is not the only color available, there are browns and black obviously and my favorite alien zombie blood green. Are there more? Can we pick something brand new since Buck has brought this in house?
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While I do have Alaskan guide 192 and a 110 that have coated blades and they have fared well so far and still look near new. I do prefer a stainless uncoated blades with a satin or stone washed finish. And same for the rest of the knife including handle, bolsters and other materials. I’d rather have the actual material and workmanship be obvious.
 
Would a blued blade be more desirable? There is some type of finish to my 154cm buck 110 that clearly isn't like a cerakote or DLC but certainly not a bare metal finish either.

However, I do prefer the bare metal finishes, generally. I want to say I like the roughly finished ones, like hammered or forged finishes, but that wouldn't be quite right either as a nice polished blade is quite handsome as well.
 
pinnah said:
The Schrade-Walden and Schrade H-15s haven't been made in many decades but are readily available on the secondary market. Of course, other older knives that have thinner blade stocks compared to today's fashion include those made by Western.

IMO, the H-15 and knives like it, are more of a camp knife and less of a bushcrafting knife. I have a 1901 Swedish puuko - very traditional - and the blade stock is quite thick. It's an outstanding woodworking knife, which is exactly what it was designed for. But it is a terrible slicer and not fun for food prep.

In my mind, the goal of a camp knife is versatility. It should work equally as well on a cutting board as working with wood and splitting out kindling. Grind and blade thickness are the keys. The convex saber grind works and splits wood much better than a hollow grind but the thin stock retains good slicing capability.

For me, the H-15 sets the bar over which this Compadre build needs to clear to be interesting to me.

FWIW, in my poll for bushcraft/camp knife steel that I'm running in the General forum the leaders are 3V, 1095 and 5160, which is exactly what I would have expected.
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Where does the reaper fit in, ?

I'll buy two of the compadres. Make up for a possible lost sale.
 
Makael said:
Where does the reaper fit in, ?
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On further reflection, it doesn't fit in to my consideration of this build.

We use the Reaper as our fire pit knife. We pre-split our fire pit wood down to about 3" with an axe ahead of time and then use the Reaper to split out kindling from there. Everybody in the family (me included) prefers to use a large knife to baton the kindling out than using a hatchet. Hatchets (we have several) have their place but around the fire pit, we prefer the large knife for this.

I'm really sad to the Reaper being dropped as it seems like the last of the Ron Hood influenced designs. I honestly think if Buck had used a full flat grind (truer to Hood's vision) and left off the false edge, the Reaper would have attained cult status in the outdoor community as a small chopper/fire prep knife. I carry mine with a Silky saw on backpacking trips were we plan on making fires regularly. It's a nice combo for our local woods (despite the problems with the hollow grind).
 
The Thug originally came out as a hollow grind. This was changed to flat grind the next year I believe to match the Hoodlum and the Punks flat grind. Originally was was very similar to the Reaper.

First design of the Ron Hood Thug was hollow grind.
 
Makael said:
The Thug originally came out as a hollow grind. This was changed to flat grind the next year I believe to match the Hoodlum and the Punks flat grind. Originally was was very similar to the Reaper.

First design of the Ron Hood Thug was hollow grind.
Click to expand...
LOVE those scales. Wish something like that was available for my Reaper.
 
cupton said:
LOVE those scales. Wish something like that was available for my Reaper.
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Im pretty sure the Mesa scales will bolt right on to your reaper. Just buy a Mesa, Swap the scales and resell the Mesa at a discount.

Here is one with the mod done.
AIzx3nQ.jpg
 
I
Makael said:
The Thug originally came out as a hollow grind. This was changed to flat grind the next year I believe to match the Hoodlum and the Punks flat grind. Originally was was very similar to the Reaper.

First design of the Ron Hood Thug was hollow grind.
Click to expand...
I like these a lot. I would like to see more of this from buck, but they know better than I if it was proditable to run this type of product. I think they're on to something already running with the US made budget options.
 
Makael said:
The Thug originally came out as a hollow grind. This was changed to flat grind the next year I believe to match the Hoodlum and the Punks flat grind. Originally was was very similar to the Reaper.

First design of the Ron Hood Thug was hollow grind.
Click to expand...

Makeal, yes. My understanding was that the flat grind was more in line with Hoods vision but I may have misread or misremembered that. I thought his wife noted that in an interview after he died.

And the Reaper came out after the Thug, correct?
 
pinnah said:
Makeal, yes. My understanding was that the flat grind was more in line with Hoods vision but I may have misread or misremembered that. I thought his wife noted that in an interview after he died.

And the Reaper came out after the Thug, correct?
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Im not positive but looking at its resemblance i would imagine the reaper came later. Great price point right now on Bucks website. 30 bucks buys a real nice knife,
 
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pinnah said:
Makeal, yes. My understanding was that the flat grind was more in line with Hoods vision but I may have misread or misremembered that. I thought his wife noted that in an interview after he died.

And the Reaper came out after the Thug, correct?
Click to expand...
Pinnah, it seems your pushing your agenda in the general forum under your best steel thread. I'm curious if your wanting additional votes to support your personal steel choices?

I'm also curious why the choice of D2 bothers you so much that you went out of your way to to support your opinions elsewhere then put an invite out there to this thread.

Copied,
Lastly, as correctly noted in the official W&C stalking thread, my inquiry was inspired by a poll being run in the Buck forum by SK Knives regarding a limited run Buck 104 Compadre. The consensus there formed in a very different way but then, the primary grind for that knife hasn't been decided on so it's not clear (to me) if the group is shooting for camp knife or a hunting knife. If you're interested in such knives the discussion in the Buck forum may be of interest.

Thanks again

Your posting history suggests you don't care for Buck knives whatsoever. I almost posted some quotes regarding steel choices grind choices plus how much opinel outperforms Buck on every level. Curious why your here.
 
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