Buck Cabela's ALASKAN Line: What's Your Take?

C

Confederate

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Sep 5, 2005
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Buck has always struck me as one of those ice cream places where you can get any flavor you want as long as it's vanilla. The company switched from a very nice grade 440C to a wildly mediocre 420HC and seems intent on keeping it as its flagship steel...except in the case of various production runs. One of these seem to have caught on in the Cabela's Alaskan line of knives made by Buck. They're beautiful knives, but I I've always wondered if the S30V steel they use in these knives translates into the fifty percent increase in performance Cabela's claims, or whether it's more or less.

The knives start at around a hundred buc...er...dollars (for its 110 model) and have a beautiful deep blue baked on finish. The knives I've seen have coarsely ground edges that seem to need a lot of cleaning up before being ready for prime time.

Does anyone have any experience with these knives, especially the Kraton handled ones? And are the S30V blades worth the added cost? Also, why doesn't Buck offer these knives under its own name? S30V stainless has a great reputation, but does that reputation translate into significantly better performance?

Thanks!



 
Confederate, Hang around you'll learn some things. Yes, Cabela's Alaskan Guide series is top notch. The coating does help. They will indeed cut 50% longer. Many gents here can attest to that. Buck doesn't corner the market on ALL offerings. Sharp folks think up a series and approach Buck with the idea. Buck then quotes them a bid and if accepted the work begins. The project could die early on and never get off the drawing board but many do. Hence, you have the Alaskan Guide series. If you like a finer edge this option is open for you. I like a more coarse edge, still it would be no problem for me to refine. DM
 
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If you would do some reading you'd find that Buck has offered it's 110 in no less then a TEN different steels. So, the vanilla ice cream analogy doesn't apply here. DM
 
I don't like the edge I get with S30V. I don't like the edge I get on most 440C (or B or A). Cryo-treated I have seen some decent 440 alloy. I would rather have the 420HC and do some resharpening. What I absolutely loved was the Buck Master Series made with BG42. That would take a razor edge and was both tough and hard. Anyway I have the Cabela's and it was OK, but far from a favorite.
 
There is a ton of info in these threads about the AG knives, S30V, and sharpening S30V.

I have extensively used the AG 110 since they first showed up. At least 2005 since mine have the Idaho on most of them. And yes, I have several.

I also hunt, and own my own hunting property in the Texas Hill Country, just as background.

S30V easily out performs 420 at a little better than 3 to one. Meaning that I can field dress 3 deer and into the 4th with the same blade. Naturally depending whether its a nice tender doe or tough old buck.

Sharpening isnt a problem for me using a lansky clamp and diamond hones. Finishing them off with a nice leather strop.

Easily as sharp as factory new or better.

So why do I have several, simply because we start out with them all sharp. As we use one, It simply goes into the cooler, after a wipe off, with the quartered out deer, to be washed with hot water back at camp. Deer on ice and we might take another one before we get ready to process them ourselves.

I think the strop makes a lot of difference to finishing a razor sharp edge.

If it matters, I turned 70 today:grumpy::grumpy::rolleyes: and have been using a 110 for my hunting doins since mid 70's or so.

Just beware, 110's are addicting.

Look up your local Buck Anon group. :D

DM knew I was going to show up here in this post...lol
 
I'll also add,,,

out of the 40 or so 110's I own (yeah,,Buck Anon) there isn't a one that I havent been able to sharpen to a shaving sharp edge.

I think the whole thing there is to cut your own edge on a new or used knife. Probably not going to get it as sharp as you would like until you do that. The first time out, yeah, could take a bit to get there, but after that, maintaining the same angle, should be an easy touch up to be shavin again.

I'll take my ice cream sugar free vanilla.
 
Thanks BH, Just sayin that to say that I have had some experience with
Nearly all the steels in the 110's..

Getting old sucks tho.... :D
 
Happy Birthday Larry. Thanks for our input on the 110. I am ready to go deer hunting already.
 
Yes Happy Birthday. Getting old is not for wimps! ;)

For what is worth, I'd say if someone prefers the AG110, then get one and smile; it's their money. For me, I'd look at a custom shop 110.

And not a 110, but my 112 in S30V has done fine for me. The top 112 in walnut is Buck's Bos heat treated S30V:

 
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I bought a Spyderco Native with S30V a few years back, and I didn't carry it very long. Reckon I was expecting more of it. I went back to carrying my 4-inch Cold Steel Voyager with AUS8A. I cut more cardboard at the time, and thought the S30V steel in the Native would be like day and night. Perhaps I was expecting too much from it. (I kept a ceramic sharpener on my dresser and every few days gave it a few swipes, but I had to work a bit more to get a similar wicked edge on my Native, and the extra inch on the Cold Steel seemed more useful to me.) So I threw my Native in my bugout bag pouch with a few other Natives and there they've been ever since. I'm sure it's great steel, though.

I'm thinking about getting one or two Buck Alaskans when I can because I actually like the knife. And yes, I've seen commemorative knives with other steels, but they're all special issues with much higher price tags. The standard issue 110s seem to be very reasonably priced. I just wonder why Buck went from 440C to the 420HC. I'd also love a 110 with S30V and stag grips. I also wish they'd stop using brass and go with brushed stainless steel.



The Native and the Buck Alaskan.
 
I have the Cabelas Buck 192 (Guide Series). It's a real nice knife and pretty much all you need for field dressing and skinning. The finish last longer than most. It seems to thin if you keep the knife stored inside the leather sheath or at least mine does. It isn't in the sheath any more. I think it's worth the extra money for the leather sheath and the S30V.
 
What a bunch of night owls.. :D Thanks for the birthday wishes. Didn't intend for this to become that. Sorry..

Many have said the evolution from 440 to 420 was because the 440 was so hard to sharpen. And that it was more prone to rust.

Sharpening , at least for me, was a long learning curve and patience. Takes a while to get ones personal edge on a knife with 440 or S30V and maybe the 154CPM that the Bass Pro shops carried for a while.

Sharpening is for a rainy day watching a movie and trying not to nick a finger. :rolleyes:
 
Pack Rat, I knew you'd say that. Just catch your limit of Crappie and you'll feel better.
Confederate, Happy Birthday. You can get the 110 you desire at any time thru Buck's Custom Shop. Just Google Bucksknivesinc.com and in their site click on the custom shop tab to order it.
Buck moving from 440C to 420HC is a story. Since this is your topic I'll give you the short version. When Buck built their new plant in El Cajon, they geared up with mfg. & tool and die equipment in 1980. In short order it was found that processing 440C wore down the tooling so they made the move to 425M in 81. Thus, they could produce more knives with less wear on tooling. For a similar reason in 1992 Buck made the move to 420HC. Folks like the way it sharpens, it holds a decent edge and has good stainless properties. You can still get most any Buck model with the 440C steel at shows or on auction sites. DM
 
22-rimfire said:
I have the Cabelas Buck 192 (Guide Series). The finish last longer than most. It seems to thin if you keep the knife stored inside the leather sheath or at least mine does. It isn't in the sheath any more. I think it's worth the extra money for the leather sheath and the S30V.
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Could you please explain this? Are you meaning the coating seems thin and wears while inside the leather sheath?? How does this occur?? Leather wears off metal?? DM
 
If buck made a 440c as standard blade steel,we'd be paying $75 a knife,lol.the alaskan guide series is the best knives cabelas has offered,I even prefer them to the master series bg42 they once had in the line up.i always re profile my knives to a full convex edge,it makes them real work horses and wicked cutting machines.ive done up to 4large game animals without sharpening my ag 110.that has never happened with any other knife I own,and I own a lot lol.440c from back in the day was the bg42 and s30v of today lol.
 
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