Comparison: Buck 303 to Case Medium Stockman (Dark Red Bone CV)

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Thanks to all those who read and replied to my original thread regarding the Buck 303. I was going to simply add this comparison to that thread, but figured if someone just wanted to see a comparison they might not want to wade through all those posts.

I've now owned the Buck 303 for several hours and here are my thoughts on it compared to the only other stockman I own, which also happens to be of comparable size: The Case Dark Red Bone Medium Stockman CV.

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Both knives are equal in length. The Buck might be a micron thicker and is definitely heavier. This is due to the much thicker blade stock than the Case. However, the hollow grind on the Buck blades makes it an excellent slicer. Even a novice sharpener like myself was able to get it to push cut receipt paper with only a few passes on the Sharpmaker.

The main clip blades:

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The actual cutting edge is slightly greater on the Case. The Buck uses a lot of blade up with the finger choil. I notice no real world difference in functionality. There is a different feeling in cutting with these two. This may be due to my individual knives or sharpening skills, but while both knives cut and cut extremely well, the CV gives the sensation of being sharper. It whispers through cardboard, twine, etc while the Buck feels more like it's sawing through. But smoothly. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but the end result is whatever needs cutting gets cut.

The sheepsfoot:

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This is the blade that really made it an easy decision to buy the Buck. Look at the size of the sheepsfoot compared to the Case. It is allowed to be larger due to the three spring construction of the Buck. That said, the Case sheepsfoot might be the best darn slicer I've ever used. It's thin. I mean really thin. Thinner than my peanut thin. So while both cut rope equally as well and both will work when I fetch the mint from my garden for Mojitos, the Case is the ultimate slayer of the evil blisterpack.

Pen vs Spey

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I get my cats professionally neutered by a vet, so for me, the pen blade is the better choice. I'm going to leave the spey blade on the Buck as an emergency blade. Besides, with an excellent clip point and sheepsfoot, I don't have much use for the third blade.

Final thoughts:

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One thing that is important to mention is the elephant in the room: looks. A lot of people get turned off by the shade of red Case uses on their CV line. I myself don't mind it, but I grew up with knives with red plastic handles. I like this size of stockman (it's called a medium stockman, but it is smaller than the other Case medium stockmen) and it is light and hardly noticeable in the pocket.

I also like the classic look of the Buck. It's utilitarian. Functional. Almost samurai in its philosophy of form following function.

Which do I prefer? Impossible to say. And unnecessary. I'm confident either one will do. The romantic in me prefers carbon steel, but I'm also a guy who lives in a humid climate, walks/hikes at least five miles a day, and gets caught in a lot of rain showers. I have not owned/used the Buck enough to comment on edge retention, but reading posts from the experts gives me the opinion I just don't have to worry.

Thanks for looking. My photography skills are about as good as my sharpening skills. Oh well. I'm working on it...

Andrew
 
Very nice comparison, Andrew. :thumbup:

Is the Case a 6344 pattern? The pattern looks a lot like my 5344 SS 'Red Shield' stockman (2007), in terms of size/shape and blade config.
 
Very good analysis, both would probably handle 90% of everything I would need a knife to do. I waver back and forth between Carbon and stainless.I usually use stainless for my dress knife and carbon for work. I like both. I dont own the Case shown but do own and collect 303's.
 
I handled a case stockman the same as the one shown, not bashing YOUR knife but it was the worst knife I have ever handled, one scale was mostly white and the other was deep red, I could a peice of paper through the gaps in the back springs, and the springs where so week the blades wouldnt even close by then selves. This god awful experience led me to send a rather angry email to case given that I handed several other knives and they where the same.
I have never handled the buck but i know it would be better than the case I handled. I still get a sour taste in my mouth that case lets so many knives like that through inspection.
 
I have both knives at the same - though I have a Case Stockman in Chestnut Brown Bone CV, not the red one. But the setup is quiete the same.

Being honest - I like both the same way.

The Case is a great knife. The Buck knife also. The Buck seems to be stronger and is heavier. I like the Case because of the great bone scales and the carbon steel. The Buck is bigger because of the three springs. I could go on this way for some time ;)

Every knife of these two has its pros and cons. I like them both very much. Carry everyone of them. And I really like it :D :p

Kind regards
andi
 
Nice write up. I love my 303's and it's nice to know there's a Case in that same size. I'd really love a 303 with jigged bone. That would be almost perfect. And I'm saying that as a carbon steel nut. Yeah, I know it doesn't make any sense.
 
Great review!

I really like my Buck 303 though I have to say I like my Case stockman just a little bit better. Maybe it's the jigged bone vs. (in my case) dymondwood.
While I have yet to have a Case with weak springs, I do have a Buck 301 that has to go back, there is no snap at all and the spey blade literally wobbles. I've tried flushing out the joints like I've read but no dice. It happens...and I wouldn't let it stop me from buying another Buck!
 
The spey blade on the 303 is a pen blade compared to the spey blade on the 301 :eek:

I like the 303, 3.25" stockmen hit a sweet spot for me
 
I also have both the Buck 303 (more than one, actually) and the Case Medium Stockman both in CV (yellow) and in stainless (green --John Deere).

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The one that sees more pocket time is the green Case, partly because of the thinner blade, partly because of the flat grind, partly because of the aesthetics of the "toothpick" style clip blade. And, for what it's worth, it's just a pretty knife.

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Interestingly, neither the Buck 303 nor the Case Medium Stockman gets as much pocket time as my Buck 301, and that might be a 301 in yellow, a 301 in black, or an older (1970s) Buck 301 two-spring, flat-ground, long-pull knife that I carry a lot . . . like today, actually.

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Just depends on the mood, I reckon.

 
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The 44 pattern is a pretty small knife. 3 3/8" is a common length for small stockmans, but the narrow profile of the 44 means that the secondary blades are going to be much smaller than knives of the same length. The sheepsfoot blade of a Schrade 34OT looks positively massive compared to the one on a 6344. As the OP said, this could be a bad thing or a good thing. Although small, the 44's sheepsfoot blade is thin and cuts through anything like butter. However, its short length limits its utility, as does the relative flimsiness.

I'd call a 6344 a "light duty" small stockman, whereas a Buck 303 or Schrade 34OT is a more capable, heavier duty working knife.

Here's an old pic I took comparing the thickness of a 6344 compared to a Cold Steel (Camillus made) Jr. Stockman (probably the thickest 3 3/8" stockman around). Keep in mind that both knives are of identical length.

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You guys don't think I can let a thread on a Buck subject go by can you. Well, almost especially after talking Buck for 4 days at the Blade Show.......whew

So bemo, you can own a B. stockman in bone if you are willing to look....these are all discontinued but are available at certain locations......remember the old song - dock of the bay.

Brown Bone and Redbone.
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Special edition brown bones
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Or how about simulated waterbuffalo
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And if so inclined there are off-shore Bucks in jigged bone.
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I talked with Buck at the Blade Show about building some two blade knives either extending the sheepsfoot full length or coming out with a warcliff. I did not receive much hope. Too many big knife people around. I think a two blade clip and warcliff with jigged bone would sell like hotcakes. And when I win the lottery there will be a special order of them...... enough for everyone here to get one.......300/ch
 
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300bucks, those are jigged 303's are yummy! I will have to start checking the bay and watching the tide roll away. I did pick up a 373 just for the wood scales.
 
300Bucks said:
... you can own a B. stockman in bone if you are willing to look....these are all discontinued but are available at certain locations......remember the old song - dock of the bay.

Brown Bone and Redbone.
Betterpic-1.jpg
Click to expand...

I really like those flat-ground blades there. :thumbup:

I had a 303 but -- while I found absolutely nothing "wrong" with it -- I just never fell in love with it. I wasn't a fan of the thicker blades (as compared to my 34OT, and finally sold it off. I might have to keep an eye out for one of these.

-- Mark
 
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