Forum Knife Updates and comments

Mine arrived two days ahead of the expected date. Some very nice covers. Thanks skblades, Buck and all the poll voters.

kvNJZsR.jpg

SjQvR1f.jpg
 
WOW! I have to say I’m very impressed. I hit the jackpot. Wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I do. Love it.

Smooth nice action spring tension is good. Zero side to side solid as it gets. Perfect cover to bolster fit. Backsprings good. Blades centered and don’t rub. Slim light package. The elk is extremely beautiful. Everything is nicely finished. Best of all it’s wonderful in hand ergonomics are off the charts.

Great job everyone
A930A737-D16B-4842-9021-F10489341F97.jpeg 08BC10BA-1048-4960-979C-11417D8BD3CB.jpeg F45EECF9-14A3-4685-AB1C-DBEDFFE66BA1.jpeg
 
In retrospect, not having the grooves on the bolster probably was a solid idea, one less thing that folks might pick on.

That was my first ever unboxing video, I was nervous waiting to get the knife out of that box, to see if I 'won' or not :)

The scales, as I mentioned before, are pretty well matched, while I like knobbier ( is that even a word? :) ) scales, these have nice texture so they are not slippery to the touch, feels nice. The action is good on both blades, with the smaller sheepsfoot having a touch stronger pull but both hover around that 5-6 mark, so no nail breakers here nor softy either. Mine had fairly good snap, but a few drops of nano oil never hurt. The blades, now, both of these are pretty stout behind the edge, far more than a small slip joint would warrant, but, not so great that you can't cut stuff. They each arrived with sharp edges, the sheepsfoot now is truly razor sharp and that CPM154 seems to be good stuff. It took a while to get that there, free hand sharpening does take a while and harder steel means longer time spent on the stones. Starting on the clip blade now, it will take a little more. The bevels that arrived with the knife did have some dips in them which takes time to get them all into one single plane, not unlike many other production knives I've owned so it was not a surprise, both were actually more even than most, thumbs up for that !

Definitely dropping her into my watch pocket for carry tomorrow :)
Thanks again folks and nice touch with the Porch invite, good stuff ;)
G2
 
Well the day has arrived where the eagerly anticipated 2018 BF knife has made an appearance in my mailbox. Knowing the hype that has surrounded forum knives in the past and seeing some of the critiques here has served to temper my enthusiasm some though. Nevertheless, the knife is here and I would like to provide some commentary and pictures, detailing my thoughts, and providing critiques where appropriate.

Before I begin, let me say that I have been very appreciative of Stephen's enthusiasm for this project, his willingness to engage with a very fickle and critical crowd, and his unflappable patience in the face of everything that comes with organizing a forum knife. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed and I really hope this endeavor has served to steer a lot of business your way. Congratulations to you and your family in regards to the new little one and I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

Now, on to the knife.

When I opened up the packaging, I did so with excitement and trepidation. Because of the nature of natural materials like stag and elk, there is going to be variety, no two examples are going to be the same. I was an advocate for Elk and I was a very strong supporter of the dark and knobby features versus the white and smooth. When I discovered that not only were we going to have elk but dark and knobby elk at that, you can imagine my elation.

Now imagine what my disappointment was when I unwrapped the knife you see below. It is almost completely opposite of what I had voted and hoped for. Unfortunately, first impressions are difficult to shake and since I wanted my review to be as objective as possible, I put it back in its box, continued with work and hoped for a better frame of mind when it came time to write this.

Now that the time has come, let me begin with the positives:
  • The elk covers are nice and thin and are as perfectly matched as one could hope for. Almost indistinguishable from mark to pile side. Matching covers are never a deal breaker for me but it is certainly nice to see the effort Buck made to ensure that there were no dramatic differences.
  • Some folks have complained of blade play. I am happy to note that there is zero play in both blades on my example. They are tight, with no movement or gaps at the bolsters.
  • The pulls are adequate. Someone mentioned that they were comparable to the GEC Churchill and I would agree with that assessment. Smooth and medium-light.
  • Overall fit and finish is quite good. I can see a bit of daylight between springs and liners but only if I am looking for it. All the transitions are smooth and I do not feel my fingers catching on any edges.
Now for the critiques:
  • I've already mentioned my disappointment with the color and texture in the elk I received. Knowing that elk is typically on the bland side, I knew what to expect. But it didn't stop me from at least hoping. I guess my biggest concern is that I was led to believe that there were assurances that these knives would be made with what was voted on. So yes, I feel a bit let down and this is easily the biggest gripe I have with the knife. Purely subjective but it is what it is.
  • I love the FFG of the blades. That being said, they remind me a lot of the blades on the Lion Steel Euro Barlows. The thickness behind the edge is pretty significant. They also are not that sharp and will require a fair amount of work to get them to a point where they can become more efficient cutters.
  • I like the slimness of the knife but with that comes the potential for blade rub. The blades are nested very close together and I have to be very careful (especially with the sheepfoot) when opening so as not to cause them to rub. Not a huge deal or even necessarily a critique. Something to simply keep in mind if you want to avoid unnecessary scratches.
Overall, aside from my subjectivity, this is a great knife with the potential for being a spectacular working knife, especially with some blade tune-ups. Thank you, @skblades, for all of your efforts, and my thanks to the Buck crew. I will be looking forward to seeing what further collaborations can be made in the future.

Pictures!

Mark side:


TICDKOw.jpg



Pile side:


KbKJ3Qc.jpg



Sun's out, blades out!


7YOy6bk.jpg



Glam shot!


vQpHmFB.jpg
 
Well the day has arrived where the eagerly anticipated 2018 BF knife has made an appearance in my mailbox. Knowing the hype that has surrounded forum knives in the past and seeing some of the critiques here has served to temper my enthusiasm some though. Nevertheless, the knife is here and I would like to provide some commentary and pictures, detailing my thoughts, and providing critiques where appropriate.

Before I begin, let me say that I have been very appreciative of Stephen's enthusiasm for this project, his willingness to engage with a very fickle and critical crowd, and his unflappable patience in the face of everything that comes with organizing a forum knife. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed and I really hope this endeavor has served to steer a lot of business your way. Congratulations to you and your family in regards to the new little one and I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

Now, on to the knife.

When I opened up the packaging, I did so with excitement and trepidation. Because of the nature of natural materials like stag and elk, there is going to be variety, no two examples are going to be the same. I was an advocate for Elk and I was a very strong supporter of the dark and knobby features versus the white and smooth. When I discovered that not only were we going to have elk but dark and knobby elk at that, you can imagine my elation.

Now imagine what my disappointment was when I unwrapped the knife you see below. It is almost completely opposite of what I had voted and hoped for. Unfortunately, first impressions are difficult to shake and since I wanted my review to be as objective as possible, I put it back in its box, continued with work and hoped for a better frame of mind when it came time to write this.

Now that the time has come, let me begin with the positives:
  • The elk covers are nice and thin and are as perfectly matched as one could hope for. Almost indistinguishable from mark to pile side. Matching covers are never a deal breaker for me but it is certainly nice to see the effort Buck made to ensure that there were no dramatic differences.
  • Some folks have complained of blade play. I am happy to note that there is zero play in both blades on my example. They are tight, with no movement or gaps at the bolsters.
  • The pulls are adequate. Someone mentioned that they were comparable to the GEC Churchill and I would agree with that assessment. Smooth and medium-light.
  • Overall fit and finish is quite good. I can see a bit of daylight between springs and liners but only if I am looking for it. All the transitions are smooth and I do not feel my fingers catching on any edges.
Now for the critiques:
  • I've already mentioned my disappointment with the color and texture in the elk I received. Knowing that elk is typically on the bland side, I knew what to expect. But it didn't stop me from at least hoping. I guess my biggest concern is that I was led to believe that there were assurances that these knives would be made with what was voted on. So yes, I feel a bit let down and this is easily the biggest gripe I have with the knife. Purely subjective but it is what it is.
  • I love the FFG of the blades. That being said, they remind me a lot of the blades on the Lion Steel Euro Barlows. The thickness behind the edge is pretty significant. They also are not that sharp and will require a fair amount of work to get them to a point where they can become more efficient cutters.
  • I like the slimness of the knife but with that comes the potential for blade rub. The blades are nested very close together and I have to be very careful (especially with the sheepfoot) when opening so as not to cause them to rub. Not a huge deal or even necessarily a critique. Something to simply keep in mind if you want to avoid unnecessary scratches.
Overall, aside from my subjectivity, this is a great knife with the potential for being a spectacular working knife, especially with some blade tune-ups. Thank you, @skblades, for all of your efforts, and my thanks to the Buck crew. I will be looking forward to seeing what further collaborations can be made in the future.

Pictures!

Mark side:


TICDKOw.jpg



Pile side:


KbKJ3Qc.jpg



Sun's out, blades out!


7YOy6bk.jpg



Glam shot!


vQpHmFB.jpg

I’m sorry that you didn’t get what you were hoping for with respect to your elk, but I couldn’t stop myself from commenting that yours is the prettiest example of this knife I’ve seen posted so far.
 
Well the day has arrived where the eagerly anticipated 2018 BF knife has made an appearance in my mailbox. Knowing the hype that has surrounded forum knives in the past and seeing some of the critiques here has served to temper my enthusiasm some though. Nevertheless, the knife is here and I would like to provide some commentary and pictures, detailing my thoughts, and providing critiques where appropriate.

Before I begin, let me say that I have been very appreciative of Stephen's enthusiasm for this project, his willingness to engage with a very fickle and critical crowd, and his unflappable patience in the face of everything that comes with organizing a forum knife. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed and I really hope this endeavor has served to steer a lot of business your way. Congratulations to you and your family in regards to the new little one and I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

Now, on to the knife.

When I opened up the packaging, I did so with excitement and trepidation. Because of the nature of natural materials like stag and elk, there is going to be variety, no two examples are going to be the same. I was an advocate for Elk and I was a very strong supporter of the dark and knobby features versus the white and smooth. When I discovered that not only were we going to have elk but dark and knobby elk at that, you can imagine my elation.

Now imagine what my disappointment was when I unwrapped the knife you see below. It is almost completely opposite of what I had voted and hoped for. Unfortunately, first impressions are difficult to shake and since I wanted my review to be as objective as possible, I put it back in its box, continued with work and hoped for a better frame of mind when it came time to write this.

Now that the time has come, let me begin with the positives:
  • The elk covers are nice and thin and are as perfectly matched as one could hope for. Almost indistinguishable from mark to pile side. Matching covers are never a deal breaker for me but it is certainly nice to see the effort Buck made to ensure that there were no dramatic differences.
  • Some folks have complained of blade play. I am happy to note that there is zero play in both blades on my example. They are tight, with no movement or gaps at the bolsters.
  • The pulls are adequate. Someone mentioned that they were comparable to the GEC Churchill and I would agree with that assessment. Smooth and medium-light.
  • Overall fit and finish is quite good. I can see a bit of daylight between springs and liners but only if I am looking for it. All the transitions are smooth and I do not feel my fingers catching on any edges.
Now for the critiques:
  • I've already mentioned my disappointment with the color and texture in the elk I received. Knowing that elk is typically on the bland side, I knew what to expect. But it didn't stop me from at least hoping. I guess my biggest concern is that I was led to believe that there were assurances that these knives would be made with what was voted on. So yes, I feel a bit let down and this is easily the biggest gripe I have with the knife. Purely subjective but it is what it is.
  • I love the FFG of the blades. That being said, they remind me a lot of the blades on the Lion Steel Euro Barlows. The thickness behind the edge is pretty significant. They also are not that sharp and will require a fair amount of work to get them to a point where they can become more efficient cutters.
  • I like the slimness of the knife but with that comes the potential for blade rub. The blades are nested very close together and I have to be very careful (especially with the sheepfoot) when opening so as not to cause them to rub. Not a huge deal or even necessarily a critique. Something to simply keep in mind if you want to avoid unnecessary scratches.
Overall, aside from my subjectivity, this is a great knife with the potential for being a spectacular working knife, especially with some blade tune-ups. Thank you, @skblades, for all of your efforts, and my thanks to the Buck crew. I will be looking forward to seeing what further collaborations can be made in the future.

Pictures!

Mark side:


TICDKOw.jpg



Pile side:


KbKJ3Qc.jpg



Sun's out, blades out!


7YOy6bk.jpg



Glam shot!


vQpHmFB.jpg

As someone who was also a big supporter of the elk and dark and knobbly, I have to admit I also fear receiving one with scales like yours. It certainly is a very pretty example, but I have my fingers crossed for dark and knobbly.

Also, fyi, while I have received pre-shipping notification, I am still in the running for Mr. Irrelevant/Red Lantern. No actual shipping notice yet :) At this point I am kind of hoping for last place.
 
I’m sorry that you didn’t get what you were hoping for with respect to your elk, but I couldn’t stop myself from commenting that yours is the prettiest example of this knife I’ve seen posted so far.

Thank you so much for your kind compliment. It certainly goes a long way towards salving my disappointment. Subjectivity is a funny thing, isn't it? What one might deem ugly, another might find beautiful.
 
got a delivery notice right before leaving work.
this is what was waiting for me when I got home:
48365810_10156833882074603_8864796461536116736_n.jpg

All of the "negatives" listed below are well within spec for a factory knife -- even my GEC/Tidioute examples. I have no complaints about this year's offering.
both scales are well matched on the opposite side.
both clips will shave hair, neither sheepsfoot will -- but it wants to. that shouldn't take long to clean up -- and may only take a little stropping.
the spring on both sheepsfoot blades are minisculely sunken as noted by a few others.
gaps on the back are minimal - and on both knives, right at the scale pin for the sheepsfoot -- but you have to be looking for it to notice it.
I even did some comparisons with some of my previous forum knives, and all of them showed similar amounts of gap when held up to a light.

overall, I'm very happy with the outcome this year, thanks to all who made it possible!
 
Mine wound up coming in yesterday...Sunday...crazy what’s happened to the shipping business...
Both of mine came with sharp and snappy, albeit thick, blades. Not quite sure which one will get the call first, the thicker bumpier scales, or the thinner flatter ones. Both appeal to different senses. D9CBC52D-9505-4E5B-AA1C-78450F423A56.jpeg843DE981-8ED1-4075-A34F-6B07AB86AC8A.jpeg959FD92B-86D1-4C6E-9C4D-3EBB240D3C8A.jpeg
 
Just got mine in tonight. I'm not unhappy with them, but I'm not crazy about the F&F. Elk is only mediocre on my two, one being light colored and saddle-shaped with very thin slabs, the other darker and not too thin, but has one of those 'chunks' out of the mark side that is a little distracting. Action is balky on both knives but will not doubt improve with use. Spring tension is about what I expected, weak by GEC standards. Pretty 'gappy' around the frame/spring junctions, but will fill with crud over time, thus eliminating those pesky gaps when backlit.

On the positive side, I like the blade steel and patterns, and will very likely find a spot in my rotation for one and put the other up. I would also say that I have many knives made by Buck (many, many) and have been a fan for years. Personally, I would have preferred a knife from the 500 series with more uniform slabs/insert material, like canvas micarta for example. Maybe next time....

I'm glad to have been out of the distribution of the forum knife this year as it is quite a chore, so kudos to Stephen and thanks to Buck for the effort. I find it interesting that this year's knife is so close in pattern to the Canal Street model we did a couple years ago. I'll have to compare them side by side, but they are pretty similar.
 
I find it interesting that this year's knife is so close in pattern to the Canal Street model we did a couple years ago. I'll have to compare them side by side, but they are pretty similar.

I had the same thought tonight when inspecting my previous year's knives for gaps that it had never occurred to me to look for before.
 
Well the day has arrived where the eagerly anticipated 2018 BF knife has made an appearance in my mailbox. Knowing the hype that has surrounded forum knives in the past and seeing some of the critiques here has served to temper my enthusiasm some though. Nevertheless, the knife is here and I would like to provide some commentary and pictures, detailing my thoughts, and providing critiques where appropriate.

Before I begin, let me say that I have been very appreciative of Stephen's enthusiasm for this project, his willingness to engage with a very fickle and critical crowd, and his unflappable patience in the face of everything that comes with organizing a forum knife. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed and I really hope this endeavor has served to steer a lot of business your way. Congratulations to you and your family in regards to the new little one and I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas.

Now, on to the knife.

When I opened up the packaging, I did so with excitement and trepidation. Because of the nature of natural materials like stag and elk, there is going to be variety, no two examples are going to be the same. I was an advocate for Elk and I was a very strong supporter of the dark and knobby features versus the white and smooth. When I discovered that not only were we going to have elk but dark and knobby elk at that, you can imagine my elation.

Now imagine what my disappointment was when I unwrapped the knife you see below. It is almost completely opposite of what I had voted and hoped for. Unfortunately, first impressions are difficult to shake and since I wanted my review to be as objective as possible, I put it back in its box, continued with work and hoped for a better frame of mind when it came time to write this.

Now that the time has come, let me begin with the positives:
  • The elk covers are nice and thin and are as perfectly matched as one could hope for. Almost indistinguishable from mark to pile side. Matching covers are never a deal breaker for me but it is certainly nice to see the effort Buck made to ensure that there were no dramatic differences.
  • Some folks have complained of blade play. I am happy to note that there is zero play in both blades on my example. They are tight, with no movement or gaps at the bolsters.
  • The pulls are adequate. Someone mentioned that they were comparable to the GEC Churchill and I would agree with that assessment. Smooth and medium-light.
  • Overall fit and finish is quite good. I can see a bit of daylight between springs and liners but only if I am looking for it. All the transitions are smooth and I do not feel my fingers catching on any edges.
Now for the critiques:
  • I've already mentioned my disappointment with the color and texture in the elk I received. Knowing that elk is typically on the bland side, I knew what to expect. But it didn't stop me from at least hoping. I guess my biggest concern is that I was led to believe that there were assurances that these knives would be made with what was voted on. So yes, I feel a bit let down and this is easily the biggest gripe I have with the knife. Purely subjective but it is what it is.
  • I love the FFG of the blades. That being said, they remind me a lot of the blades on the Lion Steel Euro Barlows. The thickness behind the edge is pretty significant. They also are not that sharp and will require a fair amount of work to get them to a point where they can become more efficient cutters.
  • I like the slimness of the knife but with that comes the potential for blade rub. The blades are nested very close together and I have to be very careful (especially with the sheepfoot) when opening so as not to cause them to rub. Not a huge deal or even necessarily a critique. Something to simply keep in mind if you want to avoid unnecessary scratches.
Overall, aside from my subjectivity, this is a great knife with the potential for being a spectacular working knife, especially with some blade tune-ups. Thank you, @skblades, for all of your efforts, and my thanks to the Buck crew. I will be looking forward to seeing what further collaborations can be made in the future.

Pictures!

Mark side:


TICDKOw.jpg



Pile side:


KbKJ3Qc.jpg



Sun's out, blades out!


7YOy6bk.jpg



Glam shot!


vQpHmFB.jpg
I actually like the looks of your covers, smooth antler can be very comfy in hand and in pocket. Here's hoping that this knife grows on you:thumbsup: with natural materials, beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, and each one is unique...
 
I feel blessed to have received my first Buck Forum Traditional -
I cannot be more pleased - prefect stag, great construction and a great heritage - a fantastic knife to be enjoyed for the ages.
A sincere thank you to everyone that made this great knife a reality and placed it in my hands to enjoy for a lifetime - or more.

IMG_20181210_170547933_HDR.jpg


IMG_20181210_170607617_HDR.jpg


IMG_20181210_170626393_HDR.jpg


IMG_20181210_170647503.jpg


IMG_20181210_170658934_HDR.jpg


Can't wipe the smile from my face - thank you all!

best

mqqn
 
I feel blessed to have received my first Buck Forum Traditional -
I cannot be more pleased - prefect stag, great construction and a great heritage - a fantastic knife to be enjoyed for the ages.
A sincere thank you to everyone that made this great knife a reality and placed it in my hands to enjoy for a lifetime - or more.

IMG_20181210_170547933_HDR.jpg


IMG_20181210_170607617_HDR.jpg


IMG_20181210_170626393_HDR.jpg


IMG_20181210_170647503.jpg


IMG_20181210_170658934_HDR.jpg


Can't wipe the smile from my face - thank you all!

best

mqqn

That's a real looker, Andy! I particularly like that third pic. Perfectly hafted covers. She's a real beauty!
 
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