Knife Steel Attributes (2025 Catalog chart)

DeSotoSky

DeSotoSky

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This chart was in the 2025 catalog. Never really pay much attention to steels because I am primarily a collector and they all cut air perfectly fine. I am more interested in visibly attractive features. It blows me away how well 420HC performs with the best in all categories except edge retention. Makes me wonder why Buck messes around with all the different steels. Pick 2, 420HC and MagnaCut or S35VN. Everything else pales in comparison (on paper). LE's generally don't get used and 420HC polishes really nice. Was a bit surprised on how 5160 compared to 420HC. The chart implies the Froe would have performed just as well with 420HC and wouldn't need painted :). I'm thinking 420HC IS the supersteel.

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the only real complaint anyone ever really had on 420hc was how fast it got dull. never mattered to me cause I don't cut stuff all day.
course its super fast and easy to get sharp again. all depends on what one is going to do with the knife.

there really is no bad steel. just some are better for some tasks than others. course gotta add in geometry to this....
 
My knives are all 440C, 425MOD or 420HC...........also a few non-stainless regular carbon.

Never saw a reason for the "supers." The heat treat is the really important factor.

Oops..........I forgot. I did get a couple in BG-42 from the Custom Shop, but that's it for super.
 
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DeSotoSky said:
I'm thinking 420HC IS the supersteel.
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I think, for most people, the main thing about the new steels is they give people an excuse for buying another knife. For me, ease of sharpening is a real selling point. I have an old kitchen cleaver that I bought about 40 years ago; and for all I know it is made out of recycled tin can lids, but all it takes is a few strokes on a steel to bring the edge back and it's ready to go for another job fixing a meal.
 
bertl said:
I think, for most people, the main thing about the new steels is they give people an excuse for buying another knife. For me, ease of sharpening is a real selling point. I have an old kitchen cleaver that I bought about 40 years ago; and for all I know it is made out of recycled tin can lids, but all it takes is a few strokes on a steel to bring the edge back and it's ready to go for another job fixing a meal.
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I do like a cutting tool that's easy to sharpen and takes a good edge.
👍
 
I like my fixed blades in 420hc as I don’t use them as much as my folders and usually don’t have to sharpen as frequently. My folders which I like s35vn and Magnacut real well in my primary cutting blade/ edc for extended cutting time and then sharpen in my leisure time.

I’ve seen a video where a fella tried everything to destroy a 119 and a 120 both in 420hc. Yes the edges were wiped out stabbing car doors and hacking a concrete block but he couldn’t break the blade on the 120 but finally did the 119 after many attempts hammer driving it into a log and bending/ prying with all his strength it finally snapped and sent him tumbling backwards. Those knives endured way more abuse than I would ever put upon a knife even on purpose so I’d say Bucks 420hc is plenty tough. I could hardly believe what all he did to those knives.
 
I love the 420HC.

All their steels are awesome... But their base line 420hc stainless is fantastic.

I have a ceramic insulator glued to a piece of wood with my tools. It only takes a couple passes to bring the bucks edge right back on the 420hc.

Recently I've had the ranger sport everyday and I'll be damned if that thing rarely ever needs touched up. Wild stuff. One of the nicest blades I've had on a work knife. It's that S30V or something like that.

The magnacut Larrin is my fancy knife so I've not beat on it enough to give a review.
 
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