Opinion on Buck 105 pathfinder

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Hjalmar69

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Aug 3, 2019
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I have been thinking about getting a 119 as a general utility knife on hunts and in the woods. I use a Buck vanguard for meat and game processing(moose) but do not want to use it for food or kindling and such. Now I'm thinking about the 105 instead, I like the look. What do you think?
 
If you're whittlin' your kindling sticks to chips, or making tent poles, stakes, etc. I think either would work.
(If you're going to baton ... I'd say "Get a froe instead.")
For food processing, what blade length do you prefer?

It may be blasphemous to say this, but "Personally, I've found the knives in the 119's size class a bit longer than I cared for or needed out in the woods, boonies, and more distant sticks."
I find a 4 to 5 inch (plus or minus a small fraction) blade much more useful. For many years my "go to" field fixed blade (when I bothered to take one) was a Western L66.
(I also had a scout/camp/demo knife and a stockman in my pocket. More oft than not, the L66 joined the Buck 110 or Old Timer 7OT that was already on my hip.)

If your budget can withstand the blow, the obvious solution is "get both". That way/then you can determine which fits your needs the "best", and later sell, or gift the one that for whatever reason(s) you found lacking for your needs.

I hope you get a freezer or three full of yummy moose by the end of the next season. :)
Question:
Archery (includes the crossbow in my book. They shoot an arrow, too.), (traditional sidelock) Muzzleloader, (inline) Muzzleloader, or cartridge gun?
 
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afishhunter said:
If you're whittlin' your kindling sticks to chips, or making tent poles, stakes, etc. I think either would work.
(If you're going to baton ... I'd say "Get a froe instead.")
For food processing, what blade length do you prefer?

It may be blasphemous to say this, but "Personally, I've found the knives in the 119's size class a bit longer than I cared for or needed out in the woods, boonies, and more distant sticks."
I find a 4 to 5 inch (plus or minus a small fraction) blade much more useful. For many years my "go to" field fixed blade (when I bothered to take one) was a Western L66.
(I also had a scout/camp/demo knife and a stockman in my pocket. More oft than not, the L66 joined the Buck 110 or Old Timer 7OT that was already on my hip.)

If your budget can withstand the blow, the obvious solution is "get both". That way/then you can determine which fits your needs the "best", and later sell, or gift the one that for whatever reason(s) you found lacking for your needs.

I hope you get a freezer or three full of yummy moose by the end of the next season. :)
Question:
Archery (includes the crossbow in my book. They shoot an arrow, too.), (traditional sidelock) Muzzleloader, (inline) Muzzleloader, or cartridge gun?
Click to expand...
I don't know what a "froe" is, but instead of batoning I usually have a small axe....
 
If you are looking for a knife to compliment your Vanguard, then the 119 is a great choice. It has a much longer blade. The 119 blade is also much taller than the 105.

but, if you seek a knife to replace your Vanguard, the 105 is the one knife solution, but it does not have as good a profile for skinning game as the Vanguard (which I always felt was just a fancy 103).
 
Hjalmar69 said:
I don't know what a "froe" is, but instead of batoning I usually have a small axe....
Click to expand...
20200815_190412.jpg
This is a froe, commonly used to make wooden shingles amongst other things. My dad has a iron one that probably came to America before there WAS an America.
Edit: Had to add because it was bugging me, the idiot in the picture is using way to nice a mallet to hit it with. A froe damages whatever you hit it with so most people cut a green wood mallet meant to be disposable.
End of public service announcement, you may return to you regularly scheduled thread.....
 
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Hjalmar69 said:
I don't know what a "froe" is, but instead of batoning I usually have a small axe....
Click to expand...

Misplaced Hillbilly said:
View attachment 1399590
This is a froe, commonly used to make wooden shingles amongst other things. My dad has a iron one that probably came to America before there WAS an America.
Edit: Had to add because it was bugging me, the idiot in the picture is using way to nice a mallet to hit it with. A froe damages whatever you hit it with so most people cut a green wood mallet meant to be disposable.
End of public service announcement, you may return to you regularly scheduled thread.....
Click to expand...
See also the Buck 108 Compadre Froe. (currently shows "out of stock" on Buck's website.) for a second style of froe.
I think Schrade/Old Timer has a froe similar to the Buck, (for much less cash,) but I forget the model number.

Glad to hear you have and use a small axe for splitting wood, and don't abuse your knives batoning them. :)
 
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Let me confuse the issue! If you really like the look of the Buck 119 but find it too large, look for the limited run Buck 117 - a scaled down Buck 119 that is about the size of the Buck 105. Another fine choice. Here is a photo to compare the Buck 119 (top), the 117 (center) and the smaller bird & trout size Buck 102 (bottom). OH
Buck-119-117-102.jpg
 
Old Hunter said:
Let me confuse the issue! If you really like the look of the Buck 119 but find it too large, look for the limited run Buck 117 - a scaled down Buck 119 that is about the size of the Buck 105. Another fine choice. Here is a photo to compare the Buck 119 (top), the 117 (center) and the smaller bird & trout size Buck 102 (bottom). OH
Buck-119-117-102.jpg
Click to expand...
Never seen the 117 before, I love it! I have a few 119's and a couple 105's, I prefer the 105's, they have enough blade to do most anything I need, my 119's sit in a knife roll, they are just safe queens. Love that little 102 you showed, that is a sweet looking blade.
 
I like the size of the 102... my problem is that I just can't seem to like an upswept blade tip. I like drop points, or something of that nature.. a clip blade is ok with me, but the upswept ones just leave me cold. That's one reason I couldn't warm up to the 2 or 3 Schrade Sharpfingers I've owned over the years. The Sharpfinger drop point was nice, though.
I suppose the upswept would be good for skinning, but I picture a big mess in the gutting process, if one is used.
It's a good thing there's a knife style for everyone, isn't it?
 
If it was me I'd buy the 119 and the 102 and skip the 105
That 102 is a nice blade and a pretty good hunting knife.
With the 102, 119 and your vanguard you'd definitely be set.
For white tail I use a 110 or my 102 for gutting, the 119 for skinning and a combo of all 3 for the rest with a fillet knife thrown in to help with deboning
EDIT to add: this year I'm going to use the spey blade on my GEC 23 for skinning
 
JohnDF said:
Thanks for posting a picture, so us Non-Buck people have an idea of what's being talked about. :cool::thumbsup:
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Old Hunter has another group pic of BUCK fixed blades that I hope he adds here, one more time. I carried and used a 102 every day in my work in a warehouse, in about 1985. I knocked off the upswept part of the tip, which made it more functional for me. Along with other BUCK knives, I still use that little fellow. But even without changing the knife at all, I have never cut anything accidently because of the upswept (trailing point) blade (I have more than one 102).
 
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