The Deer Hunter - Buck 118 Personal (permanent thread - keep adding)

Old Hunter

Old Hunter

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No, not the old war movie about Vietnam but the real deal, the best whitetail knife on the market over the last 60 years - the Buck 118 (I'm supposed to say "In My Opinion" or something like that, but I won't - 'cause I believe the Buck 118 is the best!) We have some good threads going on the Buck 105, Buck 117, Buck 212 - all good knives for the whitetail woods - but do you notice that mention of the 118 Personal always seems to creep in? How about a thread focusing on the old 118 - all pictures, stories, and opinions of the Buck 118 Personal are welcome! OH
Buck-118-Collection.jpg
 
I'm going to tell my first story with my oldest Buck 118, this one liner. First story because this one has never been to the woods with me, I bought it because it was the first one liner I came across and it was in good shape - bought this one for the sheer joy of ownership! OH
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In my simple mind the 118 and the 105 Buck designed to be used. You can tell real thought went into their design.

The clip points were made because that’s what people wanted. They just have that iconic look.

I know the 118 is all the knife I’ll ever need, but clip points make me happy.
 
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I name my nice bucks, based on the day or event going on when I take it. This is the Trump Buck, I shot this buck early morning on election day in 2016 - I was expecting a bad day from the HRC train and decided to stay in the woods all day deer hunting. When I saw this buck early I let him walk, but he came back a bit later and gave me too good a look! I decided it had to be a good omen so I field dressed him, came out and cleaned him, and went back into the woods for does. Field dressed with this Buck 118, cannot remember any long which one it was (blood covers the tang stamp in the picture) but it would have been a 425MOD or 420HC variation (three spacers) - I had one of each at the time. OH
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The first time I used a 118 was a double stamped D2 Joe Houser bought to the Blade Show..It was 2 Florida wild hogs I helped butcher. One was a avarage size about 125 lbs and the other was a big one well over 200 lbs. That day made me a believer in D2..and the 118. The other Buck I used that day was a 651 Pig Sticker. I took a pic of it with blood on the tip but that was 2 phones ago.
 
The 118 was my first Buck. I bought it at the Ft Belvoir PX in 1969-70...I think:rolleyes:

Around '76-77 I shot my first deer and had my hunting buddy help with skinning and butchering. I had my 118 to use, and I had spent a good deal of time in the preceding years learning to sharpen it correctly. I gave it to my hunting buddy to start skinning, turned away for some forgotten reason only to hear the sound of an electric sharpener being used...on my 118:eek: He said he always sharpens the knife before he starts. I just swallowed hard and hoped it wasn't as bad as it sounded.

When I finally got it back and could look at it, I could see grind marks from the electric sharpener, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be...thankfully, 440C is tough stuff.
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This is my favorite...
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Old Hunter said:
No, not the old war movie about Vietnam but the real deal, the best whitetail knife on the market over the last 60 years - the Buck 118 (I'm supposed to say "In My Opinion" or something like that, but I won't - 'cause I believe the Buck 118 is the best!) We have some good threads going on the Buck 105, Buck 117, Buck 212 - all good knives for the whitetail woods - but do you notice that mention of the 118 Personal always seems to creep in? How about a thread focusing on the old 118 - all pictures, stories, and opinions of the Buck 118 Personal are welcome! OH
Buck-118-Collection.jpg
Click to expand...
You're just saying that because you got stuck with six of them.

I'll be the good guy in this thread and relieve you of one, so you won't be ashamed of owning so many useless knives.

Who said fellow Buck owners don't look after each other? LOL
 
A friend of mine has only ever used a 118 he bought back in the late 70's for hunting.
I offered to get him a new knife this year.
He took my 105.
"Why that one?" I asked.
"Because it looks like my 118" he replied.
We went hunting that night. He had his 118 on his belt.
 
Joe sold them to BCCI members at the Blade Show for only $40.00..no tax or shipping lol!! I think it was 2009? Buck always supports the BCCI and it's members. I was so focused on 112's I missed quite a few deals on other models but I didn't miss that one..Nice shieth kossetx!!
 
118 is my favorite hunting knife! I have one in my pack and a backup in my truck. Both are 3 liners.

OH... that one liner looks vaguely familiar. Sold one to someone here, but dont recall who. (Pre SPA)


Here's the one in my pack along with my favorite deer slayer.


And again with my old faithful ML


I have to admit though, my S90 110 foots most of field dressing.

The tank at the end of this video is my target this season.
 
Great stories ,the only experience I have had with a 118 is my double stamped d2 with charcoal dymondwood handle,I've done 2whitetail deer with it and love it,made thr mistske of leaving it in the kitchen and now it's my wife's kitchen knife lol.I use it for everything and it does great!
 
MT_Pokt said:
OH... that one liner looks vaguely familiar. Sold one to someone here, but dont recall who. (Pre SPA)



Click to expand...

MT_Pokt could be, as mine has a sheath like you show and I don’t remember where or when I got it - I’ve bought a number of knives here over the years. I know it was perfect when I got it and still is. OH
 
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sportingspecialist said:
You're just saying that because you got stuck with six of them.

I'll be the good guy in this thread and relieve you of one, so you won't be ashamed of owning so many useless knives.

Who said fellow Buck owners don't look after each other? LOL
Click to expand...

You certainly are a fine fellow and that is a magnanimous offer indeed! I actually sold the 5160/brass hardware version recently but added a NIB 440C tip up three liner to take its place. I still have six (or seven, or eight) of them. OH
 
When I turned 17 in late 1972 I went down to the Armory and joined the Army National Guard. The company Admin Clerk that I met there, the guy who explained everything to me and typed up my papers to sign was a SP4 named Walter. We have been friends ever since. When he retired from the ARNG around 2008 he told me that he wanted to get into deer hunting (he was already a great gunsmith). On Christmas Eve in 2013 he finally got his first buck - he and I skinned it and butchered it - he used a Buck with a synthetic/black rubber handle (forget which one now) and I used my 425MOD Buck 118 - we even recovered the two Corelokt 30-06 SPRG slugs (a first for me to recover two bullets). His first shot was a killing shot but he told me he was going to make sure he got that buck! Good times hunting with a buddy and Buck Knives! OH
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