Buck Vantage knives: Design Excellence!

The Buck Vantage folding knives rock. They are high value, handsome, low profile, hard cutting designs that make stellar EDC choices. The Vantage also offers the buyer several options in steel and handle material: Vantage Select Large and Small with 420HC and sculpted Zytel scales; the Vantage Pro with S30V and sculpted G10 scales (good looking!); the Vantage Avid with 13C26 Sandvik® and again G10 scales. Large size Vantages have 3 1/4" (8.3 cm) blades; the Small Vantage 2 5/8" (6.7 cm) length. The looks on these knives are striking and yet provide solid ergonomics. The sculpted Zytel handles don't provide a lot of traction but are good looking, light, and thin. The CNC contoured G10 scales on the Pro model add even better looks (the Avid features CNC contoured Charcoal Dymondwood® scales). The blade shape is superb and reminiscent of the uber-expensive Sebenza to me. It possesses a near-perfect form for all kinds of everyday cutting tasks with nice curvature (belly), sweep, swedge, polished flats, and a strong tip. It is hollow ground. Blade finishes are good with the S30V version showing a smoother satin finish with less pronounced striations. Any of the three steels offered should be excellent in role as well and I have been happy with the performance of my other Buck 420HC knives. Many will prefer the S30V Vantage Pro model for just a few more dollars/euros; it is an amazing value at around $40 (price, models all subject to change without updates here). The Vantage deploys fast and smooth with its unassisted flipper design and features an oblong deployment hole for secondary actuation as well. The liner lock design is thin and adequately strong and produces a very thin carry knife in pocket...another big advantage (or vantage!) to the design. Lockup is tight and solid in all directions in all models used and examined. Another homerun in design department is the deep carry, low profile, polished, high strength pocket clip: 10 out of 10. This is the best EDC pocket clip design I've seen. If its carry tension (against the pocket) is minimal, it is easy to rectify with removal of the Torx screws and do a little tweaking of the clip (I did). Carry weights are reasonable at 4.0 oz for Vantage Select Large, 2.4 oz Vantage Select Small, and 4.4 oz for Vantage Pro (G10 adds some micro ounces). As shown in the video however, blade centering in handle seems to be a quality control issue with current Buck Vantage knives and needs to be corrected; some models have the blade rubbing the liner. These knives will be sent back to Buck for service. But if Buck can square this issue away, the Buck Vantage is an amazing design and value achievement for this quintesscential American knife maker. Already it is a fast seller in their line and I predict it will be one of their most popular models ever. And even as it stands now, it achieves impressive ratings from me and enters into my BEST EDC playlist. /////////////////////////// Nutnfancy LIkability Scale: 10 out of 10 (price, centering problem fixed) /////////////////// Music: http://www.partnersinrhyme.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• spyderco
• caly3
• endura
• delica
• frn
• edc
• knife
• review
• byrd
• bm
• redline
• vg10
• 420hc
• s30v
• folding
• tactical
• blade
• 5.11
• taclite
• pro
• pants
• zytel
• cold
• steel
• voyager
• ontario
• rat
• benchmade
• torrent
• 890
• mini
• barrage
• griptilian
• sog
• flash
• buck
• bantam
• kershaw
• packrat
• skyline
• oh
• so
• sweet
• crkt
• lake
• indigo
• yourcornerstore
• cutlery
• shop
• every
• day
• carry
• pocketknife
• folder
• lightweight
• backpacking
• nutnfancy
• tnp

[southerncountryboy8]

hey nutn, you should do a "30 dollar edc knife shootout" type of vid, and have like the buck vantage small vs spyderco persistence vs kershaw skyline etc. I think that would be a pretty sweet video, to see what your absolute favorite 30 dollar edc blade is. thumbs up so he'll see it!!!!!!!!!

[ALAPINO]

If you're a Nurse, RN, NP, HCA, Paramedic, Medic, Doctor, First Aid Trainer, Law Enforcement, Fireman, etc:

The deployment hole happens to be an Oxygen Tank Wrench. It doesn't appear to have been designed that way but it works nonetheless.

Bonus (to a pretty small demographic)!

Some retailers still have a lot of older units-- So far, at Walmart and Bass Pro, they seem nominal.

[brothersofamercia]

i'f i'm not misstacken, the clip on the select is reversible. also when i opened the box of my knife it had rust on one of the swers but i have seem to have fix it. great vid by the way.

[xkevxkl1128]

It looks like paperstone, but ive only seen dark blue ones, any ideas?

[xkevxkl1128]

I have a vantage select that has a black handle, any one know if its paperstone or g10?

[mailvilla]

Hey there, it is now 2012 and the price has gone up.

People can get one on eBay for $54.00 (free S/H).

I bought one and love it. I think the quality control issues have been fixed now.

[ferreirapeixoto]

Good video!

[Cannonbo]

maybe they do not centre the blades on purpose because most people are right handed and will be pushing down on the same side repeatedly when opening the knife? dont know if thats a factor in the wear of the opening mecanism.

[Cannonbo]

:( so unfair. they cost 50€ over here... 20$ in the US... import taxes suck

[GT6213]

Great review! Very informative! When I took my vantage select turkey hunting, it drizzled a bit and there are tiny rust spots all over the blade from the rain. Any tips on how to clean them off? My dad probably knows how, but anything would help! Thanks!

[PaiRaiUno]

i love everything about my vantage select paperstone EXCEPT the in handle retention. one hard stroke and the blade is out, almost all the way...paid like $28 + shipping and the steel holds up...wasn't excited about 420hc tho, but it's decent and in comparison to another affordable blade steel, 8cr13mov i think it's really adequate.