I liked the review but I have to question the steel. I am not familiar with 480 stainless. I am familiar with the 480 specification for stainless.
As long as it does the job, the cheapest knife works. I know that heat treat along with blade steel is what give you a great or not-so-great knife. I use $10 machetes all the time that hold an edge and work great. Mora of Sweden makes fabulous knives for less than $20 that you can bet your life on.
It’s a nice looking knife but I just have to wonder if a butter knife sharpened on a rock would work (but not look) as well.
What you said really got me thinking about the 480 on the blade. I did think it was the type of steel used so I searched for “Buck 480” and discovered that 480 is the model number of the knife. Finding the same knife on other sites with better detail reveal the steel to be 8Cr13Mov with 59 HRC. Not the finest steel but good steel and well tempered to rate 59HRC.
BTW, the closest price I could find on the exact knife is $28 USD. Fasttech does it again with an amazing price!
I don’t look down at 8Cr13Mov - it’s a lot like 440C. They are both steels with lots of potential but only if you temper it properly.
I just don’t know if the temper is right. Some of the Chinese knives I have seen are good and some not; even the same models from the same manufacturer. It’s like buying a Chrysler in the 80’s.
So far as sharpening with a Sharpmaker; if the profile is done right, you can get it sharp. The Tenacious (I have 4), Persistence, Resilience (I have 2), et al., use 8Cr13Mov and mine have all been on a Sharpmaker.
If it works out well, it’s a good blade and I say use it.
I’ve just ordered a Cara Cara 2, for no particular reason other than I was curious about it. It seems almost identical to my Endura 4 other than the blade steel.
I think I can assume that any steel done by Sanrenmu for Spyderco will be heat treated correctly.
Yea, that’s what I’m saying, and I just placed an order with FT last night.
By the way, I love Buck knives. I have a BuckLite that I bought at the BX when I was in the Air Force some 30 years ago. It’s been to hell and back and still as good as the day it was new.
I held off for a few hours but just ordered. That’s it, just one knife. There’s nothing you and your shiny trinket, arm shaving cronies can do to make me buy another.
Thanks. I’ve been eyeing that one as I work my way through Fasttech’s knife inventory. I have the “Buck 009” I just got and a Strider copy on the way.