Buck vs. Gerber

[fabsroman]

I am thinking about buying a new knife and have looked at both Buck and Gerber knives. I own a couple of each already, but the smaller ones all have serated edges that I don't like for breasting geese and the bigger Buck knife I have with a straight edge is too big.

I am already leaning one way, but am interested in who you guys think makes a better knife in the $20 to $40 range.

Remember to vote on the poll.

[TrofyBuk]

I've always liked the Buck. It's hard to get an edge on it, but once you do, it lasts. With a new one it's alot easier to keep up on it too.

[Swift]

Love Buck knives! Excellent customer service also!

[Jack]

Take a look at the Gerber LST. It's a folder - blade's about 2 3/4 inches- with a synthetic handle. It's flat, fits in your pocket very nicely, and weighs very little.
You'll be surprised how comfortable the handle is, and how tough the knife is. I use it to field dress deer, and I have cut thru the ribcage and the pelvis of a deer with it, too. Didn't hurt it a bit. (someone said it was impossible with 'that little bitty folder' ;) )

[buckhunter]

Fabs,

Both are excellent knives. I owned but lost an excellent Gerber folder. About a 3" drop point. Excellent knife for gutting and skinning

My main knife now is a old Buck Lite Folder. Blades about 3" long. Some type of plastic handle. Locking blade. Clip point blade. I like it cause its small enough to carry easily put big enough to gut and skin a deer. I also have the normal Buck folder model I believe 110. Overall bigger than the Lite but does all the chores I have every asked of it.

I would suggest you give it the feel test and find what suits your needs the best. Chances are you'll end up with a Buck.

I got my Son In Law a SOG for christmas. Might want to look at them also. As you can see I like folders.

[fabsroman]

For the most part, I am looking for a knife to breast geese with. I have two folders right now, a Gerber and a Buck. The Buck came free with a knife sharpening kit that I bought to sharpen the Gerber. I have had the Gerber for about 6 or 7 years now, but the Buck knife seems to be sharper than the Gerber. Maybe it is because it is newer. However, I have sharpened both of them. I don't like either of them for breasting geese because both of them are serrated.

I am looking for a non-serrated blade and have actually been thinking about the non-folder from Buck. I saw it at a store the other day and really like it. However, I don't want to buy something that is going to lose its edge in a month or less.

[TrofyBuk]

I don't know how much you've used that free buck knife, but, if it seems sharper and you have used it quite a bit then that would prove that the buck holds the edge longer. I've had mine for at least 12 years and it's still the one I use most.

[Steverino]

Although I do typically carry a Cabelas guide series folder into the field for deer field dressing duty, you may want to take a look at the non-folding fixed blade variety for your bird breasting duties. Since using fixed blades to breast geese a few years ago, I haven't looked back. There was a really slick looking fixed blade, (I believe it was Gerber) knife featured in January's Field and Stream Best of the Best Gear issue. If memory serves correctly, I believe it was in the $50.00 category. Something you might want to check out.

["yote"]

My absolute favorite knife has to be my trusty USMC KaBar.
It has done everything asked and never failed!


P.S. They still make them. $39.95. A good deal in todays economy.
P.S.S. Sharpen the false edge at the tip. It makes the best bung-hole
slicer for deer, elk etc...

[Rick R]

Buck or Gerber? Come on, there's more choices out there. Not that they are bad but open up your selection. Just what style blade are you looking for?

[DogYeller]

My favorite knife for breasting out ducks and geese is a short bladed fillet knife. I've been using a Buck for about 4 years, think I'll stay with it.

[Rick R]

Soooooooo.... Did you decide which knife (if either)?:confused:

[fabsroman]

I ended up getting a Buck with a fixed blade, but am thinking about getting another Gerber folder without the serrations. One can never have enough guns, knives, or rods. I guess I can toss ammo and bait in there too.

The Buck knife has a little skinner on it too to make skinning the deer a little easier. However, I have no idea how a person is supposed to sharpen that thing. I might just have to take my Dremel tool to it with the chainsaw sharpening bit on it.

[gregarat]

I use Gerber as a work knife, and the multitool.
My hunting knife is a Buck Vanguard with the ruber grip

[fabsroman]

I have two Gerbers, a Gerber multi tool, a Huntchat multi tool, and three buck knives now.

[quigleysharps4570]

www.erniesknives.com - he'll fix a guy up with a good knife.

[gregarat]

The Rifle and Kansas Bowie are beautiful. I just ordered "Get Tough" by Maj. Fairbairn. Soon I will be able to fight an assailant, armed with fresh fruit ;) .

[quigleysharps4570]

Originally posted by gregarat
The Rifle and Kansas Bowie are beautiful. I just ordered "Get Tough" by Maj. Fairbairn. Soon I will be able to fight an assailant, armed with fresh fruit ;) . Thanks gregarat. There's been alot written on that Fairbairn/Sykes knife! I've got a Gerber boot knife that was a Christmas gift in 1979, an assailant armed with fresh fruit would be in trouble with it also:) .

[gregarat]

Fairbairn has some wacky h2h combat methods, for example: using a matchbox as a weppon. He does write about a TON of usefull stuff too.
At work (sometimes EDC), I carry a Cold Steel Safekeeper III, push dagger. A Spiderco Delica w/h a dremel modified hole, for fastdraw. Lastly a Kubtion Koppo stick, for impact and asist in joint locks. Somewhere I have a few cans of Pepper. I dont carry pepper, cause it doesnt afect things like Pitbulls, people wacked out on drugs, some people with "no brain = no pain", and so on. Someday Im going to get a Shurefire flashlight. I just cant force myself to spend so much $ on a flashlight, right now.
I wish my county didnt restrict general pistol permit carry. Then I can leave most of that crap at home and just have my .357. At work.

This is a picture of how I modified the hole to add a "wave" on my Delica.

[12ga]

Just a question, not any sort of complaint yet, but recently paused to look at a display board of new Gerber knives. Some good looking blades there.

To my surprise they had been made in China. Is this something new, just some Gerber models or what?

Is Buck still made here?

12ga

[Ruddyduck]

I own both ,but prefer the Gerber over Bucks. IMHO Bucks are to heavy. Luckily I purcased my knives what seems like eons ago when Gerber really made good speciality knives. I've got thier drop point fixed blade with a 3 1/2 inch blade that opens up game like a zipper and dandy for skinning. Also a fillet knife they used to make called a Coho ,probably the best large fish filet knife design I've ever seen or used.

[ghost stalker]

can't say either maker will suit you better cause i'm not you, but i can tell you what style "should" work best. i used to wok in a butcher shop before they were called meat cutter(politically correctness is for the birds). when ever you start into a new job you start at the bottem. i had to butcher hundreds of chickens and turkeys a day. when i was done that i had to fillet all the breasts(waisting and breast meat was not tollerated and speed was of the essence). to make a long pointless story short i found that a medium slightly swooped bonning knife worked like the cats ass pardon my french.

[fabsroman]

Those are the types of knives that I use for breasting geese and ducks. I think the Gerber EZ out would qualify and the new Buck that I bought would also qualify. If they don't, please let me know what a medium swooped boning knife from Gerber or Buck is.

[AzHunter]

I'm a Buck man myself. I've bought a few Gerbers here and there and while their a nice blade for sure, I've had my quams. The biggest that I've noticed is straight out of the box the Buck tend to be a bit sharper with a better edge than the Gerber. While I admit I'm no expert on blades, I do know how to keep em sharp.
Anyone know the differences in the steel, off hand?

[Crowcommander]

BUCK all the way!!!! Gerbers are made in China now aren't they? I just wish Buck hadn't stopped making the Muskrat #313. IMHO Crowcommander

[skeeter@ccia.com]

fabs, I have to agree with dog yeller and the fillet knife for breasting....It is the one I look for when doing my turkey and opening day at the sportsmens club I walked into 32 geese laying beside the hunters...only 2 guys were doing the birds so I helped out.....and I ended up doing 1/2 total birds while the 2 guys did the other 1/2....the short thin blade used for fish was the ticket that day and as you said....one can never have enough knives and toys..sometimes it makes it hard to decide what to take with you.... This year I am using a buck folding blade and must say I was impressed to no end...it went through the pelvic bone like butter.....

[huntinbuddy]

I havent used a Gerber before, but I know that Buck is a good knife, if you have a local Wal-Mart you can get a good Buck knife there I dont know if it would be to big for your uses. I know that my dad broke his Buck knife gutting an Antelope he took it to the place where he bought it they told him that Buck didnt make that type of knife anymore but they gave him a new 80 dollar knife about a week later. Like I said I dont know much about Gerber knives but I know Buck is good. Go with Buck.

[Talon]

Hello Fabs..

I have several knives, I think that either Buck or the Gerber will serve you well, what I would recommend is one of this guys knives I have two one for me and one for my oldest son all I can say is wow!

I think all hunters should have a custom blade n their collection.

Prices are reasonable and the craftmanship is outstanding..

www.javelinaknives.com

Peace
Talon:cool:

[Gaven1030]

i prefer buck.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

I bought a 'cutco' hunting knife a few years ago and gave it to one of my daughters....I did use it before and she has used it..never have I had to sharpen it yet and it melts through things to make it an easy job...cutco makes a great hunting knife....huntinbuddy, when I was in the service, I got 2 buck knives..one for me and one for my brother..was at the time called ' frontiersman'...buck sells one called that now but it is different from the ones we have..first of all we have a lanyard hole in the handle and the new ones don't...If I get around to it maybe I will post a picture of it and would like to know if it is the one you speak of that broke...my brother broke his but I found out he was using it to spilt wood...hit it with a hammer ..."brothers"......I got it welded / ground for him (buck not make anymore so couldn't replace it) and the first time I fixed it for him he broke about an inch off the tip when he dropped it into his bathtub while washing it in the sink....I use to carry mine hunting but is too big for that now..retired it.

[hunter1993]

UGLY real ugly knife

[fishnfrank]

I have been in the military for a while and have been issued serveral knives. I love my benchmade switchblade. It is so sharp. It's lifetime guaranteed too.

[DaMadman]

I voted Buck, just because they stand behind thier products. My dad has had his Buck knife for as long as my memory will remember and he busted a chunk out of the blade doing something dumb with it. I think he was prying on the truck mirror for some reason and when he contacted Buck they told him just send it in and we will fix it, or replace it. Turned out that Dad bought a Lansky sharpening kit that had all the different stones and he (actually I ) honed out the chip and he didn't have to send it back, but the point was they were willing to fix or replace it for free.

I also just got a Knife magazine in the mail the other day and although I can't rememebr the name of the company (it wasn't BUDK) and I was really suprised to see that the prices of Buck brand knives have come down quite a bit.

[TKO]

Dad always carried a Buck growing up so I have one or three in my hunting bag.

[TKO]

I have several of both, and I do like each maker. I think I like the style of buck a little better overall. For your price range I also like the Kershaw blade trader.

[GOLD-PAN]

Owner of a buckmaster , a K-bar , 1/2 dozen leatherman's , coldsteel T-handle , and a few outher's so im good for a while