The big SHOT Show news from Buck is that the venerable company is getting in on the Axis-like crossbar lock action this year, with their incoming Range series of folders. These knives are fully modern folders, with the ambidextrous mechanism and a current-gen powder metallurgy steel on offer.
The Range model comes in two sizes, each offered in Elite or Pro trim. We’ll get into the material differences below, but the blades come first. The full-size Range has a 3.38-inch blade length, while the Mini lands at 2.63 inches. Both knives could – and probably will – be slotted into an EDC role, but there is certainly the possibility of outdoors roles as well for the bigger model. The wide drop point blade shape on all Range models borrows a lot from classic hunting knives in terms of its profile, communicating proven utility and capability.
The Range Elites are fashioned from MagnaCut, but of particular note with regards to this steel on this knife is that it is heat treated by Paul Bos, who has been helping Buck wring every last drop of performance out of many different steels over the years with his high-performance treatments. It’s going to be interesting for steel fanatics out there to get their hands on this particular version and see how it compares to the steel on other knives. The Pro models are no slouch in the metallurgical department either, made from 154CM.
And then, on the handle, we have a crossbar lock, which appears to function much as one would expect now that the mechanism is rampant across the entire industry. It’s ambidextrous, durable, and – just as important in some ways! – fun to fidget with. The Range’s chassis is made from aluminum on the Elites, while the Pros’ handles are made from GFN. The GFN models are about half an ounce lighter than their aluminum counterparts, weighing in at 2.55 oz. for the full-size for the Mini.
The Range series isn’t the only new thing Buck brought to Vegas; there’s a traditional counterpart to these Modern folders on the way, too. Check out tomorrow’s coverage for all the details.
Knife in Featured Image: Buck 790 Range Elite
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