[srjdsmith]

The first big game knife my dad gave me was a Buck Personal #118. I love that knife. I don’t know if Buck still uses the image of hammer pounding a knife through a bolt, but it applies to that knife. I have used only one other knife that can field dress multiple deer, including splitting the sternum, and really not need to be sharpened. I don’t remember all the times, but I know once I field dressed three and only sharpened out of habit afterwards, not really because it was dull.

My (sort-of-adopted-it’s-a-long-story) daughter married a jerk. I was friendly with him for her sake. We hunted together a few times- he was military but had never hunted. First time out, he didn’t have a knife so I loaned him my Buck Personal. Later I gifted him a knife and he was going to return my Personal. (I don’t remember, but I think I gave him one of those Bucks with a blaze orange blade?) Anyway, she caught him cheating. Same story you’ve heard 1,000 times, and I never saw him again. Or my knife.

Recently I got nostalgic and went eBay shopping.



I paid WAY more than my dad paid for my first one. And not “inflation between 1975 and 2024” more. It was that plus “out of production classic don’t lowball me I know what I’ve got” more. But it’s worth it.