192 Vanguard

This is essentially a premium fit and finish, USA-made knife, which uses common-sense tactics and traditional designs to charge a lot less than you'd get from most brands of this quality. Sharpness and edge retention is fine; better than a lot of knives I've used. I know you can find more premium steels than 420 in a $100 knife, but don't let it scare you away. I temper steel for a living, and this steel is great. The heat treat and edge grind matter just as much as the alloy, and Buck knows this. Their design and blade hardness is excellent, and 420 is still a good stainless steel to begin with. It's beautiful, strong, razor sharp, and the perfect style and size to keep on your hip without scaring people. The use of Dymalux Walnut for the handle is also great, as ordinary wood is beautiful, but not as weather-resistant or age-resistant as new synthetics. By using Dymalux (resin-infused wood), this has the beauty and feel of natural wood with the durability and longevity of a synthetic material. It's extremely functional and well-proportioned, with a grip that fills the palm well for such a compact fixed-blade. It looks and feels like a work of art, and is quality and durability from top to bottom.

This knife reminds one of an era long past where product longevity and pride in craftsmanship were of the utmost importance. The wooden handle is a medium brown and is contrasted by brass accents. I have found the handle to be very comfortable and sized perfectly for average to large sized hands. I have used the knife in the field and have found the handle to become somewhat slick when field dressing game; however, I feel completely comfortable when using the knife, due to the design of the hand guard. The blade was very sharp out of the box and continues to retain a great edge despite field use. It is adequately sized for field dressing deer, not too large or small. The biggest let-down regarding this knife is the brown, leather sheath. It is made in Mexico and the quality doesn't appear comparable to the knife in which it is designed. The knife is secured in the sheath with a buckle strap that fits snugly behind the hand guard. This design has proven to properly retain my knife in the sheath and keep it from falling out; however, I would like to see the sheath made from a thicker leather or incorporate a composite insert to add some rigidity to the design. With that said I still feel this is one of the better values on the market. Although the sheath is somewhat lacking, the knife is incredible. The blade is sharp, retains a great edge and the handle is not only durable, but aesthetically pleasing. I believe the design and quality craftsmanship will prove this knife to be a great heirloom that will provide dependable use for generations to come. Great knife and MADE in the USA. NOTE: I previously purchased another variation of the wooden handle, Buck Vanguard from another retailer. The other knife is the same design and quality described; however, it supports a rosewood colored handle and a black, leather sheath. The total cost of the Amazon purchase was less expensive than the rosewood variation. Just a note in case one is considering purchasing multiple knives and would like to know what other style options are available.

Happy with this purchase. A nicely designed multi use knife that looks great and feels good.

very nice knife, came razor sharp right out of the box.

Top quality, beautiful knife.

I’ve gutted hundreds of deer with all different knives and this knife is a joy to use. The rubber handle is great when your hands are wet. Arrives razor sharp.

Knife is great. Sheath is garbage. The strap ripped in one day.

I purchased the Buck 192 Vanguard fixed blade knife model X001NB10EH with brown leather sheath. I have looked for the right one since they were introduced and finally after hearing many good stories about the Vanguard, I selected this one. I was not disappointed. The satin finished blade at the spine is 0.137 inches thick with no distal taper and a strong tip. The blade is 1.75 wide at the widest point with a drop point tip aligning to the centerline of the blade. From guard to tip the blade is 4.130 inches long the handle is 4.353 inches long and 0.90 at the widest point. I have medium hands with long fingers and it fits perfectly in my hand with room to spare. The brown diamond wood handle is finished like fine furniture. The brass buttcap and guard are highly polished brass with what looks like a soft black material spacer giving the knife an overall fine aesthetic look. The knife was ready to use out of the box and required no honing or touch up. The blade is built for rugged use (not abuse) with a hollow grind that comes to 0.024 inch behind the generous secondary bevel. This knife will last for years of companionship in the forest or wherever you take it. The sheath is well made with a solid fold over snap retention that holds the blade securely and compliments the handle color. For the price point, it would be very hard to match the quality in craftsmanship and rugged durability of this knife.