Buck Ranger 112 Slim Select

I liked my Buck Ranger 112 so much I bought a lighter, more practical version, for backpacking. All the benefits of the original in a less imposing, 21st century package.

I really like the Buck 112, which I reviewed in 2022 (https://www.trailspace.com/gear/buck/112-ranger/#review41948). It's a classic U.S. manufactured folder, with brass and ebony fittings. It works great and looks even better but...it weighs a beefy 160 grams, without the leather case.

The modern version, which seems to have all the functional strength and utility of the original, weighs a mere 75 grams, with a removeable clip, which attaches to your pocket or pack.

The 'Slim Select' version has tactile nylon scales and feels noticeably skinnier than its forbear. There is a large pocket clip, which can be configured for left or right handers. It's easily discarded if you find it uncomfortable in the hand; I find the knife melts into a shirt front or jacket sleeve pocket, so don't need the clip.

The blade is made from the same 420 stainless steel as the traditional 112 and is almost identical, except that it is subtly stone washed, rather than polished. The blade is relatively short and stout, at 7.6 cms in length and 3mms in thickness.

Fit and finish are as you would expect from a Buck—very solid lockup, no blade play, very reassuring in the hand. There are two thumb studs, instead of the original's single nail nick, so one-hand deployment is easy, whichever hand you are using. 

Edge retention is fine for the purposes I find essential—working with green, dry and processed wood, trimming twine and plastics, processing waste cardboard, for recycling, cutting food, on the go. A light strop, now and again, is usually enough to keep a keen edge.  It's not a modern "super steel" but it is a tried and trusted, working grade of metal.

Subtracting ebony and brass from the design menu, also results in a lower retail price for this knife, compared to traditional models.  In current UK terms?  £40, instead of £70, a not-insignificant differential.

I find I'm much more likely to throw this knife into a weekend bag or carry it on day walks, simply because it is such a great combination of light weight and tough reliability.

If you have really large hands, you might find the grip just too insubstantial but I doubt that you would be disappointed by the familiar cutting power, blade shape, and utility. The clip point blade is a good compromise shape, which most users would find adaptable to a variety of tasks.

My wife told me that she would be happy to use the SS in the garden, or for indoor crafts, whereas she found the standard model too heavy and imposing.

This is one of the least expensive of the U.S.-made Buck knives. It carries the same lifetime warranty as other Idaho-manufactured products. I like the willingness to innovate, to move with the times, and to produce a blade which may appeal to a wider market, as a result. Outdoor folks will often happily trade some strength, ergonomics, or functionality, for a lighter tool, or piece of clothing. In this case, there is no tradeoff required, unless you find the slimmer handle awkward. This knife seems to retain all the renowned advantages of the original 1972 design, whilst offering Buck's heritage of reliability in a modern format for twenty-first century users.

Background

I've been using this knife, indoors and out, for the last six months. Principally, it's been used in the yard and around the house but also on walks and hikes throughout Scotland, including trips to the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

I bought my Buck Ranger 112+ after losing three very small knives with 2-inch blades while hiking the Appalachian Trail in five months. I still have it, after three more years of backpacking.

I never thought I would be carrying a Buck knife, but there you go. I loved my tiny 1 1/2- to 2-inch knives, weighing around 20 grams. But three times, I lost them. One slipped down between rocks during a rainstorm on Mount Rogers. One found a rip in my back pocket lining and slipped out when I was in Maine on Kahtadin (I was flip-flopping my hike.) The third one took a hike a few days before I got to Gorham. I tried to find knives in Rangeley and Andover, but no tiny knives there.

I walked into the Gorham Hardware store in New Hampshire looking for another tiny knife. The lady said we don't have anything like that, but we have this lightweight Buck knife. I asked if there was anywhere else in town I should try, and she smiled and said no.

So I checked out the Buck knife, thinking it would be just too much in every way. The Buck was the smallest knife they had, but at least it was very light (74 grams with the clip), and not expensive, in the $30 range. And orange matched my hat and long-sleeve shirt. With no other stores to be had in the next week of backpacking, I bought it.

I have never regretted this purchase. It was nice to have a simple longer knife, easy to open and close with no batttles. Feels good in the hand. Big enough to notice if it falls, and orange is a great color in the wild, easy to spot on the ground or in a tent.

Cuts very well. Easy to clean, dishwasher safe. I have hiked another couple thousand miles with this knife, using it daily. It doesn't want to leave me.

It's a keeper.

Background

I have carried Leatherman Wingman knives in my purse for decades, but they are far too heavy for the trail. I always take my Wingman on long bike tours, where it's a great help to have handy screwdrivers and pliers. I have never been in a situation where I needed those tools in the wild, backpacking.