Alpha Folder

And now for the swordsman's review of another fine product, which has provided me with years of reliable service and has been an article of pride among fellow enthusiasts of edged tools: the Buck Alpha Folder.
This folding knife is what one might consider the leading design in Buck's impressive new line of hunting knives, but it's a lot more than a modern twist on the eternal Buck 110. It is a new type of multipurpose full-size liner-lock that is built sturdier, having a thicker blade, more sturdy geometry, and a more ergonomic handle incorporating a skinner's trigger-grip finger grove.
The whole platform is stainless steel and the handle is a tail-bound open design that allows dust to be cleared from the blade channel unlike its predecessor, which has a U-channel that can only be cleaned with a Q-tip or an air compressor. But, true to its roots, Buck offers these impressive cutting tools with the buyer's choice of tactical plastic grip scales or 2 choices of dense grain wood (mine is the walnut, which is most resistant to wear and moisture).

I have had mine since 2004, and I have used it almost daily as I run through my regular chores and supply functions at work. I make good use of the lanyard hole, lashing it to my belt with a length of military cord, so it won't fall to the ground it it manages to make it out of my pocket unbidden. I can say from experience that this knife is made for cutting. that may sound like an unnecessary observation, but almost any experienced user of knives in the workplace will tell you that there are plenty of mainstream knives out there that aren't made for cutting. The thick, drop-point blade bites through all manner of common cuttables and is quickly resharpened. Granted, stainless steel blades do not retain an edge like I wish they would, but the Alpha Folder holds up to daily rigors quite nicely.

In addition to being a hard worker, the large folder's ergonomic design and pommel-ward center of balance make this knife a fierce fighter as well. The handle fills the hand, and the trigger groove helps to ensure both weapon retention and avoidance of reverse slippage (a.k.a stab-slip, in which the hand move forward while the knife remains static, resulting in the user sliding up the blade - ouch!). The sturdy liner lock assures that the blade will not close on the hand without the application of tremendous pressure, so an emergency engagement is not likely to result in lost fingers, and the blade length is such that it can inflict a very deep penetration without being too big to carry in most places.

In both cases, the ambidextrous one-hand opening is a major plus and the pivot screw can be adjusted to allow for faster opening if that's your thing. With practice, the knife can be deployed with a flick of the wrist, making it significantly faster to employ than a balisong or lockback in an emergency.

With all that, the traditional look and the rich color of the wood scales makes this knife look too much like 'Grandpa's Knife' to stand out when it leaves your pocket - even despite its size. This is of course another advantage; since it disturbs certain people to see that you have a large folder on you at work, the grocery store, etc., especially if it's one of those mechanized, matte back, Navy Seal wannabe style knives. Even though this knife can do more than its fair share of damage, it maintains a wholesome, 'Americana' profile that makes me feel a whole lot more comfortable carrying it around.