Buck Knives117 Brahma Fixed Blade Hunting Knife, 4 1/2" S35VN Blade, Micarta Handle with Leather Sheath

I debated giving it a 4 star review- although the blade was near razor sharp- it wasn't mirror polish smoothe- Hung up on cutting paper a few times. A few passes on a stone & strop solved that.I hate - HATE that they've discontinued using S35VN steel in their 100 series fixed blade knives. With the legendary BOS heat treatment (iykyk) these Buck knives are worth EVERY penny.Buck is going back to 420HC steel exclusively on these knives- which sharpen up GREAT and have a HUGE loyal fan base for a reason- but it's ancient metallurgical technology. There's much better steels available. I don't understand why Buck made that decision. You'll have to go to the Buck custom shop for more steel choices on the 119- where Magnacut is actually an option. Anyway- the USA made Buck knives are among the best made anywhere- regardless of the steel choice- this knife in S35VN is hard to beat.

This is the perfect size for about any task you might encounter. I love this knife

I’ve used most of the Buck classic series designs for more than 25 years. The 102 and 117 are my all time favorites. I’ve been glad to see them released in updated materials and after much use, can attest to them being better than the original 440c versions. Not that there was anything wrong with those but the new ones sport better steel and micarta handles. They’re more difficult to sharpen but hold an edge like you wouldn’t believe.

This is a great knife. Razor sharp and very handy. Great edc knife. Quality is very nice. Sheath is nice.

Very well made. Holds edge well.

The 117 is the perfect size, between the 102 and 119. I find the 102 too small for my hand. With the micarta handle and S35nv steel, it is a very nice knife that strikes the balance of size, handling, and quality.

I got to say I really love this knife, it’s the perfect size & is very good for any task that requires less chop & more precision. The clip point shape of the blade is very attractive, craftsmanship & materials are excellent.I had it professionally sharpened & it was the best thing I did, it surpassed my sharpening ability’s at home & holds a razor sharp blade really well now. I’ve seen many of these being sold & there 30-40 years old so they last & will be passed down. For many reasons this is my favorite knife I currently own, I think quality & style for its size is the main reason I love it so much! It has a sheath which makes it a good alternative to a flip knife considering there about the same size opened.