Buck KnivesBuck Knives 285 Bantam BLW Folding Knife with Removable Clip

The media could not be loaded. As someone that uses a knife frequently throughout the day while working construction, I must say that this knife is one of my favorites! It’s a Buck, which means it’s made in the USA. Typically, you’d find yourself paying 2-3x the cost of this knife for one of comparable quality. The blade is shaving sharp right out of the box. There are some knife users that might argue that the blade is made out of low grade 420 stainless steel. However, that isn’t really a bad thing at this price point because this is a really affordable knife that you can be comfortable with abusing and still being able to put a razor sharp edge back on with little effort. The other thing that I like about the knife is the large pocket clip that keeps my knife in place no matter what position I’m in. The only thing that I’ve had a problem with is the thumb stud on the blade which seems to be a bit loose, I’m not sure if the stud is held together by friction or if it screws into itself, but I will figure that out and update my review if I’m able to tighten it. Finally, as you can see in the photos, this knife is quite a substantial size. I really like that this thing has some meat on its bones without weighing a ton, unlike the classic Buck 110. Overall, but this knife if you need a knife you can abuse and still depend on day in and day out, you will not regret it!

I'm a big fan of buck knives, particularly this model. I had one just like it for 4 or 5 years and I misplaced it recently. Replaced it with the same model, and it feels built even better and the steel felt even better and sharper right out of the box. I'm very pleased.

I use the knife every day. It keeps a keen edge for a long while. I’ve only had to sharpen it once. Buck quality comes through!

This is a fantastic little knife. It is not too big and not too small for my usage needs. This is most likely the cheapest knife I have seen that offers Buck's fantastic BOS heat treated 420HC steel. It holds an edge very well down to about 34 degrees inclusive but I like to try to keep it at 40 degrees inclusive with a convex edge. I have used this knife for light prying when it is all I had and it handled that task very well.This knife has some light jimping on the back side of the handles, NOT the blade itself. I wish it had a more pronounced finger choil while having a flipping tab but, that's probably asking too much at this price point.One thing I truly wish Buck would change/add to this knife is a torque screw for blade adjustment and disassembly for cleaning. One little torque screw would make this knife that much better.This is like the third time I buy this exact knife because unfortunately I keep losing it from time to time. However, I keep coming back to it because I love the size, blade steel, and price point.

First off I do not like knives with assisted opening. It's unnecessary and dangerous. That said years ago I bought a Buck 110 knife from a local store mainly because it was American made and it was all wood and steel. What a piece of junk. The blade had movement right out of the box and it was heavy as heck. I returned it immediately. That said cheap Gerber paraframe knives have been my EDC since. I decided to give Buck a try again because I was looking for a step up. This Bantam 285 fits the bill. Excellent quality blade. Super sharp. Guys the plastic handle is what makes it lightweight and isn't a problem for me. My only complaint is the pocket clip is too darned tight. I had to loosen it up.

Top notch knife. Buck quality.

I now own two of these and for the money it is one of my favorites. The iconic Buck 110 will always be a favorite but in a blue collar factory setting I was always hanging the sheath on something while working on equipment. Ran across a display that had the 286 in it and knew I had to have it after holding it. The knife is very slim but thick enough to get a firm grip. Solid low profile pocket clip allows me to tuck it into front pocket easily and it stays out of the way until I need it. This knife really fills a lot of rolls for me like shelter building and general bushcraft tasks to cutting string, tape, and opening Amazon boxes. Although I haven't processed a deer with it I have no doubt it could get the job done. Best of all, it's made in the USA. Can't be beat for the money in my opinion. Get one and I think you or whomever you buy it for will be extremely happy with it.

buck quality