Buck Saunter Photo Tour & Review

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The Buck 250 Saunter Slip Joint Knife is Fun, Practical and Temporary

The Buck Saunter is a practical pocket knife for both the office or the outdoors. It is shown here next to a campfire.

The Buck 250 Saunter is a limited release slip joint knife. Buck says it will only manufacture this knife in 2022. Once those knives sell out there will be no more. From a collectors standpoint this is kind of cool, but I have been so impressed with this knife that I feel bad for the slip joint fans that will not be able to get one down the road.

The fit and finish of the Saunter is impressive, the color changing handle is fun, and the blade design is practical. It really is an instant classic type knife. Too bad it is temporary. It could be argued that the price is a bit steep, but I think it is priced about right considering it is American made with a good steel and a carbon fiber handle. I don’t have any real complaints about this knife, but I was annoyed by the ridiculously tight black leather pocket pouch that shipped with it. It is pretty much unusable.

Specifications

Overall Length:5.5”
Blade Length:2.5”
Handle Length:3.0″
Blade Steel:S35VN
Blade Thickness:
3.0”
Handle Material:
Carbon fiber
Lock Type:Slip Joint
Blade Grind:Flat
Blade Type:Drop Point
Made In:USA

Pros

Excellent Fit & Finish
Great Lock
Unique Handle
Practical Design

Cons

Limited Release
Leather Pouch Is Way Too Tight
Pricey
Two images of the Buck Saunter in different types of light to show how the carbon fiber handle changes color.
The Buck Saunter’s carbon fiber handle appears to change color in different types of light. When the sun hits, it splashes of warm color appear, but in the shade it is a fairly flat gray.
A close-up of a person's hands opening the Buck Saunter slip joint knife.
There is no half stop on the Buck Saunter. It does have a pretty strong back spring though. I would guess this slip joint has a pull rating of A7 or A8. It is certainly not nail breaking strong, but there is noticeable resistance.
The Buck Saunter handle is comfortable and easy to grip.
The Saunter is a relatively small knife, but the wide handle is easy to grip, and the heavy chamfering helps make it a comfortable knife to hold.
The Saunter's modern design is a welcome change from Buck's typical classic looking slip joint knives.
The Saunter design is quite a bit different the the classic looking slip joints of their past. The thick handle, the drop point blade, and the lanyard hole are all a welcome change. Hopefully Buck will come out with future slip joints that incorporate these design elements.
The Buck Saunter's blade carving wood to show it's carving capability.
The Saunter’s blade bites. It is a hungry little devil with a full flat grind that arrives sharp, and it makes short work of wood or carboard challenges. The S35VN blade holds its edge extremely well, so it is a good choice for anyone who is not a big fan of sharpening.
Slicing rope with the Buck Knives 250 Saunter.
The Saunter looks pretty, but it is more capable from a working standpoint than most other slip joints we have tested.
A close-up of the Buck Saunter's torx screws.
The torx screws on the rear of the Saunter’s handle are T6 size, and they are recessed.
The thick liners of the Buck Saunter.
The liner of the Saunter is fairly thick which shows that Buck was more interested in durability than keeping the knife’s weight down. That is understandable considering the Saunter’s price point and the fact that it will not be replaceable in a year or two.
Testing the Buck Saunter blade's corrosion resistance.
The S35VN blade of the Saunter offers great corrosion resistance, but I won’t make a habit of submerging it in creeks.
Exploring the outdoors with the Buck Saunter
The marbled carbon fiber handle of the Saunter has a modern look, but the knife looks right at home in the field.
Picnic snack food prep with the Buck Saunter slipjoint knife.
The Saunter makes a decent food prep knife for picnic snacks.
The changing color of the Saunter's handle as the sunlight hits it.
The marbled carbon fiber handle really pops in the sunlight.
Outdoor stilllife of the Buck Saunter pocket knife.
The Saunter is a photogenic little bastard.
Getting the Buck Saunter wet and dirty outdoors.
I was fairly tough on the Saunter over the course of this review, and it held up well. I had no pivot issues or problems with corrosion. However, I will probably take it apart and clean it soon.
Studio image of the Buck Saunter that shows its marbled carbon fiber handle and drop point blade profile.
I hope to see more modern slip joint designs from Buck in the near future. This is one of my favorite slip joints of all time, and I applaud Buck for their willingness to take a risk with something different.

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Avatar of Ben North

Ben started a twenty year commercial photography career after a blurry stint in the navy. He spent a lot of time losing and breaking knives and other EDC gear on location shoots before starting Nothing But Knives. He has reviewed and tested hundreds of both outdoor and kitchen knives over the course of the last six years, and he was mostly sober while testing and reviewing.

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