Buck Knives 337 Paradigm Pro Folding Knife

I had this knife lower on my list a few years ago and ended up buying a Zero Tolerance 0350 and a CRKT FireSpark. I enjoy those knives a great deal and the ZT is especially tough.My wife bought me the Buck Paradigm because she saw it was still on my list. I'm so glad she did because it's a better size, fun to open, and I'm not as embarrassed to use it in public. The other two were bigger blades and really intimidating to people when opened. I guess if that's what you want, go with those. But this Buck is not so long, opens a little more quietly, and nice looking. It's my Every Day Carry for going to the office or regular running around. Love the S30v steel and the fact that other people (viz, kids) can't open it until you explain the mechanism.The lock took just a few trials to get fluent, and now one-handed opening and closing is very smooth, and that's what I look for in my EDC knives.

Really bad quality control. I don't know if I got cheated and was sold a reject or if this knife just accidentally got past Buck quality control or what but mine was terrible. The blade is so off center that it scrapes the liner when closed. The bevel on the blade is very uneven from one side to the next and also from tip to heel. There is also an odd dark stain on the blade steel. I have other s30v buck knives and they're very clean and nice but this one looks like its stained and it doesn't come off. Also the handle sticks out on one side and feels glued on improperly. I like buck knives but this one was just wrong in every way, almost like someone was playing a joke on me. See attached photo -- those are not fingerprints, that is how it came.

This knife features a novel locking mechanism with Buck's proprietary "Shift" assisted opening mechanism. The lock works both to lock the knife closed and lock it when it is open. It also has beautiful blue and black G10 handles. It is rather heavy to use in the EDC role however and is rather expensive.Pros:1) Fun and unique assisted opening and locking mechanism.2) Good quality S30V stainlesss steel.3) Beautiful and durable G10 handles.4) Great clip design.5) Easy (and safe) to open and close one handed.Cons:1) A little heavy for an EDC knife2) Handles too slick to be effective in a tactical role.Even though I won't be using this knife because of its weight I decided to keep it as a collectible. Unless you are into collecting knives and/or you prefer larger and heavier EDC knives, I would not recommend this knife. There are too many other knives with comparable quality that are much lighter and cheaper (i.e. Spyderco Delica4, Benchmade Mini-Barrage, etc.).

I love that the Buck 337 Paradigm Pro is MADE IN THE USA.I got a Buck 337 Paradigm Pro for my son and once I saw his I got one for myself. My son loves his 337 and it is his favorite EDC. The pocket clip allows the knife to ride low but still accessible. The S30V blade holds an edge very well. The safety makes the knife easy to manipulate one handed and it is unlikely that the knife will accidently deploy while in your pocket. One of the issues I have with the knife is that the blade safety is designed primarily for right handed use.Just a heads up though and the other issue I have with the knife. I do not recommend that you take out the bolster screw to clean or oil the knife mechanism. After a lot of use my bolster screw was loose making the blade hard to deploy. I figured I would take the knife apart and clean and oil the mechanism. I found that the spring assist mechanism, of the knife, is not very user cleanable or repairable. I did it once and I vowed that I would never do it again. The spring assist is performed using two spiral torsion springs inside the bolsters. Once taken apart the two spiral torsion springs (one on each side of the blade) are very difficult to compress and realign to reassemble the knife. It is a lot easier to take apart and put back together a mechanical clock or watch or a gun trigger mechanism than it is to put this knife back together. If you do take it apart you may have to send it to Buck for repair which may not be covered under warranty. I did get my knife back together but now when I maintain my knife I just make sure that the bolster screw is snug.Overall a great knife. Just don't take out the bolster screw or let it get loose.

A well built knife that holds an edge and is easy to re-sharpen if you don't let it get dull. Did have to tighten the screw at the point where the blade joins the handle but that only took a minute to tighten and then blade held securely but with enough room to function properly. All in all a good knife that I would recommend to anyone.

Solid construction, and well made with quality steel and scales. My blade did not come centered, or with the best quality sharpening, but good enough for a production knife. Made in the USA is always a great thing.I have read where others stated that this is a large, heavy knife and question the grip and use for every day carry. These must have small hands and wear suits every day. If you need a good work knife every day, this fills the bill very well - even with oily hands. I keep mine clipped in my pocket, and feel lost without it. Shop around - prices vary greatly on this knife... Even on this site.

This knife is very well made and typical of Buck knives it terms of quality. I saw some reviews that indicated that the blade was not centered in the holster, and there was excessive play at the point where the blade locks. I have none of these issues with the knife I received. I would strongly suggest that people check the knife laws in their particular state as knives that open and lock via a spring or centrifugal force are illegal to cary in some states.

In a word...outstanding. This knife is the envy of all to whom I have shown it. Beautifully made and finished. Strong and unique lock. Well done by BUCK Knives and made in the USA at a really great price on Amazon!