We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. Any products or services put forward appear in no particular order. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Buck 119 Knife Review
- Pros: Classic, time-tested design. Hunting-friendly clip-point blade. Sharp out of the box. Satin-finished blade is versatile. Smooth, hotspot-free handle. Sturdy leather sheath with drain hole. Affordable price point.
- Cons: Slick handle may not provide enough traction. Blade stock could be thicker for increased weight. Sheath rides high on the belt. 6-inch blade may be too large for some hunting preferences. Clip point not ideal for batoning or bushcraft.
If you’ve been following along on our fixed-blade backyard adventure extravaganza lately, this Buck 119 review marks the sixth fixed-blade knife review in a row. It should finally put any doubts about my feelings toward Buck knives to rest, but maybe start a rumor that I hate folding knives.
Let’s get one thing straight: Buck makes perfectly fine knives that your Grandpa liked. There’s something to be said about a classic. My Grandpa liked Busch Light and Matlock, and I kinda like those too.
Key Takeaways
- The Buck 119 is a classic fixed blade that hasn’t changed much since 1942, except for a few improvements like a blood groove (fuller) and a bigger size.
- The clip-point blade is great for piercing and game processing.
- The sheath is nice and leather, but rides a bit high on the belt. A dangler ring could improve comfort.
- 6 inches might be too big for a hunting knife, with some hunters preferring 4 inches or less.
- The Buck 119 is a good, affordable large fixed blade, but maybe not the best choice for batoning or processing firewood.
My Own Bias With Fixed-Blade Knives
There are arguments as to what a really useful fixed blade size is… is 6 inches too big? In my experience and reading, there is a lot to suggest hunters prefer blade lengths up to 4 inches and less.
What is a 6-inch blade good for? Bushcraft? Feather sticks? When I’m camping or hiking, I generally deal with 3-4-inch folding knives. I’d be curious: for those who are active hunters, what is your favorite blade for hunting?
The Buck 119: Dimensions and Potential Improvements
The 119 design has stayed pretty much the same since 1942, with a few changes. The major changes happened about a decade after the 119’s introduction when Buck realized their mistake and improved the design by adding a blood groove and making it bigger.
I understand fuller is the more accurate term these days, however, Buck refers to it as a blood groove in documentation and it is an old colloquial term. Buck, always a leader, very early on anticipated the tactical revolution in the latter part of the century. Blood groove sounds way more tactical than fuller. Although, I am kind of disappointed no revision ever addressed the lack of a sawback.
![The Buck 119 Knife and sheath on the ground](https://knifeinformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Buck119Knife_Conclusion-1024x576.jpeg)
Specs
Overall Length | 10.50″ |
Blade Length | 6.00″ |
Blade Thickness | 0.17″ |
Blade Material | 420 |
Blade Style | Clip Point |
Blade Grind | Hollow |
Finish | Satin |
Edge Type | Plain |
Handle Length | 4.50″ |
Handle Material | Polymer |
Color | Black |
Weight | 7.50 oz. |
Sheath | Leather |
Country of Origin | USA |
Although some folk might be disappointed in the lack of stupid squared jimping, recurves or sawbacks, I do appreciate the simplicity of this fixed blade. If an original design is great why mess with it much?
Blade and Handle
The 119 has a hunting-friendly clip-point blade made from 420 HC stainless steel in a hollow grind. It comes pretty sharp out of the box. Clip points are good game knives because of the piercing tip with a swedge. The sharpening crowd, over time, seems to prefer hollow grinds because of the ability to slice and hone the edge. The modern trend in knives is mostly to put a flat grind on everything, so it’s always refreshing to see hollow’s on new knife designs like they used to do on models like the 119.
The swedge, while not sharpened, comes to an acute peak, meaning it can enter the body cavity of a squirrel you killed much easier. The rule of thumb is, depending on the type of game you hunt, your knife needs to be approximately 2/3 the size of the animal. It’s an old hunting rule that I didn’t just make up—look it up. So with a deer you’d need a bastard sword for effective game cleaning. In all seriousness, we are in a golden age of oversized big ass, overcompensating knives.
It used to be that the big knives of yore were military issue, or based on military designs. These were beat up and abused in combat theaters and were general purpose and could be used for combat, food prep, shelter building, or digging in a pinch. If you look at a lot of old camping and hiking books, you’ll find recommendations for smaller more reasonable knives. I don’t know where I was going with this, other than whatever knife size makes sense for your common tasks- go with it.
The satin-finished blade is pretty good at cutting up onions and green peppers for tofu soft taco night, a very specific task Hoyt Buck had in mind when designing fixed-blade knives in the early 20th century.
The handle is a composite or plastic material called Phenolic. I have had many commenters over the years say it’s what bowling balls are made of, although I have never had the time to do a quick google search to verify. It covers a full length that isn’t full height (google “119 tang” and you’ll see pictures). The entire handle to the cross guard, the finger grooves, and the rear bolster are all finished very smoothly and hotspot-free.
While slick, the handle is bulbous, and the combination of the rear bolster, finger grooves, and cross guard try to make up for the lack of traction on the smooth finish.
I don’t hunt no more, and I don’t often venture outside when it’s raining, (or when it’s sunny or windy or cloudy) but it might be worth considering that if you hunt, and hunt while wet, or get wet while hunting, or any combination of various moistures and viscous fluids on your person—Micarta, G10, and even rubberized handles might be better alternatives.
Or just get yourself a good set of gloves. They could even be fingerless gloves, and then the Buck 119 is just fine. It wouldn’t be the 119 if it didn’t have a Phenolic handle, ok jerk? That’s not entirely true, Buck does release limited editions from time to time in other handle materials. They typically cost more and are in limited runs.
Sheath and Comparisons
The sheath is nice and leather. It’s thick and has a plastic insert to maintain its shape and protect the interior from cuts, and probably also discourage moisture from touching your blade. There’s even a drain hole at the bottom, almost like Buck doesn’t want your knife to rust.
![Holding the buck 119 knife with sheath](https://knifeinformer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Buck119Knife_Sheath-1024x576.jpeg)
You’ve got a wrap-around snap and retention system that keeps the knife inside the sheath when closed. However, the nature of the wrap-around snap does make it slightly harder to draw—which might actually be a feature and not a bug because it could keep the knife inside the sheath if you forgot to snap it.
One negative, though, is it rides a little high; a dangler ring might make it a bit better for my tastes. The butt of the handle rides about 2-3/4 inches over the top of your belt.
Video Review
Conclusion
I like the Buck 119 just fine. It’s slightly smaller than Big-Ass dimensions and might be more versatile than a Dogs Head or larger 7-inch fixed blades. I know it’s no Tom Brown Tracker—where’s the recurve and sawback?—and it needs more than one edge grind.
As a side note, I went down the Tom Brown Tracker rabbit hole—I guess it was a tangent when reading about the hypothetical uses of large fixed blades. I read about half of the book “Tracker” once. I liked it but have a short attention span… and that knife always stuck me as, uhh… busy.
I also decided to skim the 22-page instruction manual, and it notes that “Any misuse of this knife other than to fulfill normal ‘knife-like’ function such as those outlined in the text will result in voiding the warranty.” Huh. Please don’t watch my video review then.
Overall, the Buck 119 is a good large fixed blade—not my favorite, but a good one. It’s cheap. If you need something for batoning, maybe buy something with a slightly longer blade, full tang, and replaceable handles. Also, clip points make sense for piercing things, but not batoning because it chews your blade up.