FOG HORN
April 2020 Twobirds Flying Publications
BUCK Knives Ground Combat Spear Point
Copyright 2020, Towbirds Flying Publications. All Rights Reserved.
BUCK Knives Ground Combat Spear Point BUCK Knives Ground Combat Spear Point By: Sal Palma
It was February of 2020 when Buck Knives formally announced the launch of its Ground Combat collection of military oriented fixed blade knives. The Ground Combat line consists of two blade profiles, a Tanto and Spear Point with either a tricolored Micarta or black G10 handle. In this review, I’ll be presenting the spear point version with a great looking tricolored Micarta handle. Dispensing with the suspense let me say that Buck Knives has done an extraordinary job with the Ground Combat line. Everything about this knife is topnotch. I’ll start with the blade. It’s quite clear that Buck Knives intended their new line for harsh and rugged service in situations where metal fatigue or failure could be catastrophic. To mitigate that risk, they used a 5160 spring steel for the blade material. This alloy steel is a high carbon and chromium spring steel of
2020
outstanding toughness, a high level of ductility, and excellent fatigue resistance. Alloy Steel 5160 is in use in the automotive industry in a number of different heavy spring applications, especially for leaf springs. This steel is extremely flexible so breaking your blade while prying, which has happened to me, won’t be an issue, making the Ground Combat knives ideally suited for military and tactical use. Buck’s choices of blade profiles are too consistent with their intended use. There’s a lot of discussion as to what’s the best blade point. A Tanto is designed for ease of penetration and maximizing the wound channel but is it especially good for survival purposes, not especially. The spear point is a far more versatile blade profile for survival purposes, where the user may need to construct a spear out of available materials, for example. There are spear points and there are spear points, but don’t underestimate Buck Knives’ implementation which is extremely aggressive and quite capable of filling the needs of any foreseeable combat scenario requiring the use of a knife. Buck chose a Scandinavian style grind that terminates at a razor sharp edge. Right out of the box, the Spear Point will shave the hair on your arm. High carbon steel blades tend to require a bit more TLC than other steels in order to prevent corrosion; Buck took care of that problem by Cerakoting their full tang blades; they also terminated the knife’s tang in a very nicely implemented pummel that will accept 550 paracord and can readily be describe as an excellent glass breaker or behavior modification tool. The only thing I felt was missing was a bit of jimping along the blade spine.
Copyright 2020, Towbirds Flying Publications. All Rights Reserved.
BUCK Knives Ground Combat Spear Point
2020
A magnificent edged weapon deserves a magnificent sheath and here too Buck Knives has outpaced its competition.
Figure 1 spine view
The tricolored canvas Micarta handle is a work of art from both a visual perspective and its purchase enhancement.
All of the Ground Combat knives ship with an injection molded polypropylene MOLLE compatible sheath. In its sheath, the Ground Combat Spear Point weighs in at approximately 14.5 oz. You can carry this knife on your belt, plate carrier or MOLLE equipped backpack. In closing, Buck Knives’ entry into the fixed blade combat knife space was marked by a family of four superb offerings. Quality of construction, materials and features reflect Buck Knives’ experience but its Forever Warranty stands for its confidence and commitment. You get all of this at $130 M.S.R.P.; it doesn’t get any better. Head on down to your favorite shop or Post Exchange and hold one. The handle is 4.9 inches long and approximately 0.8 inches at its widest point. The Spear Point is perfectly balanced at the finger coil so it handles like an Austin Mini Cooper in slalom. The scales are removable for cleaning and lubrication of the blade. I think you may see some aftermarket offerings to customize or decorate this knife.
-SP Manufacturer Specifications:
Blade: 5 1/2″ Cerakoted 5160 Spring Steel Tip: Tanto Style | Spear Point Handle: Tri-Colored Canvas Micarta | Black G10 Sheath: Injection-Molded Polypropylene MOLLE Compatible w/ Multiple Carry Options
Copyright 2020, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved