Buck 857 El Morro Knife (USA)

Purchased this inexpensive straight blade knife on March 10 for $24.xx plus sales tax. Sold exclusively at Walmart. The plan is to utilize it under different conditions sometime before the middle of 2017. Progress reports to follow.

 

The Buck El Morro (right) design is almost the same as my Buck Bantam BBW folding knife (left), which has served me well over the last few years. The 2 knives are low budget versions, mainly due to the usage is occasional and light duty. I would spend reasonable money on more durable and mainstream knives if my usage was frequently and heavy duty.

I'm an advocate for selecting the right tool for the right job, cutting no corners at the expense of getting the job done right the first time, and expect repeatability over the long haul.

On the flip side I also won't overspend. Why use a Javelin on a Toyota (see movie "Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot")?

 

Buck 857 (left - EDC) vs 877 (right - Tactical).

 

Minor sheath modification. Sheath is now a dangler, plus it now has 550 paracord wrapped around.

 

Minor knife modification. Knife now has a retaining / extension loop for the little finger and doubles as a pullout assist.

 

Well that certainly has the look of something that I would love to have around on a trip. There are many times when the standard pocket knives and small ones just will not do the trick. I do have a similar one, but this one looks like it is much stronger.

 

I have to say Buck had been a favorite of mine for years. As a Paramedic I carried a Buck 110 in my rescue holster and fire twenty years that knife served me well. Camping I've changed, I'm not even sure why but I did. I started to carry the Benchmade Bushcrafter. I have the green one) I used the Worksharp knife sharpener on it and put a razor edge on it. It holds the edge wonderfully. Is that anything against Buck knives, absolutely not, as I've said 20 years of faithful service.

Bibsoutdoors

 

This is the first time I've ever seen a little finger holder, I like it, I'm going to put one on my bushcrafter.

Bibsoutdoors

 

You made a great selection. In fact most attendees, at the NJ bushcraft event I posted earlier, carried the Benchmade Knives. Appears to be very popular among the hardcore outdoor enthusiasts.

Glad to read about the positive experiences you had with Buck Knives, and "THANK YOU" for your many years of community service. Buck Knives are easy to find in my area, and are affordably priced.

I was looking at the Benchmade Knives at REI last Monday, but once I saw the over $100 price tag I immediately did an about face. I repeated to myself as I quickly walked out of the store: "a want, not a need", "a want, not a need", "a want, not a need", ...



The Bravo Squad Leader by Bark River Knives is on my wish list (should a wealthy relative ask - hey, you never know!).

 

I just came back from the web. Looked at that Squad Leader.....$$$$$$$......Wow, it's beautiful, you may be right about the wealthy relation. Ooohh that baby is expensive. But I guess if you have children, it would be an heirloom item to hand down, even from generation to generation. It's stunning though!

Bibsoutdoors

 

Oh, I didn't mean to be ungrateful, the knife got me excited. Thank you, you are kind to say that to me fire being a Paramedic. In twenty years of service, numerous personal life threats both physically and coming into contact with contagious diseases, you are the second person outside my field to ever thank me. When I was a basic EMT, I got a thank you card from someone in a serious bike/car accident. Had I known st that time it would be the only thank you card I ever received, I would have taken it from my boss and kept it. I'm not complaining....really, I'm not. It's just something I never heard. Thank you mate, you have a friend for good!

Bibsoutdoors

 

Plus it can be used as a neck knife also if the situation warrants.

 

Boy we think alike! Our three children are my wealthy relatives. They usually conspire when it comes to gift giving time. Let's seee! $240 divided by 3 = $80 apiece. Sounds reasonable

 

That is cheaper than what I saw them for, well over $300.00. Regardless, drop those kids some bombs, I'm sorry I meant to say hints!

Bibsoutdoors

 

There is a section for highlighted items on here, you may have to start a presentation and keep updating it as you learn more about the knife.

Bibsoutdoors

 

I said, "highlighted area," It's called "Showcase area." You should put this knife in there. It would be a great item to view in there as well as equipment.

 

I'm not really into knives I suppose. What I do have are practicable and relevant for the situation at hand. We have a Criminal Code in the Country that regulates this stuff.

I do have one Bear Grylls Survival Knife that I very rarely strap on, two Swiss knives, some fillet knives for cooking and one very small Swiss knife that I carry with me.

 

Okaaay! I'll come clean. I was a volunteer fire fighter (VFF) for about 5 years in the late 1970s, up until the Board of Fire Commissions decided to combine our local VFF unit with an adjacent VFF unit. Our tactics differed to the degree where we were locking horns most of the time, so I resigned. One example, was with the Officer In Charge (OIC). Sparing you all of the details, and totally dependent on the number of VFFs who arrived on the scene, many of our officers (who had the most experience combined with the greater number of calls) would enter the structure with the non-officers, with the highest ranking officer(s) establishing and maintaining a Command Center (CC). The non-officers could then focus on the task at hand with the accompanying officer communicating the status, tactic changes, and reallocation of resources to the CC.

Let's just say that the OIC of the other VFF unit did things differently, and leave it at that. I said way too much already

Also, I currently handle biological hazards and subject to re-certification every year.

Sooo! In a nutshell I can almost understand a little glimpse of what you have experienced over the many years of service.

Later brother!

 

I do like that serrated half of the knife. Thinking about it, I believe that is why I left Buck knives. I wanted a serrated portion of the blade to cut paracord easier. I'm amazed at what triggers my memories. This is when I went to Benchmade Knives.

Bibsoutdoors

 

Niice! Plus you used the key phrase: "practicable and relevant for the situation at hand". I wouldn't carry a sledge hammer into the grocery store while food shopping so why would I bring a straight blade knife designed for the outdoors / wilderness into the same place? BTW: I was also looking at a BG knife at REI for about $60. What is your personal experience been like with it?