The Buck 119 Special is a classic production hunting knife. In many ways it is like the larger fixed blade version of the Buck 110 Folding Hunter. They both use a very exaggerated clip point and a hollow grind. While this combination is not super rare, the way that Buck does it certainly gives it a very classic Buck silhouette.

The Buck 119 Special has been available in many steels, but at the moment it is made using 420HC. Buck uses a lot of Buck 420HC at the moment and their Paul Pos heat treat on it is pretty good. The steel is fairly tough, holds a decent edge, and quite stain resistant. 420HC is often looked down on as a soft low-end stainless steel, but it is done well by Buck knives and should not be scoffed at with a good heat treat.

The Buck 119 Special feels good in the hand, though not like it was made for me. It is a little brick-like, but does not have any hot spots. The semi-full guard gets in the way of the thumb when in the forward grip. It is common to see Buck 119 Specials modded with the top guard ground away.

The Buck 119 Special can be purchased for around $30 (street price) and is available at Wal*Mart, so it is easy to find. It is a classic knife that can take a beating and should be considered by any hunter on a budget or looking for an inexpensive backup knife. It is also a good first knife to give a new hunter, young or old.