Buck 112 Ranger — 3 inch clip point blade in 420HC

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Buck 112 Ranger · Clip Point
3″ blade · 0.12″ spine · 5.6 oz · ~0.7″ tall (derived)

Spine thickness, same scale

0.12″

Length and spine thickness drawn to true scale from published specs. Outline is the shape family's, not a trace of this model.

Buck

Buck 112 Ranger

Folding HunterFolding

The Buck 112 Ranger is a 3" clip point folder in 420HC, hollow ground. The handle is Ebony + Brass, secured by a back lock. At 5.9 oz it is heavier than 77% of the 140 knives here that publish a weight.

Blade: 3″
Weight: 5.6 oz
Steel: 420HC
Price band: Mid

Best for

A pocketable hunting blade for one animal a season

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Specifications

Manufacturer-published figures, cross-checked against buckknives, knifeworks.

Blade length: 3″
Spine thickness: 0.12″
Blade shape: Clip Point
Grind: Hollow
Steel: 420HC
Overall length: 7.25″
Closed length: 4.25″
Weight: 5.6 oz
Lock: Back Lock
Deployment: Manual
Handle material: Ebony + Brass
Country of origin: USA

Why a clip point

The front third of the spine is 'clipped' away in a concave sweep, dropping the point below the spine line and putting it out in front. That makes a finer, more controllable tip than a drop point — better for piercing, slightly weaker under load. The Buck 110 pattern is the archetype.

Every clip point here →

About 420HC

Buck's Paul Bos heat treat is what makes this ordinary steel good. Dulls sooner than premium steels and takes ninety seconds to fix.

Edge retention

1/5

Toughness

4/5

Corrosion resistance

4/5

Ease of sharpening

5/5

1-5 is a relative ranking drawn from published composition and hardness, not a lab measurement. Higher is better on every axis, and no steel is a 5 across the board — edge retention and toughness pull against each other. All 420HC knives

What owners say

Drawn from 344 owner discussions of the Buck 112 Ranger since 2024. The opinions are theirs. The specifications above come from the maker.

What owners like

Edge holding in light daily work impresses one owner: they have cut food and boxes with their 112 almost every day for two years and needed to sharpen it only once, and a finger-groove 112 arrived with what its owner calls Buck's standard crazy-sharp edge.
The weight suits the people who carry it: one new owner of a finger-groove 112 finds it not too heavy and says it sits perfectly in their pocket without the sheath, and another enjoying carrying theirs says it feels so solid in hand.
Tougher and more usable than fancier folders, by one owner's account: after years of Benchmade and Spyderco knives they find their 112 heavier duty, and they carry it in a pouch that keeps it upright in a back pocket and makes one-handed opening easy.
Old 112s are still in pockets: one owner's Friday carry includes a 112 dated 1974 to 1980, and another picked up a 1989 knife at a market that seems in great shape.
Buck's custom shop delivers on the classic look: one owner waited about ten weeks for a mirror-polished 112 with nickel bolsters and walnut scales and is very happy with it, and another calls their MagnaCut and water buffalo custom 112 their new everyday knife.

What owners flag

No clip on the classic leaves some 112s unused: one owner has had a custom 112 for years without carrying it and wants a shop to fit a clip, and another says they could not carry theirs until they put a clip on themselves.
At 5.9 oz with brass bolsters it is heavy for a 3-inch blade: one owner calls their carry with a finger-groove 112 heavy as hell, and another says it fits their hand but is more of an outdoors knife than an everyday carry for them.
A single blade limits it as a do-everything knife: one owner who loves their 112 for cutting moved their everyday carry to a Swiss Army knife because it covers more tasks.
Custom-shop orders take time and polished finishes show fingerprints: one owner waited almost ten weeks for their custom 112 and found the mirror-polished blade a fingerprint magnet.

Three inches of 420HC clip point in ebony and brass, and a knife that can last decades: a 112 dated to the 1970s rides in one owner's Friday carry, and a 1989 knife turned up at a market in good shape. People choose it as a classic, US-made backlock with a traditional look, carried in three posts beside a Zippo, and one owner who liked their 110 bought a 112 for everyday carry.

One owner reports two years of near-daily food and box cutting with a single sharpening. The complaints are carry ones: at 5.9 oz it is heavy for a 3 inch blade, and the classic has no clip, so owners use leather slips and pouches or fit a clip themselves. One owner who carries theirs in a pouch says it opens one-handed easily and has proved tougher than the Benchmade and Spyderco knives they used for years.

Its closest rivals are in the family: one owner carries a 112 Ranger Sport Pro day to day and switches to the bigger 110 for hunting, and Buck also sells clip-equipped Slim, Sport and Auto versions. Outside Buck, one owner moved their everyday carry to a Swiss Army knife for its extra tools while keeping the 112 for cutting.

Can you add a pocket clip to a Buck 112?

Owners do it themselves. One added a clip to their custom-shop 112, and another who fitted one says it is not hard and advises a forming tap if the Buck has brass bolsters. An owner nervous about drilling a nice knife is looking for a shop to do it instead, and another rides theirs in a clip slip.

Can you open a 112 one-handed?

Owners say it can be done. One with the finger-groove version can open it with their thumb if they try, and another says the leather pouch they carry it in makes one-handed opening easy. Two other owners carry a 112 with a thumb stud.

How well does the 112 hold an edge?

One owner who has used theirs almost daily for two years, mainly cutting food and boxes, has needed to sharpen it only once and says it holds an excellent edge. A new finger-groove 112 arrived with what its owner calls Buck's standard crazy-sharp edge.

Should I get the 112 or the larger 110?

Two owners with both put a 112 version in the pocket. One bought a BladeHQ 112 with a pocket clip for everyday carry after liking their 110, and another carries a 112 Ranger Sport Pro most days and switches to the 110 on their belt for hunting. One buyer torn between them worried that the 110 is heavy and clipless and that the 112 may feel small.

How long does a custom-shop 112 take?

One owner who ordered in late January received their custom 112 almost ten weeks later and was very happy with the result. Another owner's MagnaCut custom with water buffalo scales and finger grooves became their everyday knife.