No, unfortunately. "Steel is Steel" is like saying "clay is a vase". Steel is only a raw material, CAPABLE of a certain set of parameters. Forging, changes in the hardening and tempering processes, what temperature you forge it at, what temperature you put it back in the forge, a thousand other microfactors go into HOW the knife turns out. What we are paying for is the expertise, which is a factor in all of the design features (angle of the grind, how well it cuts, how well it stabs, how well it holds up as a screwdriver, etc), including how well it fits your hand, how hard it is to break, how likely the handles are to stay on the knife under abuse, etc etc. PLUS the ability of the maker to have used the potential of the "Steel" they chose to maximize it's effectiveness in the certain areas that we are most concerned with. Similar argument to why a Nascar driver has a specialized vehcile with specialized mechanics instead of a 1972 ford truck he found on the road and took home. A 1972 ford will still take you to the store, but it will not give you the same performance as a $300,000 custom tuned engine. And with knives, unless you get sold BS, you are buying a knife that will cut deeper, hold an edge longer, fit your hand better, be intact after a lesser blade would snap, etc. And sometimes you are just paying for junk that is expensive so that you will think it is those things, which is why knife guys argue and exchange experiences. @Ganado - hope that helps, would be happy to discuss it further in more detail.
@GrayGhost I tried to call Buck's Factory Store twice but no answer and their voice mailbox is full. My guess is they are getting a lot traffic due to the holidays. I will try to get down there soon, maybe tomorrow. I did look at their website but knife #632 is not even on there but from what I read, this knife was made specifically for Walmart, not sure if that is true but it would explain why they are not carrying it anymore. Wife is also going to look for it this Sunday after church in a Walmart near there since it's much bigger than ours. For $50 bucks you can't go wrong with that knife.
Well crap. Decided to try and attempt some templates. Pretty close I think. Steel is a problem though. My supplier is out of stock on 1084. He has wider 1074. I'll order some when I can. Was pretty excited to grind one out today. Going to take a while. I'll keep you posted.
I'll be stopping by there today, and I'll report back. BTW, my point in mentioning this particular knife was not to dissuade you from either of those excellent candidates, but rather to offer up option for a damn fine dirt cheap EDC blade.
No, no! I understand. I am interested in getting one now because of what I read and what you said about it. I want it for the truck. I moved the knife I had in the truck to the garage. It's an old Seal Pup which really takes abuse but it's a PITA to sharpen. Anyway, I need a knife for the truck that will take abuse, sharpen up quickly, and not cost me an arm, leg and earlobe so...the #632 seems to fill the ticket so much so that they are all gone. LOL! I got a razor sharp Morakniv in the truck first aid box but I really don't to use it for anything but the first aid and it is perfect for that purpose so...
Personally i have had stellar experience with the S35VN Steel and with micarta grips.. all things being equal it would be my choice. I do have a selection of the CS Carbon-5 knives that should last me the rest of my life- but they arent stainless, and that could be a deal-breaker in some situations.