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Buck’s Latest Coveted EDC Knife Combines Premium Steel and Military Precision

When it comes to both appearance and performance, the latest Buck of the Month has all the makings of a boot camp champ.

Black folding knife blade with "BOS MAGNACUT" logo and camo-patterned handle on a dark textured surface.Buck Knives
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By Steve Mazzucchi

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Just like in the motorcycle world, where automatically shifting bikes are becoming more common, a concurrent trend is happening in the pocket knife space.

Introduced at Blade Show 2022, Buck’s Deploy knives are part of a burgeoning segment that observers call “EDC automatic.”

Black folding knife with a brown and black camouflage handle resting on a black hard case.
Buck’s upgraded 838 Deploy is easily one of the most overqualified EDC knives in recent memory
Buck Knives

While automatics were typically found in more tactical roles, these knives are showing that with a pared-back design, they can serve civilian uses as well, at least in places where they are legal. 

That’s part of what makes Buck’s latest Buck of the Month interesting: it’s an exclusive 838 Deploy combining military trappings and everyday utility in a very over-the-top fashion.

Reporting for everyday duty

So let’s cut to the chase: like its Deploy brethren, this new special edition is a single-action automatic, meaning the blade pops out with a simple press of the button on the presentation side. 

Folded camo-patterned Buck USA pocket knife with black blade and buttons.
The recessed button deploys the blade in a flash, assuming the nearby integrated safety switch is toggled off.
Buck Knives

The button is recessed, which helps to prevent accidental deployment; an integrated safety switch does that job much more deliberately.

This silhouette is, in fact, quite similar to the classic 838 Deploy, but where it differs and makes a case for the $45 price hike is with its materials.

Black BOS Magnacut folding knife blade with a camo handle on a dark textured surface.
The high-end steel and heat treatment are so noteworthy, Buck puts them right on the blade.
Buck Knives

The business end is a 3.11-inch drop-point blade that’s about as high-performance as it gets thanks to MagnaCut steel, a BOS heat treatment and Armor Black Cerakote. 

MagnaCut steel boasts an unrivaled premium blend of toughness, corrosion resistance, edge retention and ease of sharpening.

Folding knife with black blade and camouflage-patterned handle with pocket clip.
The blade measures just over 3 inches and the total weight of the knife is 4.7 ounces.
Buck Knives

Meanwhile, Paul Bos, a master of his field and longtime Buck collaborator, and cerakote imparts an additional layer of protection against wear, abrasion, corrosion and chemicals. 

In other words, this blade is going to absolutely crush any everyday task that comes its way, and keep on crushing for years to come. 

Folded camouflage-patterned pocket knife with black blade marked "BOS MAGNACUT" and black clip.
The Shadow Forest Camo adds major military panache to the knife. Just make sure not to drop it in a pile of leaves.
Buck Knives

Rounding out the military-adjacent ass-kicking aesthetic is a machined aluminum handle with a Shadow Forest Camo anodization. 

That’s complemented by all-black hardware and a staple of just about any self-respecting EDC knife, a reversible tip-up pocket clip.

Availability and pricing

The Buck 838 Deploy is available now for $275. Only 500 are being made, so don’t snooze if you want one.

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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