BLADE Magazine

EDC Knife Review: Buck Inertia

EDC knife review
BLADE magazine review: For an MSRP of $60, it’s tough to beat the Buck Inertia as an EDC knife. The locking blade keeps accidental opens at a minimum. (Mary Lou Ayres photo)

Why the Buck Inertia is a Great EDC Knife

The Buck 293 Inertia Assisted Folding Knife stands out with a mechanism to lock the blade closed. An open blade in a waistband or pocket could be a painful, bloody mess.

With the lock disengaged, pushing the hole in the blade opened the knife smoothly and strongly without it threatening to jump from my hand. The liner locked the blade open securely.

On all cutting materials the drop-point blade performed with predictable results—well. I mean, come on, it’s a Buck!

The skeletonized scales lightened the knife and gave it a nice balance right at the index finger. The clip was strong but a little too short to prevent the knife from moving when worn with elastic-waisted athletic pants. The tip-up position required a shift of grip to get to a cutting hold after withdrawing the knife.

Cutting strips of dried palm fronds with the Buck Inertia. (Mary Lou Ayres photo)

The Verdict

All in all, the Inertia is a good example of a contemporary assisted opener at a modest price from an old-line company known for decades of quality.


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