Planning on heading out into the woods this summer or fall? Then the July Buck of the Month may be of interest to you, as it is a souped up version of one of the company’s classic outdoors fixed blades, the 102 Woodsman.
You just never know what you’re going to get with the Buck of the Month. Sometimes, they are baroque, extravagant, deviating significantly from their source material in dramatic ways. Other months, they are sensible, no-nonsense upgrades – and that’s what this 102 Woodsman is. It makes sense, as the Woodsman has a long history as a workhorse – a term that we admittedly overuse, but one that is important not to forget. The Woodsman has been, and likely always will be, a reliable, low-maintenance tool that will be there and ready when its owner needs it.
Blade steel on this Woodsman is S35VN. You (probably) know it, you (should) love it. A last gen super steel with tons of mileage still left in it, S35VN is a rock solid choice for an outdoors knife. Obviously, being a stainless steel, it struggles much less with corrosion risk than carbon steel options – an important characteristic in any knife that is going to be out in the elements for extended periods of time. Beyond that, S35VN’s edge retention is still very good, and should be even better here with a Paul Bos heat treat – a real, ahem, treat with any Buck release.
The handle grip is made from ironwood – a handsome wood, obviously, but also one that brings some performance characteristics of its own. As the name advertises, ironwood is a particularly durable material, so it should look good for a long time. And its good looks are complemented by brass pommel and guard with ivory acrylic spacers as accents. All in all, a damn good looking knife that will attract attention from all the woodland creatures who witness you using it – and from fellow knife enthusiasts as well, of course.
The BotM Woodsman is available now and limited to 500 pieces.
Knife in Featured Image: July 2026 Buck of the Month 102 Woodsman
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