The Buck of the Month for March ’22 is a premium version of the 117 Brahma, a knife that was itself a tactically-oriented version of the classic 119 Special. This limited edition variation implements different materials and even makes some key changes to this discontinued knife’s overall construction.
Looking at the original Brahma, you might not even recognize that this new version is a version of that knife at all. We’re all familiar with the 119 Special, Buck’s most famous fixed blade, the non-folder equivalent to its mythic 110 Folding Hunter. The Brahma took the basic 119 skeleton and size, but reskinned it as a KA-BAR-style combat knife, complete with the hard-wearing blade coating and stacked leather handle.
This Buck of the Month edition takes the Brahma much closer to the original 119 template. Gone is the blade coating, replaced by a clean satin finish. The blade steel is different too; the standard Brahma was made from 420HC, while this model sports S35VN, given an additional performance boost from the much-ballyhooed Paul Bos heat treat. Furthermore, instead of the barrel-shaped stacked leather handle, Buck returned to the 119’s scalloped profile, with a handle made of green canvas Micarta. The pommel and guard are made from aluminum, and the sheath from black leather.
But perhaps the most notable change is a choice that makes this Buck of the Month Brahma different from either of its parent knives. Buck actually scaled the BotM Brahma’s blade down, from 6 inches to 4.5 inches. Seeing as this is a collector’s piece, we don’t think the blade length adjustment will ruffle too many feathers – and, if you do take your Buck of the Month Brahma out into the wilds, it will still be able to work in a main (albeit compact) outdoors knife role.
It’s important to note that the 117 Brahma no longer exists in the active Buck catalog. So this particular Buck of the Month is doubly exclusive and, as always, very limited in number. Just 500 of these knives are available, and they are available now.
Knife in Featured Image: March 2022 Buck of the Month 117 Brahma
