There’s a lot to be said about the Hoodlum, and most of it already has been published. There’s plenty of videos and reviews of this survival blade all over the web that I’m sure you’ve come across already, and it deserves every single one. This blade is special to me for many reasons, as I’m sure it is to most folks.
This blade represents more than a backbone to your kit, it represents the swan song of the legacy that was, and is, Ron Hood. A true American wilderness icon, Ron was a great teacher and inspiration to all that enjoy the outdoors. The Buck Hoodlum was a collaboration between Ron and Buck Knives that entered production just before Ron passed away in 2011. Ron will be sorely missed, but his teachings and spirit live on through his videos. I highly recommend you look him up on the tube.
When I first received this blade, it was empowering. Taking it out of its sheath for the first time, I felt like Arthur did when he pulled the sword from the stone. An Excalibur! You can immediately feel all the time, effort, and care put into the R&D. From the lanyard on the sheath to the detail on the Micarta handle, it’s truly a piece of art. It’s super light for its size, and easy to wield. Out of the box, it is able to slice paper, but I wouldn’t consider it ‘hair-popping’ sharp.
Already, I love this knife. But it’s the performance of it that will prove it is worthy of the kit. There is worry that the bone scoring notch on the blade is a weak point that will crack under heavy batoning, which is my primary concern. Buck has videos of them testing this very thing, to which it proved it could withstand the stress. On the other hand, I have seen a video of the blade break from this very practice, at that very notch.
GT will be putting the Hoodlum through its paces firsthand to find out what this masterpiece is really about.
I have owned Buck knives for years, and they are tulrey great. The Buck 290PLT is a very convenient knife, which is small and portabe to be carried around in your pocket daily. It’s construction is super and great to look at as well. All my freinds are impressed when I show it to them. I would also recommend buying the sharpening stone and oil as it makes good sense to look after your investment, and its prolongs the life of your knife. Hands down, the best small knife money can buy.!!!!!!