Welcome to my blog! I am sure, the search for a big old classic hunting knife leads you to this article. Gerber Prodigy vs Buck 119 is a much-needed comparison as both of these knives are timeless beauties and have been around for quite a long time.
These hard fixed blades knives have been the #1 choice for years now. Probably these were the favorites of our grandfathers too. For camping, adventures, outdoor tasks, and survival activities these two are always the top choice among knife fanatics.
The Buck 119 is a big, American-made classic hunting blade. This blade has been irreplaceable for decades. Popular for its flexibility when managing games as it can deal with dispatch, cleaning, field dressing, quartering, and surprisingly any edc task like filleting a fish.
The Gerber 22-41121 Prodigy is a blade that is among the world’s hardest and generally valuable. This tactical fixed blade knife with overmolded handle gives a safe hold in any climate. Slanted edge end-to-end length sharp edge is top-notch.
Now, which one should you get as both are really good and have been loved by all for years? Well, read on to find out more about both of these knives, their similarities, and differences, and decide what suits your needs the best.
What’s the difference between Gerber Prodigy vs Buck 119?
The hand-to-hand comparison comes down to the basics- the overall length of the Gerber Prodigy is 9.75 inches and weighs 7.5 oz, with 4.5 inches blade length which is made of 420HC Carbon steel, and blade style is the drop point. And the overall length of Buck 119 is 10.5 inches and weighs 7.5 oz with 6 inches blade length made of 420HC carbon steel and the blade style is clip point for detailed performance.
Gerber Prodigy vs Buck 119 – Key Comparisons
Gerber knife and Buck knife, both are made in the USA, these knives are sort of similar fixed blade knife but have a lot of difference when you pay attention. Both of these knives have been around for decades. They are both timeless beauties and have stood the test of time for years.
Let’s start with the similarities with the blades themselves. Both the blades are made of 420hc carbon steel. Both the knives are full tang, which means have the strength to withstand any heavy-duty task.
These two weigh 7.5 oz each. Which is not too heavy or not too light. Gives a tough feel in hands. The Gerber has a thicker blade at 0.19 inches than the buck at 0.17 inches. You can still easily thrash these because of their balance but they are strong enough for chopping, batoning or digging or even prying in a pinch without worrying about inflicting too much damage on themselves.
The buck offers more length at 10.5 inches than the Gerber at 9.75 inches of overall length. The blade itself is 6 inches on the buck, on the other hand, the cutting edge is 4.75 inches on the Gerber. The blade of the Gerber has a powder coat whereas the buck blade has a satin finish.
The Gerber has a drop point blade style and the buck has a clip point blade shape. Although both are a hollow grind. The Gerber Prodigy features a premium over-molded rubber handle that has a little bit of texture and the Buck 119 comes in two versions. There’s a version with a phenolic handle and silver bolster and pommel. Another one is with cocobolo diamond wood and brass hardware.
Gerber Prodigy comes with a ballistic nylon sheath, which is molle compatible and can be attached to your backpack. It has a clasp to keep the blade in place. On the other hand, buck 119 comes with a classic Black leather Sheath which is so form-fitting. The steel on each is the same. And they are both dependable and have time proven to work.
Side by Side comparison- Gerber Prodigy Vs Buck 119
| SPECS
| Gerber Prodigy
| Buck 119
|
| Overall Length
| 9.75”
| 10.5”
|
| Blade Length
| 4.75”
| 6”
|
| Blade Steel
| 420HC carbon Steel
| 420HC carbon Steel
|
| Knife Weight
| 7.5 Oz | 7.5 Oz
|
| Blade Style
| Drop Point
| Clip Point
|
Gerber Prodigy vs Buck 119 – Some Key Similarities
- Steel: Both the knives’ blades are made of 420hc high carbon stainless steel. This steel offers great edge retention, wear resistance, and durability.
- Blade Style: Both the knives have a hollow grind blade style.
- Weight: Both the knives weigh 7.5oz without the sheath. Both of them feel tough in their hands.
Gerber Prodigy vs Buck 119 – Some Key Differences
- Overall Length: The Buck offers more length at just over 10.5 inches vs 9.75 inches on the Gerber. The Gerber Prodigy has 4.75 inches of blade length the Buck 119 comes with a 6 inches blade length.
- Sheath: Gerber Prodigy comes with a ballistic nylon sheath, which is molle compatible and can be attached to your backpack. It has a clasp to keep the blade in place. On the other hand, buck 119 comes with a classic Black leather Sheath which is so form-fitting.
- Handle: The Gerber Prodigy features a premium over-molded rubber handle that has a little bit of texture and the Buck 119 comes in two versions. There’s a version with a phenolic handle and silver bolster and pommel. Another one is with cocobolo diamond wood and brass hardware.
- Blade Shape: The Gerber has a drop point blade shape and the buck is clip point. Both the tip are extremely sharp.
Gerber Prodigy – Detailed Knife Review
Gerber Prodigy is a knife that was originally made with a serrated partial blade. It came out in the early 2011’s as a basic survival knife. Made in the USA, this knife has received an incredible reception from general survivalists, backpackers, the EDCers everybody. This knife is an endangered species.
This knife comes in two types- the clamshell packaging where the knife is on display and in a box, which is more like a collector packaging, where the knife is pre-assembled in the sheath.
Right off the bat I’d like to say this is one of the best truck car knives I have ever seen for a fixed blade and we are gonna get to it and you will know why. But particularly if you are looking for a fixed blade for your vehicle, I would say this will be it and for some survival situations possibly.
The blade of this Gerber Prodigy is 7.5 inches long and has an overall length of 9.75 inches. you will get a full tang. The knife blade is made of 420hc steel. 420 high carbon stainless steel is really good. It got a Rockwell hardness of 58. So the knife holds an edge long enough and capable of doing a lot of work without dulling. At the same time, it’s very easy to re-sharpen.
The blade is half serrated and half plain cutting edge. The blade is 0.196 inches thick, hollow grind with drop point style. The tip is very strong and can penetrate and stab really well. The serrations are not very aggressive but wicked sharp.
They can cut through nylon, your seat belt very easily without a lot of drag. In short, the blade is awesome. It’s perfect for survival use out in the wilderness. The handle material of this knife is over-molded rubber. It has a little bit of texture, and palm swelling which feels great in the hands.
They put jimping all around the handle as well for better grip. The handle also has molded quillions and a lanyard hole. The knife weighs 7.5 oz and the combined weight of the knife and sheath is 12.5 oz.
The sheath is ballistic nylon material. It’s molle compatible. You can attach it to your backpack or hands. It also features a friction-released thumb lock. Overall, this Gerber prodigy is a standup tactical knife. You are not going to regret purchasing it.
Buck 119 – Detailed Review
Buck knives are the most recognizable name in the industry. Even outside of knife enthusiast circles and throughout the world. But for such a widely known company they still have plenty of products that we knife nuts can get excited about.
They have a number of classic and modern fixed blades in their line up and the first is the 119 special fixed blade knife. With this buck knife, you get a 10.5 inches overall length, a six inches 420 HC blade with a long clip point of satin finish profile. Blade thickness is 0.175 inches and the knife weighs 7.5 oz.
The look of the blade is so iconic. It has a hollow grind with a very very sharp pointy clip point. The clip point has a reverse curve with a false edge. There’s a version with a phenolic handle and silver bolster and pommel. Another one is with cocobolo diamond wood and brass hardware.
The knife handle also has a nice finger guard with a black liner in it. The butt of the handle has a nickel pommel. Thanks to the shape and the width of this handle, it provides a solid grip and the materials provide a timeless look.
And that makes sense, this is a classic large hunting knife that goes back to the very early years at the buck knives. The design even predates the 110 folding hunters.
It’s perfect for camping and big game hunting and skinning and it can even cross over to tactical roles thanks to the aggressive blade profile and the prominent finger guard.
The Buck 119 comes with a beautiful leather sheath. The sheath itself is made in Mexico. The sheath has a nice wraparound snap close button to keep life in place
Still Can’t Decide? Here’s an Alternative – Buck Knives 656 Pursuit
Are you still in a dilemma? Let me introduce to you another favorite from Buck fixed blade line. The buck 656 Pursuit is a more modern take on a piece of hunting cutlery.
The build of this knife is very impressive. It’s a heavy-duty blade, very ergonomic, and features a sure-grip handle. The handle is a mixture of black and orange. The material is glass-filled nylon.
The black portion is textured, so it won’t slip even if your hand is wet. It provides a secure grip. It’s grooved on top of the handle in the back and it fits in hands like a glove. Thanks to the contoured handle, you won’t get any hand fatigue even if you work with this one for hours.
It is a full tang knife, you can actually see the blade steel at the end of the knife. It’s a very strong knife and very hard to break. With this knife, you get a four-and-a-half-inch recurved blade that is 0.12 inches thick.
The knife blade is made of s35vn steel, which means it’s very sharp, easy to sharpen, and at the same time retains an edge well. It’s a nice combination of good hardness and yet soft enough where your average joe is going to be able to put an edge back on this easily. Thus it gives a great opportunity to skin multiple animals with the option of field sharpening.
This do-all knife serves as both fields crafting or bush crafting knife as well as hunting. The Buck 656 Pursuit comes in a polyester sheath with a button clasp. It has a plastic insert in it and a belt loop so you can carry it around your waist. It also features a lanyard slot for extra security Overall it’s a tough hunting knife designed to serve multiple needs. It can take on whatever you throw at it.
Conclusion – Gerber Prodigy vs Buck 119
It’s fairly safe to say that, there’s no win or lose. Both the Gerber Prodigy and Buck 119 is an amazing tactical knife. They have awesome reviews all over the internet and both are in the top 3 bestselling fixed blade tactical knives. Performance-wise they both performed amazingly and can take a huge amount of abuse. You cant even break these full-tang knives even if you are using them wrong, that’s how strong these knives are. Price-wise they don’t have much difference as well. So, which one to get? Well, you should get them both as I did. But if I had to choose one among these two, maybe I’d choose the Buck 119 only and only cause I love the cocobolo diamond wood handle on my Buck 119. But if you like military-style on your hunting knife, the Gerber is the one for you.
Hi, my name is Taras Kulakov and I’m a knife enthusiast. I have been collecting knives for over 30 years and I’ve owned literally thousands of different models over that time. My goal with this site is to share some of what I’ve learned about knives. You can find more info about Taras Kulakov here.
