This is my first Buck Knife. Purchased from Lamina, Finland. Great balance, and very light for its size. Good 4.5mm thick spine for blade stiffness. Hidden, but substantial, full length tang is pinned by a rivet through the duraluminum pommel. So everything is locked solidly together for strength and durability. The long clip of this Bowie style knife is for penetrating hide etc. The General is really just a longer blade version of the 119 Special(6" = 152mm blade) which was first made by Hoyt Buck back in 1942!
These great Buck knives are still made in America. They were designed at a time when people didn't use their knives as crowbars or axes:
I have any number of cheap heavy machetes/golocks/axes/saws for my orchard and woodshed. I also have Gorilla bars and other prybars, a heavy splitting maul, and even an indestructible Stanley Fubar(sledgehammer/axe/prybar, like a Halligan Tool). I also have a hydraulic 8 ton log splitter! So I don't have to abuse my real knives by beating on them with a club:).
This is probably the lightest(8.3 oz), fastest, and handiest Bowie over 7" blade around. Thicker spine than the 7" blade Ka-Bar Fighting Utility, but about 3 ounces lighter. Similar tang construction. Much nicer sheath.
The good quality leather sheath is made in Mexico, where they really know how to turn out great leather products.
My next knife will be a Buck. And I will purchase it from the great people at Lamina. That say it all:).