Buck 724 Mustang vs 698 Ferrox: Two New EDC Folders, Six Colourways

Two brand-new Buck folders have landed at Action Outdoors: the USA-made 724 Mustang in three anodised colourways, and the 698 Ferrox crossbar-lock in three more. Both are slim, aluminium-handled, 3.2 oz everyday-carry knives — but they lock differently, cut differently and suit different owners. Here is what separates them, all six colourways in stock, and how to pick the right one.

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Buck has been making pocket knives in the United States since 1902, and the Forever Warranty on the back of every one of them is still the most generous promise in the knife trade. Two of the brand's newest EDC folders arrived in 2026, and we have both on the shelf now in every colourway Buck offers.

Buck 724 Mustang — the American workhorse

The Mustang takes the DNA of Buck's most famous knife — the 110 Folding Hunter, with its classic back lock and drop-point blade — and shrinks it into something you will actually carry every day. It weighs 3.2 oz, sits about 4½ inches closed, and is thin enough through the spine that it disappears in a pocket next to your keys.

The blade is 420HC, the steel Buck has used across its catalogue for decades. It is not a boutique super-steel and it is not trying to be: 420HC takes a screaming edge in about a minute on a stone, resists rust better than most tool steels, and is forgiving of a bit of neglect in a wet boat or a damp pack. The stonewash finish hides scratches, which is exactly what you want on a knife you plan to abuse.

• Blade shape: drop point
• Blade steel: 420HC, stonewash finish
• Blade length: 3¼″ (8.25 cm)
• Blade thickness: 0.090″ (2.29 mm)
• Weight: 3.2 oz / 91 g
• Handle: anodised aluminium
• Lock: back lock
• Carry: removable, reversible deep-carry pocket clip, lanyard hole
• Origin: made in the USA

Three colourways, all $249.99 inc GST, all in stock:

724 Mustang Blue $249.99

724 Mustang Dark Blue $249.99

724 Mustang Orange $249.99

The orange is the one to buy if you have ever put a knife down on a rock, in a bilge or in long grass and spent ten minutes looking for it. The two blues are the quieter option for a work pocket.

Buck 698 Ferrox — the modern crossbar folder

The Ferrox is the more contemporary of the pair, and the mechanism is the reason. It uses a crossbar lock: you pull a spring-loaded bar back with either hand and the blade drops free, no fingers behind the edge, no reaching around the spine. It is genuinely ambidextrous, it opens off the thumb studs with a flick, and it closes one-handed too. If you have used a knife with this style of lock before, you know why people get attached to them.

The blade is D2 tool steel in a reverse tanto grind with a black finish. D2 holds an edge noticeably longer than 420HC and gives you a strong, blunt-backed tip that will not snap when you use it as a pry — handy on staples, strapping and packaging. It is a semi-stainless steel, so it wants to be wiped dry after a wet day rather than left in a damp sheath.

• Blade shape: reverse tanto, flat grind, black finish
• Blade steel: D2 tool steel
• Blade length: 3⅜″ (8.6 cm)
• Blade thickness: 0.110″ (2.79 mm)
• Closed length: 4.50″ · overall: 7.70″
• Weight: 3.2 oz / 91 g
• Handle: anodised aluminium with diamond knurling down the centreline
• Lock: crossbar lock, ambidextrous, thumb studs
• Carry: reversible deep-carry pocket clip (tip-up, left or right), lanyard hole

Three colourways, all $191.99 inc GST, all in stock:

698 Ferrox Black $191.99

698 Ferrox Burnt Bronze $191.99

698 Ferrox Grey $191.99

724 or 698? Side by side

Buy the 724 Mustang if you want a US-made knife with the traditional Buck feel, a blade you can put a razor edge on with a pocket stone in the ute, and a steel that shrugs off salt water. It is the better knife for a boat, a bach and anyone who sharpens their own gear.

Buy the 698 Ferrox if you want the modern one-handed action, a tougher tip, and a steel that goes longer between sharpenings. It is the better knife for a worksite, a courier run, a tradie's pocket, and for left-handers who are sick of right-handed locks.

Looking after an aluminium-handled folder

• Rinse and dry after salt. Both handles are anodised and shrug it off, but the pivot, clip screws and lock spring will not. Fresh water, shake out, wipe dry.
• One drop of oil at the pivot every few weeks of hard use is all either knife asks for. Work it open and closed a dozen times to spread it.
• Sharpen little and often. 420HC responds to a few passes on a fine ceramic or a strop; leave the coarse stone in the drawer. D2 wants a diamond plate when it finally does need work.
• Do not put them in the dishwasher. Detergent pits aluminium and cooks the lube out of the pivot.

The Forever Warranty

Every Buck knife carries Buck's Forever Warranty: if a knife fails because of a defect in material or workmanship, Buck repairs or replaces it, for the life of the knife. It does not cover abuse, loss, or normal blade wear from sharpening — but it does mean a $191.99 folder is a once-only purchase rather than a consumable.

SuperGold discount

SuperGold cardholders get 10% off Buck Knives at Action Outdoors. Bring the card in-store, or get in touch before you order online and we will sort it.

Come and handle one

Both knives are in stock at our Auckland shop and online. A folding knife is one of those purchases where thirty seconds in the hand tells you more than any spec sheet, so if you are nearby, come in and flick both locks before you decide. If you are not, we ship nationwide.

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Specifications sourced from Buck Knives product data and authorised Buck retailer listings, September 2026. Prices inc GST and correct at time of publication.