All About Pocket Knives

I'm looking for opinions on this knife.

On Monday of this week, I ordered a Moore Maker #2206 Buffalo Large Trapper, and it came today, Thursday. My prior Moore Maker purchases came fast too. I had been looking at this knife for a while, and really liked the Buffalo covers, so I was looking forward to today's mail. I'm into the knife for $137.99, which included shipping.

The knife arrived, and on inspection, it shows a chip in the cover at the lanyard ferrel, and then flaking in the cover around the shield. See the photos. It looks like the holes were drilled or routed too aggressively or with dull equipment, resulting in the chipping. The spey blade is also rubbing on the side of its notch.

Dave at Moore Maker wrote and noted that I can return it. That will cost me $10 for USPS and likely two weeks to get a replacement in the mail. I assume MM will ship me back a replacement, hopefully in better condition.

My question to the forum is, would you keep this knife or return it for a replacement, and why? This will be a carry knife for me, and I will make a lanyard for it, but my knives get pretty light use these days and I take pretty good care of them.

When I was reading your text I thought I was going to say keep it but then I saw the pictures.

As much of a hassle (and additional expense) it would be, I would do the exchange if it were mine. Those flaws would bother me until I couldn’t take it anymore.

The shield setting is pretty egregious. I wouldn't feel good about 137 bones with an issue like that.

Send it back, but don’t be surprised if the replacement isn’t flawless. I think Buffalo horn is difficult to work, and prone to having such flaws. JMO based on other Buffalo horn knives I’ve seen, from various makers

Ken

I've owned plenty of Buffalo Horn handled knives, never had one with any issues as bad as the OP knife, or really any issues at all for that matter. IMO, that knife is unacceptable to be sold as anything other than a factory second, at best. For $138 I expect much higher quality, so I would definitely return it for a refund. If that one passed their quality control, I wouldn't take a chance on getting another one that would have similar issues. You're already out the cost to return it, is it really worth the risk to throw good money after bad?

I would return it.

For $137 I personally don’t think I’d give them a pass on the two flaws. It would bug me every time I picked it up to put it in my pocket and I’d probably carry it less.

I'd do the return also and ask myself 'who made this knife for Moore Maker?'

Ray

Agree with the advice to send it back. I wouldn’t be able to keep a new knife that looks like that. I’m surprised that they aren’t paying for the shipping to return it.

No way I would keep that one. That shield is particularly awful. Would request a refund.

I agree with everyone else: end it back. If I paid $138 for a carry knife, seeing those handles would annoy me every time I took it out of my pocket. However, my experience with horn, not Buffalo in particular, has not been good. It does seem to warp, crack, and chip worse than bone or antler. A refund might be a better choice than a replacement.

I would return it for a refund not a replacement.
Also, I would expect them to pay the shipping.
Doesn't mean they would though.

Frankly I’m surprised Moore Maker didn’t reject it to begin with. I’ve seen knives with lesser flaws than that sold as seconds after being rejected by their incoming inspection.

Ken

I would return it without thinking twice about it. I've been wanting to order a Moore Maker for quite some time and have heard really good things about their knives. But this one would be getting sent back.

The comments and suggestions help. Thank you all for your insights.

Here is an update on my Moore Maker #2206 Buffalo Large Trapper.

I ended up sending the knife back to Moore Maker and outlined the issues I had with it, including the cracked and chipped covers, blade alignment, and my concern that it did not live up to the quality I'd experienced in other purchases from Moore Maker.

The day after the knife was received at Moore Maker, I received a telephone call from Dave Moore. I was really caught off guard by this call, but it was greatly appreciated that a company owner would get involved in a return or exchange.

Dave explained that he had three of these knives, my return and two others. One of the two others was worse than mine, and the other was just ok. Dave offered me a full refund or an exchange, and if I did not like the exchange, I could send that back for a full refund. I let Dave know I really liked the knife and I'd take a chance on the best of the three. The best of the three available knives arrived under a week later.

The replacement knife has better covers and no chipping. The back springs have a few minor rough spots. Neither blade is centered, and the spey blade needs to be manually pressed home to close it, though after a bit of oil and working the spey blade back and forth about 50 times, it did seem to loosen up a bit and with more work, might actually start to snap closed. The clip blade will close, but its not snappy like I'd prefer. Both the clip and spey blades are very sharp.

The knife looks pretty good, and I dressed it up with a red lanyard. In summary, this is not the knife I'd hoped it would be, but it's going to be put into service and I hope it will improve with usage.

Back to the call from Dave Moore. That sort of customer service, and my past experience getting quality knives from Moore Maker, is why I will continue to be a customer of Moore Maker.

Here is a picture of the replacement knife with the lanyard that I installed.

Jeepergeo wrote: ↑Wed Mar 18, 2026 6:23 pm Here is a picture of the replacement knife with the lanyard that I installed.

Looks nice! I like the lanyard that you installed. I have this model Moore Maker #2206 Buffalo Large Trapper, I guess I need to take a closer look at it I have it packed away because I have a BIG problem with moth larvae eating the buffalo horn on ALL OF MY KNIVES THAT have horn scales

I have always liked M.M. knives and have a smaller bone scale trapper that is a regular EDC. Best of luck with your MM!

GSPTOPDOG, Thanks! According to Dave Moore, MM has discontinued that knife. So I'm happy to have one even if imperfect. I hope your's is a good one.

Moth larvae attacking horn...now that's not something I expected to hear. Do they go only after horn or do they go after antler and bone?

I've been eyeing the Anza ram horn knives and the only reason I don't have one yet is I'd like to go to El Cajon and pick one I like best from stock since the horn is reported to be quite variable in color and texture. I will get one at some point!!

I have one Moore Maker knife that I’ve probably had for about 15 years. It’s Queen made and it’s a good knife.

Even though the outcome of your case is less than desirable, that phone call you got from Dave makes me want to try another one.

The op knife looks like a later run Daniel's era Queen.The quality of those knives were terrible.