Every Buck Knife blade is heat treated using a technique pioneered by Paul Bos. This process, more accurately called temperature treating, is a system of heating and cooling steel to temper it to the appropriate Rockwell hardness for each particular blade style.
"Paul Bos dedicated over five decades to dialing in and perfecting [Buck's] heat treat process. The proper heat treat is critical to ensure the best balance between hardness for edge retention, ductility and strength for rugged use, and optimization for corrosion resistance. [Buck] still relies on Paul's expertise today and religiously follows the time-tested formulas he pioneered." - CJ Buck, CEO and Chairman, Buck Knives