Buck 501 Squires - alignment of blade concerns - bad batch or the factory design?

[Redrummd]

Okay I bought 25 Buck 501 Squires as I am expanding my inventory and designs to use them as a regular part of my artwork line.

So, every single one of the 25 is exactly the same. With the knife opened the spine is flat and perfectly aligned. When closed every rocker is down a bit at the blade and up a bit at the rear bolster.

It seems to me that every one has a geometry issue with the back of the blade pivot contact area cut down too much or every knife has the front pivot pin hole drilled too low.

I am already using the knives as most of my collectors are buying my works for the stoneworks but these Squires just don't seem to have been built right.

Am I wrong about this being a major factory mess up or is this how the knife was designed?

[oregon]

Here is a recent Buck 501 for comparison:

[imafritz]

I have several lock backs-primarly 110's that have that condition but none of them are brand new, although it doesnt seem to be a wear problem and the work fine. I prefer flush rocker though.

[fishinfs]

Oregon -

Is that one from the Custom Shop, or are those standard birchwood scales? Very pretty.....

[StuntDouble]

Redrummd,

That's just the way they seem to come. All the ones I've had looked like that too.

[oregon]

Oregon -

Is that one from the Custom Shop, or are those standard birchwood scales? Very pretty.....

Good eye fishinfs. Custom shop with S30V blade steel. Long time dream pocket knife is now in the material world and simultaneously in my pocket. Love that BUCK Custom Shop. Yes I do.

[Redrummd]

I had hoped that someone from Buck knives would spot this and let me know either way for sure. I wrote to BRN about this days ago and I have not gotten a response.....

[StuntDouble]

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...24#post7810824

I asked about it when I got my first 501. According to J Hubbard, it's due to the way they finish sanding them.

[Redrummd]

I hate to say this but that is not a good explaination as I use a file to remove the factory sanding "burr" from both the rocker arm and the rear liner in my "tune up" stage. I too sand the spines flat while the knife is open. If the front pin and rear pivot bearing area on the blade are in correct alignment the front and back should be level both open and closed. So, I still believe it is a geometry issue especially since the one photo shared by oregon from the custom shop shows good clean lines closed.

I use HUNDREDS of Buck knives a year so I thought I could get a factory rep response here.

[StuntDouble]

I think it's weird, because it seems to be mostly isolated to the 501 model. I haven't noticed it on the smaller sized ones. It also doesn't seem to be a problem with the 110, 112, or 55 either.

[sitflyer]

I think you may need to call Buck directly and speek to someone, or e-mail Joe... he hasn't been around here much lately , but I believe he said in another thread that he will be back in the office next week.

[Redrummd]

I PM'ed Joe a few days back but he may not have gotten the PM so I emailed Buck knives today too...

[Redrummd]

Well I got an answer from BRN and it is not good news for my work. I am going to see if I can get a response from Buck knives. The best case senario would be to find they are going to "fix" the issue and perhaps let me buy a few correct ones to tide me over until BRN burns through their current inventory.

From: Cecilia Branch [mailto:cecilia@blueridgeknives.com]
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 6:51 AM
To: redrummd@comcast.net
Subject: RE: 2ND REQUEST - Buck 501 issue with the 25 I bough in my last order

We check the stock in our warehouse and it is the same as the knives you have received. Apparently that is how we are getting them from Buck.

Thanks,
Cecilia

[Redrummd]

The latest from BRN, so hopefully this can be addressed. I will keep this thread active and post any response I get.

From: Cecilia Branch [mailto:cecilia@blueridgeknives.com]
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 7:30 AM
To: Michael Hoover
Subject: RE: 2ND REQUEST - Buck 501 issue with the 25 I bough in my last order

It will probably be 1 ½ months. I have also contacted Buck about this problem and haven’t heard anything yet. When I do I will let you know what they say.

Thanks,
Cecilia

From: Michael Hoover [mailto:redrummd@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 10:25 AM
To: Cecilia Branch; sales@buck-knife-direct.com
Cc: sales@buck-knife-direct.com
Subject: RE: 2ND REQUEST - Buck 501 issue with the 25 I bough in my last order

Cecilia,

That is not good news for my stone artworks. How long do you think it will be until you have to order 501’s again from Buck knives?

I am attempting to get hold of Buck to address this issue before I use them again.

Sincerely,

Michael S. Hoover
http://redrummdknives.blademakers.com/
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/fo...8-Art-In-Stone

[StuntDouble]

I'm puzzled as to why the Custom Shop models don't suffer from the same defect. Where do the parts for the custom 501's come from?

[Redrummd]

That particular 501 from the Custom Shop had a S30V blade I believe and those blades would have been from a different batch than the 420HC blades on the knives from BRN.

[KDUJ]

I read through this quick the other day and forgot about until now. I just checked my 501’s. The first is from 2003/2004 time frame and is just like the pictures in your first post. The second is a custom shop with S30V and it is not flush when closed but so close you have to really look to see it.

Sorry all I have to offer is what I see on my 2.

[oregon]

Perhaps you might consider deep sixing the small folders and take a go at the Frontiersman 124 bowie fixed blade. Stretch your legs.

I close my eyes and see gold-bearing quartz handle, lapis and .....

[StuntDouble]

Redrummd,

Have you heard anything from Buck yet?

[Redrummd]

Not a thing - Kind of surprised as I buy hundreds of their knives every year....