302, 305, and 309 discontinued

With so many great American knife companies gone extinct, it's hard to argue with Bucks success. Hope they continue to do what they have to do, inorder to stay viable.

Still some decisions leave me wondering.

Good news they can always come back into production in the future.
 
I agree with that the market isn't there regarding the same old stuff Buck has been putting out as far as slipjoints go. They really should try to venture outside the box with the 300 and 500 series. I've said before that if there were different handle options I'd have a lot more 501's and other models as well. Follow suit with the 110's and 112's....we buy them just because they make something new and different. I have a few 110's, but guess what? I don't have one with rosewood scales, a s30v drop point, and nickle silver bolsters....but I will soon. Collecting knives because of different year marks on the tang stamp probably doesn't interest enough people to keep a model going....
 
Naturally, I am going to side with BuckShack.. Different steel and good competitive scale material would have been a good market test, if that was in question. I see Case displays everywhere but none from my knife company of choice. I wear a BUCK cap all the time but how can I show local folks a knife to buy when the few examples of American craftsmanship are clammed in big box store shelves. With more and more company space taken up by overseas contract models. Explaining all this, I told my wife I guess everyone wants a knife clipped in their pocket, but I am hardly different. I guess I need get out my Vantages and see if they make me feel whole. If the Vantages die I am getting new caps. 300
 
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I was afraid the 301 and 303 had been discontinued as well. They are not on Buck's website.
I did see the catalogue page showing them, so I guess they are still in production.
300Bucks 300Bucks , not everyone wants a pocket clip. Unless they can be removed, a pocket clip is a deal killer for me. :)
 
Chatted with Buck 301 and 303 will be produced in 2018, they just haven't geared up for them yet. Said evaluating all 300 line and nothing set In stone.
 
My wife does not like clips as they scratch her wooden kitchen table chairs. When I carry a 309, 303 or a 444 I do so in a hanging slip in my front pocket. We have done slip threads in the past if anyone is interested, do a search. Before retire'd'ment I carried a MultiTool on my belt and a 309 in my watch pocket of my work jeans. When they changed to cargo pants I came up with the 'in the pocket slip' and carried a 303. Didn't have to do much bear fighting or tractor repair in the office. Eventually put MT in desk.
Now I have a couple of 500s and slip carry them also. Have carried a 55 in spells, a month here a month there. Also do that to a 444 Bucklite now. The 300s I started with long ago as a young man (pre tacticool knives), then began a collection and so became tied to them. But, I have never been a big knife person except for hunting. For zombies I preferred a gun or a axe. I think it is a company mistake to not offer a quality, USA made folding knife. It will give an appearance of being no better than the non country made, gimmick and dime store knives. ( won't name name's) Buck has always been about quality, there are still plenty of people out there that want a nice folding knife. Don't give up the market position and let Case have free run....300
 
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Grateful said:
Personally the 300 series died for me when the edge 2000 current grind thing happened. The older mostly flat grind 300's were so much better.
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Two different things...flat grind disappeared about 1997 or so. Edge 2000 was simply a change in the standard sharpening angle a few years later...hyped up with a fancy marketing term. I agree, I do like the flat grind better.
 
DeSotoSky said:
Two different things...flat grind disappeared about 1997 or so. Edge 2000 was simply a change in the standard sharpening angle a few years later...hyped up with a fancy marketing term. I agree, I do like the flat grind better.
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u

Thanks for the clarification.
 
afishhunter said:
I was afraid the 301 and 303 had been discontinued as well. They are not on Buck's website.
I did see the catalogue page showing them, so I guess they are still in production.
300Bucks 300Bucks , not everyone wants a pocket clip. Unless they can be removed, a pocket clip is a deal killer for me. :)
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most knives with pocket clips are removable for southpaws to switch sides of the knife and for folks who dislike them. thats why i struggle why so many buck fans fight so hard against the option when it can be taken off easily.
 
Grateful said:
Personally the 300 series died for me when the edge 2000 current grind thing happened. The older mostly flat grind 300's were so much better.
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Amen ×100. I really like the Camillus- and Schrade-made 300s, with their thin, flat grinds and snappy springs. I've never liked the ones Buck made in house. Weird, thick grinds and flaccid springs.
 
jbmonkey said:
most knives with pocket clips are removable for southpaws to switch sides of the knife and for folks who dislike them. thats why i struggle why so many buck fans fight so hard against the option when it can be taken off easily.
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Be nice if they gave you flush fitting screw-in plugs so you don't have all those daRn holes.
 
bertl said:
Larry Oden sent a copy of the 2018 Buck catalog with various notes, including this:


3. The USA made 300 series models now only consist of the 301 and 303. The 302, 305 and 309 models are discontinued.

Bert
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Thanks for the heads up on this. Did Larry mention any other new or discontinued knives? I'm wondering about the 124 Frontiersman, 650 Nighthawk, 120 General?
 
Can't say I'm too surprised. The 302 wasn't all that much smaller than the 301, with less utility. When I owned one, I never really thought it carried that much easier at least. The 309 and 305 really seem like they would have benefitted from flat ground blades, even more so than the 301 and 303. The grind of the blades on the 309 I currently own is just way too thick for the height of the blades for it to be an effective cutter.
 
I would think the 650 Nighthawk is done since it was a collaboration with Tops. Assuming they are burning thru their inventory.
Buck has to stay current and stay in touch with their history. Tough spot.
 
Maybe it's just me, but I just don't think Buck does a great job of marketing. Makes great knives, but not so great in getting them out there. Examples, the last Bucklite Paperstone knives, had it not been for the internet, I wouldn't have known they existed. But I could go to any Walmart and buy a Bantam. Had the paperstone been in a display case I think it would have been more successful. I can go to any Walmart and buy a Chinese Buck stockman, but I can't remember the last time I have seen a 300 series Buck in a store. And the the Chinese Buck stockmans are only a few dollars cheaper than the 300 series.
Also, Case can make a slipjoint in any flavor of scale you would want. You wouldn't think it would be that expensive for buck to at least offer different colors of valox/delrin 300 series. Maybe if it cost too much to tool up, offer the 300 in say red delrin/valox for say 2018, and then change the color to something different for 2019 and change it up every year. This would create a collectors market for them and folks would try to buy a different color each year. The 300 series are popular with people that like and collect slipjoints, I think, but with just the black, folks pretty much just buy one and are done. With Case, people have more options to collect.
But I think Buck is more available online and have the opinion that people don't buy knives in person anymore, I think they have forgotten the hunters that would still buy the right knife at the Walmart display counter when they are buying a hunting license.
 
Well, you boys cost me my beer money this week :). I always liked the 302 so I decided to pick one up at the local farm and ranch store today. Nice to talk to the fellows at the gun counter again and it was money well spent. Thanks for the heads up on this btw, I appreciate it. You guys don't come cheap and I'll be needing the other two before too long. I'll add it to your bill :)
 
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