A question about the 110's evolution

puukkoman

puukkoman

Joined
Sep 30, 2004
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Hey guys, I'm wondering if anyone here might have a real answer to this...
I've read in several sources that, initially, the Buck 110 was adopted by the "biker" crowd, and that the first versions were quite easy to "flick" open. Also, I've read that Buck made some changes in the subsequent variations, in order to make the knife less "flickable," I suppose to cut down on people using the 110 for "disreputable" activities.
This puzzles me, since I'm able to flip my current-production 110 around, in all sorts of ways...
Does anybody know specifically what was changed? And when (what years)? I haven't handled many of the older models, at least not enough to be really familiar with their particular nuances, but I'm curious to learn!

Thanks!
Alex
 
Thanks for the link. Really enjoyed those threads. Brought back nice memories of me and my long-haired friends flippin our 110s around. We never did any harm, except maybe to ourselves. BG42EDGE, did you ever try a thumbstud and/or figure out what brand or type is/was favored? I may need to get back in touch with my inner juvenile delinquent.
 
puukkoman said:
Hey guys, I'm wondering if anyone here might have a real answer to this...
I've read in several sources that, initially, the Buck 110 was adopted by the "biker" crowd, and that the first versions were quite easy to "flick" open. Also, I've read that Buck made some changes in the subsequent variations, in order to make the knife less "flickable," I suppose to cut down on people using the 110 for "disreputable" activities.
This puzzles me, since I'm able to flip my current-production 110 around, in all sorts of ways...
Does anybody know specifically what was changed? And when (what years)? I haven't handled many of the older models, at least not enough to be really familiar with their particular nuances, but I'm curious to learn!

Thanks!
Alex
Click to expand...

Do you really have a new production 110 that you can flip the blade open by holding the handle and flicking your wrist?

Curious...... Did you do anything to make it do that?
 
axesbold said:
Thanks for the link. Really enjoyed those threads. Brought back nice memories of me and my long-haired friends flippin our 110s around. We never did any harm, except maybe to ourselves. BG42EDGE, did you ever try a thumbstud and/or figure out what brand or type is/was favored? I may need to get back in touch with my inner juvenile delinquent.
Click to expand...

No, I haven't found a thumb stud I like.

When I was a juvenile delinquent we carried fixed-blade knives.

And guns.

It's pretty much a given that nobody comes out of a knife fight without needing a serious number of stitches.

;)
 
Pack Rat said:
Do you really have a new production 110 that you can flip the blade open by holding the handle and flicking your wrist?

Curious...... Did you do anything to make it do that?
Click to expand...
Nope, no modifications... but frankly it's a little more than a simple wrist-flick, it's more of an elbow/wrist combination, and it takes a little practice.
I've found that most lockbacks of decent size can be opened that way. I think someone called it the "Brownie pop" on bladeforums once, but I've never met anyone named Brownie and have been doing it since I was old enough to be curious.
 
puukkoman said:
Nope, no modifications... but frankly it's a little more than a simple wrist-flick, it's more of an elbow/wrist combination, and it takes a little practice.
I've found that most lockbacks of decent size can be opened that way. I think someone called it the "Brownie pop" on bladeforums once, but I've never met anyone named Brownie and have been doing it since I was old enough to be curious.
Click to expand...

Interesting,,,I still have never been able to do that. I guess I need more practice. I do open a 110 one handed by gripping the blade and dropping the frame and then flipping it back into my palm all in one motion.

Thanks, was just curious.

I don't know Brownie either...lol
 
This is supposed to be an explanation. Might work on some knives. Doesn't sound like it's intended for a 110, though.

I'll believe it for a new 110 when I see it.......I expect the guy will also stab a flying pig after deploying the blade.

The Brownie Pop:

Pinch the top of the knife that protrudes from the pocket with the index finger and thumb firmly so the knife will not slip when you lift it out of the pocket. The thumb is on the inside of the pocket and index finger on the outside probably close or touching the clip in a natural position.

Pull the knife completely out of the pocket until it just clears. At this time you tilt the "pinch" forward where you are facing at about 45-60 degrees and it can be done at 90 degrees to the floor.

When the knife has been cleared, then tilted, you grasp the clip side of the
knife with the remaining three fingers and pinch it to the meat at the base of
the thumb. Keep the fingers away from the blade and only on the edge of the
knife

If the knife has a blade heavy enough [ it doesn't take a heavy blade but some of the smaller folders don't have enough mass for them to work reliably ] this will be good to go.

Now keep your wrist straight [ we aren't using the wrist as it remains stiff in the position we are at when the knife has been grasped properly ].Using mostly your elbow and some shoulder finness with a little practice, wrist tight, try to pull the handle away from the knife straight up.

When done with a quick snap of the elbow the handle leaves the blade and locks open. It is immediately available to defend with.As it has cleared and opened the moment it clears the pocket it can not be blocked like flicking the wrist actions everyone wants to use.

Tip up, do this:

Reach into the pocket with your thumb on the inside of the knife a good inch or more [ you can do this by going at the knife or to the front of the pocket and moving you thumb back to contact the knife ]. Start to retract it with the thumb and grasp the knife clip with your four fingers keeping them away from the blade.

As it clears the pocket, go horizontal lifting the front of the knife up.

You are now just clear of the pocket and horizontal with the thumb and fingers pinching the knife. Yank up on the handle pulling it away from the blade with your elbow, the wrist stays locked and does not move. It's in the yank up quickly with the elbow that "pop"s the knife open and locked.


It's that simple. -you are not trying to push the blade from the handle but
pulling the handle away from the blade.
Click to expand...
 
Another one:

The 'Brownie Pop' is a method of inertia-opening a folder. It differs from a wrist-flick or wrist-wave, in that the wrist is locked and the movement pivots from the elbow.

Basicly, for a right-hander:
- Hold the knife with wrist locked, back of the knife facing right.
- Very abruptly snap the knife to the right (the blade swings open).
- Very abruptly stop (the blade locks open).

Knife travel is just a few inches. Abrupt start/stop movement is key. Grip the knife firmly - be careful not to throw the folder away!

Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

This version seems a little more clear, but you'd still need some magic or divine intervention to make it work with a new 110.
 
BG42EDGE said:
Another one:



This version seems a little more clear, but you'd still need some magic or divine intervention to make it work with a new 110.
Click to expand...
It's not really all that difficult... but all those instructions make it seem a lot more convoluted. My method isn't magic or supernatural, and this 110 is a 2011 stamp... Ehh, I've got nothin' to prove. Disbelieve if you want. :)
 
puukkoman said:
It's not really all that difficult... but all those instructions make it seem a lot more convoluted. My method isn't magic or supernatural, and this 110 is a 2011 stamp... Ehh, I've got nothin' to prove. Disbelieve if you want. :)
Click to expand...

Well, I lean toward disbelief on a new and unmodified 110, but I also realize that people can do some amazing things with a lot of practice, so I'll keep an open mind.

;)
 
ok from personal experance
my first 110 was in 1967..
stolen but 2ed i had a long time
after some time it become easer to open and i could flick it hard and lock it open
the blade would swing free if i held the lock down...
and i could catch the back of the blade with my thumb and push it open
many of us that owned one would put a grit containing mix were the lock and
blade contacted .. it would ware faster and become easer to flick open
the blade always had to be pushed closed to be sure it was closed

some time later in the 70's i noted that the knife was harder to open with jest a light thumb push or finger pinch
there was a spot were the blade seemed to want to hang at half open
and if you went to close it the blade would "snap" in to the handle once it was past half way
and .. well i did get cut from that as the older ones did not do so

from notes for my book

there was an arrest for assult by motor cycle club member
he had a knife that had been worked as above and would open if flicked towards the ground
he said the knife was made that way

and i belive if the court held that the knife was made to do that
that buck would be charged with makeing gravity kinves as if the bar was held down the blade would swing
BUCK was called into court on this
and showed they did not make a knife were the blade would flick out when new
buck then redisgned the knife to have a firmer spring contact
and a flat spot half way open
and the blade would close on its own if less then half way closed
this is called a bias to closeing and defeats the defention of gravity knife

this change was noted by the addation of a dot on either side of the number 110
and was for bucks referance and not put there for law enforcement to check a knife with...

the older knives that had been worked to open with a light flick
the notch on the lock bar would bend as it had work metal away
and if pressure was put on the lock to close it would bend and fail
the blade closeing on the hand of the user at times...
you will see at times older bucks with this bend in the lock bar
behind the blade and the blade will be loose when opened..

corrections to this welcome if any one has any ...
 
Dave- Do you know the specific court case involving Buck? I asked this a few months ago but got nowhere.

Bert
 
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