BOTM thoughts

[Makael]

Thr 3V blade has probably been on the books for quite awhile.
Profits bumped the qty up to 500. The 104 with 3V steel was a great price and will be a great user. Great users are a better money spent than collector pieces. I like some of the BOTM knives. The black box is completely overkill and is a waste of money. Quite a few probably went from the mailbox to the trash can.

BCCI get their own knives that the public doesn't get. Blame the club and Buck for that program all but disappearing. The take apart 112 club knife that ended up a BOTM over a delay. Too bad the club has almost faded away. My opinion was this started about the same time FB became free access to the club. Just not the website.

The new Prez barely started working there. Zero influence on Buck, if he ever will have one. CJ has stated many times more USA made product would be produced.. This year more knives made overseas and the word China removed. CJ isn't making decisions on all fronts. He pays others to do that. Cj or the new president didn't FU the grind on my 104. Some minimum wage employee did and shipped it out the door. I believe Jeff H is QC manager now but he didn't grind it either. The Torx on one of mine was rounded when I got it. If Chris Bourassa at Buck hadn't black balled me I would be able to get ahold of Jeff and new hardware would be waiting to be picked up. Now I might as well live across the country because I won't walk into that place again. I will probably sell the 104 i received. 3V might be new to Buck but grinding a blade is far from new to them.
This isn't a small humble God fearing knife company of the past. They have to make a profit. Small runs, SK Blades even C&C companies cost Buck too much to entertain.

Anyway the BOTM is great for me a few times a year. I dont care if someone sells their BOTM for twice what they paid. Buck has purchase limits so this really doesn't affect us if we want one.

 

[GPyro]

If Chris Bourassa at Buck hadn't black balled me I would be able to get ahold of Jeff and new hardware would be waiting to be picked up. Now I might as well live across the country because I won't walk into that place again.

That, and Bucks recent censorship of content on a paid knife forum (full of "Don't Tread on Me" mindsets) ............... gives me pause.

And will not be forgotten.

 

[Fixall]

Thr 3V blade has probably been on the books for quite awhile.
Profits bumped the qty up to 500. The 104 with 3V steel was a great price and will be a great user. Great users are a better money spent than collector pieces. I like some of the BOTM knives. The black box is completely overkill and is a waste of money. Quite a few probably went from the mailbox to the trash can.

BCCI get their own knives that the public doesn't get. Blame the club and Buck for that program all but disappearing. The take apart 112 club knife that ended up a BOTM over a delay. Too bad the club has almost faded away. My opinion was this started about the same time FB became free access to the club. Just not the website.

The new Prez barely started working there. Zero influence on Buck, if he ever will have one. CJ has stated many times more USA made product would be produced.. This year more knives made overseas and the word China removed. CJ isn't making decisions on all fronts. He pays others to do that. Cj or the new president didn't FU the grind on my 104. Some minimum wage employee did and shipped it out the door. I believe Jeff H is QC manager now but he didn't grind it either. The Torx on one of mine was rounded when I got it. If Chris Bourassa at Buck hadn't black balled me I would be able to get ahold of Jeff and new hardware would be waiting to be picked up. Now I might as well live across the country because I won't walk into that place again. I will probably sell the 104 i received. 3V might be new to Buck but grinding a blade is far from new to them.
This isn't a small humble God fearing knife company of the past. They have to make a profit. Small runs, SK Blades even C&C companies cost Buck too much to entertain.

Anyway the BOTM is great for me a few times a year. I dont care if someone sells their BOTM for twice what they paid. Buck has purchase limits so this really doesn't affect us if we want one.

Man... I hope Buck takes note of this. More and more of Buck’s most loyal and vocal supporters have been coming to the conclusion that Buck’s recent direction kind of sucks. All these people who have loved Buck for years or decades don’t all start coming to conclusions like this for no reason. Hell, I took time away from my honeymoon just to visit the Buck factory in Post Falls, and lately it seems I spend more time upset at Buck, than enjoying their products.

This is just sad.

That, and Bucks recent censorship of content on a paid knife forum (full of "Don't Tread on Me" mindsets) ............... gives me pause.

And will not be forgotten.

Well heck, now you have me curious....

 

[texpat]

Where does that leave the professional or sportsman or outdoorsman, or stockman or gardener that want a good knife to use that performs like they need them to?
Why not make plenty of good knives so anyone who needs one can afford one instead of paying an obscene price from a flipper or getting what’s left of the lesser grade materials ?

Not positive I understand the intended point of your post, I don't necessarily disagree, but I have to say, I am a lifelong hunter, fisherman, camper, rafter, backpacker etc. etc., and my go-to knife when camping these days is a Buck Mesa that I paid like 40 bucks for in 420HC, my tacklebox has a little Buck in there too of the same steel and it only cost like 25 bucks. I have beat the crap outta Buck's 420HC knives for several years now and I love 'em, they do everything I need to do, are very affordable, and when they get dull a little Lansky Quick-Fix pocket sharpener makes them shaving sharp again in under 2 minutes, zero chance i'd take a real super-steel knife out and try to depend on it in the woods, i'd have to schlep my friggin belt-sander along too because there's no way i'm spending my prime outdoors time sharpening a dull knife for 3 hours. And i'm dead serious about banging on the blade hard, I start my campfires with shaved magnesium and flint using the sharp side instead of the spine, lol, it works a lot faster, but does dull the blade and occasionally makes a micro chip, again, 2 minutes with the Lansky and it's GTG again.

But that's just my opinion, nothin but an old redneck I reckon, but FYI my Grandaddy bought me my first Buck in 1971, so i've spent a fair amount of time using them now and feel pretty confident about my findings over the years.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be harsh or sound like i'm an expert, i'm not, it's just that I see people on other forums putting down some Buck products and always putting down 420HC steel, and inevitably most of those guys buy super expensive knives and hold forth about them despite the fact that they have zero real world experience with them or any other knife for that matter because they don't even go outdoors period unless they have to and their knives will remain safe-queens until they die or sell them.

 

[Fixall]

Not positive I understand the intended point of your post, I don't necessarily disagree, but I have to say, I am a lifelong hunter, fisherman, camper, rafter, backpacker etc. etc., and my go-to knife when camping these days is a Buck Mesa that I paid like 40 bucks for in 420HC, my tacklebox has a little Buck in there too of the same steel and it only cost like 25 bucks. I have beat the crap outta Buck's 420HC knives for several years now and I love 'em, they do everything I need to do, are very affordable, and when they get dull a little Lansky Quick-Fix pocket sharpener makes them shaving sharp again in under 2 minutes, zero chance i'd take a real super-steel knife out and try to depend on it in the woods, i'd have to schlep my friggin belt-sander along too because there's no way i'm spending my prime outdoors time sharpening a dull knife for 3 hours. And i'm dead serious about banging on the blade hard, I start my campfires with shaved magnesium and flint using the sharp side instead of the spine, lol, it works a lot faster, but does dull the blade and occasionally makes a micro chip, again, 2 minutes with the Lansky and it's GTG again.

But that's just my opinion, nothin but an old redneck I reckon, but FYI my Grandaddy bought me my first Buck in 1971, so i've spent a fair amount of time using them now and feel pretty confident about my findings over the years.

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be harsh or sound like i'm an expert, i'm not, it's just that I see people on other forums putting down some Buck products and always putting down 420HC steel, and inevitably most of those guys buy super expensive knives and hold forth about them despite the fact that they have zero real world experience with them or any other knife for that matter because they don't even go outdoors period unless they have to and their knives will remain safe-queens until they die or sell them.

Since the rise of diamond and CBN stones, I don’t feel that sharpening in the field is much of an issue for “super steels” anymore. With a DMT Diafold or Spyderco Doublestuff 2, I can sharpen a high alloy, stainless, or high hardness steel just as easily as I can a simple carbon steel.

 

[Lesknife]

Yes what Fixall says.

I can sharpen my S30V,s35vn,20cv and other super steels with my diamond sharpener just about as easy as the 420hc on regular stones.

and yes I know Bucks 420hc is very good for 420 grade steel. But I also use my knives at work in very harsh conditions and on the farm and ranch and the S35vn and others perform fantastic. I go for a long time before I have to sharpen them and when I do it’s not so dull to get a keen edge with a few strokes on my diamond sharpener. I use my Buck 420hc blades but when I need some serious performance I grab the better steel blades that are a few steps above it lasting 3-4 times more.

My point being that the high grade steels sitting in a display never to do much of what it was made for is kind of confusing to me.

 

[jbmonkey]

one of David's favorites, a sic stone will sharpen 3v. even ceramics will work on a touch up, as I've done it. 3v is not a hard steel to sharpen. reprofiling I haven't tried yet. I imagine it won't be too bad with diamonds or sic stones though.

 

[jbmonkey]

Thr 3V blade has probably been on the books for quite awhile.
Profits bumped the qty up to 500. The 104 with 3V steel was a great price and will be a great user. Great users are a better money spent than collector pieces. I like some of the BOTM knives. The black box is completely overkill and is a waste of money. Quite a few probably went from the mailbox to the trash can.

BCCI get their own knives that the public doesn't get. Blame the club and Buck for that program all but disappearing. The take apart 112 club knife that ended up a BOTM over a delay. Too bad the club has almost faded away. My opinion was this started about the same time FB became free access to the club. Just not the website.

The new Prez barely started working there. Zero influence on Buck, if he ever will have one. CJ has stated many times more USA made product would be produced.. This year more knives made overseas and the word China removed. CJ isn't making decisions on all fronts. He pays others to do that. Cj or the new president didn't FU the grind on my 104. Some minimum wage employee did and shipped it out the door. I believe Jeff H is QC manager now but he didn't grind it either. The Torx on one of mine was rounded when I got it. If Chris Bourassa at Buck hadn't black balled me I would be able to get ahold of Jeff and new hardware would be waiting to be picked up. Now I might as well live across the country because I won't walk into that place again. I will probably sell the 104 i received. 3V might be new to Buck but grinding a blade is far from new to them.
This isn't a small humble God fearing knife company of the past. They have to make a profit. Small runs, SK Blades even C&C companies cost Buck too much to entertain.

Anyway the BOTM is great for me a few times a year. I dont care if someone sells their BOTM for twice what they paid. Buck has purchase limits so this really doesn't affect us if we want one.

just my opinion and that don't mean much...but I think Buck management or whomever decided to do what they did.........made a mistake treating you the way they have, over what ya pointed out. I realize what I think doesn't matter, but that's my opinion regardless. it's certainly made me frown about the whole episode and how they reacted. I've been very quiet here about it, til now.

maybe I'm being biased as I consider Mike a friend and he's gone way out of his way and helped me more times than I can count on my collection of Bucks and sheaths and other things.......and thats means something to me so I'm okay with my position on this topic.

 

[GPyro]

just my opinion and that don't mean much...but I think Buck management or whomever decided to do what they did.........made a mistake treating you the way they have, over what ya pointed out. I realize what I think doesn't matter, but that's my opinion regardless. it's certainly made me frown about the whole episode and how they reacted. I've been very quiet here about it, til now.

maybe I'm being biased as I consider Mike a friend and he's gone way out of his way and helped me more times than I can count on my collection of Bucks and sheaths and other things.......and thats means something to me so I'm okay with my position on this topic.

Well said JB.
I agree with you entirely.

 

[st8yd]

just my opinion and that don't mean much...but I think Buck management or whomever decided to do what they did.........made a mistake treating you the way they have, over what ya pointed out. I realize what I think doesn't matter, but that's my opinion regardless. it's certainly made me frown about the whole episode and how they reacted. I've been very quiet here about it, til now.

maybe I'm being biased as I consider Mike a friend and he's gone way out of his way and helped me more times than I can count on my collection of Bucks and sheaths and other things.......and thats means something to me so I'm okay with my position on this topic.

Agreed!

 

[Makael]

Guys the support is appreciative and the people here kept me coming back. I’ve stood up for Buck countless times and have spent a considerable amount of money there. Made some good friends there. The reaction from Buck is ridiculous when all I was doing was trying to stop product sold by their own inventory manager to one particular individual to the tune of 175k to date. All while Buck enforced purchase limits on everyone else.
I’m not allowed to communicate with anyone at Buck now except Chris Bourassa. Fricken ridiculous reaction. Jeff H is banned from talking to me also We were pretty good friends till CB stepped in. Well CB is getting his way and I’ll support Buck when I feel necessary and Knock them as well. Treating a customer trying to help like shit is over the top. Anyway, I’m done and thanks for listening to it.

 

[justsaymo]

I'm a long time user of Buck Knives and new to the collecting hobby. Though my collection is unremarkable it has provided me many hours of enjoyment and a connection to new friends, enthusiasts and even strengthened bonds with family members. The BOTM is something I look forward to and I hope it doesn't get derailed by speculators.

From my blissfully ignorant perspective we are in the golden years of knife collecting, and there has never been a better time to have "Buck Fever" with so many interesting variations of the classics and some intriguing newer offerings. It takes me back to when I was a pup, mesmerized by display cases (Western, Schrade, Buck...) at the sporting goods stores deciding which knife I'd save up for next. The big difference is that now I can afford to buy more than one every month or two and I do.

Of the many knife makers out there it seems to me that Buck is doing it best. Their knives are affordable and available for the most part. Even their upgraded offerings are competitively priced.

I've only been using the upgraded steels for a few years now and I'm liking them. I put my 119 Pro to hard use last week during my first visit to the cabin of the year. Five days of abuse - chopping, batoning, boring, slicing, shaving, stabbing ... - it retained a workable edge. It took less than 10 minutes to bring it back to scary sharp once I got home on my Arkansas stones and some stropping.

I am optimistic about Buck's future and see these challenges as an opportunity for Buck to get even better.

Unfazed

 

[texpat]

Since the rise of diamond and CBN stones, I don’t feel that sharpening in the field is much of an issue for “super steels” anymore. With a DMT Diafold or Spyderco Doublestuff 2, I can sharpen a high alloy, stainless, or high hardness steel just as easily as I can a simple carbon steel.

I'm sure y'all are right, don't mind me, i'm just an ornery ol rooster.

But having used some these cheaper steels for years on the farm and in the woods, I maybe appreciate them and the value they offer more than some, I paid 16 bucks on eBay almost 10 years ago now for a used Kabar mule in Aus8, and it was already well used, I carried it every day for years and still do most days, done every task you can imagine including gutting and skinning large game, digging potatoes, stripping/cutting electrical wire etc. etc. Only sharpened it twice in all those years, still locks up perfectly tight and doesn't even look that worse for wear.

My experiences with Buck's 420HC in recent years have been very comparable to that...i'm just a blue collar man my whole life, so sometimes I feel like I need to stick up for us po-boys and point out that some of the choices folks with more money make, doesn't mean that lower-priced options won't do everything you need them to do, and without having to buy additional sharpening tools.

Fact is, I don't own any of the sharpening tools you mentioned and probably never will, just not things I need, I can literally sharpen my lower-priced blades on a wet rock. I got way too much crap I carry camping now than I used to when I was young and strong and single, i'd probably just lose 'em, lol.

But point well taken, that's why i'm here in the first place, to learn more, I appreciate you taking the time to reply!

 

[GPyro]

One of the things I like about s30v is how long it holds an edge.
My edc at work is a 112 pro, I use it quite a bit and really only need to strop it.
In the field, that steel would be easy to maintain with your belt.