Buck 110 Ecolite Paperstone - Why is it not popular?

Rebel Nimrod

Rebel Nimrod

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Jan 23, 2014
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Buck is discontinuing the Ecolite knives and I'm not sure why they didn't catch on? Is it cosmetics? I have been carrying my 110 since I got it about a month ago and love it! I work in an office, but it is so lite I don't notice it in the pocket of my khakis and it feels solid in the hand with nice contours that don't tend to slip too much when wet. They were also more than reasonably priced for an American made product. The blade on mine is firm with little play, but not bank vault tight. It doesn't have the classic wood and brass look, but the paperstone does have its own kind of warmth unlike plastic and everyone seems impressed when I tell them it made of recycled material. What other knife manufacturers offers recycled materials in their knives, not many! So far it seems to be holding up good, but no hard use yet.

What am I missing, why didn't they sell?
 
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I got one of these recently and wondered the same thing. I like it loads more than the old Bucklites, and mine is sturdier than my regular 110 (but is also 15 years newer). It's in my front pocket right now. I think it is going to see a lot of action this summer.

I have a Paperstone Vantage that I like a lot too. It's neat material for a knife. I don't know why it isn't more popular.
 
Rebel Nimrod said:
What am I missing, why didn't they sell?
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Its first version had issues which led to version2 and may have led/contributed to its present collapse/cancel.

The opening and self-close of the blade was problematic on some of the first versions making those unsmooth to open and close. The fix was to put washers under the pivot. You can see the difference in the two generations easily. Version one had no pivot washer and version two has the pivot washer visible on the outside of the handle.

IMHO the handle is the equivalent to a full Micarta scale and I like manmade materials for knife scales. However, having a knife that doesn't always close completely without taking special care is dangerous and not something I want from a pocket/sheath tool as I expect my knife to close completely when I close it and not leave the blade partially proud ready to snag and cut me, my clothes or my sheath. Even though I know that version two is better I don't carry either version. I can see that someone who didn't know about the early problems wouldn't have a care in the world carrying and using a fully function model, version one or version two.
 
In my area, they are nowhere to be found. Had it not been for the internet and this site, I wouldn't have known they even existed. I don't know about other areas, but I've never seen a single ecolite in several Bass Pros, Gander Mountains, knife shops and not a single Wally world in my area etc. I had to order one site unseen off the net.
Now the old Bucklites were everywhere. You could go in any Wal-Mart back in the late 1980's and pick up a Bucklite. I think if the ecolites were in a case or blister pack at Wal-Mart, next to other knives where people could look at them and hold them and compare them to the other knives being sold, they would sell like crazy.
 
My Ecolite 110 is the washered version and closes just fine. Last year I bought a 500 that still has the issue of not closing all the way unless you make sure to push it down manually. I didn't send it back; it isn't a deal breaker for me in any case, and since my 110 is slightly looser than when I first bought it I think the 500 will eventually wear in.

I am sorry to see this series go. I think the current crop of Buck knives with FRN (or whatever they are) handles, thumbstuds, and pocket clips are what really did the Ecolite series in.
 
Mine has significant vertical movement. Sent it back with a couple of other knives a year or more ago that needed work and basically got "that's the way they are". Full disclosure, it is a FB, but that shouldn't affect its lockup.

- OS
 
Been thinking about buying a 110 for the collection. Held 2 of these today. Both were solid!
 
I think they're perfectly adequate and decent looking, but they really don't look the part and aren't even cheaper. You say the words "Buck 110" and it conjures a certain image and the Ecolite ain't it.
 
I never would have known it existed if it weren't for the internet. I found them randomly when I was looking for a new knife a few years ago. I have never once seen them in stores but it's hard to find a sporting good store without a Buck 110. I imagine that is why it's not popular, it's no where to be found.
 
I think Buck should have offered them with pocket clips. I would have bought a few and made them my edc.
 
Thats a good point bob. If you dont frequent the bay or Bucks website, you dont see em.

Popular with me

 
I like them a lot, but like others have said, if it was not for online, I'd never have seen them. I've never seen an Ecolite in a retail store, and I don't get that, their price point would have made them perfect for big box stores.
 
Shame the kinks were in the first version and they weren't better marketed to the general populous. They are just so much easier to carry in the pocket it's hard to believe shaving off 4oz makes that much difference. I am just glad I discovered them before they became rare!

Imafritz, thanks for the photo, that's cool!
 
I think if more people were able to get one into their hands they would have sold a lot more. Hard to envision what that material is like and many likely thought it was a plastic since they could see/feel it. I really like mine, got a lot of good woods use out of it when I wanted a bit less weight on my belt all day.
 
That's a shame. I have a Ranger (gen 2) and it was my first Buck purchase in a while. Great handle. I wish they would use the paper stone on the 300 series.
 
I hope the next generation ecolite has dymondwood handles (a faked photo by me):
hl0b.jpg
 
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