Buck 110 Intitial Impressions

B

Bugout Bill

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Jan 2, 2013
Messages
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A few weeks ago, I found myself with some extra play money. Perhaps motivated by the sorry political state of this country, I decided to purchase the quintessential American knife, the Buck 110. It arrived yesterday and I must say that I am pretty happy with it, although it isn't perfect.

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Overall, I'd say that my impression of this knife is pretty positive. The action is smooth and locks up very solid, I cannot muscle any play into it when it is locked open. When closing, the lock bar is a little stiff, but I am hoping that it will loosen up with wear. Fit and finish is generally quite good; there are no scratches on the bolsters, and the pins are all nice and flush. The Ebony Dymondwood scales are very nice, and I am happy to say that they are even and flush with the liners. As for the blade, it came very sharp, being able to easily pushcut notebook paper. It came with a very nice black leather sheath, which I have found to be quite comfortable to carry.

I do have some complaints, however. While the F&F is superb on the handles(means a lot saying that about Buck in my experience), the blade has many of the same issues that I have seen on a number of other Buck knives. The swedge was pretty badly burred, although a few passes from a spyderco fine rod took care of that. Additionally, the edge bevels are fairly uneven, something that I experienced on my Buck Vantage. My primary worry is about the tip, which appears to have been improperly ground. I am almost certain I am going to snap it if I have to penetrate any hard plastics.

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For $40, I am very pleased with this knife, although I am not sure how much use it is going to see. I bought it as more of a collection piece than an actual user, but I might decide to do a more extensive review of it. I am also eager to compare this current production example to a close friend's 1992 production 110.

Anyway, thank you for your time and God bless.

- Bill
 
Thank you for your impressions. It is a nice folder. I think any serious knife aficionado should try a Buck 110 at some point.
 
Yes, thanks for the review and I like your reason for getting it! It is a little large for me to carry, but I have one just because I think knife fans all need one.
I would give it a good sharpening to even out the edge and fix that tip
 
I have always wanted a 110, but never bought one as it is a little big for an EDC, and I don't like to carry a knife in a sheath unless it is a straight knife that I am carrying on a hunt. I won one on the traditional forum that came with a custom leather sheath, and just fell in love with it. It was much more than I had expected from looking at them in pictures. It sharpened up very nicely and has maintained its edge through the little bit I have used it while testing and playing with it. I don't carry it but wouldn't part with it as it is really an American Icon of knives. If you don't own one, get you one and you won't regret it.

Blessings,

Omar
 
InSpectre Gadget said:
That tip looks burned. I suggest a re-profiling to get that burnt steel ground off...
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The lighting was making it look like there was discoloration of the steel. There doesn't appear to be any burning, but I guess I'll know for sure if I start putting it to EDC use.
 
I don't mean to sound like a troll, but IMO there isn't any reason that a folding knife should be as heavy as the Buck 110. I fully realize it was THE hunting folder when I was growing up, but this isn't the 1970's anymore. While I understand its historic significance and the sentimental attachment many have to it, to me the 110 is an anachronism.

Yes, I do own one :) I bought it off the Exchange here.
 
elkins45 said:
I don't mean to sound like a troll, but IMO there isn't any reason that a folding knife should be as heavy as the Buck 110. I fully realize it was THE hunting folder when I was growing up, but this isn't the 1970's anymore. While I understand its historic significance and the sentimental attachment many have to it, to me the 110 is an anachronism.

Yes, I do own one :) I bought it off the Exchange here.
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Your points have validity and I suppose it depends on which lens one is looking through for the 110. Mine sits in a box and comes out every couple of years. It gets reoiled and the copperish corosion removed from the bolsters. I still like it and will always keep it. That knife basicly disappeared on the back of my belt but was a reasuring back up while outdoors, or driving night shift taxi to get through school. My exchange driver was attacked by a kid with a machete down his pant leg. I can tell many stories about driver incidents.... I'm glad that those days are long gone. I see the 110 as a Kawasaki 900 Z1 motorcycle. An old heavy bike now that created a cult following because it had high performance in its day, and is still no slouch today. The Z1 is\was an extremely solid and reliable engine sought out years later for drag racing because of its bullet proof design. Yes there are many ways to view the 110, but mine is positive...... Good score (OP) Bill. You could have burned the $40 on a bottle of liver quiver and forgotten it, or have this useful tool, likely for the rest of your life. :thumbup:
 
elkins45 said:
I don't mean to sound like a troll, but IMO there isn't any reason that a folding knife should be as heavy as the Buck 110. I fully realize it was THE hunting folder when I was growing up, but this isn't the 1970's anymore. While I understand its historic significance and the sentimental attachment many have to it, to me the 110 is an anachronism.

Yes, I do own one :) I bought it off the Exchange here.
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Nothing trollish about that statement, it is kind of remarkable that it weighs more than my Cold Steel SRK. But the Buck 110 (and its Schrade counterparts) weren't just THE hunting folder. They were THE folder. I was kind of amazed when reading the recent thread about vintage knives that the Buck 110 was pretty much the only option for a locking folder up until the mid-1980s.
 
Well...there was this:

not my photo
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But it was quite a bit more expensive than the Buck. IIRC when the Buck was selling for around $25 the Gerber Magnum Folding Hunter sold for around $40. That's what I paid for mine back in 1980 at the Acorn shop in Gatlnburg, TN, and it was a lot of money for me at the time as a senior in high school. The extra $15 got you a dropped point blade shape and genuine 440C steel instead of the 420HC or whatever Buck was using at the time. I sprang for the extra mainly because I had been reading books about custom knives and really wanted the Loveless-inspired dropped point blade.

It's also too heavy by modern standards. I still have mine but just for sentimental reasons.
 
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elkins45 said:
Well...there was this:

not my photo
grbr-magfh10.JPG


But it was quite a bit more expensive than the Buck. IIRC when the Buck was selling for around $25 the Gerber Magnum Folding Hunter sold for around $40. That's what I paid for mine back in 1980 at the Acorn shop in Gatlnburg, TN, and it was a lot of money for me at the time as a senior in high school. The extra $15 got you a dropped point blade shape and genuine 440C steel instead of the 420HC or whatever Buck was using at the time. I sprang for the extra mainly because I had been reading books about custom knives and really wanted the Loveless-inspired dropped point blade.

It's also too heavy by modern standards. I still have mine but just for sentimental reasons.
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Nice knife, hopefully I'll be able to tell a similar tell about mine in 30 years.
 
Nice review, Bill. For $40, I think we know not to expect perfection. There is always going to be stuff to clean up on a Buck. The only knife company I expect consistent excellence from at this price point is Victorinox, but they are top of the class. Buck is not in this echelon, but I still like their knives.

The edge is hand ground, I think. My 302 had a similar problem, but even more so. The last 1/8" was not ground on one side, so I had to profile it myself with a diamond rod. It was not hard to do, as long as I worked slowly and carefully.
 
dogstar said:
Nice review, Bill. For $40, I think we know not to expect perfection. There is always going to be stuff to clean up on a Buck. The only knife company I expect consistent excellence from at this price point is Victorinox, but they are top of the class. Buck is not in this echelon, but I still like their knives.

The edge is hand ground, I think. My 302 had a similar problem, but even more so. The last 1/8" was not ground on one side, so I had to profile it myself with a diamond rod. It was not hard to do, as long as I worked slowly and carefully.
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I haven't done any real work with this knife, so I really couldn't call this a review, but I might do one in the future. It really is a shame about Buck's QC, their older knives were nicer. Whoever did the handle work on my 110 definitely earned their pay, though.
 
I hate my 110. The knife doesn't close completely into the handles so the point can (and has) nicked my hand many times. I think the handles are finished well but the knife itself is disappointing as a whole. Mine developed bladeplay after the first use despite being rock solid out of the box. For $30 I'll take a RAT 1 or really any budget Kershaw before this one.
 
NYOutdoors said:
I hate my 110. The knife doesn't close completely into the handles so the point can (and has) nicked my hand many times. I think the handles are finished well but the knife itself is disappointing as a whole. Mine developed bladeplay after the first use despite being rock solid out of the box. For $30 I'll take a RAT 1 or really any budget Kershaw before this one.
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Is it a Walmart model?
 
NYOutdoors said:
I hate my 110. The knife doesn't close completely into the handles so the point can (and has) nicked my hand many times. I think the handles are finished well but the knife itself is disappointing as a whole. Mine developed bladeplay after the first use despite being rock solid out of the box. For $30 I'll take a RAT 1 or really any budget Kershaw before this one.
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I would send this one in for a replacement. Yes, it will cost a few dollars for shipping, but at least you'll end up with one you don't hate.
 
My buddy recently broke to tip off of his, he said he really liked it though. Apparently he stabbed it into a tree to free up his hands and when he went to pull it out he said he felt it pop about an inch of steel was gone. He claims he didn't twist it or pry it out and says it was the heat treat. Still waiting to see if buck covers it.
 
The 110 is certainly a classic by today's standards. I was always more enamored with the two blade Schrade counterpart which I used as a work knife and a general purpose hunting knife. It's heavy, but it's solid. I early 90's vintage with factory damascus and I think elk handles which is a pretty nice blade. Expensive for that time. Picked up a 110 like yours a couple of years ago at Gander Mountain because there was some sort of rebate going on.... discovered that the knife was from the previous year and the rebate offer had long expired. Oh well. It sits unused. But it's there if I ever choose to use it. Things aren't getting any cheaper.
 
elkins45 said:
I don't mean to sound like a troll, but IMO there isn't any reason that a folding knife should be as heavy as the Buck 110. I fully realize it was THE hunting folder when I was growing up, but this isn't the 1970's anymore. While I understand its historic significance and the sentimental attachment many have to it, to me the 110 is an anachronism.

Yes, I do own one :) I bought it off the Exchange here.
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I too agree with what you say. I've owned my 110 since the early eighties (glad I've got one of the high quality "old" ones) and despite all of my modern folders, my 110 is still one of my top favorite knives. That being said, I would never buy a new one, nor would I carry around the one I have. Lightweight one-hand opening folders that I can carry without even noticing them have spoiled me. My 110 is a now a "house" knife. I use it frequently at home for various tasks when I want an extremely fine cutting edge. I still love my old 110 but I would call the knife "antiquated".
 
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