Where to begin....
I suppose it really depends upon how you use your knife.
If you just need a sharp object to open the mail or cut the occasional loose thread, then you really don't need more than a simple $3.00 dollar "box-cutter" (and replacement blades are very cheap too so you don't even need to buy a sharpener).
But if you want cutting performance (not chopping, not prying, but cutting), then the Buck 110 is very hard to beat.
It's all about the design....
The Buck 110 is simply one of the best designed knives of all time.
Consider the handle:
The handle is nearly perfect in size and shape.
It fills the hand just enough without being to wide or too narrow, and there are no sharp edges to the handle that might cause a blister or hot-spot.
The Buck 110 handle was made for long term comfort for hours of cutting.
I've never known anyone who thought that the Buck 110 handle was uncomfortable to hold and to use.
In thread after thread concerning the subject of "comfortable knives to use" the Buck 110 is always named and recommended.
And the Buck 110 handle is secure in the grip too.
And if does not need to rely upon "traction grooves" or rough texture...the design of the handle itself makes it secure in the grip.
Even covered with deer blood, it is secure.
Consider the lock:
The lock-back design has proven itself to be reliable, safe, and long-lasting for nearly forty years.
The lock-back is even used in many of today's most modern folders (like the Spyderco Manix).
Is it the strongest lock on the market?
No.
But it is more than strong enough for a folding knife of its size.
I have never known anyone to break the lock on a Buck 110 without doing something that they knew they should not have been doing with a folder.
It simply will not "just break" with normal folder use.
Consider the price and origin:
The basic Buck 110 can be had for about $30.00 dollars....and it's a USA made knife!
There are very few USA made folders, of equal design in comfort and performance and durability, for that price.
The Buck 110 is truly the working man's folder.
No one is ever ashamed to be seen with a Buck 110.
Consider the performance:
The blade geometry and design of the Buck 110 is simply fantastic!
The precise needle sharp tip and the high hollow-grind, combined with that comfortable handle makes for an incredible cutting machine.
Even the basic Buck 110 with 420HC blade-steel will out cut many knives with superior steel.
And when you step up to a Custom Shoppe 110 with BG-42 or ATS-34, or the Cabela's Alaskan Guide 110 with S30V, you have a knife that can stand toe-to-toe ,for cutting performance, with any folding knife its size....bar none!
Oh yeah, and it's beautiful too!
To address a few concerns....
It has no pocket-clip:
True.
But this not necessarily a negative.
Pocket-clips are handy to be sure, but they also have their drawbacks:
The can cause hot-spots and blisters (especially during long-term cutting).
They can scratch furniture and damage things too.
They can catch on things and dislodge the knife from your pocket.
And they advertise that you're carrying a knife.
On the other hand, the belt sheath is not only secure and comfortable, but it also protects your folder from being affected by pocket debris (lint, coins, keys, etc...).
I've carried pocket-clip folders for years and the clip always catches more than its fair share of abuse.
Still, if you simply must have a pocket-clip, one can be added aftermarket.
It is not a "one-hand-folder":
Well, this is simply not true.
I, and plenty of other folks, use our 110's with one hand all the time, everyday.
It just takes a little practice.
No, it's not as quick to deploy as a dedicated one-hander, but it is not slow by any means.
It's not like opening a Victorinox Soldier, or getting to the blade of a Leatherman SuperTool....
I can draw my 110 from it's sheath and have it open in my hand in about 4 seconds.
And I've never known of any situation, where I needed to cut something, that a couple of seconds made a difference....and if a few seconds DID matter, it would be better to carry a fixed-blade anyway.
It's heavy:
Yeah, the Buck 110 is a little heavy, but not to the extreme.
It is only about 1.5 oz heavier than a Spyderco Manix.
About 2.5 ounces heavier than a Spyderco Police.
And only about 3.5 oz heavier than a Spyderco Military.
And the weight and heft give a certain inertia to some cuts....like a nicely weighted golf club.
-Cheers, BTB.
