Buck 898 Auto or 110

T

TnTom

Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
16
I v seen the 898 and wonder why Buck didnt choose to make the iconic 110 their first auto. I am to understand they never did make the 110 in auto though I did see them for sale. Ive had a first 110 lost it many years ago the new ones sure are not the same quality.
 
Most people who are buying a 110 don't need or want an auto knife. It's heavy, large, lacks a clip, and would take it out of the nice price point that it currently sits at.

I think some of those reasons are why. Plus, there are third party vendors that you can get modded 110s if that's really what you want to do.
 
New 110s are very good quality. I have used both old and new side by side and have no qualms about the latest ones off the factory line. If I ever retire my 1960s era 110, a new one will take its place seamlessly.

I can't address autos. But having an auto 110 puts me in mind of the WWII paratrooper's switchblade. Kinda cool.

Zieg
 
All 110 and 112 autos are aftermarket conversions. I've no first hand experience with either but have read that there are a couple of different conversion methods and IIRC the one with the long button works better than the round button. Not very scientific I know but that's all I can recall. Can't speak for Buck but I would suggest that they may have wanted their first auto designed as an auto rather than modifying a design that was never meant to function that way. Just my thoughts on it. Plus unless they made a 110 auto significantly different than the after market conversions it would be difficult for buyers to know if they were buying a Buck made or conversion. That could lead to Buck receiving knives for repair that they didn't make, at least as an auto.
 
As a collector I've been lucky enough to acquire 3 Buck 110 autos- 1 w/round activator and 2 w/the oblong activator. All are dual-action (not "double action", which would mean the knife opened AND closed automatically)...dual-action allows the 110's to be open and closed by hand, the old-fashioned way.

My experience has been-though limited- based on actual use and there has been notably *easier* action on the round button, but once the user finds the "sweet spot" in the oblong button it is a faster action with more power. Although i'm sure all three were converted by different persons the two oblongs-one which i EDC- are less likely to accidentally fire in the pocket since the oblong button does not rise above the plane of the scales much at all and only operates if firmly pushed at the end furthest from the pivot. The round button, though easier to fire, is also easier to fire by mistake since it protrudes a good 1/16th of an inch above the plane of the scales.

If you want one to use, get an oblong. If you want one to collect, or will carry it only in it's leather pouch, get the round.

Personally, i bought the first oblong on a whim and liked it so much i bought one each of the oblong and round as "keepers". All operate via leaf springs in the bottom of the knife. I prefer this to coil springs, especially on heavy blades, but i think there might be coil-operated 110-mods out there.

So far, despite being after-market modifications, all three are still Buck through and through.
 
I've only seen and handled the coil spring modifications. Some were already broken and would no longer work. As the weak link is that spring. I disagree that they are still Buck as it's been modified Sooo much. If you sent it into Buck they most likely would reject doing warranty work on it. All of my 110's, old or new are of good quality. DM
 
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