Buck "custom shop" knives better quality than standard Bucks?

[Bluppy]

I've been looking at some great photos of "vintage" Buck 500-series knives, and then I looked at some Youtube vids of new 501s, and it appears that the finish of the new knives is, frankly, awful. Pins visible, poor blade grinding, wood scales not flush, etc. They look like they were mass produced in China to me.

My question is: are the custom shop knives better finished? I love the look of the 501 and would spend $80 or for a nice one, but I wouldn't spend $40 for what I've seen so far.

Thanks

 

[Magnaminous_G]

The CSK knives are indeed finished better. They are made one at a time by a single craftsman who selects the blade and handle materials for each project. If the fit and finish on a CSK job are not flawless, send it back, and they will correct the problem or they will build it again from scratch. Here is my CSK 110 below. There are a few thread with pics of custom 501's lurking around BF somewhere. The thing to really note is that the lockbar sits true flush with the handle in the open and closed positions on the custom 501's. There is always some unevenness in the factory 501's.

 

[Bluppy]

Nice, that's more the quality I'm looking for. Was kind of shocked seeing vids of new Bucks, given their reputation.

 

[pinnah]

Nice, that's more the quality I'm looking for. Was kind of shocked seeing vids of new Bucks, given their reputation.

I think different people think of Buck's quality and reputation very differently, and for legitimate reasons.

IMO, the focus on "fit and finish" on traditional knives is a more recent phenomenon, fueled in large measure by the internet. I'm not saying that there weren't collectors prior to the internet and that "fit and finish" were never discussed prior to the internet. But I am saying that I think the internet is driving expectations higher and higher (I see this same thing in other collecting venues besides knives, btw.)

When I think of Buck and their long-standing reputation, it is for a) rugged knives built to take a total beating in harsh environments by tradesmen and hunters (the Buck 110, 119 and 301 are at the top of that list) and b) an incredible warranty and commitment to customer service. The issue with the Buck 110 is not whether or not the lock bar sits flush, it's whether you can use it hard without developing blade play. If if it does develop play or if you break a blade, will Buck fix it? IMO, this is the stuff that is at the core of Buck's reputation.

I'm not denigrating or invalidating any interest in "fit and finish" issues in any way, mind you. It's a valid interest among collectors but I think that is better answered with their custom or limited edition offerings.

Let me put it another way... I buy Buck knives as users. When I'm focusing on utility, I'm very interested in quality and value and those quality issues are very, very important to me. On a locker, I want it to lock up tight. If it has scales, I don't want to scales to fall off, ever. If it's a folder, I don't want any play. I want quality steel that takes and holds an edge and resists breaking. If there's a proud rivet or a gap in scale or if blade isn't perfectly aligned, that's not an issue for me. This is especially true for knives like the 110 that can regularly be purchased for under $50. At $50, I'm buying a rock solid user. If I want "fit and finish" (a legitimate thing for somebody to want), I think that is and should be at a much higher price point like from the custom shop.

 

[Old Hunter]

Nicely explained Pinnah; my sentiments as well, but you are more eloquent than I!

 

[Bluppy]

Yeah that makes sense. Though when I think of Buck knives, I think of "lasting a lifetime," and who would want to pass down a knife to their kid that has a bunch of manufacturing flaws in it?

 

[GRIM 62]

If you're asking whether I think the custom shop knives are worth the extra dinero,The answer is yes,yes,and yes!Bucks regular lineup is really good quality vs value.But,their custom shop knives are superb.

 

[pinnah]

Yeah that makes sense. Though when I think of Buck knives, I think of "lasting a lifetime," and who would want to pass down a knife to their kid that has a bunch of manufacturing flaws in it?

I have a Buck 110 that I got when I was in high school in '77. A few years ago, I finally picked up a used 112 (2 dot) from that same era. Both knives lock up tight as a drum. Both pivot wonderfully. The 440C on both is still holding up. But the lock bars sit proud. The scales on the 112 aren't matched. Not even close. And the pivot pin on the 112 sits proud on one side.

These are not manufacturing flaw.

A flaw occurs when when a produced good fails to meet a requirement. Different goods produced for different price points can have different sets of requirements. We can further distinguish between functional requirements and aesthetic requirements.

My Bucks were clearly built with very strong functional requirements and fewer aesthetic requirements. I can think of other brands that have weaker functional requirements and but higher aesthetic requirements.

I'll use my Bucks hard and it's very likely that my son will end up with them when I pass on. There are 2 things to note about that. First, proud rivets or mismatched scales will not stop those Bucks from working and working well. Rivets that fail and scales that fall off would.

Second, I suspect my kid will say something like the following. "These knives are a perfect reflection of my old man. He was an engineer and liked quality things. But he generally preferred good, affordable mass produced things and he absolutely hated needless ornamentation and fluff that failed to add to performance. "Form follows function", he would say."

Please note, I'm not a complete curmudgeon. The artistry and complete commitment to perfection that is embodied in custom or quasi-custom level things is just stunning to behold. This is deeply, deeply personal territory and there is really nothing wrong with wanting the absolute best that can be produced, whether we're talking cars, guns, knives or bikes.

 

[110 Dave]

quality is in the eyes of the QC!
first there is no true custom shop at buck
buck did once have a custom shop
it closed not long after leroy left
they do have a line were custom assumbled knives and limited edition knives are made
NOTE: there are knives still made there that would fall under custom made as i see it
you most likely wont see many of these

yes there is a lot of range as to how long a pice of string is
what one sees as narly another sees as jest plain rough
to each his own
if you order a knife from buck
and you dont like it
you can send it back and Joe will move mountons of paper work to get it fixed like you said you wanted ..
at times quality has varried in the knives from buck
for all the early knives were almost entirely made by hand or shaped by hand
the ones today are so much more uniform then the classics were ..but
is uniformainty a good or cool thing?