Buck knives are awesome and their warranty is second to none. I love buck knives! With that said, I am going to tell you about my two experiences with the service department.
My first buck knife was given to me about a dozen years ago by a coworker who saw me using a small, badly worn classic swiss army knife and after awhile, he couldn't stand it any more and one day handed me a 303 cadet, new in the box. Al was a big time gun enthusiast (not a fanatic - he hated being called that). Little did I know that his gift, was a parting gift, as he was moving on to another job. Al didn't get the satisfaction of seeing me use that knife, but I was in awe at the build quality and workmanship, and to be honest, I was a little scared to used it. Why? Because it was so sharp I could envision major lacerations being a regular occurrence. I also didn't want to mar up such a beautiful knife. So, I kept the 303 at home, only using it when extraordinary sharpness was required. The clip blade got used for removing slivers, and other tasks better suited for an Exacto knife. Enough history. A few years ago, I was really looking the knife over carefully, contemplating carrying it and noticed a couple of issues. When slipping it into or out of the pocket, the pivot pin would catch - it was sitting proud. Also, the rocker pin was nicely spun on one side, but flat-topped and sharp on the other. So, I was reading the warranty card and checked on-line on this forum and decided to send it to Buck. It was only a few dollars shipping - what the heck. I put a note in explaining the pivot and rocker problems and told them that the knife had sentimental value. I asked them to repair the knife, not replace it. When the knife was returned I was pleased that the pivot pin was peened and polished, but they hadn't touched the rocker pin. Then I noticed the blades were not sharp anymore and had been noticeably ground down. The instructions in the box said to "replace pivot pin and sharpen". The sharpen job turned a truly scary sharp knife into a dull knife with half of it's useful life gone. The knife still sits in the box and I get it out and remember the awesome gesture that Al did for me. I recently gave a Buck to a coworker, who needed a knife. It felt good.
I apologize for being long, so I'll try to be brief about the the second knife I sent to Buck for service. I bought a used (1981-1985) 505 Script with wood handles. When it arrived it had a huge amount of side to side and front to back blade play, so I sent it in. I again asked that the knife be repaired and not replaced. When it came back, the first thing I noticed was how nice the stainless steel bolsters were polished. The blade was perfectly sharpened and it just looked and felt terrific in the hand. Then I noticed that one of the scales had been replaced. I'm guessing one side broke when they were working on it. So now, one side has the original dark impregnated birchwood handle and the other has a new reddish rosewood handle. The new scale is done perfectly and the whole knife is pretty darn cool, having a split personality, so to speak. But, (here's the dreaded but), you guessed it, the blade play was not gone. It was reduced somewhat, but still very noticeable, making clicking sounds both side to side and front to back.
You be the judge of my experience with Buck's service. I am happy with some things and a little disappointed in others. Neither knife is going back to Buck. I have fixed a few other knives, as I gain more knowledge and confidence, so unless something major happens, I probably will just deal with it myself.
