Buck vs Case

David Nowlin

David Nowlin

Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
2,781
I had very very low interest in traditional/slip joint knives. My collecting is really just a little here a little there, new and occasionally semi old. I picked up a couple Buck cheap Chinese slip joints and meh, nothing to write about here.
Only thing I knew about Case is they make knives. Wow YouTube has opened my eyes.
So many models and options that I will be busy till the day I die. Learning about the tang stamps and what fun this will be if I ever find a gem or two is a bonus.
I like that they are made in the USA. Why wasn't Buck able to go with the slip joints like Case was able to?
 
Buck makes knives in the USA as well as a chinese made line. Buck has less selection than case but look up the 301 or 303.
 
Exactly. Two knives. Buck makes a lot of knives Case doesn't make I get that. Two great companies going in different directions.
 
The 30x series slipjoints (currently only the 301 and 303 are being produced. However, there have been others.
Buck is upgrading the production line for the slipjoints, so there should be more models available fairly soon.)

The 37x and 38x are offshore made. These do carry the same forever warranty as the Idaho made knives. I figure if/when you get one of their offshore produced knives, you are still supporting Buck. :)

I agree. It would be nice if Buck were to come out with a few more 300 series knives not built on the 301 and 303 frames, and offered a greater choice than sawcut whatever they call the black plastic.

Whom knows? (excluding the management at Buck) maybe we'll get a wider selection of patterns and covers after the line is upgraded. (and just maybe they'll add the 300 series (at least the 301 and 303, at any rate) to the Custom shop selection of knives.) :)
 
David Nowlin said:
Thanks. As far as slipjoint traditional folders I'm gonna give Case my business for now. I think I love the jiggled bone scales and the variety of colors is refreshing
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You won't find any traditional pocket knives made today that have as much variety that case has, although most of their variety is in their handle options.

Case is far from the only option in the world though, just FYI. There are tons of defunct knife companies that made a huge variety of patterns. Case themselves used to have more pattern variety in the old days. The thing about getting into these older knives though is to knowledge up a little before jumping in.
 
Everyone including me seems to forget Boker,another one to look up. Although others have said make sure they're stamped Solingen to insure them being German made. They to have China made knives.
 
Misplaced Hillbilly said:
Everyone including me seems to forget Boker,another one to look up. Although others have said make sure they're stamped Solingen to insure them being German made. They to have China made knives.
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Yep, often overlooked. But the Solingen-stamped Bökers are a step above Case and Buck in the quality department. The ones that I have are all well made with good fit and finish, and just the right snap to the blades.
 
lambertiana said:
Yep, often overlooked. But the Solingen-stamped Bökers are a step above Case and Buck in the quality department. The ones that I have are all well made with good fit and finish, and just the right snap to the blades.
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I've had several current made solingen bokers and thought they were very much on par with case. Very similar look to the the blades in that the lines are a bit blended together and such, and the handles have the same boxiness as modern case. Fit and finish and snap both also very similar. I haven't had a ''bad'' modern case or boker. Both are good solid knives for reasonable prices.
 
jiggled:D:D:D

Case makes a multitude of knives...everything from stately classics and special collaborations..the T.Bose limited yearly range ...through production models of these ...to what appear somewhat like an acid afflicted hippies vomit....some of the corelon and kirinite acrylics ..theres also a mighty selection of commemoratively labelled knives ...worlds greatest dad/ mother in law/ US Marines/Navy/FBI etc etc....not my cup of tea thats for sure I find a bit twee and garish...I think of the term gas station knife .....something bought as gifts for other people ....a knife with XMAS colours ??? Who would buy that? Obviously not me but having said that ...Case knives are good quality right across their range..affordable and by all accounts great aftersales service if theres a problem...the biggest thing i dont like about them is theyve decided for some unknown reason to forbid dealers to sell to OS customers...a stupid regulation and one that blind Freddy on a galloping horse could see how to get around.
Cheers.
PS sorry about the jiggled ...it made me happy...
 
Buck has a far wider range in terms of application: hunting, EDC, tactical, woods tools, etc. Case makes mostly pocket jewelry. If you like endless variations on the same theme, I guess Case is your brand. For a reliable knife at a good price, Buck all the way.
 
dogstar said:
Buck has a far wider range in terms of application: hunting, EDC, tactical, woods tools, etc. Case makes mostly pocket jewelry. If you like endless variations on the same theme, I guess Case is your brand. For a reliable knife at a good price, Buck all the way.
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Not pocket jewelry. Good working knives reasonably priced. And lots of choices. I like Buck too, but they don't make much in the way of slipjoints. I love their lockbacks and fixed blades. I have a Buck 301, but the springs are disappointingly weak.
For me it's Buck for fixed blades and lockbacks (I have zero interest in their moderns or "tactical" stuff), and Case for slipjoints: trapper, stockman, canoe, etc.
 
David Nowlin said:
I had very very low interest in traditional/slip joint knives. My collecting is really just a little here a little there, new and occasionally semi old. I picked up a couple Buck cheap Chinese slip joints and meh, nothing to write about here.
Only thing I knew about Case is they make knives. Wow YouTube has opened my eyes.
So many models and options that I will be busy till the day I die. Learning about the tang stamps and what fun this will be if I ever find a gem or two is a bonus.
I like that they are made in the USA. Why wasn't Buck able to go with the slip joints like Case was able to?
Click to expand...

Buck began as a man making custom fixed blades and grew from there, Case pretty much started off like any other knife manufacturer mostly making slipjoint pocket knives and some hunting and kitchen knives.

Buck eventually realized they needed to offer slipjoint pocket knives to keep a steady place in the market and contacted first Schrade then later Camillus to make them before starting to make them in house sometime in the 80's.
A couple years ago Buck started a retooling process and had to drop most of the 300 series slipjoint line.
They're slated to return but I don't know if every model will and when.

Buck's always prided themselves on putting out excellent durable knivesthat are just a bit different than what everyone else was offering and I suppose that's why the clip blades on the Buck made slipjoints are a bit non standard when compared to what you typically see on most stockman.ect like you'd get from Case or Schrade, Camillus...ect. They're the king of the lockback

Case is a well known maker of mostly very traditional knives that tend to stay true to their respective patterns, and Buck is just Buck.
They have their own style and own thing going.

This is just my take on the differences between the two companies, hopefully it all makes sense.
 
Prester John said:
Not pocket jewelry. Good working knives reasonably priced. And lots of choices. I like Buck too, but they don't make much in the way of slipjoints. I love their lockbacks and fixed blades. I have a Buck 301, but the springs are disappointingly weak.
For me it's Buck for fixed blades and lockbacks (I have zero interest in their moderns or "tactical" stuff), and Case for slipjoints: trapper, stockman, canoe, etc.
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That's kind of how I am as well.
I like the Buck slipjoints I have and recommend them, but they're a bit non standard in some ways and Case is the better first place to look for slipjoints because of their variety and options.

This Buck solitaire on top is a great one I really love, I sure hope it returns because it really has no competition.
Case offers some single blade slipjoints but this one is of course like a lot of Buck knives just a bit different and uniquely Buck, even though it is mostly just a single blade on a large stockman frame. ( Not sure Case even makes one, like a single blade Texas Jack or something it would be )
 
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Hickory n steel said:
Not sure Case even makes one, like a single blade Texas Jack
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Case did make a line of single blade knives in their American Workman line, Texas Jack included. They had red plastic handles and American flag shields. Really good knives but I couldn't get past the cheap red handles. Kind of hard to find them though but they do pop up once in a while.
 
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