Dear Buck:

[bbb4u]

Jeff,

Thanks for answering (2) of my questions.

I'd still like to see a list of the Imported models here on the forums.

I feel all Buck enthusiasts / collectors have a right to know.

Take care,
Dan

 

[Old Coastie]

I can answer the 1st 2


The Steel is 420 Hc Equivilent, Rockwells are coming it at 58-59 R'c'


All Imports have the same warrenty as our other products. 100% Lifetime warrenty

I'll let CJ take the other one

All Imports go through my Department and meet Buck's Daily Quality standards that we hold in our own shop.

Jeff
QA Super

I am sorry if I am beating a dead horse but I don't believe the steel question was actually answered. What does "The Steel is 420 Hc Equivilent" mean. It is 420 Hc or it isn't. If it isn't, what is it? I am sorry if this sounds a little sharp, but I am upset. I just picked up a 303 with wood scales. It was only after I arrived home that I discovered it was made in China. If "Made in China" had been on the end flap label I would not even have looked at the knife. I buy Buck knives because they are made by Buck, not because they are imported by Buck.

If you think that was a rant, then rant off. On the other side of the coin, it really does appear to be a well constructed knife, every bit the equal in appearance to the 303 I bought two days earlier. I guess I'll give it a try for a while and see how it holds up. I just don't believe I'll ever be able to think of it as a Buck Knife.

Mike

 

[WayneH]

As Jeff attested to earlier, we make a careful selection to where an item will be built, and the underlying qualification is anything with the Buck name on it has to exhibit Buck quality.

We compete in some arenas where quality is king instead of price and we compete in arenas where price is all that matters. As a longstanding family owned company and brand we do have minimum performance standards that must be met or a product will not be sold.

There have been many conversations I have had with my father based on his discomfort with importing. We agreed that as long as it was Buck quality it was ok. Fit, Finish, Sharp and heat treated correctly. We have sent engineers to our partners in Asia, both China and Taiwan, because the prototypes and pilot runs were not meeting our specs. With proper fortitude we can provide a very good knife at a very economical price. We are not interested in the $5 per dozen stuff...

cj

I'm sure that the imported stuff is of fine quality and meet Buck standards. I know that Buck wouldn't put crap out on the shelves on purpose. I also understand that in today's market, it's important to keep costs down and prices low.

That being said, I still don't like the idea of not knowing that a Buck knife is made in China until after it's purchased. I wouldn't buy one if I did. I would rather pay a higher price for an item that is made on American soil. I haven't been a computer programmer for two years because it's cheaper to outsource programming and tech support to India. The programs that these people are writing are of good quality, but I've still lost my chosen career.

 

[Bill Keys]

On the question of blade steel in the wood handled 303, whether it is 420HC stainless or not or similar or? The long answer is this; when we purchase steel in the US, we purchase 420HC stainless steel ,which is really 420 stainless steel with a specified minimum carbon content. There is no official AISI number/designation of 420HC,(unlike 440A, 440C...) although the 420HC number is used freuently even when talking with steel people. Having said all of that, steel not produced in the US does not (often) carry the standard AISI or SAE designations. Thus, non US steel can have the same chemistry as 420HC but the designation from the area/company producing it may be entirely different. A common example of this that most knife people know of is ATS-34 and 154CM; essentially the same materials but one is produced in Japan and the other in the US. So for the 303 in question, the blade steel is the same chemistry as the 420HC steel we use domestically, but is produced by a mill outside of the US (usually) and thus does not officially carry the designation of 420HC. We require certs of conformance for all of our products/materials whether produced domestically or offshore. In addition to the steel chemistry, we require conformance to our heat treat spec and process.
Hope that helps answer the question on the steel we use in our products, domestic or otherwise. Our goal has always been and will continue to be provide a quality product to our customer.

Bill Keys
Director of Engineering, Buck Knives

 

[Brian Bentley]

Maybe I am not reading all of the key points but one question that I have searched and searched this thread for the answer. It appears that ALL of the knives in question so far appear to be the 300 series with the wood scales. Are the Delrin handled knives made in the U.S.? I too would lke to see a list of imported models. Everyone seems to be stepping around this issue.

Not trying to be confromtational, but I purchase a lot of knives online and it would be nice to know which models are U.S. made since viewing before purchase is difficult in these cases.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Gary007]

If I bought a Buck knife and "China" was stamped on it, I would have immediately thought it was a counterfeit Buck knife. (because before this post, I had thought all Bucks were produced here in the USA.)

It may live up to Buck's standards, but the name "China" or "Taiwan" to me just screams cheap and just doesn't look nice on the blade. (sorry, no offense to China)

I would never buy a Buck that was made in another country, just stubborn that way. I recently bought two Buck 110's that I am very happy and proud of. Just today I proudly shined up the brass and wiped the blade down, many times.

The same with Japanese or German knives, etc, I want them made in their respective countries.

"China" printed above the barcode on the box and "china" stamped on the sheepsfoot tang.

Thinking about returning the knife to Walmart.

 

[guy g]

Buck has been asked before to list knives made in other countries and hasnt. I personally dont have a problem as long as quality is there. No one complains about Spyderco or Benchmade. Would you rather have a good contract knife from Taiwan or a Schrade knife made poorly? It's a personal question.

 

[Manchu]

I don't know about anyone else, but I grew up being told that people buy Buck's because they're made in the US, for the obvious reasons. I guess I just don't follow knives close enough to have noticed that Buck is having some made in China now. Lord, I hope my Dad never hears of this. I think he would take it kinda hard.

 

[CapCase]

A couple months ago I was looking at a Buck Cadet with the wood scales at Wal-Mart. Beautiful little knife. Appeared to be well made. I had decided to buy it when I noticed CHINA on the back of one of the blades. I still wanted the knife but I couldn't bring myself to buy a Buck that was made in China. I bought a Schrade instead. Not that it did them any good.

I'm sure the little chinese made Buck is a good quality knife but I don't knowingly buy knives made in China. I do own three knives of other brands that were made in China, and they seem to be decent knives, but I had mail ordered them and didn't know where they were made before they arrived. I emailed the mail order company (SMKW) asking them to list the country of origin in their descriptions but they never replied.

I have no intentions of ever knowingly buying a Buck that was made in another country, no matter how well made. Buck means American to me. I understand that economic realities may mean importing some of their product but I only want American made Bucks. I feel the same way about Case knives.

 

[peter78]

Yes, it would be nice to know were the knife is made. I buy quite a few knives through a mail order catalog. I have one Buck knife made in Japan and that was by accident. I recently bought a Smith & Wesson knife with a stag handle and was dissapointed to see it was made in China.

Being a collector of knives, I doubt the value of a Chinese Buck knife in ten years will be the same as a American Buck knife during that same time.