Does Buck knives have a PR problem?

DeSotoSky

DeSotoSky

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There is a recent thread in this forum abut the Pro's and Cons of TV advertising for Buck knives. Perhaps I should have posted this there. The problem I think Buck needs to address is that some people think all Bucks are made in China now and the general attitude with alot of people is that Made in China = poor quality. As an example. I was in a local Antique/Junque shop earlier today examining a Buck 120 from the display case. While looking at it the proprietor commented to me that he only collects Case knives because Buck knives arent made in the USA any more.....hmmm......not a very knowledgable knife person, I guess that's good, more Bucks for me but doesn't help the Buck company.

On the otherhand, although I know collecting doesn't always entail buying new knives which is what supports production, it's a problem for Buck that there are some people out there that think Bucks aren't what they used to be because they're now Made in China. Today isn't the first time I've encountered this notion that all Bucks are now made in China either.

While I do have a USA preference attitude myself, I will admit to a fondness for the 389 Canoes, a wonderful little knife for $15, and it's made in China. Although they are the only China made Bucks I own, I think they are of good quality, especially for the price. I'm working a a set of all the different variations. I count 12 total, I'm up to 8, 4 to go. If they ever make that knife in the USA, I know they won't be $15, but I'll willingly buy them!!!
 
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Desoto, While I don't think this is the problem as much as a Spin. I've heard this same line as well, then the seller will follow that with. 'Therefore, these are the last USA made Bucks so if you want one better get it'. Noting that his prices are high...
Sometimes I'll waste my time informing him . Then while walking away I'll hear him using the same line on the next guy. While your ill informed seller is easily disspelled by a knowledgeable knife person. Sometimes theres alittle more to it than what meets the eye. DM
 
I've experienced the same but not in this particular case today though. Actually, he offered to lower an already very fair price by 10%....I don't have a 120 but didn't buy it for lack of a sheath. It's nagging at me.... ;o) I'll have a question on that sheath as the subject for another thread.
 
The 120's while not rare are sought after as they've not in production. You could easily pick up a sheath from Buck if the knife was offered at a decent price. DM
 
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I always just reply, althought few are made off shore the majority are still made here in the USA. and every year Buck brings more back to the US. Now how many companies do that. Thats why Buck Knives are the best and there great customer service and warrenty cant be touched. They will always have my Business.
 
There is a slice of the knife society that likes to push the notion that Bucks are mostly chinese now. I think it comes from a general dislike of Buck by that group of people. Every company has their lovers,and every company has their haters. Think of it like McCarthyism.
 
'The truth is just putting on its pants while the lie it is chasing is already halfway around the world.'

David Martin may very well be right. The same people who will try to spin you on a Buck purchase will also sell Chinese brand knives. I do think it is worth smiling and telling them, no, Buck had a few models made overseas while they were moving their manufacturing facilities, but even those models are coming back to the US.

It takes time to catch up, but the more opportunities we take to correct misinformation, the sooner they will get the message.
 
I think the Chinese issue still hangs on.

I also think that people see their stuff at WalMart and then don't bother to look at the other options that the company makes.
 
Desoto:
I must admit that since so many of what some of us grew up with as "American Standards" are now outsourced that I myself was starting to believe the "most of the Bucks are not US made anymore" thing. In the last 6 months or so, I've been spending more time on this part of the forum and learning differently. I had mail ordered some knives in the past after being told that they were USA made, only to find that they were Taiwan or China when they arrived (an SOG Field Pup among them). Most of them went back, merely on principle of not being as advertised. I also bought a few Chinese made Bucks, most notably some 380 mini-trappers and a couple of the 389 Canoes you mentioned. These are decent knives, went dirt cheap, and are great little presents to pass on to people for just about any reason. (The young guy that was here to fix my cable after a storm was really pleased when I tossed him a Canoe after spending a little extra time to get things just right.) After time on this forum, I've come to realize that Buck is one of the FEW companies where you can still get a decent USA made knife for an affordable price. Yeah, there are some from China but they still do it right.

Look, I'm as guilty as the next guy for succumbing to "bargains", though not as much lately. And yes, there are import parts on my Harleys, both older and newer, as well as Toyotas in my garage. But I have been having a tough time accepting that something I've loved and carried around for well over a half century, that is a decent pocket knife, is rarely made in the US anymore. Yeah, I'm an old fart but somehow that just doesn't sit right. Sooo...... I've been turning more and more to Buck than ever before, and even picked up a few older used Bucks. Just because.

All that being said, I have had 2 of the 389 Canoes left from those I ordered a couple years back. I have opened one of the boxes, pulled it out, opened it up, felt how good it felt in my hand, shaved hair with the blades, etc. only to mutter "Ugh" when I see "CHINA" stamped on the smaller blade. Back in the box, into the drawer, till next time. Well guess what? After reading your post I have decided that I'm going to EDC this knife for the foreseeable future. It is officially out of the box and will go into the tray where I keep my rotation of EDC carriers. It is in my pocket right now, and will be soon living an active life turkey hunting, cutting string, gutting freshly caught trout, slicing apples, cleaning grease from under my nails, etc.

Thanks to this forum, I have become a more savvy buyer. And what the heck, I'll probably NEVER lose a knife that is made in China!
 
Until recently I didn't know Buck had anything made in china. All the one's I have are stamped USA, and the only ones I've had any desire for are stamped USA.
 
I would say that Buck certainly has a PR problem. Whether or not this is due to people's ignorance to their manufacturing policy or their own marketing and advertising campaign is up for debate. I was like many and thought that ALL of Buck's products were made in China. When you see clamshell packages in a Wal-Mart, or even an REI, the mind really thinks of the product as cheap? Why are those knives in packages on a rack, when these other ones are in the display case? What I think is really interesting about this is that you take a company like Cold Steel. Everyone I know seems to think that Cold Steel keeps everything stateside. How do they manage to have this rep? The fact is, most of their stuff (though I would like to say crap) is made in China, Japan or Taiwan. It's all about image and perception.

To me, Buck has made an image of cheaper hunting knives for Americans. They play it safe with designs. They aren't flashy with their advertising, and to get more knives into more stores, they use packaging that does not speak to the knife people, but rather just people who want a low cost knife and probably care little about where it was made. Look at Benchmade. Most non-knife people have never even heard of them. You need to look for stores that carry them. Different image.
 
Either Joe Houser or CJ Buck said here on the forum that they really didn't like the clam packs but were forced into using them by some of their customers. They (the customers) wanted to be able to display them on peg board type arraingements and not have to store them all in boxes. It wan't Buck's idea according to them.
 
sqoon said:
To me, Buck has made an image of cheaper hunting knives for Americans. They play it safe with designs. They aren't flashy with their advertising, and to get more knives into more stores, they use packaging that does not speak to the knife people, but rather just people who want a low cost knife and probably care little about where it was made. Look at Benchmade. Most non-knife people have never even heard of them. You need to look for stores that carry them. Different image.
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Its amazing the different perspectives. I've never thought of buck as cheap hunting knives. While Buck does have some inexpensive knives, a Buck has always been the envy of anyone I've known.

On the same token, to my disappointment, I have seen two new slimline 500 series lately that the wood was overpolished very badly.
 
Unfortunately this is a problem for many US industries and many manufacturers take the attitude that price is the all important thing to the buyer.and the place of manufacture is second. In my industry (automotive parts)it has become very important to state that its MADE IN THE USA and it cost nothing to put a big USA flag on the package and MADE IN USA. its surprising how much that matters and remember the Job you save may be your own. and we need to make it clear to manufacturers we do care.
Take a look at Kabar packaging the USA flag has become very prominent for an obvious reasons it sells knives and saves jobs.
 
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IMHO,the Buck knife on the bottom is as good as the Randall knife on the top.Both great knives made in the USA.
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survivaledge said:
Unfortunately this is a problem for many US industries and many manufacturers take the attitude that price is the all important thing to the buyer.and the place of manufacture is second. In my industry (automotive parts)it has become very important to state that its MADE IN THE USA and it cost nothing to put a big USA flag on the package and MADE IN USA. its surprising how much that matters and remember the Job you save may be your own. and we need to make it clear to manufacturers we do care.
Take a look at Kabar packaging the USA flag has become very prominent for an obvious reasons it sells knives and saves jobs.
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If you are talking about the same Ka-Bar as I am, I wouldn't hold them up as a great USA manufacturer if the catalog I just went through is an example. The catalog listed 15 Ka-Bar's and only 4 of those were marked "Made In USA". I have no idea how many types or patterns they make so I have no idea what percentage are made off shore, but according to a rough count of my own, Buck only has about 17% of their line made out of this country.
 
Plumberdv said:
If you are talking about the same Ka-Bar as I am, I wouldn't hold them up as a great USA manufacturer if the catalog I just went through is an example. The catalog listed 15 Ka-Bar's and only 4 of those were marked "Made In USA". I have no idea how many types or patterns they make so I have no idea what percentage are made off shore, but according to a rough count of my own, Buck only has about 17% of their line made out of this country.
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yes you may be right the only Ka bar I buy is the Becker Line (as I have collected that since the Blackjack days) and its all USA flagged made in USA.
 
survivaledge said:
yes you may be right the only Ka bar I buy is the Becker Line (as I have collected that since the Blackjack days) and its all USA flagged made in USA.
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"USA flagged made in USA" as are the vast majority of Buck knives. That's the point I was trying to make. Kabar seems to follow the same trend, they produce some here and import others, so I don't think they should be given any more kudos than Buck for saving American jobs.
 
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