Future of the 110/112 Slim line?

R

rival22

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Jan 7, 2022
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Pic above is my newest 112, and I love everything about it. Still in the honeymoon period, but it's my favorite EDC knife, and my favorite Buck. I'm debating selling off my small sebenza, I love it that much. The feel... the sound.... the weight...

But, with the Slim Pro TRX line being axed this year, it leaves me wonder where the future of the Slim line is going? I'll reference the 112 more, but same holds true for the 110, I just prefer the 112 Slim and the 110 in it's traditional form.

Slim select line is still going, and still the best value pocket knife in the world to me. USA made, indestructible, just a great great knife at a laughably low price (please Buck, just put a regular clip on it! fyi the "normal" Spyderco clip fits the holes, and you can get generic $10 deep carry ones online).

The Slim Pro (and then the TRX) was just behind as an awesome "mid level" EDC knife. Higher end materials, upgraded steel, and the torx on the TRX was a great addition. For $100ish, still a great value.

I did buy the May 2024 BOM (Darth Vader red cerakote blade, aluminum handled) 112 slim. In the hand it was awesome, and a clear upgrade over the G10 (I'm not a G10 fan for the most part). Red D2 and the funky milling pattern led me to eventually resell it, but I missed the feel of it in the hand so much, I eventually bought the Titanium one (yay discontinued closeout pricing). At the time of the BOM, I posted something about wishing they made a Aluminum version as a standard version.

After seeing the Range line, my kneejerk reaction would be to make an aluminum 112 slim with Magnacut. But from a business side, is the demand there for probably a $175+ lock back "old" style of knife? And would it negatively impact the Range sales? Everyone loves crossbar locks, etc. these days. Even Spyderco who still really keeps the back lock popular, usually keeps the pricing/materials on the lower-mid side of things in their FRN Seki line (outside of limited runs/Native line).

I'm just curious what the next version of the Slim line will look like, if there is even one?
 
hard to say what Buck will do with the slim line. the titanium ones, I love, but we're priced way too high. so much competition was cheaper than the Buck titanium slims.

I don't love the axis lock and copies myself. it's okay. the tri-ad, which the patent expires in a year and some months, is far better and stronger and self adjusting. it's really the best folding knife lock invented pretty much ever, like it or not. it would be great if when the patent expires if Buck used it on some of their American lockback models. hasn't been an American made tri-ad, i can think of, since Andrew was making customs with it awhile back.

on business side.....ya want aluminum magnacut slim....i always wanted a Buck made machete. it feels right to me, but wouldn't be a great idear for Buck...unless they had imacasa or other high quality/lower cost equivalent make one and stamp their name on it for them. the aluminum slim might make sense though if priced right and market wants it.
 
I liked my 112 slim pro. Enough that when I lost it I got I bought a pro TRX. The S30V just doesn’t work well with my use. Even cutting netting off of round hay bales seems to chip the blade (maybe 3 bales a day and I’m sharpening after two or three days).

The 112 slim select dulls easier but sharpens in just a few minutes. It handles my abusive use so much better.

If a 420HC with g10 handles was made, i would be very interested. Even if it was a pinned design vs TRX.

The 112 grip just fits my hand so well for my uses. I like my 110, but my Scoutlite gifted to me started a trend a long time ago and I haven’t found a good enough reason to quit the 112 slim line.
 
I got a 112 slim select back in November to try. Not expecting much out of a $38.00 knife, turns out I love it. I've been bouncing in and out of the Custom page trying different combinations of blade material, handle materials of the 112 for the last couple of months wanting a custom 112. I have a 2007 regular one but just can't bond with it. Thought I needed a custom one. Now, I'm rethinking the whole thing. The weight. I just don't have a real need for a 7 ounce knife on my hip. I have an office job. I don't really need a beast of a knife like a 112 or even a 110. Now I'm looking at the TRX line and thinking,,,, well, that could work. The 112 as mentioned just "fits".
 
J Buck said:
I got a 112 slim select back in November to try. Not expecting much out of a $38.00 knife, turns out I love it. I've been bouncing in and out of the Custom page trying different combinations of blade material, handle materials of the 112 for the last couple of months wanting a custom 112. I have a 2007 regular one but just can't bond with it. Thought I needed a custom one. Now, I'm rethinking the whole thing. The weight. I just don't have a real need for a 7 ounce knife on my hip. I have an office job. I don't really need a beast of a knife like a 112 or even a 110. Now I'm looking at the TRX line and thinking,,,, well, that could work. The 112 as mentioned just "fits".
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I got a 112 Slim Select early last year, and love it. I call it my "beater Buck", and it's seen a lot of use. I thought about getting a 112 Slim Pro or TRX many times, but I just was never a fan of S30V.
 
Ironbut said:
I got a 112 Slim Select early last year, and love it. I call it my "beater Buck", and it's seen a lot of use. I thought about getting a 112 Slim Pro or TRX many times, but I just was never a fan of S30V.
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I have a 110 Slim Select that lives in the dash tray of my truck, and a 112 in my camping bag.

My 13yo hasn't shown a ton of interests in knives, but last time camping, I was sitting around the fire carving a stick as one does, and he were asking about it trying... So, I figured the 112 slim select was a perfect knife for a kid to learn the finer points of stick carving lol.
 
Great line of knives. This was my work knife for 1 year. It lasted so I cleaned it for the first time and entered it into the hall of fame. If only gets carried in my clean pants now.

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I would like to see more of the slim knives with pocket clips.
 
Adapting the 110 to a one-hand, pocket clip knife is something of a compromise. The thumbstud locations is less than idea and the lock release is not easily accessible. The Range knives have the advantage of being designed from the ground up to fill the role of a modern folder. The 112 Slim Select is my first recommendation to someone who needs an everyday work knife, but I think it might not suit many of today's customers.
 
ScottK said:
I'm a fan of the 110 and 112 Slim series, My favorite is the original 112 Slim Pro in S30V with Brown Micarta scales. Below are some of my 112 Slim EDC's.

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The third from the top - when was that made, and do you know if there was a similar 110? I'm trying to get a full collection of the slim pro/TRX series. I wasn't aware of G10 colors for the 110 other than orange, green, and black.
 
JD Bear said:
I may be in the minority, but I wish there were more slim models with nail nicks instead of the thumb stud. I think the micarta version was made for Canada, but I could be wrong. It's not easy trying to track one of those down...
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I'm with you on that. I think it was in 2021 that Buck made some nail nick Slim Selects available. (The date stamp on the blade of mine is 2019.) Just my personal preference, but I don't care for thumb studs or pocket clips, so this one suits me better. I think Zornhau Zornhau has a good point -- maybe better to start over with a new design than by adding on "modern" features to a classic design. (YMMV, of course. :))

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Ace Rimmer said:
I'm with you on that. I think it was in 2021 that Buck made some nail nick Slim Selects available. (The date stamp on the blade of mine is 2019.) Just my personal preference, but I don't care for thumb studs or pocket clips, so this one suits me better. I think Zornhau Zornhau has a good point -- maybe better to start over with a new design than by adding on "modern" features to a classic design.

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I understand everyone's thinking here, but....... I have four CRKs, four Hinderers, some Spydercos, ZTs, etc, and out of all of them I can't think of a knife that's more comfortable to actually use than the 112. I usually carry a traditional 112 on my belt, but I also have a 112 Slim Select, because I like the idea of a modern, lightweight, one hand opening, pocket clip, 112. I can see no reason at all why both modern & traditional versions of the Slim line can't be made available. As for coming up with a new design......Why? This works fine.
 
Ace Rimmer said:
Excellent point. Expanding the appeal of the tried and true classics should be a good thing.
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It'd be easy to make one blade, with both a nail nick & and a hole for thumb stud; and handles with inserts for a pocket clip. The only thing missing on your knife up above, is the hole for the thumb stud. If someone wants the modern version with clip & thumb stud, Buck could charge an extra $10-15.
 
BigMoney said:
It seems like you could take the traditional construction of the 112/110 and lose around .25" of thickness.
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There’s a guy who has done it, but I don’t remember if it was here on BladeForums, or a Facebook group.

His work and fit/finish looked great. I don’t know if he removed a full.25” - that would leave the scales pretty thin. He disassembled, thinned the brass and scales, reinstalled the rivets, the whole nine yards.

If I run across his name/post again, I’ll probably ask if he’s accepting work.

He’s probably here and will speak up, I hope.
 
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