Grohmann folder vs Buck 110?

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slingworks

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Feb 12, 2019
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Lately I've been wanting to carry a locking folder a bit and thought about ordering a Grohmann 380 folder.

A couple weeks ago I picked up a NOS Buck 110 w/finger grooves from the early 80s in a trade at a Gunshow...

At first I wasn't a real fan of the 110, but seems to be growing on me. I am starting to like it.
Now my question is how does the Buck 110 compare in quality to the Grohmann 380 locking folder?
I have only seen the Grohmann in catalogs and seems the best price I can find is about $120 delivered. While I like the looks of that particular knife, is there anything that sets it apart from a Buck 110? After owning my 110 for a bit I am starting to wonder? Is tje 380 worth 2-3x the price of a 110??? The 110 I picked up seems to be a fairly well built and finished knife.

The reason I was contemplating to order the Grohmann 380 was the drop point blade.

Thanks for the replies.
 
I don’t have any experience with the knife in question, but I did want to drop by and say the 110 has several drop point variations for those that prefer drop point over the traditional clip point. Some good steels they’re coming out with too, not just standard 420HC. :thumbsup:
 
Welcome to the forums sling.

I had to google the Grohmann. I looked at several sites (including Grohmanns own site) and never saw the blade steel listed. It just says HC stainless. Seems odd. They do look nice tho.

I have an old Buck 110 myself. It is a classic knife that most knife lovers have at least one of.

Btw, Buck makes a 3" bladed knife called the Ranger 112. It is more similar in size to the 380 then the 110. If you go to the Buck site, you can custom order a 110/112. You can upgrade to S30V blade for $13 and they have several different handles materials to choose from. That would put your more in line with the Grohmann price if you want to go that route.

Try checking out youtube vids too of course.

Sorry, not much help really...good luck!
 
I looked at the Buck 110s with the drop point blade you mention. They look pretty decent. More in line with what I am looking for. It appears they are 1/2 the cost of the Grohmann 380....Still wondering how the 2 compare build quality wise.
 
Look at the new Buck Slim Pro series, I have the Buck 112 Slim Pro in S30V steel, really light and thin, they go for about 80.00, and the clip is more straight on this series. so if you like the 110, I would be lighter than the standard model. I would think the Slim Pro series would be a lot better bargain and steel than the Grohmann. I think the blade steel is similar to 440A in the Grohmann. And if you do not want to go 80.00 dollars, the Slim series is still available in 420HC.
 
Makael..love that stag! ^^^^^^^

Yea, I'm like others, the 110 is just a workhorse. I remember one time years ago going frog gigging. We got about 25 of them and used a Buck 110 with a stick to baton their legs off. They were fresh and good. All cooked up in bacon grease. Hmmm.
I now have a new one. New to me anyway. She came to me with her BG42 steel and Dymondwood. Which is good but I wanted better. I sent her off to Uncle Leroy in CA and she came back with canvas micarta and a slight palm swell.
I love this knife!
 
Can’t compare build quality per se, but you know with Buck they have a lifetime warranty. If you happen to get one not up to your standards, which is not likely in my experience, send it in and they will make it right for you with no hassle at all :thumbsup:
 
Grohmann is that a US company? Is it US made or of offshore origin? The fact that they don’t advertise what steel its running with is a concern but guess we need the opinion of someone who has or has had one to chime in. Guess i could just google it? :eek::eek::eek:
 
You can never go wrong with a buck 110. There's a reason so many old ones are still kickin, they're fantastic budget knives. Upgraded steel and scales and you have yourself a great knife.

Never heard of the other brand. From what little knowledge I have, when it's mystery steel, it's likely junk steel. Good or even decent steel is a selling point and I'm sure most makers are aware of that.
 
Grohmann is s long established Canadian knife make n Pictou, Nova Scotia. Mostly known for their fixed blade knives, they make DH Russell knives, using German Stainless steel, and C70 carbon steel, I believe.
 
cbach8tw said:
Grohmann is s long established Canadian knife make n Pictou, Nova Scotia. Mostly known for their fixed blade knives, they make DH Russell knives, using German Stainless steel, and C70 carbon steel, I believe.
Click to expand...

Thanks cbach8tw. This thread was starting to turn into a Buck 110 lovefest:rolleyes:. Good to see some acknowledgement of that "other" company.

Don't know what they're up to these days, but they have a well established reputation and are probably most famous for the iconic Canadian belt knife.
 
David Nowlin said:
Grohmann is that a US company? Is it US made or of offshore origin? The fact that they don’t advertise what steel its running with is a concern but guess we need the opinion of someone who has or has had one to chime in. Guess i could just google it? :eek::eek::eek:
Click to expand...
Grohman is in Pictou, Nova Scotia, CANADA. They use German steel, I believe, 4110, roughly equivalent to 440 series. Its carbon steel, C70 is close to 1070/1080. Good stuff. Both heat treated to roughly 56-58 RC.
 
bobobama said:
Thanks cbach8tw. This thread was starting to turn into a Buck 110 lovefest:rolleyes:. Good to see some acknowledgement of that "other" company.

Don't know what they're up to these days, but they have a well established reputation and are probably most famous for the iconic Canadian belt knife.
Click to expand...

That's because the Buck 110 has a history stretching over half a century.
The Bos HT is outstanding, and the warranty is Rock solid.
There are no surprises with the Buck 110.
It's one of the better buys for the money in the industry.
You can get a 110 in different variations, from basic to supersteels, even automatics.
 
For my money it’s hard to beat Buck quality and service. Not only is their standard version very affordable but their premium versions which are many including autos and elite models are still less than the comparison. I bought a 110 in cpm20cv with nickel bolsters and beautiful burlap micarta for under $140.
 
You can get a Buck with a more carbide rich steel for much less than that Grohmann. IMO, that particular Grohmann is a just a Buck 110 drop point knock off for people who prefer the Grohmann name on their knife (much like the Schrade LB-7 was back in the day). The Grohmann that I find more interesting is the Russell design.

I love Bucks and carry one most days. Generally their metal bolstered knives are great. But in fairness, I got a limited run drop point flat ground 110 from Copper and Clad for Christmas and it came out of the box with a floppy blade that hits the blade well when closed and has considerable horizontal play when open. I'm confident that Buck will take care of it when I send it in, but I do need to send it in and that's a pain.

If it were me... I just use the heck out of the older 110 that you have for a bit. Is it a 2 dot version? If so, it has 440C steel. I do prefer the blade shape of the more modern 110s but the 2 dot 110s are considered real classics.

If you want a drop point, I would go the Buck custom shop or look at Copper and Clad or SK blades. I say this despite needing to send mine in to get tuned up.
 
Check SK Blades dot com (supporting dealer) they have a couple drop point 110's with CPM-154 blade steel.
'The Shield' has a blue FRN handle, and drop point CPM-154 blade for around $40.
'The Fox' has Nickle Silver bolsters and liners, and is fitted with orange G10 covers. Again, it has a drop point CPM-154 blade. It's under $100.

The 'Smoke Jumper' has a red FRN handle and clip point CPM-154 blade.

So far I've bought five knives from SK Blades. All have been 200% flaw free.

Buck's warranty is Forever, not merely "lifetime".
They also have a Spa Service. For under $10 they'll make your old knife look new.
 
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Buck knives are a proven quality and concept. The classic ones are built like a tank, but they weigh like one too (although I find the weight oddly reassuring). They offer good quality and on the occasional QC miss will make it right for you. Their warranty is forever and they don't try to mess with you in legalese.

Grohmann is a relatively unknown brand. They don't mention the kind of steel they use (red flag). Doesn't canada have issues with crazy customs seizing knives sent across the border? That would be an issue if you aren't canadian and need warranty. They are also quite expensive. I don't like the blade shape either.

My 2 cents? Grohmann will rip you off by selling you a very expensive knife that everyone will immediately identify as a rip-off of 'the real thing'. Yep, that's right, the 110 is such a well known knife and has been for so long, that even non-knife people recognise it as an iconic one. If you're a knife afficionado, I feel owning a Buck 110 should be compulsory anyway, so go for the 110. (You guys are lucky I don't make the rules here ;) ).
 
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