Guns Shop discussion

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sudonym

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Mar 9, 2010
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Stopped by a local gun shop today and picked up a Boyt Gun pad to display my knives on. While I was there, I asked the gentleman behind the counter if they carried any Buck Knives. He scoffed and said, "If you want a cheap knife, go to Walmart". I just picked up my package, smiled and walked away. I had the same thing happen at an Antique store the other day. I asked the gentleman who worked there if they had any Buck pocket knives and he told me if I wanted something that would hold it's value I should collect Case knives. He said he had a very old Case that he was asking $250 for if I wanted to buy a good knife. I smiled, said no thank you and walked away. Two more guys I don't have to compete with. :)
 
Sad.

Buck did a lot of damage to their rep though by shipping a few of the production lines to China. I understand why they did it. However, many people relate China to cheap and that Buck sold out by doing so. I have had many conversations trying to correct people that the vast majority of Bucks have always been made in the US. Often though you can't fix stupid.
 
They're still in the process of reducing the number of models made in China.

I think it was getting to be around 15 percent or less last I heard.

The people you talked to may have just been wanting to sell you something they had in stock and thus would bad mouth anything else you had asked for.....including Buck......so I don't know that it necessarily had much to do with China.
 
Thats funny, when I see one I want to handle they always say " Thats a Buck, best knife made, I can't come off the marked price"...ha

300Bucks/ch
 
I've had one buck knife for over 20 years that my Father gave me when I was in grade school. I never did carry it much but always liked the way it felt. I'm not to familiar with their model numbers but it's a smaller stockman pattern. Schrade was my favorite brand until they closed their doors and sold to Taylor. Then this past Christmas I received a Buck 442 and now I own three more Buck knives since the new year has started. I can honestly say I was really impressed with the 442 and that's what led me to buying three more since, and some input from people on this site too. Some people forget that a knife is a tool and tools are made to be used for working. I bet when those guys you mentioned in the antique and gun store buy their tools they don't look to see where they're made.
 
I feel the main issue for a small dealer referring to Bucks as cheap knives is mostly due to the fact that the small dealers can not compete with the Buck prices at large retailers. Buck, Kershaw and Gerber all sell directly to Walmart, Dicks, Sports Authority and other large chains who buy and sell in volume and can afford to offer these knives at prices that sometime are the same "wholesale" prices your local dealer is getting them for who then has to mark them up to sell to you. The small dealers have to attack their competetion some how, and making you question the quality of the product often works.
There was a small knife dealer in a local in door flea market who was selling Buck 110s for $50 when Walmart two blocks away was selling thme for $26.99. I said to the owner they should either reduce their price or stop selling the same knife for so much more. They did stop selling the 110s a few months later....
 
Hi sudo -

I don't know if I could have just walked away on that comment. You did the right thing though - as was pointed out, the fellow was more interested in selling than listening.

My favorite local gun shop carries a nice selection of Kershaw, Spyderco, Kabar, Benchmade, Case and a slew of the cheap crap you typically see at gun shows. I don't remember seeing any Bucks there.

best

mqqn
 
I was at a a flea market one day was inform quite emphatically that BUCK makes 2 110's, 1 for the dealers and the other for WalMart. He said this with a display case full of china knives. I guess he figured I was too stupid to realize that there is no way BUCK, or any other company for that fact, would run the risk of a dealer getting something intend for WalMart. I felt like relieving him of a few teeth, but I kept my composure and stayed out of jail. Next time I go to that flea market, I think I'll take 2 11110's from WalMart with me and see if he can tell me which one is which!
 
I've heard the funniest things in gun shops, I won't go into detail because it would be non-knife related.

I'm curious as to what brand of knives that particular shop owner carried? Most sporting goods/gun stores here carry Buck knives and I've never heard anything negative about the brand.

The funny thing about the Walmart "2 version" theory is that it extends to almost every brand name product they sell. I've heard this about guns, lawn mowers, knives etc.
 
Yes, Buck has an import line but I can't think of any knife made by Buck that was once made in the US and was moved to China.
Can anyone name a Buck knife once made in the US that is now made only in China?
Excluding 300 series slippies which are made in both places, I don't think there is one. I don't think Buck has ever moved production of an existing knife model to China.
 
Last edited:
Behold the Fisherman!
He Riseth Up Early in the Morning,
and Disturbeth the Whole Household.
Mighty are His Preparations.
He Goeth Forth Full of Hope.
And When the Day is Spent, He Returneth,
Smelling of Strong Drink.
And the Truth is not with Him!
Click to expand...

They should write one about gun dealers.

People joke about lawyers being fast and loose with the truth.......

People joke about fish stories......

People joke about politicians....

But gun dealers can tell more and better lies per second than any other group on earth.

:D
 
For a short period of time, I worked in a marketing department (different industry). In case you're wondering, it only hurts for a second when you have your soul ripped out.

In any event, the marketing group I was in had a guy whose sole job was pricing. One of the big considerations he gave to pricing was brand reputation. A fancy term for this is pricing strategy. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pricing_strategies

Premium pricing (aka boutique pricing) is the approach of keeping your price high to create a premium brand image. This is why you'll never see Bose sound equipment at deep discounts.

I personally think Buck has done some damage to its brand image by a) outsourcing some product lines to China and b) putting out it's hallmark knives (the 110 and 119) out at cheap Walmart/Kmart prices.

One way they could have handled the China issue would have been to a) keep the outsourcing entirely to modern tacticals (the traditional slip joints were a big problem, imo) and b) spun off a separate line of China produced stuff (like Boker did with their Boker+ line).

One way they could have put out more products for sale in Walmart/Kmart would have been to put out the Paperstone 110/112s at $25-$30 price point (currently $20 on their web special page) while keeping the traditional brass/wood 110/112s at closer to their stated retail value. IMO, that would help retain the perception that the Buck 110 is still a premium knife (which I think it is) and would help protect the Buck brand image as a premium knife company.
 
But remember, Pinnah......the Walmart/Kmart, Etc.....has been going on for a long time and gave Buck a big boost when they really needed it.

And at that time it couldn't have been done without the 110 and 119.

But, what you said is basically true.
 
... so I walked into K-Mart a few weeks back to buy the Buck 110 w/ free Buck 425 combo pack. The cashier rang me up with a, "$40 is way too much for a knife. I lose knives. I can go down to the flea market and get one for $10." I told him that a Buck 110 is top quality made in the USA with a lifetime warranty, and if he bought a good knife with a belt sheath, maybe he wouldn't lose it. He told me he'd lose it and that he could buy four knives to my one. His logic was impenetrable, so I looked him in the eye and with my best Clint imitation, I said, ".... shut up and give me my change." He laughed and gave me my change.

I guess one man's chump change is another man's paycheck.
 
Another response:

"You know......you're absolutely right. Someone like you should not own a good knife."

And count your change carefully.

:)
 
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