How is Buck faring so far?

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
Nowadays with all the new knives and high-tech blades on the market, it crossed my mind several times as to how Buck knives are faring amidst the competition.

I know Buck has many loyal supporters. Personally, I have a sentimental attachment to Buck knives because one of my earliest knives was a Buck 120. After so many years, it still looks and feels great.

Always when I hold it in my hands, I tell myself: "What great workmanship."

I am not exactly worried for Buck with so many knife companies around. I am just curious as how Buck Knives is doing in the 21st century?



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Make Love your strongest weapon. Compassion your shield and forgiveness your armour.
 
Boy, now there's a great question.

Let me share a little history. In 1960's Buck Knives had our finger on the pulse of the knife community. We were custom knifemakers turned factory production and our models were the custom knives of choice for the previous decade. By the end of the 80's we took our eyes off that knife focus and tried to do many diversifications to hedge our bets against a mature knife market.

By the mid 90's we gave our full focus back to regaining our leadership in innovation position we had earlier from our beginning.

Right now we are focused on new products designed in collaboration with expert users in their chosen fields, we have categorized all our products based not on their physical descriptions (fixed vs folding etc) but based on how consumers will use them and for what activities. This has helped us cull out redundant models and focus our new product energies where they will have the greatest impact.

We are also importing some products as well as investing in "Lean Manufacturing" here in our facility. The imports really set cost standards for value and performance that challenge us to beat here in the states. It has been a healthy challenge for us and our international partners have really stepped up.

We have a new energy, a new focus and the resources to pull it off. All I would ask for is that this economy would loosen the screws just a little and that seems to be happening as we are having a great June.

Buck's got a great future.

Thanks for the interest in Buck.

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CJ Buck
Buck Knives, Inc.
AKTI Member #PR00003


 
Hi golok, welcome to the Buck Fourm, CJ an excellent answer to a really good question.
The only thing I might add is Buck's work and leadership role with AKTI (American Knife & Tool Institute) in working against anti knife laws and promoting knives as tools and minimizing the weapon aspect.

golok you might consider joining and supporting AKTI. While were at it, I just checked the membership roster and The Buck Collectors Club does not have a member it Malaysia, you could be the first. We have members in many parts of the world as well as in the USA. Approximately 1500 members, and growing.
smile.gif



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Have a KNIFE day,
fmcanoe/Frank Meek/BCCI Life#643
 
Buck Knives have been an excellent selling line in my business.

I'm actually doing better with the Buck line than I am with Spyderco, Benchmade and most of the other lines I carry, (Ecxept for Chris Reeve Knives. That is still my best selling line.)

The fact that I carry the largest inventory around San Diego, in those two product lines, might have something to do with that but sales are pretty good in those two areas. (Except for the Srider Spearpoints & Mini-Tantos, for some reason.)

If my sales are any indication, Buck is doing alright.

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Dennis Wright
Wright Knife & Sporting Goods
La Mesa, CA
1-800-400-1980
wrightknife@ixpres.com
("Have a knife day!")
www.wrightknife.com
 
Mr. Buck and Mr. Houser;
I am a big fan of Buck knives. I have been carrying a 110 since I was in the Navy (1977)I like alot of the designs and I am super impressed by the level of customer service provided by your company. I am also impressed that we are able to have a direct dialogue with you.
The problem that I have is that you execute some fine designs in 420 and 425 steel, which leaves me cold. I really enjoyed getting my hands on a pair of 110's with BG-42 blades and I am waiting to see if the 501 bladeforums knife comes to fruition. (Any new information on this?)
Please continue to make Master Series runs of the better designs so those of us who prefer better steels can enjoy more Buck knives. Thanks for listening.


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Although it does not mindfully keep guard in the small mountain fields, the scarecrow does not stand in vain
Bukkoku
 
Fudo,
Thank you for the kind comments about our customer service.
I'm with you on the issue of steel. The 420 and 425 are good steels with a following, but there are also a lot of folks that prefer the specialty steel. I think i am one of them. When you hunt in San Diego, you do not get much oportunity to field test knives!The times that i did get to use bg, or ats, i liked it.
I think knives with those steels are here to stay at Buck. We just have to see where they will pop up each year.
Take care,


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Joe Houser
Director of Consumer relations Buck Knives Inc.
Buck Collectors club Administrator and member #123
 
I also forgot to mention that focus on cutlery producing some new steels and the edge 2000.

We are right now working on getting things off our laser (like liners and clips) and into other production techniques so we can spend more laser time cutting more blades out of specialty steels.

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CJ Buck
Buck Knives, Inc.
AKTI Member #PR00003


 
Hey Joe!
I heard that there used to be some decent Javalina hunting in SoCal. Is that still true?

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Although it does not mindfully keep guard in the small mountain fields, the scarecrow does not stand in vain
Bukkoku
 
Sirs,

Great thread and excellent responses, Mr. Buck and Mr. Houser. All I can add is to ask that, in your search for better materials and such, you don't forget your roots. I just received my first custom from Pete's and it knocks me out just how good the 110 can be! High end materials in a classic design is a complete winner!

Ron Fanning
 
Thanks for the comments ron.

Fudo,

I do not think there is any javelina but we get some great feral hog hunting just north of Los Angeles.

You usually have to get on the other side of the sand dunes into arizonia to find javelina...even up arounds tucson.

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CJ Buck
Buck Knives, Inc.
AKTI Member #PR00003


 
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