How would you rate Buck today vs. Buck from years ago?

L

lightskyam

Joined
Mar 14, 2013
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I don't own any older Buck knives but for those that do, how would you rate Buck of yesterday to Buck today?
 
Which models and how many years ago? I like the design and feel of the earliest 110s, but the new knives are sturdier. The anniversary 110 Federal comes close to taking the best of the earliest and most recent. The earliest 301s looked and felt good, but they were not very durable. I like the flat grind on the earlier 300s better than the hollow grind of the newer knives. Other than changes in steel, which isn't that important to me, I don't see much difference in the 102 over the years.
 
The new Buck blades are easier to sharpen in my opinion. Don't like some of the new styles, I like their traditional knives.
 
I think every company puts out a few duds here and there. My 501 production didn't come as a thing of beauty but I deal with it because I got tired of going to the post office and playing back n forth with Buck.
 
IMO Buck has always put out a good product, always been innovative and abided to customer demands. I think the term better is subjective. I can skin deer or make a fuzz stick with a third version 110 or a new alpha hunter. The results are the same its only a matter of how you obtain it. The knives I've used have always been comfortable and held an edge well. I've never owned a Buck knife that I havent liked.
 
I have been collecting Buck knives only since the first of this year and am only familiar with the 110s. For me, I love the feel and the history of the Versions 1-3. They are thinner and just feel cool in my hand. They have their weak points though, that the newer ones have corrected and that is the weak brass Rocker Rivet, which would bend and a weaker spring. I like the old 440c as a blade, but I don't know about the 420 new ones. Most of my collections are of knives with BG42 steel and d2 steel, so I am a little different from Doug here. I do love the harder steel. There is just not much that the Buck family has done wrong, as successful as they have been. Buck is and always has been a first class company building first class knives.
 
First off, change is inevitable and not all change is good. Their blade grinds were not good from the models of the 70's but that's where they were. The grinds of the 80's were much better. But with the 80's came a steel change. Dictated for manufacturing.
Some of this was like the tail wagging the dog. Fit and finish was good then but better now. But seems like more complaints now. The 90's and 2000 ushered in the tiered marketing approach. A flavor of different steels, handle material and frames. Then in Idaho some totally different mfg. methods with CNG cutters. Which helped speed things up, offering tighter tolerances and other options. i.e. steels, designs and shapes, blade cut outs, ect.. Changes within the company affects products. Sometimes we see changes within the company and then an off shoot of different products. Now, we can do this...
Some like 420 others like better steels. I believe over-all the company and products are better today. Some shapes I still scratch my head over. DM
 
Introduction of new models are a hit or miss affair.
The yesteryears were less competitive
When compared to the proliferation of new brands and trend stylings.
Buck had lost some footing when hunting styles took a back seat to tacticals.
No doubt buck to me at least,
signifies and symbolises Americana in the best tradition of the great outdoors.
The knives had always reflect this.
But it must be hard to try and reinvent what which is generic and iconic
with new interpretations through design and styling.
Having said that, I figure life must move on in tandem with aspirations and wants of the young.
Otherwise, there can be no innovation and breakthroughs to bring about higher levels of excellence.
At this stage of the game, buck has shown it's matured enough and quite up to the challenges
and I am certain it will still be coming out with game changers to boast its popularity.
 
I'd like to pick up a 301 Stockman. Would you say that the 301 today is of the same quality as years ago?
 
I always carry a Buck in one pocket and I usually have some other brand slip joint or swiss army in the other pocket or maybe even a tactical as of late. Honestly, I have never gotten a bad Buck, while other brands might have blade rub or something not right. But a Buck has been the only brand that I feel confident buying new sight unseen.
And you have to remember that a Buck 110 might cost an average of $40 and a lot of the complaints you see are from people comparing the $40 buck with a $150 dollar knife. I've seen someone online bash a buck 110, saying how they slammed the back of the blade against a cinder block, and the lock failed. Then they stabbed the blade into a tree, the tip broke and how they would never use a Buck 110 lockback for a hunting knife.
I got a 110 paperstone for Christmas last year and it has been in my pocket everyday since then(granted I do carry 2 knives) but the 110 has been used the most. I haven't used It on any deer yet, but for general opening of stuff, cooking and cutting things off in the garden, and camping and cleaning some fish, I haven't even sharpened it yet. It might need it before bow season but as of right now, I could completely work up a deer with it without sharpening.
People also look at Buck's steel on charts and think it doesn't stack up against other super steels and on paper, maybe it doesn't but in real life situations, it might be different. I cut the lid off a tube of roofing caulk with another more expensive brand of knife that had a super steel and the blade showed some microchips. The next tube I used the 110 paperstone with the softer steel and it still looks like new no microchips.
 
Yes, they can bring out new and different models. I lean toward a skinner and sodbuster for most of my cutting chores in a folder. Kitchen cutlery is the standard, boning, Sabatier, trailing point and paring blade styles. Their paperstone handles grip well with not a great amount of difference from micarta. DM
 
What jec88 said! I got my Buck 110 back in 1992, 93 or 94 at the latest which my buddy back home in TN has now and I think the 112 I have now is finished a little better and I prefer the heat treat on this one better. I think the 110 I had was first year 420HC. That's not a great time distance but I think Buck just keeps a consistency of getting better.
 
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I have Buck knives from the 70's and I have a 2014 Vantage in my pocket, they are all good.
 
I'm in the same boat with Ed, "got's em" from the early 1970's up to this year - I like them all and know each and everyone will do the job it was designed for. OH

lightskyam said:
Where do you all buy your Buck knives from Blade Forum dealers mostly?
Click to expand...

I have had terrific luck right here in the classifieds - gotten good Buck knives in mint used condition at very fair prices. My other favorite haunts for knives is at Pawn Shops for old ones and local gun/outdoor shops for new ones.
 
Current is big enough that they do make something for almost everyone. Modern tactical, traditional folders, hunting and fishing, and kitchen cutlery. I was a kershaw guy when i started collecting knives. Now I edc a small Vantage. I like it enough that i do finally carry a knife everyday and I'm now on the search for a pro version 342 but seems like i joined the train after Buck stopped making them. So now i gotta keep an eye for one.
 
Buck still makes quality knives like they did years ago,and they back them up with a great warranty!
 
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