If/when Buck moves production models from China back to the USA

J

jockey77

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Sep 9, 2012
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Will the China made knives gain value as collectables?
They are very well made, just seem to lack the "USA" stamp.
 
While I do see some of them as well made users, I don't see them ever being considered a collectable. Who know though, folks all over the world collect a lot of odd things and consider them precious.
 
Jockey,
I think Plumb is right in that people collect a lot of werid stuff. Will overseas contracted Bucks be collectable ? I can tell you if you have a nice collection of these Bucks, in a nice display, are a member of the Buck Collectors Club you will be given display space at any show we attend. I have been expecting someone to show up with a collection of all or most of those knives any day now. No flag waving, or political inclinations on this. Just a collection of knives contracted by Buck to meet a need for a low priced but decent quality product for a particular application. Will they be valuable someday, who can tell. A New In the Box (NIB) knife is always worth more than a used one or one with no box.

Again, no flag waving needed, its just a product of the Buck company. When none are made there, then it will be that none are made there. 300
 
I think they are collectable. I collect the slippies. They represent a wonderful array of variation in scale material. I'm willing to bet we would never seen this variety of materials if they were made in USA. Shown is part of my ChinaBuck collection, the 389 Canoe. Every one is different. To my knowledge I have every variation of the Canoe except the Black Poly Pearl which was a Cabela's issue. I did find one once but the dealer wasn't asking a "China" price. I'm sure there are some customs out there by Yellowhorse and others. I have seen a scrimshaw of a Mermaid on white bone. The 4th down on the right is a Custom in Water Buffalo. Many of these can be found in the $10 to $20 price range. I don't use them but I can find no fault with them cosmetically. I am showing only my Canoes but there are a good number of variations available on the other models also, particularly the 382 Trapper and the 385 Toothpick.

To answer the original question, will they gain in value... I doubt it. Look at the value of USA made Limited Editions...many sell today for the same price as when they were originally sold for years ago. Collecting Bucks certainally not about value gain. Also these knives will always have the "China" stigma for many. Overlooking that, other than the wood scales, I think many of these were very limited offerings and will get tougher to find. The one with the silver fish bottom right is 1 of 495... 5 were made with a gold fish...now that's rare.



I would like to take exception to the title of this thread
If/when Buck moves production models from China back to the USA
Yes, Buck has an import line and there is some overlap in the USA and China slipjoint model lines but the China versions get an entirely differend model number and scale material. To my knowledge Buck has never "MOVED" the manufacture of a USA made knife to China so in that sense there is nothing to move "BACK". I Challenge for someone to name one......
 
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Very nice collection Desoto. I have a few of the canoes, but not nearly the collection that you have.

In 2006 Buck even produced a Limited Edition for Bass Pro Shops (Redhead collection) using the Chinese made 382 Trapper.



 
Plumberdv said:
Very nice collection Desoto. I have a few of the canoes, but not nearly the collection that you have.

In 2006 Buck even produced a Limited Edition for Bass Pro Shops (Redhead collection) using the Chinese made 382 Trapper.

Click to expand...


That is one to add to my want list. :thumbup:
 
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Thanks for the input folks. I have at least 1 each of the 300 series. 7 389 Canoes, looking to fill the rest in as DeSotoSky has done.
 
If Ebay proves anything, its that there can be a collectables market for anything eventually. :)
 
I think they will be very collectable. There are many out there from various places, not just China, that would make very interesting displays. And some strange ones. I have a 301 2004 model laying here that has China on the sheep blade. By all rights that should be a 37x (offshore) model instead of 301 US.
 
Stelth said:
They won't be collectable to me.
Click to expand...

And that's just fine, not everybody has to collect the same things, otherwise collecting would be boring. I don't like collecting 110s but others find collecting them fascinating.
 
DeSotoSky said:
I think they are collectable. I collect the slippies. They represent a wonderful array of variation in scale material. I'm willing to bet we would never seen this variety of materials if they were made in USA. Shown is part of my ChinaBuck collection, the 389 Canoe. Every one is different. To my knowledge I have every variation of the Canoe except the Black Poly Pearl which was a Cabela's issue. I did find one once but the dealer wasn't asking a "China" price. I'm sure there are some customs out there by Yellowhorse and others. I have seen a scrimshaw of a Mermaid on white bone. The 4th down on the right is a Custom in Water Buffalo. Many of these can be found in the $10 to $20 price range. I don't use them but I can find no fault with them cosmetically. I am showing only my Canoes but there are a good number of variations available on the other models also, particularly the 382 Trapper and the 385 Toothpick.

To answer the original question, will they gain in value... I doubt it. Look at the value of USA made Limited Editions...many sell today for the same price as when they were originally sold for years ago. Collecting Bucks certainally not about value gain. Also these knives will always have the "China" stigma for many. Overlooking that, other than the wood scales, I think many of these were very limited offerings and will get tougher to find. The one with the silver fish bottom right is 1 of 495... 5 were made with a gold fish...now that's rare.



I would like to take exception to the title of this thread
If/when Buck moves production models from China back to the USA
Yes, Buck has an import line and there is some overlap in the USA and China slipjoint model lines but the China versions get an entirely differend model number and scale material. To my knowledge Buck has never "MOVED" the manufacture of a USA made knife to China so in that sense there is nothing to move "BACK". I Challenge for someone to name one......
Click to expand...
I think they are gaining in price and collectabiltity. I'm playing with the thought of collecting those three that you mentioned ~ canoe, small trapper & toothpick. I imagine I'll be paying a premium for some colors not readily available.
 
I picked up a Buck Stockman a couple months back. Not reading very well, didn't realize it was made in China....I just thought I was getting a great deal. ;)

Anyway, fit/finish was simply horrible. Sad to say that my many Rough Riders are better quality. I've even purchased dozens of Rite Edge Barlows to give away to friends and family, and they are better quality at 1/3rd the price.

While I've respected the Buck name, and know they put out some great product, my first Buck traditional folder reintroduction in over 40 years was simply not a good (new) first impression. No doubt I'll try again sometime soon, but next time I'll be much more particular and probably spend a little more on it. :p
 
I find the modern looking knives more acceptable than the traditionals.

IMO, a traditional pattern looses something important when it's made outside of region that gave birth to the tradition. I'm sure the Spanish make great knives but I don't want a Spanish Opinel knock-off (and they exist). Neither do I want a Slovian made Victorinox SAK. That has nothing to do with how well or how poorly the Slovanian knife industry is. It's entirely a statement about SAKs being tied to Switzerland. In this way, the Buck traditional patterns made in China sadden me, just as the Taylor made Schrades do.

I also worry that the China produced "420HC" might be diluting the reputation of Buck's Bos treated US 420HC? While I understand that 420HC is recipe, not a product name, I think Buck has done an excellent and well deserved reputation around it's Bos treated 420HC as being something special. Lacking the Bos heat treat branding, I fear that Buck is in something of a double bind. Do they say the non-Bos heat treat is just as good as the US Bos heat treated 420HC? Or do they say it's a half-step less good than Bos treated 420HC.

Perhaps Buck should follow Boker's lead and create a second tier brand. BuckPlus?
 
pinnah said:
I find the modern looking knives more acceptable than the traditionals.

IMO, a traditional pattern looses something important when it's made outside of region that gave birth to the tradition. I'm sure the Spanish make great knives but I don't want a Spanish Opinel knock-off (and they exist). Neither do I want a Slovian made Victorinox SAK. That has nothing to do with how well or how poorly the Slovanian knife industry is. It's entirely a statement about SAKs being tied to Switzerland. In this way, the Buck traditional patterns made in China sadden me, just as the Taylor made Schrades do.

I also worry that the China produced "420HC" might be diluting the reputation of Buck's Bos treated US 420HC? While I understand that 420HC is recipe, not a product name, I think Buck has done an excellent and well deserved reputation around it's Bos treated 420HC as being something special. Lacking the Bos heat treat branding, I fear that Buck is in something of a double bind. Do they say the non-Bos heat treat is just as good as the US Bos heat treated 420HC? Or do they say it's a half-step less good than Bos treated 420HC.

Perhaps Buck should follow Boker's lead and create a second tier brand. BuckPlus?
Click to expand...

In all fairness I doubt that 90%+ of the people who buy a knife with 420HC have a clue what it means let alone what heat treat it has. And for that matter the difference if any in the cutting performance, sharpening ease, etc. is equally as insignificant. Shoot, a lot of them probably don't even sharpen their knives themselves if at all. Now I may be wrong but given a world population of 7,000,000,000+ and a Bladeforums membership of under 300,000 I don't think most knife buyers/owners get as deep into the weeds as the rest of us.
 
Badhammer said:
In all fairness I doubt that 90%+ of the people who buy a knife with 420HC have a clue what it means let alone what heat treat it has. And for that matter the difference if any in the cutting performance, sharpening ease, etc. is equally as insignificant. Shoot, a lot of them probably don't even sharpen their knives themselves if at all. Now I may be wrong but given a world population of 7,000,000,000+ and a Bladeforums membership of under 300,000 I don't think most knife buyers/owners get as deep into the weeds as the rest of us.
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Do you think that this means that there is no longer any value for Buck to bother with the cost of a Bos branded heat treat for their US made 420HC blades?

FWIW, I accept that I may be different from your average knife buyer, but I can easily tell the difference between Bucks 420HC (correction, Buck's traditional BOS treated 420HC) and Case's TruSharp (420HC run at about 56Rc if I understand it correctly). Both of my Case knives loose their edge noticeably faster and they burr more stubbornly when sharpening.
 
pinnah said:
Do you think that this means that there is no longer any value for Buck to bother with the cost of a Bos branded heat treat for their US made 420HC blades?

FWIW, I accept that I may be different from your average knife buyer, but I can easily tell the difference between Bucks 420HC (correction, Buck's traditional BOS treated 420HC) and Case's TruSharp (420HC run at about 56Rc if I understand it correctly). Both of my Case knives loose their edge noticeably faster and they burr more stubbornly when sharpening.
Click to expand...

No not at all. I'm saying that to most people it isn't an issue and certainly nothing one need worry about. Sometimes it's nice to just enjoy something for what it is and not sweat the small stuff.
 
Personally, I stick exclusively to U.S. made Buck's, and knives in general. Keep our people working... I'm pretty sure it takes more bodies to manufacture knives than to place orders.

Did these conversations come up about the "Swiss Buck's"?

I stumbled across this thread just the other day and bookmarked it. Glad I did, I don't know that I could find it again. It's a summary discussion stemming from another discussion about the blade steel on the imported knives. It's a pretty good read and the linked conversation included comments by CJ and some others at Buck.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...at-least-to-me?highlight=imported+blade+steel
 
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