Lack of Inflation of the 110

D

DDDWho

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Aug 21, 2015
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396
I bought my first 110 in about 1975. I paid $23-25 for it back then. Today Amazon sells the 110 for $27 + change. New vs old look nearly the same. Firearms as an example have risen 2-3X the price they were selling for back in those days and they're now featuring lots of plastic parts that were not used prior.

What should we attribute this lack of higher prices to, better manufacturing methods, lesser quality material or material costs? Perhaps the move to Idaho from the peoples republic of California.
 
On the manufacturer side, cheaper materials and more automation. On the retailer side: deeper discounts, lower overhead, more efficient shipping, just-in-time fulfillment. If you bought that same knife from a local knife shop, they couldn't touch Amazon's price and make any money at all.
 
I think the 110 is Buck's entry drug. You buy one because of name recognition. You love it but now you need a thinner lighter pocket knife. Then something tactical. But everyone needs a fixed blade... Not saying Buck loses money on the 110, and they've surely found ways to reduce manufacturing costs over the years, but they may still use the 110 to attract repeat customers.
 
I am surprised at some of those prices. They really are low. Most dealers are at least $10 more than that. And if you look at suggested retail, based on Bucks website, they should sell for 2-3X those prices.

Regardless, I think it serves Buck well. The 110 is the classic Buck knife and symbolic of Quality and Value. If they can get one in a customers hand, they will have a customer for life.
 
Dymondwood < real wood
Canvas sheath < leather sheath
blister pack < box

The giant retailers with higher buying volume means they can buy for a lower cost than the local dealers who may buy 100 total knives from Buck at a time where these retail giants buy thousands per order.

I personally don't feel like the quality is lacking in any way from the older '70s and '80s 110s. I think the things Buck has done to keep it a viable product are acceptable. You can certainly pay more for a 110 that's not the "Model T".
 
MT_Pokt said:
Dymondwood < real wood
Canvas sheath < leather sheath
blister pack < box

.
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Those above and add in manufacturing efficiency and the assumption that in 75 it was a local dealer with higher markups than today's big box store or river store.
Either way, an outstanding value. Heck, for $17 you can get a USA made, forever warranty, nice knife in the Bantam.

I'd love to see the sales figures of each model for any given year as a percentage of sales dollars.
 
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My fellow Starship Buck travelers. These cost conversations are always interesting. The Blade Forum site has particular rules about talking on where to buy and how much you paid, etc. As a Buck forum 'method' we need to use a sort of subvert language in communicating this information. Try to use Buck code such as "at the giant W store", etc. "At my local mega hardware store with the orange sign", etc. Use this in the future please to avoid complications of the deal spotting rules.

Actually, the use of Private Messaging area is fine to talk money and where the actual store/person is and I encourage that angle.

300Bucks, moderator standing here on thin ice.
 
300Bucks said:
My fellow Starship Buck travelers. These cost conversations are always interesting. The Blade Forum site has particular rules about talking on where to buy and how much you paid, etc. As a Buck forum 'method' we need to use a sort of subvert language in communicating this information. Try to use Buck code such as "at the giant W store", etc. "At my local mega hardware store with the orange sign", etc. Use this in the future please to avoid complications of the deal spotting rules.

Actually, the use of Private Messaging area is fine to talk money and where the actual store/person is and I encourage that angle.

300Bucks, moderator standing here on thin ice.
Click to expand...

I'm confused. I don't think we're deal spotting; we're discussing the economic and technological changes that have made it possible for consumers to obtain very similar knives today at the same prices they paid 40 years ago. I'm new, though, so perhaps I don't understand the rules either in their purpose or their application.
 
I'm thinking it has a lot to do with the massive amount of these buck produces. And the massive amount of these buck sells, wether it's directly or through distributors.
 
VT I could not Private Mail you so have to reply here. (Stuff like this usually kills a thread) I didn't want to.

I was being gentle above, now I am moderating.

When someone says.

Walmart has the 110 for $27.
Wish I had an extra $27. I "need" a third 110.

That's the same as deal spotting, I didn't bark at them instead I tried to use the situation as a Buck forum learning experience.

Your splitting hairs on me. Just don't say "how much something costs somewhere with direct statements." Its not effecting your conversation, you just have to type a few extra words.

As you use your BF membership, you will find some Mods are more liberal and some much more strict, if you haven't done so in a spell a read of the rules page won't hurt. Cussin', name callin' and direct deal talkin' will get me involved here.

We use talk about the big box stores and prices a lot without thinking, but I think that is unfair to small sellers. So, lets as a group do our best to stick by the use of code.

300
 
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I think Buck would rather go for volume than inflation.
I know I wouldnt have as many as I do if inflation had set in. So would Buck rather me have 3 or 4, or the hundred plus..
 
In reply to the thread subject. A trip to the Buck factory will open your eyes to some of this conversation. The method of production is like a good basketball team. Groups of employees have certain things they do. They call them "cells". It looks to me like they have greatly attempted to make and keep a high standard of efficiency in the production process. And they make a lot of 110s. A lot. Some of that is due to the 'big Box' stores requiring a certain price point. Buck makes that requirement for low price up in volume. The same thing forced some production overseas. But, as the controlled investment in the factory and employees goes on some of that can come home and still meet that required price. I say this with experience of getting to see employee newsletters once in a while, talk at two factory BCCI meetings and going to the Blade Show in Atlanta a couple of times where you can stand and talk with high up folks for a few minutes. 300

Added Edit: In most of the 'big box' stores are some of the Bucks still the only American made knife sold. ??
 
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300Bucks said:
Added Edit: In most of the 'big box' stores are some of the Bucks still the only American made knife sold. ??
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Yup in my local big box store that is the case, my local big box store only has only the 110 now as their USA made knife, they used to have Kershaw but I haven't seen them at all lately.
 
Also the big box stores may or may not have leather sheaths. Some have fabric sheaths. Those stores are not always the lowest priced store either.
 
Luis G. said:
Yup in my local big box store that is the case, my local big box store only has only the 110 now as their USA made knife, they used to have Kershaw but I haven't seen them at all lately.
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A few years ago this might have been the case, but now I'm not aware of any true big box that doesn't carry a few more. I can only speak for the big blue W, but I have USA made from Gerber, Buck, Kershaw, and Ontario. Kmart might be a 110-only store, but do they really count? Target only sells Bear Grylls and Victorinox.
 
emw479 said:
A few years ago this might have been the case, but now I'm not aware of any true big box that doesn't carry a few more. I can only speak for the big blue W, but I have USA made from Gerber, Buck, Kershaw, and Ontario. Kmart might be a 110-only store, but do they really count? Target only sells Bear Grylls and Victorinox.
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I checked the knife display case at my local "W" yesterday. The only Buck there was a 119. I assume all of the others were from offshore, just scanning what was available I didn't see anything with a price more than $15 except the 119
 
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