My new Stockman !

P

patrickjames

Joined
Feb 11, 2006
Messages
274
Found what I thought was a great buy on Ebay.A Stockman with wood grain handles for $16.80! I should have been suspicious when they advertized the blade steel to be 440C.Well I received the knife ,opened the blade and a big fat "CHINA" stamped on the blade.I looked closer and there is a horizontal crack on the main blade.Now I know it's not much money,but I am disappointed in Buck.Where will it all stop?I thought a grand old company like Marbles and Buck would Not go to China.Oh,well maybe they have to, to be competitive
PJ
 
Scour the archives here. There's lots and lots of banter about Buck and their out-sourcing to China. Now, I haven't read every single one of these posts, but I have read enough - and I know Buck well enough - to know that, if there's anything at all wrong with the knife you bought, the company will stand behind it 100%, same as they do with their knives made in El Caj........err, Idado.
 
Just a sign of the times. Companies have to make a low end off shore to be able to make a high end here. Benchmade does it, Spyderco does it (albeit under a different brand name)... they have to.

People can bitch and complain all they want, but the money generated by the low cost off shore offerings make it possible for continued production of the upper end, domestic models. It also makes it possible for the domestic made pieces to be more affordable.

It's sad to see, yes. But I'd rather see Buck stamped on a few China made knives than to see no Buck at all.

Sorry, I had no intentions of hijacking the thread.
 
patrickjames said:
Found what I thought was a great buy on Ebay.A Stockman with wood grain handles for $16.80! I should have been suspicious when they advertized the blade steel to be 440C.
Click to expand...

They are 440C.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2948330&postcount=4



Well I received the knife ,opened the blade and a big fat "CHINA" stamped on the blade.I looked closer and there is a horizontal crack on the main blade.Now I know it's not much money,but I am disappointed in Buck.Where will it all stop?I thought a grand old company like Marbles and Buck would Not go to China.Oh,well maybe they have to, to be competitive
PJ
Click to expand...

It happens to the best of companies, have you contacted Buck?
 
Thanks to all.I see this is old news.It's really not a problem,I have all ready ordered another one made in the USA.The only country I have a problem with as for as quality is concerned is China.My issue is not "buy America only" that not realistic any more ,but quality.But if I was 14 and buying my 1st knife I probley would not care,and it would be fine.There,I feel better. just a short rant
PJ
I'll just throw the knife in the old tool box and in a couple week even forget I own it :)
 
Even though I know they make some items overseas, it is hard to know what is made in Idado or China. In Buck's web site they make no mention where each product is made.

Every time I look at a new Buck, I am wondering where it is made. One way might be price. I saw this knife in my latest catolog and it looks a lot like my Buck / Strider and now I have to figure out if it is a "real" Buck or ????.

http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/eCommerce/product.jsp?A=&Mode=Cat&Cat=940&range=11&SKU=BU5850
 
Send it back to Buck. They will put it right, to the best of my knowledge they are the only importer of the chinese knives that stands behind their product with a warranty that is worth anything, why not use it?
 
patrickjames said:
Thanks to all.I see this is old news.It's really not a problem,I have all ready ordered another one made in the USA.The only country I have a problem with as for as quality is concerned is China.My issue is not "buy America only" that not realistic any more ,but quality.But if I was 14 and buying my 1st knife I probley would not care,and it would be fine.There,I feel better. just a short rant
PJ
I'll just throw the knife in the old tool box and in a couple week even forget I own it :)
Click to expand...

I know how you feel , I felt the same way when I bought my first imported Buck knife several years ago . I bought a Buck Diamondback fixed blade, I assumed was domestic made, only to find it was made in Taiwan.

It wasn't very expensive but I have to admit the quality was exceptional, so I accepted it as a necessary evil and also began to regard Taiwanese made knives as a decent product.

As a few posters mentioned businesses must do whatever it takes to survive and I think Buck has a pretty good marketing model whereby they mix imports with domestic product. Most of the major brands do it and Buck has to stay competitive , but it would be nice if it was more clear cut , like the Benchmade color classes. When I bought my Alpha Hunter I had to research where it was made....

In time the quality of China made cutlery will get to a point where quality won't be an issue.

Its funny ... if I buy a brand known to be made in China it doesn't bother me at all , but like you , sometimes with an American brand like Buck it hurts..
 
patrickjames said:
Thanks to all.I see this is old news.It's really not a problem,I have all ready ordered another one made in the USA.The only country I have a problem with as for as quality is concerned is China.My issue is not "buy America only" that not realistic any more ,but quality.
Click to expand...

I will say, that a cracked blade is not typical of these knives, even if they are made in China.
 
Hey guys! Peter78 the ghost rider is an import.
I bought all of Bucks imported tactical knives to see if I liked them for work.
all were quality knives for the money. Just didnt like how they felt in my hand so I sold them all on ebay. Then I bought some of the Mayo collaborations! I love them all! Some of these are imported (except the TNT). great work knife! and everyday carry! I also dont like seeing cheaper imports from buck either BUT when I have a tough job for it I am not afraid to use it either. I really dont want to cut some of the things I do with my 75+ dollar Buck Knives
So I just use the 20.00 Mayo! I guess to each his own. All super sharp built well.
 
wh4f said:
Hey guys! Peter78 the ghost rider is an import.
I bought all of Bucks imported tactical knives to see if I liked them for work.
all were quality knives for the money. Just didnt like how they felt in my hand so I sold them all on ebay. Then I bought some of the Mayo collaborations! I love them all! Some of these are imported (except the TNT). great work knife! and everyday carry! I also dont like seeing cheaper imports from buck either BUT when I have a tough job for it I am not afraid to use it either. I really dont want to cut some of the things I do with my 75+ dollar Buck Knives
So I just use the 20.00 Mayo! I guess to each his own. All super sharp built well.
Click to expand...
One of the supporting vendors here said the ghost rider was a very nice knife for the price...
 
It sounds like you bought a Buck Model 373. I have one as well- it was my first Stockman. I carry it regularly. Like yours, mine is 440c, only I bought mine at Sports Authority and did not know until opening the package that it was Chinese (stamped on Sheepsfoot blade). Buck still does make there USA made slipjoints as well. IIRC, the production of the Chinese slipjoints began after Schrade went under as a means of covering market that was left (temporarily) unsatisfied. I have since purchased another Chinese Buck. At least they are waranteed like the USA ones.

Anyhow, the new 373 are 420 steel, according to the clam packs they are selling at Dicks Sporting Goods.

Personally, I believe that you overpaid a little. At Walmart they charge $14.97 and I paid less because Sports Authority was running a sale on Bucks when I bought mine.
 
Hey, here's an idea! Let's all complain about Buck knives being made in China, and completely forget about what happened to Schrade in '04 and Camillus right now! My mom found a knife the other day, it is one of the Buck wood handled stockmen, I looked it over and told her it was a keeper/user. A nice little knife backed by one of the best knife warranties in the business. Also my first exposure to the Chinese Bucks. I was impressed by what it was and what it (would have) cost. If that is what it takes Buck to stay in business I support them 100%.
 
A Buck Knife is like sex, even when it is bad it is good. The important point of a knife is the man or men who stand behind it and that is the Buck family. They are an honorable and Christian family who's word you can trust. If it is a Buck and has a Buck warranty then you have a great knife for life. My 303 has been my constant companion for over ten years and the only reason is that I lost the 303 I had for over twenty years before that.:thumbup:
 
Heck--they even downgrade their US knives for Walmart---funny thing is I paid the same price for the full on product at the sporting goods store vs the "Walmart" knife.

I have a Walmart 119 Special ($34 and change)---nylon sheath--blood groove has chatter marks and rough edges--must have been made at quittin time on friday night.

I also have a full on 119 Special ($34 and change--purchased sat 7-22-06)----leather sheath and perfect blade.

In defence of the Walmart knife--the edge is shaving sharp---but inferior in comparison to my new knife.
 
Buck is a very honorable company, I like the way they have been creative with there collaborations, they have not watered their products down, they have simply created a wide rang to suit all tastes and budgets.

That said Buck are a little coy about stating that some of their budget knives are made in China or Taiwan, it would be better the country was left off the blade though maybe China would not agree to that. I think they should be bold and upfront about, it if Buck says they are of the highest standard I for one believe them, I doubt if there is a more trusted company out there.

Another thing Knives are a lot more that the blade stamp, it is about design and flair, and a bit of fun. An example is their bantam range, really well designed maximum respect.
 
greebozz said:
it would be better the country was left off the blade though maybe China would not agree to that.
Click to expand...

U.S. Customs would get downright cranky about it also! :D
 
greebozz said:
Thats bit of a shame, as it would be out of sight out of mind as they say.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but US law requires it. At least Buck does mark them pretty clrearly, at least one company I know of uses stickers that say "China" but can be removed from the blade after the clear customs.

Meets the requirements of the law, but seems kinda sneaky to me.
 
I agree that I appreciate Buck having "China" clearly marked on the off-shore blades. I would be REALLY mad if I bought what I thought was a US-made knife and found out later it was made overseas.

I have a Chinese Buck Executive that does just fine as a basic pocket knife; I knew it was Chinese when I bought it and made the choice accordingly.
 
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