New Buck....Made in USA?

[heng em]

Its an OEM project so Browning gets all the credit, but if you ordered over the phone with browning I'm sure they would tell you who made them

 

[Rocinante]

What's OEM mean?

 

[heng em]

Original equipment manufacturer. Its just an easy way of saying that we do all the work and don't get credit for it

 

[Rocinante]

No credit, but you DO get CASH, right?

:Grin:

I was curious and called Browning. Person I talked with said they'd have to check with somebody else and call me back, but their initial reaction was that such information is secret.

I'm wondering who the other American manufacturer might be.......any ideas?

 

[jimmer_5]

Very interesting.

You're talking about these?

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/knives/category.asp?value=035G

Question: These are all so similar.....why wouldn't Buck have also made the 570, 573, 575 and the 577?? Or might that be coming soon because Buck can do them better and cheaper?

Browning is listing some knives there that were done previously with another manufacturer. Like heng em said, I believe it was with Camillus that the other knives were produced. However, Buck is producing the following ones:

Model 571
Model 572
Model 574
Model 576

However, my favorite one that we are making is this one:

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/knives/detail.asp?value=029G&cat_id=321&type_id=006


At this time I can't speculate as to Buck's plans to produce any more of these knives. However, having held all of these in my hand, I will say that they are really cool! I'm a big fan of the Keeslar knife and the 006 Vietnam Bowie!! - Jim

 

[Rocinante]

So, maybe they are still selling off the Camillus-made knives and will contract with Buck to make more when they get low on those models......it almost has to be Buck, what other American company could do it?

None, I think.

I have a feeling that Browning could sell more of the knives if they came right out and said it was a collaboration with Buck making these fine designs in a special shop.

 

[Messersmith]

Are they all 420HC? The Browning site doesn't have much info about them.

 

[heng em]

unfortunately yes

 

[Stainz]

I am sorry, but $900 for a 'Vietnam Bowie' is absurd. Blade magazine listed the top five 'favorites' from that era - favorites of what was available then. Two were familiar - the infamous KaBar USMC/USA/USN knife - still made like it was in WWII, like my late Dad's old USN version he carried around the So. Pacific - which I still have. The other - the venerable Buck 110! The KaBar can be found for $50-$60 several places - the 110, well, we know how and where to get that for around half of that.

If I am to spend $100+ on a production knife, it better be nice... more moola than that, and it should be really nice. $900 and I'd better have to wait a year or two - and it better be a Randall. Odd, I saw John Greco at a local gun show... he makes decent 'fighters' - and is quite an interesting guy - the show was tough on him - he had 'twofers' and 'threefers'. I got two different excellent handmade knifes for $100... a little time fine sanding & polishing the Micarta grips, and a pair of #10 Torx drivers to remove them first, and they were perfect. I guess it's a matter of perspective. Of course, $160 for my custom Damascus & flaming Koa 110 was a steal... to me!

Stainz

PS I erred... John Greco has been written up in Blade and othe edged rags - his knifes are far better than decent! And, while polished Micarta is pretty... it's also a tad slick for a 'user'. Still, he uses first class materials... and .200" blade stock.

 

[110 Dave]

well ,,, i don't know what to think...
i am glad mu fav company is OEM to some others...
sad there is not mention of association...
i think a browing/buck with both marks on it would be a HOT item !
or that browing should have buck make all the usa ones..
oh well ....

 

[Rocinante]

If the Buck-made knives are not marked in some way so they can be identified......it's a crying shame.

Perhaps, in a year, or two, or less......Browning will switch the production to China.

Being able to identify those knives that were made by Buck could be really important.

I hope some crafty knifemaker has been marking them and we'll find out about it later.

 

[Rocinante]

I did get a call back from Browning. I had been asking about the Jerry Fisk 572 and they said they could not tell me who made it, but they could tell me it was not made by Buck.

That was left as a message on my machine, so I couldn't tell them that.....in that case, I had no interest in buying it.

So, I think I'll call back today and tell them that, just to get it off my chest.

I don't understand all the intrigue on this matter.

That number, by the way, is 800-333-3288 if anybody else wants to see if they have better luck with them.

 

[Messersmith]

Being able to identify those knives that were made by Buck could be really important.

I hope some crafty knifemaker has been marking them and we'll find out about it later.

Unfortunately, my (limited) experience has been the opposite.... knives made by one manufacturer on contract for another are not sought after by most collectors.

I have probably a dozen Remington Bullet knives from the late 80's and early 90's. They are all nice knives made by Camillus but marked Remington. And while all things Camillus have jumped in price, you can still buy the Camillus made Bullet knives for less than they cost from SMKW back in the day.

(As Gooser would say: Use at your own risk. Your results may vary... blah, blah...)

 

[Rocinante]

All true.....

But I was thinking.....if there were a secret Camillus mark on every Remington-marked knife they made.....

:thumbup: