No respect for Buck?

Buck is my favorite company because they have a great history, awesome customer service and is backed by the best warranty out there. Maybe they're not "the best money can buy" but they are affordable, attractive and have never let me down in the field.

All things considered I'll put my Bucks up against anything out there.
 
Buck must be doing some thing right, they made 1.2 million knives last year in Post Falls Idaho. So people are buying their knives.
 
SWBKT said:
Buck must be doing some thing right, they made 1.2 million knives last year in Post Falls Idaho. So people are buying their knives.
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I'm sure there are some other knife companies represented on this forum that would love that.
 
I carried a 110 for many years. Was given a Spyderco and carried that for a long time. This winter, I decided it was time to get something with a finger guard, as my right hand has been compromised and I needed the extra security. So I bought a Buck 288 Quickfire. At first, I was not impressed. Perhaps I read too much of forums like this one! LOL. So, I sent out the kings ransom for a Benchmade. Got the knife, and it was very nice. I carried it for a few weeks, and after trying it out, found..........it was just not as nice in the hand, did not cut any better, was not as confidence inspiring as the 288 was, so, the Benchmade is on ebay and the 288 is in my pocket. Perhaps I am a tradionalist as well, but if that be the case, so be it. I WILL say, I was very impressed that Buck made a point of putting their faith out there and included a note of faith with the knife. Lesson learned........I am a Buck man. Many of the comments here do hit the mark, as we are fickle people that are lured by the new sparkly things. After all, isn't more expensive better? ;)
 
To a great extent it doesn't matter what a group of users & collectors who hang out on a Buck oriented forum think (we are fans of the product and have multiple examples to prove it) - for sales in large numbers what matters is what the buying public thinks of Buck products. At 1.2 million knives they are certainly selling a lot of them, but I am sure they would like to sell more (that is what nearly all manufacturers work towards). Buck seems to be well distributed with a few of their well known products in the mass merchandiser side of the retail business, but seems to have fallen off in the small business retail side over the last few decades. I sell building materials to the big boxes and to local lumberyards/hardware stores. I can think of about five outlets that have Buck displays in my eastern NC territory (about half the state) and I'm including gunshops in that too (I don't sell to them). There are probably 15-18 locations that keep at least a one panel Case display in stock, and maybe 8 that keep multiple Case panels. The balance of the knives I see for retail sale are imports - mostly modern style knives. Buck must know what they are doing, but I would love to see more distribution of their product in small retailers - that is how I came to be a fan of Buck - seeing them in my local hardware store when I was a boy. OH
 
It's not that I don't have any respect for Buck, it's that they don't really make the knives I want. I'd love a 110 or 112 with a drop point blade, but unless I get one custom made, or want to spend a fortune for one on e-Bay, I'm out of luck. Same with the 300 series. I'd gladly buy another 301 or 303 if they were offered with flat ground blades, but they're only offered with their thick saber grinds. Again, I could go on the bay and look for a vintage 301 or 303 made by Schrade or Camillus, but I'd prefer to own a brand new one by Buck. They don't seem to have an interest in making flat ground blades again, so that means I'll have to look to another brand.

It also seems that some of the other companies tend to listen and have more interaction with their customers. Spyderco, for example, has actually produced models based on customer input and will notify its fan base of any issues or changes that come up. Other than the Collector's Club, I haven't heard of Buck doing that.


So, I'll gladly look at pictures of other folks' Buck knives, and read their stories, but that's about all the interest I have in them right now.
 
I was at a smallish local gun show yesterday. Lot of various knives on display, some cheap, some expensive. But I kept asking myself, will that one work for me field dressing, quartering, and final processing of a deer. After all the bling, weird shaped blades, and various sizes, I saw nothing that I thought would replace my 110 or the lites that have the 110 blade. It all gets back to personal preference.
Did take time to browse through the sporting goods at Wal Mart the other day. Was glad to see that the 110 could still be bought there for under $30 driveout.
 
I have probably processed more game with a Buck 110 than any other model of knife. I could, and have, spent more money on a knife, but am totally comfortable with the 110 on my belt. :thumbup:
 
I'm mostly a Case man but I have a few Bucks. One, a 112 I purchased at a Rod & Gun Club while stationed in Germany in 1975 and it has never let me down. I recently purchased a Paperstone 112, same quality. I also have two 301. and a 303. The 303 is one of my favorite stockman knives. The only bad thing I can say about Buck is that I do not like the design on the main blade of the 301. The clip is too abrupt, the older models are better looking. Both my 301s are newer with the clip I don't like but they are of great quality and fit & finish are fantastic.
 
155440 said:
I just wanted to point out that if you could look past the hollow grind and lack of a stop pin, you can get a buck 110 in s30v, in nickel bolsters, and whichever scale material you decide on (that they offer), made for you from the buck custom shop. I have a 110 on the way that's s30v, nickel bolsters and indigo wood scales.

On the thread topic, I think most people on bladeforums have respect for buck and what they do, It's just as others have mentioned, I guess it's just the nature of the forum, they (me included at times) want the hyped, specialty knives.
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You will be very happy with that combination, my friend.
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If I had to get rid of all of my knives and keep only one, it would be the 110 in these pictures. I love my spyercos, kershaws and all the others but the 110 just does it for me. And the old bucks in 440C have something special going on there. My 2dot 110 is a beast. It will get wicked sharp and hold that edge. I had it on my belt when I went catfishing at the Santee last April. The guys I went with had no idea that a "normal" person could make an old buck knife sharp enough to whittle hair.
And my Vantage Select in 420HC will pass a full blown hanging hair test. If you don't know what that means, just check out the straight razor forums. :)
 
When I was in my teens (1980's) I had a brother in law who had been an eagle scout and he hated Buck knives. He said they were "too hard to sharpen". Me, I always thought they looked like what a knife "should" look like I didn't know from any steel. We would go to an archery range together where quite a few hunters would hang out and many of them echoed his feelings. Truthfully I never had an actual Buck until only recently, when I was a kid I had a 307 Wrangler (still have it), and those were made by Camillus at the time. Now though I've a few REAL Bucks and I've learned what many people here already know, that they're the cat's pajamas.

Personally and at the risk of offending a few people I just don't see the point of buying something that is in most cases too expensive to use. I've had a few very nice Case folders that have never been out of the house, it makes me feel silly for buying them in the first place. Too much conspicuous consumption if you ask me. My Bucks are just right and at this point in my life I am not ashamed to say I'm very pleased that they are made HERE and they are a family run company, not part of some faceless international conglomerate. Considering their warranty you get so much more when you purchase a Buck.

PS: I can get them pretty damn sharp if I don't say so myself. In retrospect maybe my brother in law and other were horrible at sharpening.
 
My brother in law is always buying the latest and greatest super steel knives. I was helping him butcher a deer and he was bragging on his knife(brand will remain nameless). He said he had opened envelopes with it at work all week, opened some boxes and even cut fruit with it for his lunches! I know better, he doesn't even eat fruit, he was just had to pull that pretty knife out at lunch to show off :) This was all in one week,and he hadn't had to even sharpen it once ! No telling what he paid for this thing. I was using an old beat up Bucklite 422 that had been through 3 of my deer, now one of his and a neighbors deer just this season. My Bucklite might have cost $20 new and in the right hands, was every bit his knife's equal.
 
Bighaze51 said:
You will be very happy with that combination, my friend.
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If I had to get rid of all of my knives and keep only one, it would be the 110 in these pictures. I love my spyercos, kershaws and all the others but the 110 just does it for me. And the old bucks in 440C have something special going on there. My 2dot 110 is a beast. It will get wicked sharp and hold that edge. I had it on my belt when I went catfishing at the Santee last April. The guys I went with had no idea that a "normal" person could make an old buck knife sharp enough to whittle hair.
And my Vantage Select in 420HC will pass a full blown hanging hair test. If you don't know what that means, just check out the straight razor forums. :)
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I received it 3 weeks or so ago, and it is amazing. It is definitely the highest quality knife I own and the sharpest. The fit and finish is perfect. Everything is smooth, no sharp corners, the nickel bolsters were mirror polished and the blue indigo looks fantastic. I could not be more pleased.
 
I had a 110 long ago, loved it, have been meaning to get another for sentiment. I say 'sentiment' because although it's a great knife I now have lots of other great folders that did not exist when the 110 was designed.

I see Amazon has the 50th anniversary 110 on sale, with an inlaid anniversary plaque in the handle. I'm not sure I like that plaque concept, and haven't seen one in person.

Guys who have the 50th Ann version 110, what do you think of it? Should I order the 50 Ann version, or order the classic standard 110 without the little inlaid Anniv. plaque?
 
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