Passing the appreciation of Buck Knives down to the next generation

mill428

Gold Member
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Jan 11, 2010
Messages
405
Since I became a member here a few years ago, I have periodically shared my lifetime "journey" of appreciation for Buck Knives. I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a collector but a user. (My wife might argue that point) Although I do have some I simply enjoy displaying. But by and large, I seek out tools that I can truly depend on to handle the tasks of life as they come. It's why I normally have a 110 or a 112 with me at all times. Combined with a SAK or a Leatherman, you have a pretty awesome toolset that eliminates a lot of trips to the toolbox.

A couple of years ago, my daughter married one of the nicest, hardworking guys I've met. He's a man with a strong faith and already owns a well-regarded construction company that builds grain bins here in Kansas and Oklahoma. He's the kind of guy you want to marry your daughter off to. He's also an avid hunter... who NEVER used a Buck knife before he met me. Well, that needed to change. And it's been fun watching him realize how well equipped he can be with a Buck on his hip.

Right after they got married, I took a piece of walnut off of the wedding arch I made for the ceremony and rescaled a new 110 for him and a 112 for my daughter. I had a thread about it back then. They turned out great and I assumed they would lay in a drawer somewhere neglected for years but I stressed to them both - they were for USING.

This is what they looked like right after I finished them.
Q8rkJ4X.jpeg


Fast forward to deer season, and my daughter told me the SIL was excited to use his new knife to field dress his deer. Honestly I was surprised. But I looked forward to the results. Neeless to say, He was stunned by the performance of this rugged lock back. He's now used it 2 seasons and is enthralled with the performance of the 110. He told me the guys he hunts with were all amazed at how sharp the hollow grind was. And how easy it was to maneuver and how long it stayed sharp. I'm not sure what they use but it sounded like a sharp knife that stayed sharp even after cleaning a couple deer was rare. This last deer season I sent him with a 117 for a fixed blade experience. He liked it but said he still preferred the 110 over everything else so far and a few of his buddies were interested in getting their own. Who'd a thought?

Needless to say, I am very pleased by his response - and those of his friends - to what many in his generation (he's 28) have even heard of or considered as an option. Lately, I've seen him carrying it on his belt while working around their property. It makes me smile a little inside each time.

I'm not saying I think everyone needs to convert the next generation to the stuff we like. All I'm saying is sometimes they need to be introduced to some of the "tools of the trade" we have come to depend on over the years. It might surprise us that, at least some of them, will come to depend on them too.

Surely, Im not the only one to have done this. Anyone else passing on your appreciation for Buck knives to the next generation - and then seeing them take it on?
 
My son went hunting in fall 2024 with his college friends. One of them shot a nice buck that they started to skin with what my son termed a kitchen knife. He offered up his RedHead (Buck 922) skinner that I gave him a couple of years ago to finish the job. The friend who owned the property was impressed with it. I bought the friend a Buck 391 Omni Hunter that my son gave him last August to thank him for the 2024 hunting trip. The friend farms and has used the 391 for everything and has really enjoyed it. My son was able to hunt with him again this season and shot a nice 9-point two weeks ago. They used the 391 to butcher the deer. They also duck and squirrel hunt there and my son's 110 slim works great for breasting out a duck and skinning a squirrel. My son still needs to learn how to properly sharpen a knife, but the Bucks that I have given him (922, 110, and 105) have not really needed it even after a few years of use.
 
Sounds like your son has a great start on the right tools for the trade and has been trained well in their use. After that first year deer hunt I got the 110 back from my son in law and cleaned it up and touched up the edge for him. This year when I checked it, it was still very sharp. But I still need to get him a good sharpener and show him how to use it.
 
My dad bought me my first Buck, a 425 when I was a kid. I've carried on the tradition with both of my kids.

I've given my daughter a 425, 442, 444, and a 722 (which she lost). This past Saturday, I gave her my 112 Slim Select to replace the 722.

My son has a 425, a 309 for his tacklebox and a 112 Slim Pro TRX.

Hoping I've persuaded them enough to be lifelong Buck users and pass the fever on to their kids .
 
I remember you posting about re-purposing the walnut from the arch. That was a great idea, and it's good to see that those knives haven't been laying around in a drawer.

I started passing down my love of Bucks when my son was old enough to get his first hunting license at age 12. We got him a Buck 105. He'll be 51 soon. :)
I have a few Bucks, and he'll probably be getting them eventually, because the other sons, and son-in-law are more interested in modern folders.
And since this thread needs more pics- One of them he'll be getting is my first Buck 110, that turns 50 years old this year.
Image 2.jpg
 
I remember you posting about re-purposing the walnut from the arch. That was a great idea, and it's good to see that those knives haven't been laying around in a drawer.

I started passing down my love of Bucks when my son was old enough to get his first hunting license at age 12. We got him a Buck 105. He'll be 51 soon. :)
I have a few Bucks, and he'll probably be getting them eventually, because the other sons, and son-in-law are more interested in modern folders.
And since this thread needs more pics- One of them he'll be getting is my first Buck 110, that turns 50 years old this year.
View attachment 3095912
Wow, that old 2 dot is in excellent shape! Definitely a family heirloom!

Frankly, I am a little bit surprised my son-in-law is using the 110 as hard as he has. I am thrilled though. That's what they are for!

My son, who I haven't mentioned so far, is very familiar with the usefulness of a Buck knife. He's 31 now and loves knives of all shapes and sizes. I admit it's mostly my fault. I have been giving him knives for years. I think the first one I gave him was a 619 I originally bought back in the late 80's (if that's possible). The 119 with the neoprene handle. We had started doing Father-Son campouts at church and he needed a camp knife. So I gave him that one. That was probably 20+ years ago. He still has it in his camping gear. That last one I gave him was a drop point 110 with nickel bolsters. I rescaled it with buffalo horn. It's always sitting out somewhere in his house. He uses it for everything. I guess its about time for a new one...

And since, as you pointed out, this thread needs pictures. This is that particular 110. I posted a thread on this one too, some time ago. I actually went back and polished the bolsters a little more after I looked more closely at this picture.
Fjhbohw.jpeg
 
I have handed out several Buck knives over the years to friends and family. Just this fall a younger dad and his 10 year old son were deer hunting across the road from where we were hunting. After their evening hunt, I asked them to stop by the house. I gave the dad a drop point 110 and his son a drop point 112. That young man had that Buck knife in and out of his pocket at least 10 times while we were visiting. The father looked at his son and said, these are the kind of knives if you take good care of, you can hand them down to your kids. They were both pretty happy about their knives. ;)
 
My dad bought me my first Buck, a 425 when I was a kid. I've carried on the tradition with both of my kids.

I've given my daughter a 425, 442, 444, and a 722 (which she lost). This past Saturday, I gave her my 112 Slim Select to replace the 722.

My son has a 425, a 309 for his tacklebox and a 112 Slim Pro TRX.

Hoping I've persuaded them enough to be lifelong Buck users and pass the fever on to their kids .
The first knife my Dad bought me was a Kabar Finn Bear when I was about 10. My Dad worked behind a desk most of his life but he was an avid hunter/fisherman. For my birthday he took me to Otasco and stood me in front of the counter and told me he would buy me any hunting knife in the display. I ended up choosing the smallest fixed blade Kabar in the case. I can remember him trying desperately to get me to chose a larger one but that one fit my hand at that point so that's the one we took home. I still have it and it's still in pretty great shape. Mostly because as I got older I got a bigger hunting knife :) Eventually graduating into the Buck fixed blade.

Dad mostly carried small pocket knives - Buck and Old Timer folders for as long as I can remember. His Dad did too. He had a J. Marttiini filet knife and a Case fixed blade for hunting and camping. Imagine two knives. My Son has both of those now. Since Dad into a health care home, he gave me all his folders. Pretty priceless now.

All that is to say, on some level, our kids seem to value the things they saw us using in our lifetime and more than a few carry on those useful traditions as they get older. At least that has been my experience.
 
I have handed out several Buck knives over the years to friends and family. Just this fall a younger dad and his 10 year old son were deer hunting across the road from where we were hunting. After their evening hunt, I asked them to stop by the house. I gave the dad a drop point 110 and his son a drop point 112. That young man had that Buck knife in and out of his pocket at least 10 times while we were visiting. The father looked at his son and said, these are the kind of knives if you take good care of, you can hand them down to your kids. They were both pretty happy about their knives. ;)
Wow, well done sir. Lifelong gifts for sure. I can't imagine getting a 112 as a 10 year old! For me, that would have been at the all-time top-of-the-list gifts to receive. It would have never left my side. You're a good friend.
 
Since I became a member here a few years ago, I have periodically shared my lifetime "journey" of appreciation for Buck Knives. I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a collector but a user. (My wife might argue that point) Although I do have some I simply enjoy displaying. But by and large, I seek out tools that I can truly depend on to handle the tasks of life as they come. It's why I normally have a 110 or a 112 with me at all times. Combined with a SAK or a Leatherman, you have a pretty awesome toolset that eliminates a lot of trips to the toolbox.

A couple of years ago, my daughter married one of the nicest, hardworking guys I've met. He's a man with a strong faith and already owns a well-regarded construction company that builds grain bins here in Kansas and Oklahoma. He's the kind of guy you want to marry your daughter off to. He's also an avid hunter... who NEVER used a Buck knife before he met me. Well, that needed to change. And it's been fun watching him realize how well equipped he can be with a Buck on his hip.

Right after they got married, I took a piece of walnut off of the wedding arch I made for the ceremony and rescaled a new 110 for him and a 112 for my daughter. I had a thread about it back then. They turned out great and I assumed they would lay in a drawer somewhere neglected for years but I stressed to them both - they were for USING.

This is what they looked like right after I finished them.
Q8rkJ4X.jpeg


Fast forward to deer season, and my daughter told me the SIL was excited to use his new knife to field dress his deer. Honestly I was surprised. But I looked forward to the results. Neeless to say, He was stunned by the performance of this rugged lock back. He's now used it 2 seasons and is enthralled with the performance of the 110. He told me the guys he hunts with were all amazed at how sharp the hollow grind was. And how easy it was to maneuver and how long it stayed sharp. I'm not sure what they use but it sounded like a sharp knife that stayed sharp even after cleaning a couple deer was rare. This last deer season I sent him with a 117 for a fixed blade experience. He liked it but said he still preferred the 110 over everything else so far and a few of his buddies were interested in getting their own. Who'd a thought?

Needless to say, I am very pleased by his response - and those of his friends - to what many in his generation (he's 28) have even heard of or considered as an option. Lately, I've seen him carrying it on his belt while working around their property. It makes me smile a little inside each time.

I'm not saying I think everyone needs to convert the next generation to the stuff we like. All I'm saying is sometimes they need to be introduced to some of the "tools of the trade" we have come to depend on over the years. It might surprise us that, at least some of them, will come to depend on them too.

Surely, Im not the only one to have done this. Anyone else passing on your appreciation for Buck knives to the next generation - and then seeing them take it on?
Nice story and great looking knives
 
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