REALLY uneven 119 pommel..

J

JCOutdoors

Joined
Jul 8, 2021
Messages
40
I’ve had the knife for a month or two now. Still never used it. It’s the buck 119 pro. I paid 205 for it. It’s price, new, is $189.99.

I took it out to eye it and admire it when I realized the end of the pommel was ground VERY uneven.. is this acceptable on a knife at this price? Sure it’s only cosmetic but it’s definitely bothersome once you realize it’s there. Plus the fullers on each side are not symmetrical. I can tell by how much “flat” is left between the end side of the fuller and the blade grind

Also, it has really really bad scratches on the very bottom of the pommel. It’s mirror polished but in one spot on the bottom is so scuffed it doesn’t reflect.

How does this happen on such an expensive knife? I would understand if it was the regular phenolic handled model. I’m sort of bummed out and let down. I feel like the guy was rushing to get to the next one but I may just be ignorant of how they are made.

Is this common?

Posting pictures in just a minute
 
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Contact Buck Buck and tell them you want to exchange the knife. That one should be in the Buck Factory Blemish bin! Who/where did you buy this?
 
ya know...I've never looked for that before. wonder if any of mine are that way?

darn now I'm gonna have to go and look.🤔

yeah send back to dealer or Buck...you shouldn't have to accept something you arent happy with. these pros are pricey too.....
 
jbmonkey said:
ya know...I've never looked for that before. wonder if any of mine are that way?

darn now I'm gonna have to go and look.🤔

yeah send back to dealer or Buck...you shouldn't have to accept something you arent happy with. these pros are pricey too.....
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I know I’m ridiculous for posting this and changing my mind, but after a whole day at work thinking about it, I realized that I can learn to accept the imperfections. The heat treat is a more controlled process, the handles definitely solid and there’s no looseness..

So today I decided that, nobody, nothing is perfect. And the knife is actually like me, flawed. I also love that it was made in February because that’s when I moved out to my first place. This same year. So is it acceptable? Not to me! no!! Not for all that money… but I can live with it this time. I’m grateful it’s only cosmetic. I’ll get less upset about it over time. I hope that my knife causes Buck to maybe pay closer attention or call attention about it to the employees. That would also make my buck more meaningful. It’d be like a sacrifice for better fit and finish for everyone else.

Do any of your Bucks have this issue?
 
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JCOutdoors said:
I know I’m ridiculous for posting this and changing my mind, but after a whole day at work thinking about it, I realized that I can learn to accept the imperfections. The heat treat is a more controlled process, the handles definitely solid and there’s no looseness..

So today I decided that, nobody, nothing is perfect. And the knife is actually like me, flawed. I also love that it was made in February because that’s when I moved out to my first place. This same year. So is it acceptable? Not to me! no!! Not for all that money… but I can live with it this time. I’m grateful it’s only cosmetic. I’ll get less upset about it over time. I hope that my knife causes Buck to maybe put closer attention or call attention about it to the employees. That would also make my buck more meaningful. It’d be like a sacrifice for better fit and finish for everyone else.

Do any of your Bucks have this issue?
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I understand your point of view and agree with you on this take of it.

not home yet....ill be checking this weekend, just cause...im not gonna do anything about it if they are...like ya said imperfect world and only cosmetic.
 
JCOutdoors said:
I know I’m ridiculous for posting this and changing my mind, but after a whole day at work thinking about it, I realized that I can learn to accept the imperfections. The heat treat is a more controlled process, the handles definitely solid and there’s no looseness..

So today I decided that, nobody, nothing is perfect. And the knife is actually like me, flawed. I also love that it was made in February because that’s when I moved out to my first place. This same year. So is it acceptable? Not to me! no!! Not for all that money… but I can live with it this time. I’m grateful it’s only cosmetic. I’ll get less upset about it over time. I hope that my knife causes Buck to maybe pay closer attention or call attention about it to the employees. That would also make my buck more meaningful. It’d be like a sacrifice for better fit and finish for everyone else.

Do any of your Bucks have this issue?
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so went and looked..all are a bit different. some off, some closer to perfect. none quite as off as yours but most aren't perfect. shows handmade in polishing and all are a bit different.
 
I have quite a few Buck 100 series fixed blade knives from the mid 1960’s to the present day - I have always noted many differences, not just in the pommel, but in the guard as well. I always figured it to be the differences between the Craftsmen doing the finish work. I have compared Randall’s, all costing $500.00 and up - each is slightly different. What I would do is send it to Buck and ask them to polish the pommel correctly, then it would be like it should be. OH
 
I have had a few of the Pro models. Several had uneven grinds....like noticeably uneven. That really bugged me. I don't expect perfection on a $150-$200 knife............but I did expect more from Buck. It was a real turnoff. I know that I am not the only one that received knives with uneven grinds.

I have since sold them off. Sure I could of went through the hassle of returning them or crying to Buck. Honestly, if that is what they allow out the door, it speaks volumes to me.

I really want a few custom 110's but I am just so turned off from what I got from the Pro line that I am very hesitant to order them.
 
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Mr. Tettnanger said:
I have had a few of the Pro models. Several had uneven grinds....like noticeably uneven. That really bugged me. I don't expect perfection on a $150-$200 knife............but I did expect more from Buck. It was a real turnoff. I know that I am not the only one that received knives with uneven grinds.

I have since sold them off. Sure I could of went through the hassle of returning them or crying to Buck. Honestly, if that is what they allow out the door, it speaks volumes to me.

I really want a few custom 110's but I am just so turned off from what I got from the Pro line that I am very hesitant to order them.
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Every buck I’ve ever owned had a very uneven grind. A phenolic handled 119 I sold off and two buck 110’s. I buy knives from multiple companies and I’ve never seen this kind of fit and finish issue anywhere else.

Do they check the forums? Do they care that this happens or do they just replace and continue as if there’s nothing happening?

I love buck and they make my favorite knives but it’d be nice to own a few “perfect” ones. Minor flaws, I’d be okay with. Uneven grinds and edges on all of them? No.. and it was all of them. Unfinished fullers on my phenolic 119 I had as well. Same on the pro but not close to as bad. The scuffs on my phenolic 119s guard and pommel didn’t bother me. It was 50 dollars. But still…

And to happen on a 189 dollar knife is insane. Every Spyderco I bought was perfect and even the cheap China ones. The tenacious and ambitious. Also other cheap ones under 60 dollars. The Cat, the Dragonfly 2. The para 3 was literally flawless. And when I say flawless, I just mean that it was polished up properly and looked well done.

Still love Buck but I feel bad everytime because I don’t get what I expected I was paying for. Even 15 dollar moras look better in terms of polishing and grinds being even.

If this was a Spyderco knife and forum, Sal himself or someone in the company would of posted by now. Just to show they care and acknowledge that they screwed up. Or to at least say it’s a normal occurrence. Something.

It is what it is though, I now know to be careful.
 
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Anything made or handled by humans has the potential for introduced error; sometimes one slips through the QC cracks

Buck stands behind their work.

Send it back, get perfect knife. All happy.
 
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