Silver Nickel Buck 110's

Redrummd

Redrummd

Joined
May 21, 2007
Messages
1,432
Does anyone know if Buck has totally stopped making the silver nickel Buck 110's? I really love using them with my stone scales so this would really bum me out.
 
I was just scoping out a new custom shop 110 and they did offer NS bolsters, don't give up hope.
 
Blue Ridge Knives, my wholesale supplier is out of them and one of my customers sent me a note indicating Buck was no longer making them. Therfore my concern. I wrote to my wholesale supplier too but I figured some of those here would know if this "rumor" had any validity.
 
Sometime within the past year Buck stopped offering them on the custom shop, that lasted a couple months and then they were back. Hopefully they are not going away again soon? has anyone else heard anything? I'll have to pull the trigger on a couple more customs now if that is the case.
 
There was a supplier issue that was supposed to last a while but somehow they overcame the issue. That took care of the custom shop, but I think all the other N/S production are special orders from big names like SMKW and such.
 
Redrummd said:
Blue Ridge Knives, my wholesale supplier is out of them and one of my customers sent me a note indicating Buck was no longer making them. Therfore my concern. I wrote to my wholesale supplier too but I figured some of those here would know if this "rumor" had any validity.
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I was told by Blue Ridge that they were discontinued. I think that will only be for regular production NS 110's. I don't think Buck would ever completely stop making them. I do think they will be harder to find now like they were 2 years ago.

Eric
 
Eric, This is bad news for us. I just went to Buck's website and the Chairman is not currently available. It looks like I may need to order a few dozen from the custom shop and raise my prices by $50. for a nickel silver with stone scales.... Darn.
 
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Redrummd said:
Eric, This is bad news for us. I just went to Buck's website and the Chairman is not currently available. It looks like I may need to order a few dozen from the custom shop and raise my prices by $50. for a nickel silver with stone scales.... Darn.
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WOW, Talk about market inflation, we arn't even sure they are discontinued and here comes the price hikes, whats your store name:eek:
 
There is a link to his site on the bottom of his posts.....$400 for the rehandled 110s? Come on only go up $25!...lol....
 
tom19176 -

Let's see, $80.00 to $90.00 for a custom shop knife, $50.00 to $100.00 for the stone I use; $30.00 in shop consumables (blades, diamond wheels, buffer polishes etc.), 8 to 10 hours of my work at $15.00 an hour and - 80 + 50 + 30 + $120 and I have a mininimum "investment" of $280. into a stone scaled knife. That does not include the money spent on shipping, equipment and shop, utilities, mileage, or the website or the time I need to spend on finding stone, shipping and website/internet time. A higher cost stone and an extra 2 hours and suddenly the direct cost "investment" is $360.00.

Would you work at something 40 -50 hours a week at $15.00 an hour OR less for the actual time doing the stonework and unpaid for all of the rest of the time needed?

Last year I had a bit over $50,000 in sales. After depriciation for all of my equipment and shop, and actual RECEIPTED expenses, I ended up with less than $400. in actual imcome and I spent over 2,000 actual workhours. Oh, and I declare every cash sales dollar I make too. So, I made a profit of 25 cents an hour.

After finishing over 900 knives during the past 4 years - last year was the first year I actually made a profit. I do expect to actually make about $15,000 this year though so I am just now making money and I hope to actually make a bit over $8.00 an hour after all expenses.

So, if you think I ask too much for my works feel free to join me in the making and selling of stone scaled knives. I even have a tutorial posted that explains exactly how to do it and it is linked to my website.

Bottom line is the silver nickel knives are NOT available now ANYWHERE except the custom shop and if I have to go that route to get silver nickel Buck 110's my ACTUAL costs will go up $50.00 as I had been able to buy the 110's for a bit less than $30.00.
 
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Redrummd's prices are very reasonable for hand work in today's world. That's the curse of being a craftsman. Costs are high, it requires a large time commitment to do quality work, financial rewards are very low. Then you have customers and potential customers who complain about your "high" prices.

It's a labor of love.

I was a hand bookbinder for over 20 years, leather fine bindings, restoration of ancient books, etc. You have to develop a very select clientele who understands and appreciates the value of quality hand craftsmanship, and has the money to support their interest. Often a craftsman in today's world will largely self-subsidize their work, as Redrummd does.
 
I have several custom maker's items from this forum (Remmer, Yellowhorse, Redrummd, Muskratman, D. Seals) and have no issues with the price that I paid for them.

I would have mangled 1000's of knives before I got anywhere close to their level of skill.

If you don't like their asking price then find another custom maker to do the work.
 
I've seen pics of Redrummds knives with their breathtaking stone handles,believe me,they are worth every penny and then some!!
 
First I was adding on to the comment made just above my post, and making a joke about the fact that it seemed high to raise $50 if you have to pay more for your source. I buy from Blue Ridge and about 5 other jobbers, so I know the difference in retail vs wholesale. I was not asking for you business plan or profit/ loss statement ( perhaps being near tax time you just reviewed these numbers and felt the need to share?). Your knives are great, but I would not pay that much for a factory knife that was customized, but that is me and not a statement on your business model. I was not trying to offend, and now that I see you are that sensitive I will refrain from making a joke that I thought would not be taken the way it was.....
 
Tom,

I may have been being a bit too sensitive. I do work really hard at what I do with nearly nothing to show for the work financially but I really look forward to getting out to my shop and carving stone every day and that is more important than money to me.

Thank you for the links and I will contact Kevin to see if they have a large inventory of the SN 110's and if they can get a new supply of them so that I can keep my already spendy works at least no more spendy......

If you though the ones already listed were spendy look again as I used some of my most exotic stone on the group I did getting to #1000. :eek: :D

I am over being upset too.

The astute social commentator H.L. Mencken noted back in 1922, occupation matters:
If he got no reward whatever, the artist would go on working just the same; his actual reward, in fact, is often so little that he almost starves.
 
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