Why I believe the 110 is so misunderstood .

Lesknife said:
I have noticed that many of the newer and younger people who have an interest in knives seem to be more interested in slimmer, lighter and more modern features such as automatic opening, pocket clips and easy carry. In most cases they are more likely to be in an urban setting and don’t do much outdoor activities and that makes sense.
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A lot of people just let marketing tell them what a folding knife should be, but you are absolutely right that the 110 visually shows it's outdoors / hunting intention.
I believe the 110 performs as well if not better then the average modern folder at daily tasks there are options designed for such tasks that will do them better, and I entirely understand people choosing those knives.
 
Buck has already marketed to that crowd. We have slim models with clips in an array of handle materials and blade steels. The same can be said for the standard 110. Blade steel choices, handle materials and bolster frame materials with and without a clip. It’s an old age company that boomers and Gen X carry therefore it’s not cool for the younger generations.
Or as someone else mentioned it doesn’t have the new flashy fidgety lock system. Just a good old lock back that gets the job done with that satisfying snap
 
hunterjrg said:
It’s an old age company that boomers and Gen X carry therefore it’s not cool for the younger generations.
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Well I exclusively carry traditional knives and I'm only 30.
The first time I saw a Buck 112 in person it was being carried by my brothers best friend who's only a couple years older then me.

Of course there are exceptions to everything though and you are right that Buck knives are less popular with younger people, it's all thanks to marketing.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Well I exclusively carry traditional knives and I'm only 30.
The first time I saw a Buck 112 in person it was being carried by my brothers best friend who's only a couple years older then me.

Of course there are exceptions to everything though and you are right that Buck knives are less popular with younger people, it's all thanks to marketing.
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It sounds a little harsh reading my post now. I definitely don’t mean to disrespect the older generations or the younger ones.
 
hunterjrg said:
It sounds a little harsh reading my post now. I definitely don’t mean to disrespect the older generations or the younger ones.
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It's not far off.
Younger generations are more susceptible to internet marketing telling them what a folding knife should be and turning them away from the 110 for not being those things.
Older generations already knew the 110 before YouTube came around.
 
I did some testing this afternoon with my 110 LT vs my other 110s (A standard and a Sport Pro) It does seem like on the LT, the amount of distance it needs to be moved before the tip clears the frame is somewhat less than any of the others ... My method: push the edge of a piece of paper across the frame, slowly listing the knife up and out of the frame until the edge of the paper catches on the tip. Swag measurements, I would say the 110 LT takes about 1/2 as much movement before the edge of the paper caught than did the 110 Standard or the Sport Pro. Keeping in mind, we're looking at a difference of millimeters here, but still noticeable ...

Lining up the frames, the dimension of the 110LT seems to be all but identical to the Standard and the Sport Pro frame. I have to conclude that the "fully closed" position on the 110 LT is a few millimeters "up" compared to the others.

Could be dirt, lint, grit ... I'll try giving the LT some warm water, some dawn soap, blow dry and some Balistol and repeat the experiment.
 
Lesknife said:
I have noticed that many of the newer and younger people who have an interest in knives seem to be more interested in slimmer, lighter and more modern features such as automatic opening, pocket clips and easy carry. In most cases they are more likely to be in an urban setting and don’t do much outdoor activities and that makes sense.

I like some of the modern knives and carry them around the house and uptown but when I’m outdoors camping, hunting and fishing I prefer a more robust knife with plenty of handle and blade. The 110 fits that senecio very well. I think a lot depends on what a person is doing, their lifestyle and activities along with personal preferences.

The older generations are probably more likely to be used to the classics and more simplistic designs without the added frills. I know when I was growing up and taking on the world I lived in we had fewer choices and not much fancy stuff. I used a lot of hand me down tools and knives from my dad and grandfather and things were made for durability and hard work. I still have some of them. Not only that but as I get older I need a handle with plenty grip area and a slim handle can be uncomfortable using in hard work and extended time use and my hands get fatigue and fingers cramp up. Again the 110 is robust enough to use for extended time and hard use.
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Well said. Only Buck I currently have is a Kalinga. But I have and have had some big folders including lock backs similar in size to the 110. And I have much appreciation for an iconic American knife and maker.

Small and or skinny handles are good for light work and finer tasks requiring more agility, but for heavier work, when gloves must be worn in cold weather etc a larger handle offers more control and is less fatiguing.
 
rhino said:
I think there is probably a bit of a disconnect between those of us who saw the Buck 110 as the ultimate knife when we were young, versus people who were born too late to know that feeling.
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And that plays into why they misunderstand it.
If you're 30 or younger most knives you saw for sale as a kid had pocket clips and thumb studs, then when you got old enough to start learning about knives you probably went on YouTube where various modern folders were the talk of the town.
My generation has had less opportunity to understand the 110.
 
In the 90s and 00s I carried a clip-point 110 and an original Leatherman on my belt when I was on tanks - both bought in the PX on Ft. Bliss - and that combo worked alright across 4 wars on two continents.
That 110 was beat to hell and back and cut a lot of rope, cargo straps and opened a lot of MREs. It also came in handy when out-on-the-town in Frankfurt, Germany on weekends. TTKK.
Now that I'm a stateside civilian I carry a drop-point 110 in S30V and a Leatherman Wave in horizontal cross-draw carry and they disappear under a polo short at work.
 
I have a Buck 110 or 112 in a sheath on my belt all day every day. (I love both models so I switch between the two because I can). The weight of it has never even been something I really notice. It's a fine tool. It should have some heft to it IMHO. A little heft equates to quality and durability in my experience. A flyweight tool feels like a toy to me. In the evenings I wear lightweight shorts or pajamas and still carry the 112 in my pocket loose. It's not a bother then either. What your activities consist of will effect your experiences with pocket carry I can understand. Also your attire and environment. I'm an early 60's retired guy who lives outside a tiny rural town in the high desert. Carhartt pants and boots are what I wear. A 110 in a sheath on a belt is not at all unusual around here and fixed blade open carry is also often seen here (last week a guy was wearing a well worn 192 Vanguard in an equally battered sheath at the Napa auto parts store and had a 110 in it's pouch right next to that).

I can't really recall many times when opening my knife with two hands was a big inconvenience. Even when it was it hasn't been a deal-breaker issue. I use it every day multiple times a day. I appreciate it's beauty, quality and usefulness. I get that some occupations / tasks require a one-handed opener, but I suspect most people make more of an issue of this than it really is. Fidgeting with / flipping their knife is a source of entertainment.

Carry what you like. That's what life's all about. Enjoy the tools that are a part of your day.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Post a picture.
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arizonaranchman said:
I have a Buck 110 or 112 in a sheath on my belt all day every day. (I love both models so I switch between the two because I can). The weight of it has never even been something I really notice. It's a fine tool. It should have some heft to it IMHO. A little heft equates to quality and durability in my experience. A flyweight tool feels like a toy to me. In the evenings I wear lightweight shorts or pajamas and still carry the 112 in my pocket loose. It's not a bother then either. What your activities consist of will effect your experiences with pocket carry I can understand. Also your attire and environment. I'm an early 60's retired guy who lives outside a tiny rural town in the high desert. Carhartt pants and boots are what I wear. A 110 in a sheath on a belt is not at all unusual around here and fixed blade open carry is also often seen here (last week a guy was wearing a well worn 192 Vanguard in an equally battered sheath at the Napa auto parts store and had a 110 in it's pouch right next to that).

I can't really recall many times when opening my knife with two hands was a big inconvenience. Even when it was it hasn't been a deal-breaker issue. I use it every day multiple times a day. I appreciate it's beauty, quality and usefulness. I get that some occupations / tasks require a one-handed opener, but I suspect most people make more of an issue of this than it really is. Fidgeting with / flipping their knife is a source of entertainment.

Carry what you like. That's what life's all about. Enjoy the tools that are a part of your day.
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Well said👍
 
Hickory n steel said:
Younger generations are more susceptible to internet marketing telling them what a folding knife should be and turning them away from the 110 for not being those things.
Older generations already knew the 110 before YouTube came around.
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I think it's worth pointing out that older generations were just as susceptible to marketing via other means as are today's youts via the internet. I wonder how many people wanted a 110 after watching the Dukes of Hazzard or otherwise?

For my part, I like the 110 very much and was thrilled to pick one out as a 13th birthday present (I'm now in my low 30s). I used it hard for a couple of years, mostly for hunting, ranch work, and woodcraft while on some high adventure trips with the Boy Scouts, but stopped carrying it when I was about 15. I figured that if I was going to carry a knife on my belt then I might as well just carry a fixed blade instead, which I like much better. I tried to pocket-carry my 110 a few times but didn't like the bulk and weight, so I learned to carry a small-medium slipjoint or lockback in my pocket with either a modern one-hand folder clipped into my pocket or a fixed on my belt, depending on the task at hand. My 110 is still cherished and rides in the spare pickup to handle all sorts of tasks.

I don't think the 110 is misunderstood so much as it has been drowned out by the overwhelming number of options we now have on the market. There are so many excellent knives available now that it is hard to pick any as the one knife. But, the 110 is a proven performer so it's perfectly reasonable for anyone to choose it as a constant companion.
 
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