What is happening with the old standby #110 Folding Hunter??

[Baykeeper]

What is happening with the old standby #110 Folding Hunter??

Today I took some time to surf the Buck website to check out the 2018 additions. Seems the venerable old $49.99 #110 Folding Hunter w/ Dynawood handles, 420 clip blade and brass bolsters is now a thing of the past. The only versions offered on the website now are the #110 Folding Hunter LT with nylon handles, (no bolsters), the #110 Folding Hunter Pro, (with a "pro" price I might add), and the #110 Auto, none of which are the regular old stock #110 we all know and love. The #110 Folding Hunter LT has taken a similar price point once occupied by the "stock" #110 on their website. This was THE knife that put Buck on the map, now it seems they have eliminated the knife but kept the model designation. If so, I would start buying up pre-2018 #110's if I were you, if they will not be available in the "stock" form after this I suspect they will become more and more collectible.

I guess I can see why, removing the brass bolsters and the wood from all but upper end #110's will save the company money, which I would have to assume is a survival strategy on Buck's part, but I am sad to see the company's cornerstone product relegated to history. I'm just really surprised they would eliminate THE knife that built the company in the first place, replacing it with less expensive to build models. If we want a "regular" old #110 in the future it looks like it will have to be a custom build, (which of course will demand a "custom" price). They also seem to have eliminated all the US-made 300 Series knives from their site too, which is a shocking disappointment to me especially, as that series is my chosen focus of collecting.

Sign of the times I guess, maybe even a necessary evil to stay in business, but I can't say I'm not disappointed.

BTW: If I'm wrong about what is and/or isn't being made at Buck these days please let me know. I am holding out hope that I could be mistaken.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

Isn't it right here? https://www.buckknives.com/product/110- ... 0110FAM01/

I suspect what you did was click on the 2018 link. That shows you only the new knives for 2018.

[Baykeeper]

Isn't it right here? https://www.buckknives.com/product/110- ... 0110FAM01/

I suspect what you did was click on the 2018 link. That shows you only the new knives for 2018.

Well maybe.
I looked several times today under "Hunting", and all I found was the above at the time, but I finally found it on the bottom of the page a few minutes ago so I stand corrected on that count. However, is $92 the regular price for a "stock" 110? They were on the site for $49.99 for years, just recently actually, when did they go all the way up to $92....and why? Is it just me or does $92 seem like a bit much for a "stock" 110?

[Old Hunter]

Just read in Field & Stream that there have been 15 million Buck 110 Folding Hunter's made since 1964. Based on their distribution today (everywhere!) I don't think it is being discontinued. TFL is correct, you are looking at the page for new variations. Go to the Custom shop area of Buck's website - you can make about any variation of Buck 110 you want. OH

Ps As recently as two days ago I saw the Buck 110 at Walmart for $27.95.

[kootenay joe]

Odd: click on the link above, shows a new Buck 110 with price of $92 which after 2 seconds changes to $82.
Even $82 is a big increase from the $49 for a 110 of the last few years. I think it is a marketing decision. Buck cannot compete price wise with a 5" Rough Rider Folding Hunter at $20 so they put the 110 price way up. The hope is that the potential buyer (not a knowledgeable knife collector) will see the high price and think "Wow, this knife must be really good. I'm gunna treat myself", and they sell more at $82 than they did at $49.
The knife collector dude knows the 2018 Buck 110 is the same as all the other 110's of the last many years and buy a never used example on ebay for $30 with a bit of luck.
kj

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

You can buy a brand new Buck 110 on Amazon for $40.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E ... 0DER&psc=1

[Brian Battaglia]

Just got one for Christmas, finally.. Talk about one sturdy knife
49.99 at Cabelas and 39.99 at Dicks Sporting goods.

[kootenay joe]

So why does the Buck website give $82 as the price of a 110 ?
kj

[OLDE CUTLER]

So why does the Buck website give $82 as the price of a 110 ?
kj

Possibly that is MSRP and the big retailers that buy tens of thousands at once for all their stores get a deal on them to sell for considerably less at discount. My local Scheels store has had them around Christmas time for $40.

[Tsar Bomba]

While I was ogling the Buck 110 auto in S30V over at KnifeCenter I noticed they were selling standard Dymondwood 110s for under $40. The LTs were significantly cheaper, in the 20s.

I'm guessing the prices on the Buck site are MSRP. Like at the car dealer, nobody pays sticker.

[kootenay joe]

Right. And if someone checks the Buck website and sees $82 and later is in a store and sees a $40 price, he thinks "wow, super good deal, i better get one".
There has to be some reason for giving the higher price on their website.
kj

[Baykeeper]

Thanks for the replies guys. I spent hours yesterday researching this, I too found it at $92, which then became $82. Found them on the bay for $35-$40. I suppose they have agreements w/ places like SMKW, Walmart, etc, etc to not compete with them online, hence the outrageous prices on their site. In my opinion though that is an old fashioned corporate way of thinking that will eventually lead nowhere. I also failed to find a single US-made 300 Series knife on their site, and that truly truly is a pity. I was mainly worried that they were cutting costs by going with less-expensive-to-manufacture versions, and were phasing out more costly to make lines, (which is something corporations will do when dying). Oddly though their new #110 Folding Hunter LT is listed at $38 on their site, and are now on the bay at $32 which is within reason, so pricing the "regular" 110 at $82 on their site still baffles me, it's like they are trying to attract our attention elsewhere, like they are quietly escorting the venerable "stock" 110 out the back door or something. If nothing else this gives me topics to ask Buck officials about at the 30th BCCI Reunion in Post Falls in July.

[wazu013]

I was in WalMart yesterday and they had the clam pack 110's selling for $27 and change. I didn't look at it close enough to see if the sheath was leather or nylon.

[Baykeeper]

I was in WalMart yesterday and they had the clam pack 110's selling for $27 and change. I didn't look at it close enough to see if the sheath was leather or nylon.

It was probably a nylon sheath, that is what usually comes in the clam pack. I'm more interested in whether the regular version 110 will still be available in the future, or only the newly introduced versions, it seems they are de-emphasizing the "regular" version to a certain degree by coming out with new versions this year. I still can't make any sense of them being listed for so much on the website though, all I can come up with is that there must be some kind of marketing agreements with wholesale buyers that prevents them from competing online. If so I think it's what my old pastor once referred to as "stinkin' thinkin'".

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

I would never even think to shop on the manufacturers website unless I was going to special order something, or I was looking at factory seconds/refurbished.

The mfr simply can't sell direct at the same price as a large retailer unless they completely cut the retailers out of the market. They are willing to sell to Amazon at a low price because it is a high-volume and relatively easy fulfillment. Receive an electronic order, fill a pallet, ship it out. Selling direct to consumer is a whole different process of marketing, sales, fulfillment, returns, etc, etc. I doubt a mfr could sell at the same low margins as Amazon - they would need to add more than Amazon's tiny mark-up on top of what Amazon pays to come out ahead.

[300Bucks]

I don't know about the rest of you but I am feeling like a dinosaur. Auto 110s, plastic 110s, Moose skinners. My gut feeling is that Buck has younger folks marketing knives for a younger crowd. Very few Bucks do I like. I would say find you a deal and pick up a 110 or two for the future if they are important for you to have. Don't want to sideline the thread from 110s but someone mentioned the 300 series pocket knifes. The small 309 and 305 are being discontinued, the 303 and 301 are still being made but I hear rumors. Tech knives with flipping blades, carbon fiber scales and super steels are the sellers not nail nic pocket knives. 300Bucks

[Baykeeper]

I don't know about the rest of you but I am feeling like a dinosaur. Auto 110s, plastic 110s, Moose skinners. My gut feeling is that Buck has younger folks marketing knives for a younger crowd. Very few Bucks do I like. I would say find you a deal and pick up a 110 or two for the future if they are important for you to have. Don't want to sideline the thread from 110s but someone mentioned the 300 series pocket knifes. The small 309 and 305 are being discontinued, the 303 and 301 are still being made but I hear rumors. Tech knives with flipping blades, carbon fiber scales and super steels are the sellers not nail nic pocket knives. 300Bucks

Hello stranger, as usual you put the point into words better than I do. I was the one mentioning the 300 Series, with the fate of the 309 & 305 in mind. In fact I cannot find even one US-made 300 for sale on their website, they must have relegated them to wholesale only, (the US-made versions that is), which doesn't bode well for the future of the series. I feel the same way about the 110, not my favorite, but due our recognition as THE knife that made the company. Kinda feeling dinosaurish myself. Maybe we can talk some sense to those whippersnappers at the BCCI reunion in July; btw, you going?

[300Bucks]

Trying to decide about going to Blade Show and/or Idaho or not. I think they will keep making some 301s and 303s with 2018 date codes but someone talked to a Buck person and they are on the chopping block also after that. I think they should drop the Chairman but keep the sawcut. I think part of it is the contract knives are selling well at WM and other big sources and the 'planners' want the space on the factory floor for new upscale knives.
300

[Mumbleypeg]

Stopped by a Dick's Sporting Goods yesterday. Original Buck 110 clam packs with nylon sheath were $29.95. They had 10 in stock.

Ken

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

I think it is a foregone conclusion that from an economic perspective, any knife that retails under $100 probably shouldn't be made in the USA. Schrade figured this out and Buck has too - they are just stretching it out as long as they can.

IMHO, the real concern is not Buck moving their low-end knives to China - it is retailers completely replacing Buck & Schrade with ultra low cost Chinese & Pakistani knives from the Frost and Blue Ridge brands. If all we can buy are those cr@ptastic knives, we are all screwed. We could long for the day when we could have bought a quality Chinese-made Buck or Schrade...

[Baykeeper]

I think it is a foregone conclusion that from an economic perspective, any knife that retails under $100 probably shouldn't be made in the USA. Schrade figured this out and Buck has too - they are just stretching it out as long as they can.

IMHO, the real concern is not Buck moving their low-end knives to China - it is retailers completely replacing Buck & Schrade with ultra low cost Chinese & Pakistani knives from the Frost and Blue Ridge brands. If all we can buy are those cr@ptastic knives, we are all screwed. We could long for the day when we could have bought a quality Chinese-made Buck or Schrade...

Well perhaps we are all screwed, and yes the retailers will replace them all if it makes them money, they don't care what they sell, they just care IF it sells. What I fear is happening is that sometime soon the only companies selling US-made traditional frame pocket knives will be Case & GEC, (assuming they survive this ongoing die off), and those will be at premium prices way beyond the relatively high prices of today. Now with Buck de-emphasizing the regular version 110, and them seemingly ready to discontinue their traditional frames completely my fears seem to be confirmed.