Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Hoyt Buck produced the first Buck Knife in 1902. Hoyt and his son Al moved to San Diego and set up shop as H.H. Buck & Son in 1947. Al Buck revolutionized the knife industry in 1964 with the infamous Model 110 Folding Hunter. The company's innovative history and attention to quality have made for many great collectible knives.
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

Yes OH he is ::tu::
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
johnny twoshoes
Posts: 1765
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:21 am
Location: Sarver, PA

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by johnny twoshoes »

Thanks guys, I really appreciate that.
I love my brothers here at AAPK and I enjoy getting to know everyone.

Robert could be my uncle, I think we'd get along out in the woods and enjoy a good deer hunt sometime. ::tu::
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

Well get yer arse up here in the fall ::nod::And MAYBE you can keep my twin 19yo boys awake in the wood long enough so they can shoot there deer they play college fall baseball they start workout at 5am and last practice ends 10pm by the time I get them for a saturday hunt there beat :lol: :lol:
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
Colonel26
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 10322
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:35 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Colonel26 »

I bought a new 301 this year, my first Buck slip joint. It wasn't up to snuff. So I emailed them, they contacted me, apologized, made me a new one and sent it to me no questions asked! It is now one of my best quality knives, and I don't even like stainless generally. As a matter of fact I'm pretty much a Solingen guy. But man is this knife good, and tough.

I've never had a stainless knife that will take and hold an edge like this 301. I'm sold on them and their customer service. I'm a fan for life.
“There are things in the old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Robert E. Lee
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

Colonal26;thats good to hear ::nod:: if ya don't mind me asking,what on the 301 wasn't up to snuff?
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
Colonel26
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 10322
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:35 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Colonel26 »

Here is my story. I copied it from the post I made on the Chinese knife forum in response to a question from Old Hunter. Here's the copied portion.

OH, I think I can help you out here.

Disclaimer: I don't buy chicom knives or shotguns personally but I wound up with one anyway

Now that that's out of the way so I don't get flamed, let me explain. I don't know about the exact two that you mention, but I can tell you about the differences between the 301 USA stockman and the 371 China stockman. My wife gets me and the boys identical knives every year for Christmas. After hearing me talk about Buck quality and reading their company philosophy she decided that this past Christmas it would be Buck instead of Case as usual, fine by me. She didn't know that they had a chicom line so she bought what she thought was a good deal on a large stockman, the 371. I was a little disappointed at first, but since it was a gift and it was from the wife I decided to pack it edc for a while and give it an honest shakedown (I was curious too). Fit and finish were great, the springs were great, it was sharp right out of the box, and I couldn't knock the product at all. I carried it, I used it and it was a fine knife. The edge held up well for stainless and it resharpened easily. As a matter of fact it was so good that I thought the USA version had to be perfect so I bought one. Not so great.

The springs on the USA version were weak, the nail nicks looked like they had been chiseled out there were so many tool marks in them, and the blades just looked rough. I was far from impressed. Other than having slightly better metal the USA version was a looser all the way around. So I sent an email to Buck. I told them very politely point by point why the USA version was inferior to the chicom knife. I ended by telling them how saddened I was that this was the case that the USA version of their own knife wasn't as good as the communist Chinese version.

A couple of days later the head of US manufacturing for Buck emailed wanting to speak to me. I called him back and he addressed each issue point by point telling me where they had messed up on each item of my list. He had been to China to help set up Buck's plant over there and to teach them how to build knives to Buck's specifications. He told me that you are more likely to get an unsatisfactory US knife than a Chinese knife because they can afford to simply throw them away if they aren't perfect whereas in the US they cannot afford to do so unless they are really bad. He told me that he's seen them throw away knives that he would have to sell.

In the end they made me a new 301 special in his words just to show me what they could really build. He sent it to me no questions asked and simply told me to send him the bad one when I got around to it so they could study it. He also had me send in all my other Buck knives for their spa treatment at no charge too! My new 371 is one of the best quality knives I own and I don't even like stainless. It is an amazing knife.

Moral of the story, as a product the Chicom knife will probably be a very good one but not have as good metal as the USA version. The USA version will be a good knife as long as it wasn't made on Monday morning or Friday afternoon. If you do get one that is unsatisfactory, Buck will make it right. If the chicom version had the metal in it that the USA version has, they'd put the USA version out of business. And that hurts me to say that.
“There are things in the old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Robert E. Lee
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

huh ,that an interesting story,at least they took care of you ,now on the other hand I've never had a problem with a Buck knife but then I only buy what I can touch Never by mail I own one china Buck( long story) and I won't give it pocket time just feels cheep .I keep it only because it was a gift or I would donate it to the Salvation Army ::shrug::
Attachments
dscn1274.jpg
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
Colonel26
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 10322
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:35 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Colonel26 »

The quality of my 301 rivals any of the newer knives I own and surpasses many of what should be premium brands. I love the one I have now. The first one not so much. I'd take my Buck 301 any day over my Queen "premium" Stockman.

I guess it was just the luck of the draw on that first one.
“There are things in the old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Robert E. Lee
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

Colonel It's a crap shoot at times ::shrug:: My favorite is a Camillus made cadet I want to get a new 301 and a solitare in yeller ::nod::
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
Colonel26
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 10322
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:35 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Colonel26 »

Do you have one of the newer style 301's with the triple back springs? I really like it, not having the blades canted, and man is it smooth. It's much smoother than some of my much more expensive knives.
“There are things in the old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Robert E. Lee
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

Don't have one yet my 303 is made by Camillus1974 and is a great knife I hope not to get disapointed in the newer 301's
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

here are some of my more modern new additions to my Buck family ::groove:: I have Caleb to thank for the Avid ::handshake::
Attachments
IMAG0022.JPG
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
313 Mike
Posts: 3774
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:59 am

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by 313 Mike »

I've got a 2004 Buck usa 301 with the three backsprings and it is turning out to be a great knife, gets smoother the more I use it...definititely a winner in my book. The more I carry it the more I like it....

Mike
Mike

There are those who are...and those who wish they were. He himself decides.
User avatar
Just Plain Dave
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 7724
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 3:54 am
Location: Near East Texas (Cleveland area)

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Just Plain Dave »

I have an unknown year 303 USA (Likely mid 2000) that a buddy gave me. I have never really gone for the sort of grind Buck puts on these.

I can't get it to slice paper QUITE as well as some other knives, but it is reasonably sharp.

A little fat with the three backsprings.....

Slant bolsters are kinda nice....
Looking for the magic penny!
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

I've been heming and hawing over a watch-pocket knife for work ::shrug:: been going between a 55 or a 503 so the winner is :shock:
Attachments
IMAG0025d.JPG
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
Old Hunter
Posts: 8394
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:14 am
Location: Beaufort County, NC

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Old Hunter »

Had a bit of a dry spell recently, been tied up vacationing (working!) and with real work. Finally stopped by an antique & collectibles store I have been driving past for years - the guy had a decent selection of knives - picked up this pre-86 Buck 303. I can check that one off my list - an older 303 has been on it for awhile. Got a decent price per looking over e-bay - right in the average, but this one is now in my pocket. I like the fact that it is nearly new, but not mint - don't have to do the "should I EDC it or should I preserve it" debate!
Attachments
DSC04723_opt.jpg
DSC04724_opt.jpg
Deep in the guts of most men is buried the involuntary response to the hunter's horn, a prickle of the nape hairs, an acceleration of the pulse, an atavistic memory of his fathers, who killed first with stone, and then with club...Robert Ruark
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

MAN OH thats clean ::woot::
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
Just Plain Dave
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 7724
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 3:54 am
Location: Near East Texas (Cleveland area)

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Just Plain Dave »

Someday I GOTTA get me one of them older flat ground Bucks!!!
Looking for the magic penny!
User avatar
Old Hunter
Posts: 8394
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:14 am
Location: Beaufort County, NC

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Old Hunter »

Dogg, I'm pretty excited about this find - a bucket list knife - looking forward to adding it to my EDC rotation.

Mike, I'm with you - the modern Buck blade grind doesn't do a thing for my sense of style. I do plan to add one with yellow handles to my collection, both to support Buck and to have a modern Buck mfg example, probably go with a 301 for that knife whenever I add it. Variations is what makes this collecting hobby so interesting (fun) to me.

The other feature I like about the old model 303 is the fact that it is built with two springs instead of the three springs Buck uses on the new models - more classic in my opinion.
Deep in the guts of most men is buried the involuntary response to the hunter's horn, a prickle of the nape hairs, an acceleration of the pulse, an atavistic memory of his fathers, who killed first with stone, and then with club...Robert Ruark
User avatar
Colonel26
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 10322
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 3:35 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Colonel26 »

That's a dandy OH! I like the looks of it a lot. What size are those 303 bucks?

I love my new 301, especially the three back springs. No it isn't traditional, and I'm usually a sucker for traditional, but it's just so smooth and works so good. I got the dyamond wood. Get one I predict you'll fall in love.

But those pics surely do give me a hankering for o e of them 303's.
“There are things in the old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Robert E. Lee
User avatar
Old Hunter
Posts: 8394
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:14 am
Location: Beaufort County, NC

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by Old Hunter »

My NOS Buck 303 measures 3-3/8" OAL (closed). If you lay it next to an Old Timer OT33 or OT34 it is virtually identical in size. I carried this knife yesterday in both jeans (all day for work) and in shorts (after I got home). In the jeans I had to check a time or two to ensure it was still in my left front pocket - in the shorts you can feel it moving when you walk, but not twisting like a bigger knife. The size is very nice in length, not too long, and the blades have enough width and heft to be more useful than a penknife - my only use yesterday was in using the tip of the master clip blade in prying up the paper cover on the adhesive to seal a Priority Mail shipping box - worked good! I will add a new Buck eventually - yellow handles in either a 301 Stockman or Solitaire - all my Buck pocketknives (except one 309 Whittler) are Schrade or Camillus made. I have noticed in pictures that the early Buck mfg 300 series knives (late 80's and early 90's) have the flat grind - I think I will try to find a few of those to add to my variations.
Deep in the guts of most men is buried the involuntary response to the hunter's horn, a prickle of the nape hairs, an acceleration of the pulse, an atavistic memory of his fathers, who killed first with stone, and then with club...Robert Ruark
trey
Posts: 464
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 5:41 pm
Location: Helotes, Texas

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by trey »

I just got this and I really like it.

Image

Image
User avatar
garddogg56
Bronze Tier
Bronze Tier
Posts: 9020
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
Location: Maine Aya up North

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by garddogg56 »

Man Trey I like that too is it a flipper? that color would be perfict for the boys for hunting ::nod::
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
User avatar
313 Mike
Posts: 3774
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:59 am

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by 313 Mike »

Yeah Trey that is a nice one! I like the jimping on both ends of the handle, nice touch. Also like the orange camo, I've taken to putting a strip of orange duct tape on the handle of some of my camping hunting knives to make them easier to find in low light conditions, on the forest floor, or in a crowded gear bag. Does that open up just with the thumbstuds? What is the model number?
Mike

There are those who are...and those who wish they were. He himself decides.
268bull
Posts: 476
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:29 pm

Re: Whats your newest addition to your Buck family and why?

Post by 268bull »

A 526 C lockback Scout knife. I bought the knife at an estate sale, Buck makes a quality knife, and the price they were asking, I couldn't pass it up. ::nod:: Bull
Post Reply

Return to “Buck Knife Collector's Forum”