Buck Factory visit

[Nix]

Thanks Nix , amazing photos.

Did you get to see the 110’s being made ?

I sure did!   

There is a whole section dedicated to making the 110. I didn't count, but there where at least 8 guys working on different stages of assembly, polish, and sharpening. There was one enclosed room where 110's had been clamped, blade down, into a jig. The jig automatically rotated through a series of buffing wheels to polish them up. However, the 110's are the hand finished before being ready to ship.

These guys are dedicated to those 110's! 

I should add that the guys in the custom shop were also making a few 110's. THere was a woman who did final inspection and did a quick series of paper slices to make sure the knives where sharp enough to ship. 

[Dunc]

I sure did!   

There is a whole section dedicated to making the 110. I didn't count, but there where at least 8 guys working on different stages of assembly, polish, and sharpening. There was one enclosed room where 110's had been clamped, blade down, into a jig. The jig automatically rotated through a series of buffing wheels to polish them up. However, the 110's are the hand finished before being ready to ship.

These guys are dedicated to those 110's! 

I should add that the guys in the custom shop were also making a few 110's. THere was a woman who did final inspection and did a quick series of paper slices to make sure the knives where sharp enough to ship. 

That must have been so cool  , I’d be like a small boy on Christmas morning 

[Nix]

It was hard to take my eyes of the trays and trays of 110's.....   

[Nix]

So there were a couple questions about the 300 series knives. There were some 300's for sale in the factory store, but it was these 700's in the museum that caught my eye:




I'm not sure I got clear answers to my questions, but the short of it is this: all production of Buck knives is being returned to the US. There a still a few specific models being made overseas (China), but Buck is retooling to make the 300's at home.

The guide seemed quite sympathetic to consumers' requests for Buck to make their knives in the US. (I got the feeling she answered this question a dozen times a day. I asked at least twice.) It's not clear when that transition will be complete.

I asked about future models, e.g. a Barlow (hint, hint) or a Scout model (nudge, nudge), but I think the focus is on returning current model production to the US. After that, "it's certainly possible."  Which is the same answer that Mom gives you when you ask her for a pony for Christmas.....with slightly better odds. Buck does seem to be paying attention to consumer demand.

You guys know how I like a Trapper pattern. I didn't realize that Buck had made one at one point, until I saw this one in a "museum" cabinet:




  

That particular cabinet was dedicated to the work of David Yellowhorse. David is a Navajo artisan living in Arizona, he gets knives directly from Buck and then builds custom scales for them. His work is pretty amazing.....but carries a price tag.

Yellowhorse Knives

[Rapidray]

Safe to say you had a great time there! 
Yellowhorse does great work on his scales. 

[Huntsman]

Enjoying this post even more now the trip has begun and we have stories and piccies

A bike road trip through stunning (remote?) countryside - with a multitool flavour - what a perfect way to spend a few days
(Note: I have a BMW R1100RT )
Lovin' all the Buck info .... Prior to this thread, apart from having heard of them,  I knew nothing of Buck
- I even had to look up what a 110 was !! 

Really fascinated by the anwer to my SwissBuck question - And thanks for asking it.
It was not the answer I was expecting
- Given SwissBuck finished over 20 years ago - The answer I was expecting was:  ........ "What's a SwissBuck?"
However, given what we now know about the longevity and loyalty of Buck people -This was not going to be the answer.

My next expected answer was "We stopped becase sales were lower than expected/needed"

So I was really surprised by the "Not sufficient quality" answer..... Especially given Swiss quality reputation
- I would think Wenger would not be too happy with that at the time !!
I know Vic offered a lifetime guarantee - And I assume Wenger did too at the time
- So would this really matter?  As Wenger would repair 
I guess if parts were failing .... from a Buck perspective, again given what we now know about Buck pride, the fact they could be repaired would not matter - They would not want any part failure associated with their name!

Also at the time I think Wenger quality was suspected to be lower than Vic's by some.

Anyway great thread and trip - Thanks for keeping us all informed - Much appreciated   

 

[McStitchy]

It seems the Buck factory tour left an impression on you. It's reassuring to hear that there is a final QA done by a real person.

I hope you could still enjoy the ride.
Please excuse my ignorance, were the any wildfires close by?

Anyhow.... how do you like the 112 Slim Pro (S30V) ? 

Those 700s look great too

[Sos24]

EDIT: Thanks for awl the kind comments!   

Back home now.  Still a little wet and drying out. 

I was hoping for some great scenery on the ride back, but I mostly saw raindrops on the helmet visor.

Getting ready to head head out this morning:

(Image removed from quote.)

Is that the 112 Slim Pro you were wanting that I see in the picture?

[LoopCutter]

That appears the same model I have picked with Micarta scales.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nix]

Is that the 112 Slim Pro you were wanting that I see in the picture?

 

[Nix]

I hope you could still enjoy the ride.
Please excuse my ignorance, were the any wildfires close by?

I'm not sure where the fires were.... I had assumed they were far off, but the ash on the motorcycle in the morning made me wonder.     For the most part, aside from the haze and smell of smoke in the air, I was largely unaware of the specific fires the contributed to the 'atmosphere'. 

[Nix]

Is that the 112 Slim Pro you were wanting that I see in the picture?

Anyhow.... how do you like the 112 Slim Pro (S30V) ? 

That appears the same model I have picked with Micarta scales.

Yes, that is the Slim Pro 112.   

When I first picked it up, it felt much smaller than a regular 112, but holding them side-by-side, they are indeed the same OAL. The Slim Pro is....as the name suggests...slimmer. Really thin. And, obviously, much lighter. Still the difference is shocking an it feels like an entirely different knife.

The blade clip is slightly different (flatter, less 'scooped'), and the swedge goes a bit further back toward the ricasso. This ain't your father's 112!

I think Buck has done a great job with the deep-carry pocket clip. In general, I don't like pocket clips, but I think this one (note the trademark anvil) will stay on my Slim Pro. 

With S30V steel, micarta scales, and an updated clip, I think the Slim Pro is a world class knife. There are no liners, just micarta scales. However the steel spacers give the knife a good solid feel and rigidity. I suspect it will be tough.

During the tour, the guide mentioned that Buck tests their models extensively for durability. She said it's common to see employees walking around flicking knives open repetitively as part of the testing. So I ave faith that my initial impressions of this being a solid and durable knife will prove to be true.

The traditional brass bolstered 112 will still be my Ranger of choice, but there is no doubt that this Slim Pro is easier to slip into a pocket and into an EDC rotation! 

(I'll post some more comparison photos later.)

[Nix]

There was a question or two about Buck bringing back a pliers based multitool, e.g. Navigator.

The guide was quick to note that we are not the first group to ask about that. Apparently there is still demand for the old Bucktool.


(sorry for the poor photo: tough lighting.)



The museum had a couple of examples on display. So the Bucktool has not faded from memory.





When I asked about a possible re-release of a pliers-based multitool, the answer I got floored me......

(Read the rest of this post while seated, please.)


Per the tour guide, Buck and Leatherman entered into a "gentleman's agreement" to stick to their respective fields of expertise. Buck would stick to knives, Leatherman to multitools. Please keep in mind, this was shop-floor hearsay, and was not an official Buck policy statement. While it sounds plausible, it may just be a rumor. (The part that doesn't make sense is the Gerber and Bear are making knives and tools, so why would Buck agree to a non-competition agreement with Leatherman?   )

Regardless, there don't seem to be any plans to bring the Bucktool back. At least not in the near future. 

[Nix]

The last thing I wanted to cover was the question about European availability and marketing.

While I was in the Buck Factory store, I met a really nice couple from Holland. They were over touring US National Parks, but he, at least, really wanted to see the Buck factory and take the tour. He noted that he was more of a collector than a user, but he carefully chose a Buck Vanguard (after giving 3 or 4 a good eyeball test).

He acknowledged that Buck knives weren't easy to come by in Europe. And wasn't sure why....

The tour guide didn't seem to have a clear answer about that. She speculated that shipping costs might make Buck knives prohibitively expensive. She also wondered if there just wasn't much demand for Buck knives in Europe. The conversation got sidetracked into knife laws in other countries and how that might reduce demand and limit market forces.

But there was still that guy from Holland who had driven 300 miles out of way to buy a Vanguard......

So a non-answer for you there. I think Buck produced and shipped over 1.5 million knives last year. That's a lot of steel to move, and maybe they just don't feel the need to market their blades overseas.    Speculation on my part.

To wrap up, I'll say that I don't think I've conveyed how much fun the tour was. Right as I walked in to the noise of the shop I was hit by the smells of knife-making: machine oil, grinding steel, heating steel, and a little micarta dust. That smell really woke me up. It was the smell of stuff getting done. And the tour was nicely laid out to illustrate the whole process of making a Buck knife. Through the whole tour, from cutting blades to heat treating them, the was a sense of energy going into making these knives, Your knife. A knife clearly made with pride.

The other interesting element was that Buck took pride in sourcing it's materials from US companies. Some of the steel came from Ohio, some of the wood from another US company, the brass from yet another, etc.....  That may be a turn-off for some people, but I think it reflects Buck's pride in being part of a community. I can respect that.

So, I had a great visit and enjoyed the tour immensely. But I didn't do you all decent service or Buck justice in posting these notes and photos. You should make the trip yourself, see Idaho, check out Buck, maybe pick up one of those Spitfires or Vanguards you've been eyeing..... 

[Nix]

Oh, Styx, you won't be disappointed in me either......photo when I can. 

[Nix]

Oh! Almost forgot!

I did pick up the makings of a prize pack for a GAW. And they stayed dry!  I'll run that GAW tomorrow.   

[Greg Jones]

Thanks for the great report Nix 

First a short mention of the Bike trip and the great scenery, outstanding, to bad about the rain but like you said that's motorcycling .

Now to the factory, looks like they put on a nice tour, and I must say inspiring with the care and pride of what they do, I also really enjoyed the video link

And finally, because of this I'll be picking out my first Buck sooner than later 

[RF52]

Sent fra min FRD-L09 via Tapatalk

[Nix]

  

[Sos24]

Thanks Nix.  Reading your notes and seeing the pictures was really nice.

Now I’m feeling even more that I need to stop procrastinating and pick myself up a Buck.  But now the bad thing is a know a need a traditional looking one, but the Slim Pro sounds really nice too.

[Nix]

It's a tough call, Sos.

There is a lot to like about the Slim Pro.....however, it isn't a unique knife the way the traditional Ranger is.

The OG Ranger feels great in hand. It feels solid. It feels right.

The Slim Pro feels more practical is some ways. Great materials, great design, easy to carry. I'm positive it will be a fabulous EDC knife, from a pragmatic perspective.

If I had to choose....well, I'm a romantic at heart. Give me brass and wood and tradition. 

[Rapidray]

When I asked about a possible re-release of a pliers-based multitool, the answer I got floored me......

(Read the rest of this post while seated, please.)


Per the tour guide, Buck and Leatherman entered into a "gentleman's agreement" to stick to their respective fields of expertise. Buck would stick to knives, Leatherman to multitools. Please keep in mind, this was shop-floor hearsay, and was not an official Buck policy statement. While it sounds plausible, it may just be a rumor. (The part that doesn't make sense is the Gerber and Bear are making knives and tools, so why would Buck agree to a non-competition agreement with Leatherman?   )

Regardless, there don't seem to be any plans to bring the Bucktool back. At least not in the near future. 

That would not surprise me one bit...other company’s in different fields do it. Even in the firearms industry it happens, Colt wanted to get into the lever actions at the turn of the century, Winchester asked if Colt wanted them to start making Single Actions...the rest is history.

[Butch]

There was a question or two about Buck bringing back a pliers based multitool, e.g. Navigator.

The guide was quick to note that we are not the first group to ask about that. Apparently there is still demand for the old Bucktool.

(Image removed from quote.)
(sorry for the poor photo: tough lighting.)



The museum had a couple of examples on display. So the Bucktool has not faded from memory.

(Image removed from quote.)



When I asked about a possible re-release of a pliers-based multitool, the answer I got floored me......

(Read the rest of this post while seated, please.)


Per the tour guide, Buck and Leatherman entered into a "gentleman's agreement" to stick to their respective fields of expertise. Buck would stick to knives, Leatherman to multitools. Please keep in mind, this was shop-floor hearsay, and was not an official Buck policy statement. While it sounds plausible, it may just be a rumor. (The part that doesn't make sense is the Gerber and Bear are making knives and tools, so why would Buck agree to a non-competition agreement with Leatherman?   )

Regardless, there don't seem to be any plans to bring the Bucktool back. At least not in the near future. 

Back in about 1880 Colt & Winchester entered into the same type agreement. It held up until Colt started producing the M16 for the US  military. But by that time Colt had been bought & sold at least twice, possibly more, the old geezer has a brain fart. .........

[Rapidray]

I noticed on your bike, at least I think I did, do you have a center stand and a kick stand?? Did it come that way or did you add the other one. I prefer the center stands myself as the heat here in Florida really softens up the pavement and I have seen the kick stands go a inch deep.

[Nix]

The GS comes with both.     I added an extra wide foot to the side stand for use on soft surfaces, but I mostly use the center stand. 

[Sos24]

It's a tough call, Sos.

There is a lot to like about the Slim Pro.....however, it isn't a unique knife the way the traditional Ranger is.

The OG Ranger feels great in hand. It feels solid. It feels right.

The Slim Pro feels more practical is some ways. Great materials, great design, easy to carry. I'm positive it will be a fabulous EDC knife, from a pragmatic perspective.

If I had to choose....well, I'm a romantic at heart. Give me brass and wood and tradition. 

It is not a choice of either/or.  The wood and brass is happening and probably sooner than planned because of the traditional look.  But now I’m almost feeling I might need to do both.

Must resist, but will power is low.

[Huntsman]

The GS comes with both   .......

I think most BM's do. Maybe the tourers.
My R1100RT and R80ST both had both!

[Rapidray]

Thats good to hear that they come with both...I could see them doing away with one “to keep cost down”.

[Nix]

But now I’m almost feeling I might need to do both.

That's the MTo way..... 

But, seriously, I had to have both, no question there.

[Aloha]

More great stuff from your trip.  Gentlemen's agreement huh  we may never know but I do like a good story so gentlemen agreement it is.