Tom reviews the popular Buck 110 folding knife.
How do you not love the old Buck 110 folding lock blade knife? Everyone has to own one of them don’t they?
I’m sure one of you little yuppie millennials will search the internet and prove me wrong on this statement but to my recollection, the Buck 110 was the first foldup lock blade knife to hit the scene.
As a kid one of my hero’s, Mr. CC Teague used an old fold-up knife to skin his deer. He was cool and took my dad, me and my brother deer hunting which we never could of afforded.
Even though I was only 9-yrs. old and he was my hero, I just couldn’t accept a foldup that might close on my fingers. In those days I’d never heard of a lock blade on a foldup but that was my hold up to following Mr. Teague’s example.
Buck 110 Folding Knife
Then years later I discovered the famous Buck 110 folding lock blade. To me it has always been the original lock blade. It’s a stout heavy duty working man’s knife. Everyone from outdoorsmen to bikers favored them.
There’s no arguing, there are sleeker more handy folders on the market nowadays which are easier to carry and slicker to open but everyone has to own a Buck 110 Folding Knife don’t they? Like I said, they’re not a sleek, finesse knife but they do have a few benefits over the newer options out there.
- The Buck 110 Folders are thicker which means they fit your grip better. You’re usually big game hunting in snow and cold conditions. Your hands will be bloody which means it’s tough even with a full handled knife for you to not have good control. Cold hands, a bloody slippery knife and you have the perfect formulation for your knife to slip and you get cut. That’s why the BUCK 110 is safer to use when field dressing your animal over a lot of the thinner knives out there.
- In a nutshell, they’re just a stoutly built, nice looking knife. They’re not a dainty built fingernail trimming type of knife.
The Buck model 110 is a nice-looking knife. It has brass bolsters and a wood handle which both offset each other to make for a nice-looking knife. It comes with a stout leather sheath. With a thicker fold-up it’s more comfortable to carry it in a sheath.
The only downsides that I see are also what makes it desirable and might be on the off-hand listed as its strong points.
- It is a thick knife so it is not as comfortable to carry in your pocket like a lot of the thinner ones.
- It is also tight to open. I’m not saying you have to use two hands to open it but pretty much you do.
- It is a little heavy due to being so stoutly constructed and I’m always trying to cut weight when hiking in the mountains.
Now for a little history. The 110 hit the market in 1963, so it is over 50 yrs. old. Within six months it was the best-selling knife on the market. And 50 yrs. later, it is still a good selling knife. To my knowledge, it was the knives that put Buck on the map.
(Buck does offer different variations. Different handle materials, engraving options etc.).
Buck 110 Folding Knife Specs:
- Overall length open 8 ½”
- Overall length closed 4 7/8”
- Blade-3 3/4“
- Weight 7.2 ozs.
- Steel 420HC
- Rockwell hardness of Rc 58
- Handle Dymondwood
- Sheath Leather. The knife fits down in the sheath and a flap snaps over it to further keep it in place.
- Origin-Made in the USA!
Live Inventory Price Checker
Buck 110 Folding Hunter LT Knife - 0110BKSLT | Palmetto State Armory | $ 39.99 $ 24.63 |
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Buck 110 Folding Hunter LT Knife - 0110BKSLT | Palmetto State Armory | $ 39.99 $ 24.63 |
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Buck - 110 Folding Hunter - Limited Edition - Black - Laminate - S45VN - 3.75" | True Shot Ammo | $ 324.99 |
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Hornady Buck 110 Folding Knife Drop Point, Brown - 99126 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 101.99 $ 88.99 |
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About Tom Claycomb
Tom Claycomb has been an avid hunter/fisherman throughout his life as well as an outdoors writer with outdoor columns in the magazine Hunt Alaska, Bass Pro Shops, Bowhunter.net and freelances for numerous magazines and newspapers. “To properly skin your animal you will need a sharp knife. I have an e-article on Amazon Kindle titled Knife Sharpening for $.99 if you’re having trouble”
In the 70s&80s there wasnt a good ole boy worth his salt without a 110. Ford ,Chevy,Mopar all had room to argue about back then but the buck 110 was king.
As a Boy Scout Leader in the70s, I needed a strong, rugged, folding knife and the Buck 110. That was my 2nd Buck knife (early 70s), the 1st was a Buck Special (mid 60s). I still have and use both. I also have other plastic handled folding Buck knives that are lighter and better suited for backpacking. One is a 110 like knife. The other is a 110 like knife with replaceable blade. Still have and use those to. My Bucks don’t wear out or break. I met the founder once and thanked him for his well designed and made… Read more »
I’ve had a few, as well as some Puma’s I wish I still had. A few years ago I drove back to CA to help one of my sisters move – she gave me back what may have been my first Buck 110 I probably bought in 1970! Sometime in the mid 80’s after a divorce I was flat broke and sent it, my guitar and who knows what else her way for Christmas presents to her family, it was cool getting it back, Have a great day.
I own several 110s. I carried a Finger Groove model for many years in law enforcement. It rode in a basket weave magazine case to match my duty gear. I can’t tell you how many uses that I found for that knife. After almost 40 years of carry and a lot of years use post retirement, it is still in excellent shape.
Tom is right, everybody has to have at least one.
Now Buck has the belt knife equivalent of the 110 it is the 112 and I’ve seen it and held it at Cabela’s .
the 110 I am carrying right now is my 3rd or 4th one since 1986 (it’s not nice to drop them where they can’t be retrieved or simply lost it).
Is it OK that I just have the little brother 112. I’ve had it for 45+ years, often carried it during my AF flying career.
I happen to have two of them, and yeah it is a bit heavier than the other lickback knives I have, but it also looks better and is as sharp today as it was when I got it back in 1986 and it still looks great through all the use it has had.
I found a buck 110 stuck in a pine tree. About one third of the blade has a funky discoloration, but still holds an edge. One side of the handle is faded . Still a good knife. I’m thinking someone used it as a toilet paper holder as it was found around an old hunting camp, but who knows.
I have the Buck 110 and the 112 in my gun safe , both were carried in the field over 30 years ago . I bought lighter Buck knives with synthetic handles now that are lighter to pack but I have many fond memories using thier predecessors that are stored for safe keeping now .
Got my first 110 from the army sportsman’s club in Grafenwor Germany when I was stationed there 75 to 77. It has a blade over 3″ so I couldn’t carry it on duty. Eventually got it’s baby brother 112 so I could carry on duty. Both can be opened one handed with a lot of practice and some break in of the knife. Grab as much of the blade as you can, towards the tip of the blade, with the thumb and index finger. Flip the knife using the weight of the handle to open it. Most of the handle… Read more »
there used to be a device on the market called the “bandit” that could be placed on the 110 blade that allowed 1 handed opening. i purchased 10 for my bucks years ago.
never heard of that
My first real EDC. Great utility! Even used it to pound nails.
No, everyone does not need to have one of these….
I think the Buck 110 was Matt Helm’s EDC, along with an original S&W .38 Bodyguard, in the Donald Hamilton book series.
No comments about the 110 auto folder? Surprised, lol…
as with all bucks, worth every dime!
I, like many, carried a 110 on my belt year round but skinned game with a Case Trapper .. old model NOT the cheap new one.
I like my old timer for that. Small curved blade and the handle has a tang on it so you don’t slip up and cut your fingers.
I have been using mine since 1968, mostly to make sandwiches and to skin apples, but it still looks like new.
My second knife is an indestructible Buck diving knife, purchased in 1972.
I have a couple of these, but they have been displaced by modern blades; mostly Spyderco for me, for everyday carry. I still love the old classics though. I have some Case knives that are amazing, but just sit in a drawer. No more safe queens for me. Like firearms, I buy what I will use and sell the rest.
the dumbest thing i ever did with my 110 is that i donated it to GOODWILL because i thought that i would never have a use for it again! please do not tell anyone!
Lock blade folding knives predate the American revolution. Regardless, the Buck 110 is classic 1970s Americana.
I carried a 110 for YEARS. Wore it on my belt all through Junior High and High school. (Can you imagine the uproar that would cause these days?)
Used to spend hours flicking it open with one hand… Sadly, from that abuse, the lock isn’t as reliable as it should be and it has therefore fallen into disuse.
Buck will repair it if you send it to them. Probably for free.
For the 4 years I was in Viet Nam I carried 2 BUCK knives…the Folding Hunter and the fixed blade stainless with black grips. Best thing I did. They stood up to the weather and always stayed sharp. FAR better than the KABAR. Later on when I came back to the ‘states I carried a John Ek knife that I found at a gun show. This knife was great as well.
You have my exact taste in knives.
I wish they would promote the Ranger model more, not every work place will allow you to carry a knife with a blade bigger than 3″. I own a 110 hunter (39 years) but also have the ranger. Some cities and towns out east frown on knifes bigger then 3″ . The ranger is hard to find in the store but is a very good knife to carry also.
The 110 case is also the perfect size to carry a Ruger LC9 magazine.
Yeah, I find buck knives blades to be brittle and not a knife I would take into the woods, I had a prince model and the blade has broken when I got it in a bind in some oak,no I’m not a fan. Paul Bos needs to temper better or get better steel..
If you had the Prince model you had a Puma not a Buck.
Don’t think that it was a Buck
I disagree. There is nothing wrong if you don’t own a Buck of any kind. I grew up with Buck knives thinking they were God’s gift to mankind. My grandfather, dad, and older brother all swore by Buck. Buck makes good knives, but that is all they are, just good knives. There are far better and even really great knives. You won’t find a really great knife with the Buck name on it. I have about 4 Buck knives that I purchased in my younger years. They all set in a tool box rusting away, because they are no longer… Read more »
I Bought one back in the 70’s , after High School, managed to Snap the Blade in Half….to my Suprise…Prying a bent Nail, ( The Instructions Said…” Do not use for Prying…Etc. , Blah , Blah, Blah…..)So I Bought a Second One.. Because I felt it was a Cool Knife , Handy, Felt Good in the Hand, Opened and Closed. Smoothly….But then Later I Broke the Blade on the Second One…!! So I decided the Blades are Too Brittle.. Just Didn’t Live up to My Wxpectations or Needs….and I Vowed Never to Buy Anither One…They Were Quite Disappointing…I Just Had… Read more »
lol, Bill in LA-I THINK YOU NEED TO BUY A PRY BAR!
Schrade had the lockback before Buck,they went out of business a few years ago, then some co. from china bought them ,they would repair them free or replace them free,I have a collection of a lot of there old knives
i miss the schrade “old timer”!
QUE BELLEZA Y QUE BIEN PRESENTADO ESTA ESTE CUCHILLO PLEGABLE,QUE PUEDE SER UN COMPAÑERO INSEPARABLE,AL TIEMPO QUE BRINDA UNA DISTINGUIDA AYUDA EN LOS CAMPAMENTOS Y DONDE EL DEPORTE AL AIRE LIBRE SE LLEVE A CABO- – – – EXCELENTE¡¡¡¡
I had one back in 1974. Loved it until someone stole it from me out of my locker. Maybe if it would have had a serial number on it, they might have gotten it back to me. NOT!!!!!!
I feel your pain, Musicman! My biological dad bought me one for Christmas or my birthday in the early 80’s. I worked in a factory at the time and it was handy for cutting threads and other things on the job. In the small town I lived in at the time, I (as did many others in the area) wore it in its leather pouch on my belt. It was a comfort walking the dark streets to work on night shift in the factory. Some years later, working a different job in a different area, I stopped wearing it on… Read more »