I was minding my own business loading up my 4x4 to travel way west to chase guns and do a gunshow in northern Idaho last week, when I remembered I needed a sheath/scabbard for a Buck knife I bought recently from the classified ads on this site.
The knife I bought was one of two knives I got in that deal and it was advertised as having no sheath/scabbard.
The knife in question is a Buck Model 655 "Nighthawk" with a fixed 5 1/2" blade.
My travels were to take me near the new Buck Knife headquarters in Post Falls, Idaho.
I show up there at noon time and bring my knife into their on-site store and alas no sheath/scabbard was offered there that would fit my knife!
I approach the noon time counter man and he acknowledges no scabbard was there in the store that would fit my knife.
But... he said if I could wait until another employee were to get back from lunch he would "search the factory" for an appropriate sheath/scabbard.
Soon enough he has relief and off he goes into the factory with my knife.
15 minutes later he returns and my knife is now encased in a scabbard that is complete with leg lanyard, dual belt attachment schemes and some other stuff I am still learning about.
I am gleeful and pull out my wallet that is stuffed with 19 one hundred dollar bills and 5 twenty dollar bills - said Buck employee refuses any payment!
I try to insist pulling out one twenty dollar bill I would gladly leave with him for the cool looking scabbard he found for me!
Nope, he refuses still, and adds that the particular style/type of my "Nighthawk" knife was discontinued about 20 years ago and a new version is still offered but as he showed me it was rather different.
Anyway I have used the "warranty" services of the Buck Knife Company on two occasions in the past 6 or 8 years since Buck moved there.
Both times my knives were repaired and done so free of charge even though I tried to pay and one time begged to pay as I had abused that knife out of an emergency necessity!
No payment allowed.
I also toured the nifty "Buck Museum" again while I was there on this latest trip.
Buck knives have worked splendidly for me over the last 60 years and I remain loyal to them for all my knife needs and gift needs.
I bought 4 (four) Buck knives this past Christmas time as gifts (two - two packs of American made Buck knives) and they were WELL received by my offspring at Christmas time.
I returned to the Buck facility later that Friday with two friends (fellow gunshow table holders) and we REALLY enjoyed shopping and touring the facility.
A couple of "blemished/discontinued" knives were purchased by my compatriots. The Buck store there was doing a pretty brisk business both times I was there last Friday.
If you are ever in the Post Falls, Idaho area (just off of I-90) I highly recommend the Buck Knife facility for viewing their "museum", their on site store and if you have the time a factory tour!
Long live Buck Knives a FINE American company.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I like buck knives.

Oh my heavens

Great Story and info!
Thank you,
Bill

Great story, and a great product.

Thanks for sharing.

Gimme me the short version of all that.....

My grandmother used to say that when you were interrupting her ‘stories’ on the tv. It was a polite way to pretend to be enthusiastic about your purple Playdough turd but to otherwise just go the fugg away.


As for the knife sheath, I really am glad for VG. And mean it in a sincere way.

Waiting on a spa treatment and new blade on a 110 that was bought in 1976. Should be back soon. $10 fee. Blade had been sharpened to DEATH..

Thanks for that story.

I lost this really nice Buck Kit Carson cross-lock years ago:

https://www.ebay.com/c/14028082766


And replaced it with this great alpha crosslock that has a great saw, guthook, and really holds a sharp edge on a hollow ground blade. It will cut you.

I love my buck knives too!

Been a Buck Knives fan since junior high - over 45 years.

Ever stab anyone or anything???
Lol!!!

My buck 110 gutted 4 does and 5 bucks this year.
Got it in 1975 when I was 12 in 7th grade.
Been all over the planet.
Razor sharp, dont take much on the Arkansas stone to keep it that way.
Just gotta know the feel of the stone and steel when putting an edge on.
All in the feel.......

My buddy WillyG has a machete, it’s pretty sharp. He has a scabbard on his wheeler for it.

Used to work with a Mexican offshore. Eddie something Spanish.


Would carry around a wide putty knife / scraper, about 3 inches wide. Kept it razor sharp. Could cut the big boat ropes no problem.


He could plat eyes in the ropes also. Drove a van, kinda look like the A-teams. someone told me all he had in the back were milk crates to sit on.

Ended up dead...

He park it down by the river?

He was from Houston way.

Prolly down by the shipping channel

Now THAT is excellent service... And I, too, like Buck knives... Probably have about 6-8 of 'em.. Latest one is the 112 Auto Elite that I bought at the NRA convention last April...

They stay sharp is what I like about them.

lol

Not that I will confess to.

I like Bucks. I've got a couple I haven't been able to find for awhile. Prolly the kids swiped 'em or the daughter's boyfriend borrowed them. They were the steel handled folders.

I've got several plastic handled folders and they're probably as good. Always wanted one of them fixed blade sheath knives and finally got one 25 years or so back. Nice knife. Not my favorite, but still a good one.

I like buck knives. I've had one in my pocket every day since I was 12.

Buck knives have HARD steel, at least the ones we have. Was a major PITA to get sharp until I found paper wheels. But hard steel has a plus side, tends to then hold the edge pretty good.

But since Havalon came along all that is moot these days.

Great report. Thanks for sharing it.

I visited the factory a couple years ago on the way home from Silverwood. I didn’t realize I had to call a couple weeks out to get on the tour list for the factory floor. They’re very rigid about capping the list at around a dozen. Big disappointment.

I otherwise love Buck knives and have several. The Large Stockman rides in my pocket every single day, and a 110 goes on my belt regularly. My little 103 is a favorite game processor, and the 119 is just best at being really iconic so I admire it more than use it. The Vantage Pro in S30V is a great game processor too, and just a very good knife. I have lots of others too (fixed and folding) but those are the first that come to mind while my coffee is brewing.

I’ve given Bucks as presents for years, and some of them have been “firsts” for the recipients. Men and boys used to ALL have knives in their pocket, and that’s changed. I’m kind of a self-appointment pocket knife evangelist. Buck’s lineup has something for everyone.

Yep they are stellar at standing behind thier products and serving the customer. Several years ago I called them about a broken brass rivet on a kalinga sheath. The gal on the phone said could no longer source the rivets as the current sheath was different. She sent me the new style for free. Awesome service.

I like Buck knives also. I have several. My 110 folder is 55 years old. I live close to Post Falls and go to the factory and store at least once a year. They always have a great sale just before Christmas.

Fuzzytail: Your post reminds me of a favor I did for a Hunting partner - he had abused one of his Buck knives and he knew I often traveled past the Buck factory on I-90 in my gun chasin travels.
Anyway i dropped his Buck Model 110 off at their warranty station and they asked if i could wait one hour for its repair and I sadly could not so they asked me to pay for postage ($3.50 IIRC) so they could return post it to me.
I paid that fee but there was no fee for the replacing the blade on that Model 110.
That was several years ago.
Anyway the Buck knife was back at my house in a week and I returned it to my Hunting partner.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

BlueDuck: I have heard of this once a year "sale" that they host there in Post Falls - I hope to get to that sale next year.
I guess I will have to request the factory/store folks remind me when that sale is scheduled for.
Thanks for the reminder of that sale that so many "traders" talk about all year.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have a 373 in my pocket now.
Carried the Buck since 11/7/64. My wife, then girlfriend, saw me looking at one in the Sears store and gave it to me as a wedding gift.

Anybody have a wood handle, brass bolster, Vanguard for sale? Any condition except broken blade. PM we about what you have.

Jim

Owned them for years. I dig their knives.

222 Rem: I guess I was under a self induced misunderstanding on the tours - I have been there at the factory several times when folks were just lining up and going on the tour!
Obviously if you are right (and I am sure you are!) they had previously arranged for their tours.
Thank you for that clarification.
I saw an electronic "reader board" crawler type sign that apparently was progressing numerically on the number of knives made that day at that factory and it was passing 3,500 when I first saw it.
Anyway nice friendly, helpful people working there every time I have been there.
Another aside - kind of a funny one!
A 40'ish year old woman was showing an older man around the facility and as they came back into the store where I was the man told the lady Buck employee that "he was sure glad they decided to move the Buck factory back to America"!
She laughed and affirmed that many folks make reference to the company moving out of tax crazed kalifornicationkopia and to a more business friendly environment.
The front entrance area to their facility is replete with a number of beautiful mounted Big Game trophies (worth seeing).
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

A Buck has always been my goto knife for butchering and important needs as such.

But I use a Gerber for most needs.

Buck knives have that hard steel that makes them hold a good edge the longest but once they are dull it takes a bit of work to get that razor edge back on them.

The Gerber, being just the opposite, a softer steel that dull's quicker but sharpens quicker.

I keep my Buck tucked away until I need it and use the Gerber for general use.

When hunting season is on and I'm butchering a lot, maybe two or three animals in a days time, I'll use that Buck until the edge is gone and then put it away and continue with the Gerber, resharping as needed in the process.

It takes a good while once the day is done to sit down and bring the Buck back up to par.

Then it's rinse and repeat....

Getting my daughter a 110 custom for her birthday. Elk handle in nickle, engraved with "dont cut the paunch"

😁

Some scumball smashed a window in my truck while turkey hunting with my kid. Swiped my 1976 110 given to me by my parents for Christmas. If we got out of the woods 5 minutes sooner.....

That being said, I like the 313 (muskrat?) folding pocket knife. Lost 2 of them out of my pocket and now number 3 is in a sheath on my belt.

Musicianized: What a great gift that would be!
Good on you. And I hope your daughter appreciates it.
Speaking of custom Buck's - I was perusing a pawn shop in Osbourne, Idaho last Friday morning and what do I come across but a "custom" Buck Model 110 that had its blade cut-out in the mid portion!
The cut-out left in tact the outline of a small flag - said flag was then somehow "painted" in the color and design of the "Confederate flag"!
The price on it was $149.00 and as I had never seen one like this I asked the pawn shop owner if it was/had been a Buck factory offering? His reply was that he was sure it indeed had been built and customized by the Buck factory - I don't know.
Anyway it was in new unused condition and I should have thought to ask the folks at Buck when I got there later that day if they ever made such an offering.
Again I hope your daughter enjoys her wonderful gift.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

MikeS: Sorry about the break-in and loss of your older Model 110 - I loved those older slender Model 110's!
I sold one of those slender Model 110's at the Great Falls, Montana gunshow for over $100.00!
I had a similar type thing happen to me with a Leatherman "Super-Tool" model and thievery.
I was on a salmon fishing trip with friends to Kodiak, Alaska and once the trip was ending we headed for the Kodiak airport and at the front doors of the terminal we all removed our knives from our belts and stowed them in our checked baggage!
I put my family gifted Leatherman Super-Tool at one end of my check in duffle bag and my folding Buck light-weight Model 110 at the other and closed it up (no locking allowed back then!)!
Then I walked the 15 feet to the baggage check in and gave them my duffle bag. A couple hours later we arrived in Seattle and upon checking my bag the Leatherman Super-Tool was gone!
The lightweight Buck was there but no Leatherman.
I contacted the airport people and they blamed it on the T.S.A. people and then the T.S.A. people blamed it on the baggage handlers!
Result: I had to buy a new Leatherman Super-Tool to replace my families gift to me!
I hate thieves!
Again sorry about your loss and the damages.
Sheesh.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Jag,

Ya’ll have some odd prerequisites for a knife!?!

She better appreciate it lol. With the S30v blade and elk antler handle and a case it's $180! She will though, shell love it. I got her a Gerber folder with a gut hook a couple years ago and it sucks for field dressing. My Shrade Uncle Henry is our go to gutting knife so she'll love the 110.

They dont offer any kind of blade cut-out options like that. Maybe they did at one time?