Buck Knives
Encyclopedia
Buck Knives is an American
knife
manufacturer founded in San Diego, California
and now located in Post Falls, Idaho
. The company has a long history through five generations of the Buck family from 1902 to the present day. Buck Knives primarily manufactures sport and field knives and is credited with inventing the "folding hunting knife" and popularizing it to such a degree that the term "buck knife" has become synonymous with folding lockback knives, including those made by other manufacturers.
apprentice in Kansas in 1899 at the age of 10. During his tenure Hoyt learned to make knives and in 1902 when he was 13, he developed a method of heat-treating the steel in hoes and other tools so they would hold an edge longer. Hoyt left Kansas in 1907 for the American northwest and eventually enlisted in the United States Navy
. He is not known to have made knives until 1941 in Mountain Home, Idaho after the attack on Pearl Harbor
. Hoyt made each knife by hand, using worn-out file blades as raw material. These early knives are called "four strikes" by collectors, because each of the letters in BUCK was struck with an individual letter stamp, which in 1961, was replaced by a one-piece stamp.
With the entry of the USA into WW2 the government asked the public for donations of fixed blade knives to arm the troops. Upon learning there were not enough knives for soldiers who needed them, Hoyt Buck bought an anvil, forge and grinder to set up a blacksmith shop in the basement of his church and started making knives for US troops. Hoyt later explained, “I didn’t have any knives, (to offer) but I sure knew how to make them”.
After World War II
, Hoyt and his son Al moved to San Diego and set up shop as "H.H. Buck & Son" in 1947. These early knives were handmade and more expensive than a typical mass-produced knife, Hoyt Buck made 25 knives a week until his death in 1949. In the 1950s the company began making knives on a much larger scale marketing through dealers as opposed to direct mail.
The Buck Model 110 has a 3 3/4–inch blade, a high-tension lock and a low-pressure release, the handles are typically wood and the bolsters are made of heavy-gauge brass. Introduced in 1964, the Buck Folding Hunter was one of the first lockback folding knives considered strong enough to do the work of a fixed-blade knife. Its debut revolutionized hunting knives, rapidly becoming one of the most popular knives ever made, with some 15 million Model 110 knives produced since 1964. Its design is one of the most imitated knife patterns in the world.
with a hollow handle for storage and a 7.5 inch blade with a serrated spine and prongs so the knife could double as a grappling hook. Dubbed the Buckmaster, it was marketed to the military and fans of the Rambo movies of the 1980s. The Buckmaster was soon followed by the M9 Bayonet
manufactured for the US Army, with an initial order of 300,000.
In 1992 Buck introduced the Nighthawk, a fixed-blade knife with a 6.5 inch blade and a black, handle made of Zytel for an ergonomic grip. This knife was submitted to the United States Navy
for evaluation for use by the Navy Seals.
In 2000, due to a demand from major retailers to reduce prices, Buck opened a plant in China. They now import about 30 percent of their knives from there. These knives generally sell for under $30.
In 2005 the company relocated to Post Falls, Idaho. Leaders of the San Diego business community considered this move a blow to San Diego County's economic landscape and a symbol of the state of California's problems in attracting and keeping businesses.
Buck Knives has collaborated with different custom knifemakers such as Tom Mayo, Mick Strider
, David Yellowhorse, and the late Rob Simonich.
Al and Chuck Buck were inducted into the Blade Magazine
Cutlery Hall of Fame at the 1982 and 1996 Blade Shows respectively in Atlanta, Georgia
in recognition for the impact that their designs and Company has made upon the cutlery industry.
Buck Knives is an American
manufacturer of different styles of knives including the first successful folding lock-blade, introduced in 1964. Folding lock-blade knives and "Buck Knife" thereby became strongly linked in the public mind, and the Buck design was much imitated, so that a buck knife, has come to mean any folding lock-blade design, even while Buck Knife is yet a trademark and not limited to folding lock-blades.
Buck Knives briefly made cutlery for home use, but after poor reception the steak knives were pulled from the market and the company decided to focus on the outdoor market.
, the Boy Scouts of America
, Colt Firearms, Anheuser-Busch
(Budweiser), Republic Studios, Harley Davidson, Indian Motorcycles, Ford Motor Company
, Chevy Truck
, Elvis Presley Estate
, John Wayne
Estate, Roy Clark
, Purina, NHRA, Monroe Auto and Ducks Unlimited
. Additionally Buck has worked with many commissions to produce art knives for state anniversary's (Texas Sesquicentennial), state agencies (West Virginia State Police
), commemorations (Battle Iowa) or celebrations (Apple Harvest Festival).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
manufacturer founded in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and now located in Post Falls, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. The company has a long history through five generations of the Buck family from 1902 to the present day. Buck Knives primarily manufactures sport and field knives and is credited with inventing the "folding hunting knife" and popularizing it to such a degree that the term "buck knife" has become synonymous with folding lockback knives, including those made by other manufacturers.
Company origins
Buck Knives Inc. dates it history back over 100 years to the first knives made by Hoyt H. Buck. Hoyt H. Buck became a blacksmithBlacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
apprentice in Kansas in 1899 at the age of 10. During his tenure Hoyt learned to make knives and in 1902 when he was 13, he developed a method of heat-treating the steel in hoes and other tools so they would hold an edge longer. Hoyt left Kansas in 1907 for the American northwest and eventually enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. He is not known to have made knives until 1941 in Mountain Home, Idaho after the attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. Hoyt made each knife by hand, using worn-out file blades as raw material. These early knives are called "four strikes" by collectors, because each of the letters in BUCK was struck with an individual letter stamp, which in 1961, was replaced by a one-piece stamp.
With the entry of the USA into WW2 the government asked the public for donations of fixed blade knives to arm the troops. Upon learning there were not enough knives for soldiers who needed them, Hoyt Buck bought an anvil, forge and grinder to set up a blacksmith shop in the basement of his church and started making knives for US troops. Hoyt later explained, “I didn’t have any knives, (to offer) but I sure knew how to make them”.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hoyt and his son Al moved to San Diego and set up shop as "H.H. Buck & Son" in 1947. These early knives were handmade and more expensive than a typical mass-produced knife, Hoyt Buck made 25 knives a week until his death in 1949. In the 1950s the company began making knives on a much larger scale marketing through dealers as opposed to direct mail.
The Model 110
On April 18, 1963, just two years after their incorporation, the Buck board of directors voted to authorize development of a new folding utility and hunting knife. The new design featured a sturdy locking mechanism and a substantial clip point blade suitable for butchering and skinning game. This would become the world-famous Buck Model 110 Folding Hunter.The Buck Model 110 has a 3 3/4–inch blade, a high-tension lock and a low-pressure release, the handles are typically wood and the bolsters are made of heavy-gauge brass. Introduced in 1964, the Buck Folding Hunter was one of the first lockback folding knives considered strong enough to do the work of a fixed-blade knife. Its debut revolutionized hunting knives, rapidly becoming one of the most popular knives ever made, with some 15 million Model 110 knives produced since 1964. Its design is one of the most imitated knife patterns in the world.
Recent developments
In 1984, Buck introduced a survival knifeSurvival knife
Survival knives are knives intended for survival purposes in a wilderness environment, often in an emergency situation when the user has lost most of his/her main equipment. Military units issue some type of survival knife to pilots in the event their plane may be shot down. Survival knives can be...
with a hollow handle for storage and a 7.5 inch blade with a serrated spine and prongs so the knife could double as a grappling hook. Dubbed the Buckmaster, it was marketed to the military and fans of the Rambo movies of the 1980s. The Buckmaster was soon followed by the M9 Bayonet
M9 Bayonet
The M9 Bayonet is a multi-purpose knife and bayonet officially adopted in 1984 by the United States. It has a blade and is issued with a sheath designed to double as a wire cutter. It was designed and developed by Charles A. "Mickey" Finn at his R&D company, Qual-A-Tec. He later produced it under...
manufactured for the US Army, with an initial order of 300,000.
In 1992 Buck introduced the Nighthawk, a fixed-blade knife with a 6.5 inch blade and a black, handle made of Zytel for an ergonomic grip. This knife was submitted to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
for evaluation for use by the Navy Seals.
In 2000, due to a demand from major retailers to reduce prices, Buck opened a plant in China. They now import about 30 percent of their knives from there. These knives generally sell for under $30.
In 2005 the company relocated to Post Falls, Idaho. Leaders of the San Diego business community considered this move a blow to San Diego County's economic landscape and a symbol of the state of California's problems in attracting and keeping businesses.
Buck Knives has collaborated with different custom knifemakers such as Tom Mayo, Mick Strider
Strider Knives
Strider Knives, Inc. is a custom and production knifemaking facility headed by Mick Strider and Duane Dwyer based in San Marcos, California.-Materials and design:...
, David Yellowhorse, and the late Rob Simonich.
Al and Chuck Buck were inducted into the Blade Magazine
Blade (magazine)
Blade is a long-running consumer magazine about knife collecting.First published in 1973 under the title American Blade by Southern House Publishing Co. with Blackie Collins as the editor, the magazine's title was changed to Blade in 1982 after its purchase by Jim Parker and Bruce Voyles...
Cutlery Hall of Fame at the 1982 and 1996 Blade Shows respectively in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
in recognition for the impact that their designs and Company has made upon the cutlery industry.
Products
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer of different styles of knives including the first successful folding lock-blade, introduced in 1964. Folding lock-blade knives and "Buck Knife" thereby became strongly linked in the public mind, and the Buck design was much imitated, so that a buck knife, has come to mean any folding lock-blade design, even while Buck Knife is yet a trademark and not limited to folding lock-blades.
Buck Knives briefly made cutlery for home use, but after poor reception the steak knives were pulled from the market and the company decided to focus on the outdoor market.
Buck licensed art knives
Buck Knives has produced art knives for and under license with other companies and organizations such as: the National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, Colt Firearms, Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
(Budweiser), Republic Studios, Harley Davidson, Indian Motorcycles, Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Chevy Truck
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, Elvis Presley Estate
Elvis Presley Enterprises
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. is a corporate entity created by "The Elvis Presley Trust" to conduct business and manage its assets, including Graceland...
, John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
Estate, Roy Clark
Roy Clark
Roy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
, Purina, NHRA, Monroe Auto and Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wetlands and associated upland habitats for waterfowl, other wildlife, and people. It currently has approximately 780,000 members, mostly in the United States and Canada.-Introduction:Ducks Unlimited was...
. Additionally Buck has worked with many commissions to produce art knives for state anniversary's (Texas Sesquicentennial), state agencies (West Virginia State Police
West Virginia State Police
The West Virginia State Police is a paramilitary organization, state law enforcement agency in the United States that provides statewide police services to the 1.83 million residents in West Virginia...
), commemorations (Battle Iowa) or celebrations (Apple Harvest Festival).