All About Pocket Knives

If you guys don't mind. I didn't see my answer after going through some posts.

The 300 series with Dymondwood are really top notch. I like'em.
In saying that, will there be other USA patterns to come?
Stockman, Cadet, Lancer and Companion. Is that all of them in Dymondwood?
I like the looks of the wooden handled 384 trapper,385 toothpick and 389 canoe but I'd like to continue with USA production at this time.
Yellow (yeller), G10 maybe, bone?

Just my thoughts.

I think BUCK is trying to bring back more of it's import stuff to the U.S. I think we can expect to see more patterns made here

That's a question for Joe Houser, maybe. Product development appears to me to be a - "many are called but few are selected" sort of thing. I did get to fill out a market survey form recently, that Buck had made available to some type of selected crosssection of buyers. I voted for some of the stuff you are talking about above. I am sorry but I did not vote for flour. green scales........300Bucks

I have a couple 301s with Dymondwood scales. I really like them, though I am not crazy about the color. Personally, I would like to see them in jigged bone.

I have heard from reliable sources, that Chuck was less than pleased with having knives made in China. I would imagine that it is almost a necessity in today’s market though.

Dale

300Bucks wrote: I voted for some of the stuff you are talking about above. I am sorry but I did not vote for flour. green scales........300Bucks

Don't you want to be able to find it if you drop it in the dark?

orvet wrote:I have a couple 301s with Dymondwood scales. I really like them, though I am not crazy about the color. Personally, I would like to see them in jigged bone.

I have heard from reliable sources, that Chuck was less than pleased with having knives made in China. I would imagine that it is almost a necessity in today’s market though.

Dale

Yeah, bone would be great. I wouldn't be picky on color at all. (cept maybe for that fluorescent green that 300bucks wants)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that having Chinese production helps on the bottom line. I've bought
Chinese made before and some were great, but I just prefer USA first if that is an option at the time.

I'd love to see a USA Buck Trapper in red bone though.

I believe all the Dymondwood series are made here in the USA.
I know my two 301s are made here.

Dale

Yes, you are correct. Maybe my post above wasn't that clear, sorry.
I love the Dymondwood series, I just want the 380?? and up #'s available
with either Dymondwood or some other scale material.
Toothpick would be nice.

With their reputation for solid quality and value, it just looks to me like Buck would produce a few more traditional slip joint patterns. I know they must sell a lot of tactical style knives these days, but surely there's still a market for a reasonably priced USA made traditional pocket knife. I'd love to see them produce a congress myself. I'd buy a dymondwood or even a delrin handled congress in a heartbeat.

Phil

At the Atlanta Blade Show Buck Collectors meeting the CJ Buck talked about the installation of new machinery that can be quickly changed to produce different knives. Prehaps with this factory improvement we might hope for some different slipjoints in the future.
The new "outside" look of the USA 300 seems to me to be an attempt to show some design change. I am not in love with new DW coloring or the new logo. It is fine for paperwork but I like the "link" to the past with the old knife,bolt and hammer plate.

I found that the 'lighter' colored DW looked much better to me than the dark. The scale material is impregnated wood layers. I traded for one the other day that had dark on one side and light on the opposite. Lots of folks will think that a QC problem rather than just random coloring........ Bone,G-10 or other material will increase price of knife.

300Bucks

I would love to find some 301s with bone scales.
I would buy some.

But wait............
if they make them at the factory with bone scales, why would anyone pay me to put bone on their knife?

Oh well, I guess there is a down side to everything.

Dale

I got in another 301 Dymondwood today. I "needed" it.
I really like the sheath that comes with them.

As an extension of this thread, I conducted a knife consumer report test on the Dymondwood vs. old 300 knives, showed it on another 'forum' earlier. 300Bucks


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Well,

When the Dymondwood 300 series knives were introduced being "Ye Olde Fart" I was cold to the dark wood and the 'NEW' escutcheon plate. Heck, I had just learned to spell escutcheon plate so I didn't want any changes.

I thought, "This new shield is gonna look lousy after a couple of years in the pocket, not like the old design which 'ages with class'. So I set out to run my own consumer test.

The idea here was to simulate pocket wear but at a quick pace. I took a hobby rock polisher poured in a little southern eating grits, two pennies, a dime, a big paper clip and a scrap of denim. I tumbled this along with a new Dymondwood 305 and then again a 80's era old style 305. I tumbled both for 120 hours.
Which being a little bored with the project after 10 days, I determined was equal to a pretty long time of normal pocket wear and tear. I took photos every 24 hours but in the interest of interest I only show start and finish.

Test setup. Before treatment, Original 305 Before treatment, New 305 After 5 days, Original 305 After 5 days, New 305
Closeup of shields after 5 days. Well what do you think? Dang'd if the new shield didn't take the punishment with flying colors. And after looking at this early 80's old shield in closeup it isn't very pretty up real close. Better at a little distance.

Granted I could have thrown in half a dozen quarters and a couple of stainless steel screws and some blue paint may have come off. But, I bet my OFCT equals at least a year of a normal persons pocket carry. The bolster ends are finely but almost completely marked.

Now for the OF grousing, I still don't like dark dymondwood (grey is good) and I don't like the buffer marks on my polished rivets.

But, then again blue is my color........

300Bucks

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Last edited by 300Bucks; 09-04-2009 at 10:00 PM. Reason: Better close-ups