Another Buck 110

[boomer]

The Buck 110 is iconic and hardly needs an introduction here. There are more flavors of this knife than most others and steels vary from 440hc on to who knows where. S30v is among Buck's premium steels these days and found on a number of models  The Custom Shop produces some good examples of the model with options in both clip and drop point

The major complaint is and always has been the weight though. The handle geometry fits my hand fine and has never made hot spots. Some of the newer iterations were much lighter but I judged the handles too narrow to be comfortable. So like most others I was resigned to strapping a 7+ oz anchor on the belt.

The recently released 110 Sport however, cuts the weight down quite a bit to 4+ oz  which is in the range of the Benchmade standard Griptilian with S30V blade material while maintaining the classic 110 dimensions throughout. The Griptilian is a good knife and solid user in my experience but I do still favor a 110 after decades of use.

The 110 Sport utilizes aluminum bolsters and micarta handle scales with an S30V blade and stainless standard lockback in the otherwise original format. There are thumb studs on either side of the blade back for ambidextrous single hand opening and torx screws allow disassembly for cleaning. A pocket clip replaces the leather belt sheath but it is not ambidextrous.  Of course, a sheath is still an option if desired. They're sold separately or can be easily had used.

The fit and finish were a little off on the micarta scales with one running just a little proud but not by much. Could see it upon examining but not feel it in use. The blade was evenly ground but just ok sharp and required a little touch up to the get a good working edge I prefer. It seems to be holding it in frequent use of without problem.

Like others I suppose, among the knives accumulated over the years the are a few that get constant use.  The Benchmade 162 is one and the Buck 110 Sport is looking like another.

[crashdive123]

I've had my Buck 110 for well over 45 years.  I also have several of similar design.  Love em.  They don't see as much use since I've been making knives, but they are well suited to just about any task that I need them for.

[wsdstan]

I currently have two 110's and three 112's.  The 112 is a slightly better knife for me.  It is lighter and while the blade shape is very similar it has a bit more belly and is a better skinner, although that is more opinion than fact.  I have dressed a lot of deer with each and these days go with the lighter 112.  Two of the 112's are S30V and the other is 420C.  Edge retention is better with the S30V but harder to get sharp than the 420C.  One of the 112's is a slim pro model with narrow scales and an ugly but superb in function clip.  It's thin scales are okay for light use but not as good  as the original heavy 110's.

My first 110 was the old rosewood and brass model I bought about 1967.  It was my only knife for a long time.  Lost it somewhere and replaced it with another.  A few years back I bought a paper stone handled 110 and it is my favorite of the two 110's I currently have.  Identical to the old model blade but with the lighter scales and frame.  It carries easy and the scales are a bit thinner but still offers good grip.  The steel is 420C which is okay.

I have several other folders but none are any more useful that the Buck110/112 series. 

[OutdoorEnvy]

Yeah I'm a fan of 110.  Yes it's heavy for it's size but that's how it was built back in it's time.  A 110 was my first "real man's knife" that I was gifted from my dad when I started hunting.  Still have it and use each year.  It's not my main user but I work it into the rotation.  I'm thinking I'll get one for Jack pretty soon. 

In addition to just different variations in the steel type and handle materials they also started selling a version with a drop point blade, instead of the clip.  This is outside of the custom shop option.  I think the drop has been available in the custom build version but it's now a regular version you can buy on the site for the same price as the clip point 110.  Both are 420C but you essentially get to pick if you want the clip or drop point blade for the same price.  I'm very interested to try the drop point version and am debating getting Jack that model when I get one.  I do prefer drop points for large game processing.  So a nice drop point that carries easier on the belt sounds appealing.  I use mine now for bird and small game mostly just because the clip isn't as big a draw back for those. 

[wsdstan]

I like the looks of the drop point OE.  Have a few other brands with a drop point so I probably won't get a Buck but the 110 looks good with it. 

[Moe M.]

 The weak point (no pun intended) of the Buck 110 is the tip of the blade, many vintage 110's found in secondhand shops have short blades or weren't repaired and still have missing tips.
 I still have my late '60's era Buck 110, the blade is about 1/4" shorter than it was new and the point has been reprofiled after a brief battle with a wild caught East Coast Oyster.   

[wsdstan]

LOL, Moe they ain't prybars.  I am guilty of using them for that but lucked out and never broke one.  I agree with you the tip is a weak point on the clip points but
 a little better on the drop point.

[wolfy]

The weak point (no pun intended) of the Buck 110 is the tip of the blade, many vintage 110's found in secondhand shops have short blades or weren't repaired and still have missing tips.
 I still have my late '60's era Buck 110, the blade is about 1/4" shorter than it was new and the point has been reprofiled after a brief battle with a wild caught East Coast Oyster.   

You're right on 'point' with that post, Moe.       I recall we had a whole thread devoted to that problem.... as I recall, the thread title was BEND A BUCK?....or something like that.

[Moe M.]

LOL, Moe they ain't prybars.  I am guilty of using them for that but lucked out and never broke one.  I agree with you the tip is a weak point on the clip points but
 a little better on the drop point.

 I was young, green, and foolish in the olden days, I figured if you could hammer a Buck knife through a steel bolt opening a simple oyster shouldn't pose a problem, the wife and I were driving to P-Town for a three day camping trip, we were following the Cape Cod Canal toward the Sagamore Bridge and stopped to pick up something to eat at a road side stand, they also had fresh Bay Oysters so I bought a dozen.
 Not having my oyster knife handy I used my Buck 110, I managed to get through most of the dozen when I felt the tip of the blade snap, while I felt bad about the knife I finished opening the last few without incident.
 Continued in the next post.   

[Moe M.]

The weak point (no pun intended) of the Buck 110 is the tip of the blade, many vintage 110's found in secondhand shops have short blades or weren't repaired and still have missing tips.
 I still have my late '60's era Buck 110, the blade is about 1/4" shorter than it was new and the point has been reprofiled after a brief battle with a wild caught East Coast Oyster.   

You're right on 'point' with that post, Moe.       I recall we had a whole thread devoted to that problem.... as I recall, the thread title was BEND A BUCK?....or something like that.

 Actually Wolfy, it ended up being a good thing I snapped the tip of my Buck 110, at the time I was doing allot of shooting at Trap, Sporting Clays, and competing in handgun combat matches, one of my shooting buddies was a school teacher who taught shop at a local high school and had a side business making high quality Brass belt buckles, pipe tampers and such.
 One night after shooting Trap under the lights we were having a drink in the club bar and I mentioned snapping the blade on my Buck 110, he asked to see it, then he offered to fix it for me, the guy was a master at crafting metal so I agreed to let him try to re profile the blade.
 The following week we met at the club for another night of Trap shooting and he gave me my knife back, He did a great job of creating a new tip on the blade, you couldn't tell it was ever damaged, but he also dehorned the whole knife, rounded of all of the squared edges, and softened up and polished the Brass Bolsters, it was still my Buck 110 but so much more comfortable in the hand, I still have it today, I still use it occasionally, but not for cracking open oysters. 
 While the Buck 110 achieved Icon stature and lead to most of the big name knife makers to emulate Buck's folding hunter design it wasn't my favorite iteration of that style of knife, I really liked it's design and looks but didn't like it's weight on my belt, if I had to choose a favorite folding hunter it would have to be my USA made Gerber light folding hunter, it was the same length and blade style of the 110 but much slimmer, it also had brass bolsters, liners, and stabilized wooden scale inserts, it's about half the weight of the Buck 110 but every bit as tough and easier to keep a good edge on it, another great folding hunter that in my opinion was a shade ahead of the Buck 110 was the USA made Schrade lock back Stag handled Game Warden model.

[OutdoorEnvy]

I'd love to see some Buck 112 pics if any of you have some to share!  I'm really thinking the drop point version might be the next addition.  Different enough from the original 110 to have it's place.  If I end up with one we may have to start a Buck 112 thread! 

So Stan how did you like the 112 for field dressing/skinning chores!  Would you say the 3" blade is enough for boning out a deer?  I've always used around 4" or bigger so am unsure what to expect with a 3" blade.

[wsdstan]

I have used the clip point 112 to eviscerate and skin deer and a few other critters but there are better knives for boning one out.  Some of the cuts require more blade length and a traditional boning knife is much better

My 112s are clip points.  I would like to have a drop point but I decided awhile back that enough is enough.  I am done buying any more knives.