When was the Original Buck Knife Created?
The Buck knife history spans back over 100 years. The founder, Hoyt H. Buck, was only 10 years old when he first became an apprentice in Kansas. Over the next few years he experimented with different techniques and in 1902 he masterminded a method of heat-treating the steel in tools so they could essentially hold their edge longer. He did not mass produce knives until 1941 from his home in Mountain Home, Idaho. His early creations were known as “four strikes” because the letters in BUCK were individually stamped. Later in 1961 this was modified to a one piece stamp which was considered more efficient. When the US was in desperate need of knives for soldiers in WWII Hoyt immediately went to work with his son manufacturing as many knives as they could possibly fabricate. After the war Hoyt and his son Al moved to San Diego in 1947. Here they founded H.H. Buck & Son. The knives they begin to make were not mass produced. In turn, the buck knife being hand crafted was more expensive. Hoyt churned out 25 knives a week until his death in 1949. During the 1950′s after Hoyt passed the company collectively decided to mass produce and target market the dealers rather than their previous audience via direct mail.
The first folding Buck Knife
On April 18th 1963 the Buck board of directors passed a vote to begin producing a revolutionary folding and hunting knife. Engineered with a sturdy locking mechanism and a clip point blade for eviscerating and skinning game, it became an instant success. This was known as the Buck Model 110 Folding Hunter. The blade is 3 3/4 inch and consists of a high tension lock and low pressure release. It was the first lockback folding knife deemed powerful enough to do the work of a fixed-blade knife. Since 1964 over 15 million Model 110 knives have been manufactured. Its blueprint has been copied almost more than any other knife in the history of blades.
Around 1984 Buck again revolutionized the industry by releasing the survival knife with a hollow handle for storage and a monstrous 7.5 inch blade. The blade itself came with a serrated spine and prongs so the knives functions could be multifaceted. This knife was proclaimed the Buckmaster and was extremely famous for its appearances in the original Rambo trilogy. It became a staple hunting knife almost overnight. Soon after they released the M9 Bayonet for the US Army who out the gate ordered 300,000 knives. Later around 1992 Buck fabricated the Nighthawk which had a 6.5 inch fixed-blade with a handle made of Zytel for a more ergonomic grip. The Navy Seals initially tested the Nighthawk to determine its proficiency and resilience.
Around 2000 when major retailers demanded Buck reduce their prices they opened a factory overseas in China. Currently 30% of their knives are imported from this factory. A typical knife manufactured overseas sells for around $30. In 2005 Buck shocked the state of California and the city of San Diego when they relocated their headquarters to Post Falls, Idaho. This move was detrimental to the economy of the state of California as Buck was considered not only a centerpiece of the community, but also a huge generator of revenue and jobs. In 1982 Al and Chuck Buck were inducted into the Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame. The legacy of the Buck Knife is undisputed. Ask anyone in the military or hunting community and the agreement is unanimous. The Buck Knife set the precedence in terms of a quality blade that can be used for multiple purposes. Buck continues to create ground breaking reliable knives that set the standard time and time again.