Buck Slim Pro

It's too bad a few of you guys have experienced issues. I've bought 15 altogether and only 1 of them had any play that I would consider abnormal, there's going to be some play with a linerless and riveted knife.
 
Makael said:
It's too bad a few of you guys have experienced issues. I've bought 15 altogether and only 1 of them had any play that I would consider abnormal, there's going to be some play with a linerless and riveted knife.
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My 2 cents...

Buck rose to prominence with their strong fixed blades and then grew even bigger with a folding knife that they sold as performing like a fixed blade - the 110. We are reminded that strength is the core of Buck's identity every time we see the anvil logo, as it's a reference to the old bolt cutting adds (that I'm old enough to remember).

IMO, blade play undercuts Buck's identity in ways that purely aesthetic and non-functional issues (e.g. centering, mis-matched scales) do not. I think this remains the case even at the low $25 price point and its much worse at the $100 price point.

Perhaps I have high expectations but I'm very confident that Buck can produce lock back knives in the US in the $25 - $100 price range in which blade play is a rare exception and not something that we more or less expect (i.e., "there's going to be some play with a linerless and riveted knife").
 
I have high expectations too, pinnah. Buck set the standard with the first 110 and the classic brass 110s and 112s still meet that standard today. I have two 112 Slims with no blade play. I plan to order another and I won't settle for less than the quality that Buck has given me in the past. If better QC means an increase in cost, so be it. I want to buy a Buck knife with confidence, no excuses and no compromises.
 
pinnah said:
My 2 cents...

Buck rose to prominence with their strong fixed blades and then grew even bigger with a folding knife that they sold as performing like a fixed blade - the 110. We are reminded that strength is the core of Buck's identity every time we see the anvil logo, as it's a reference to the old bolt cutting adds (that I'm old enough to remember).

IMO, blade play undercuts Buck's identity in ways that purely aesthetic and non-functional issues (e.g. centering, mis-matched scales) do not. I think this remains the case even at the low $25 price point and its much worse at the $100 price point.

Perhaps I have high expectations but I'm very confident that Buck can produce lock back knives in the US in the $25 - $100 price range in which blade play is a rare exception and not something that we more or less expect (i.e., "there's going to be some play with a linerless and riveted knife").
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I could not agree more. My older 110's (circa 1967, and circa 1981 or so) are both as tight as bank vaults. Even after all of the junk I have done to those knives, the chipped edges, torquing, and etc. they are still very tight and strong. I know Buck is capable of making a fine knife without any blade play in any direction that will stay that way under demanding use.
 
FWIW, I got my green micarta 112 pro from Knifecenter. In the comments section of the order, I always put, "Please check knife to insure there is no vertical or horizontal blade movement when locked open." And, that's what I got. A good knife with good lockup.

Maybe Buck is going through alot of issues with these pro knives being so popular and so in demand.

I really think these new pro knives from Buck are a game changer. Wish they would have done them 20 years ago...I am just very happy with the thin edge, almost scalpel like, and the ease of carry with the clip and the lightweight construction- compared to the heaviness of the original 110/112.
 
I've got a second plastic version in black now. it's super tight in a good way. no play at all in any direction. not even a smidge like many call tight knives. these plastic ones seem to be consistently tighter than the micarta ones ..........so far. more reports may show different results?
 
I agree excessive play would be a warranty issue. But what control do you have with riveting a blade between 2 pieces of micarta. There's no screw type adjustable pivot to eliminate play. I handled plenty of brass 110 with the same or worse blade play than the slim models I bought. I didn't sit there at the counter and open up 15 boxes to check for imperfections. I trusted they would perform to exactly what they were designed for, Only 1 of the 15 had excessive play.

I'm giving credit where credit is due. Buck did well on these.
 
Makael said:
I agree excessive play would be a warranty issue. But what control do you have with riveting a blade between 2 pieces of micarta. There's no screw type adjustable pivot to eliminate play. I handled plenty of brass 110 with the same or worse blade play than the slim models I bought. I didn't sit there at the counter and open up 15 boxes to check for imperfections. I trusted they would perform to exactly what they were designed for, Only 1 of the 15 had excessive play.

I'm giving credit where credit is due. Buck did well on these.
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good point. most of the play is so minor it has no effect on using the knife as a knife. only annoying to a collector. used hard enough and long enough, all knives will develop some play over time.

I'm content with these as well. play I've seen is minor at best. not an issue. these plastic ones are very tight and no play and that is impressive. add cpm-154 and I'd be buying more.
 
Very nicely done knife. The Micarta looks great. light in pocket easy to open.
 
My 112 Slims are great knives, I've been using one at work for two weeks and the action is perfect ,no blade play whatsoever--none. I expected this from Buck and I was not disappointed. My experience with the LTs has been quite different from that of the Slims and that makes me sympathetic to the complaints of blade play that I read here.

Some of the difficulty with this discussion is the inability to quantify blade play in a written description. How far does the blade move and how much force is required to move it? Also consider that posts to this forum are not a random sample of the population and can give a distorted image. I hope that my experience with the Buck Slims is typical and my experience with the LTs is the exception. I really want to see Buck have a great success with their new knives.
 
Makael said:
I agree excessive play would be a warranty issue. But what control do you have with riveting a blade between 2 pieces of micarta.
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The control is the tuning/condition of the automation (or the skill of the human worker), the materials used and the deign.

QC is a science. May not be rocket science, but it is a science. This may not be achievable by Bear and Sons but it should be by Buck.
 
The materials used are Micarta. No liners. Without liners their is only so much stability in the design. Expectation have to be realistic. you know as well as anyone on here that there is the same blade play in the Standard 110 knife now and again. The Bantams are built the same way but since there was no Brass version to set the standard expectations arent as high.
 
Makael said:
The Bantams are built the same way but since there was no Brass version to set the standard expectations arent as high.
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You make a good point, Makael. The standard that I use is the 112 Slim in my pocket right now which is flawless. When I say it has no play, I mean that the plastic handles flex before the blade moves. I want Buck to sell these by the train load to people who like them as much as I do.
 
Makael said:
The materials used are Micarta. No liners. Without liners their is only so much stability in the design. Expectation have to be realistic. you know as well as anyone on here that there is the same blade play in the Standard 110 knife now and again. The Bantams are built the same way but since there was no Brass version to set the standard expectations arent as high.
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I agree, but may have a bit different take. The standard 110 was intended as a folder that could be used in the field to dress an animal. That holds true for any 110 with a liner. The slim version with the clip, in my opinion, is intended as an everyday carry option. Blade play, while an important issue, is not as important for an EDC. (My opinion) For a folder without a liner, I am more than satisfied with the solid lock on the ones I have and plan to use them in my EDC rotation.
 
bob7 said:
I really think these new pro knives from Buck are a game changer. Wish they would have done them 20 years ago...I am just very happy with the thin edge, almost scalpel like, and the ease of carry with the clip and the lightweight construction- compared to the heaviness of the original 110/112.
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While not 20 years ago, they did the 48x series which is a slim knife with the same blade.
 
Got my plastic 112 slim today (replaced mucarta pro I had to send back) and it is perfect. Gonna be hard to keep out of my pocket! Gonna have to order the 110 version now, even though I prefer the 3" type blades for edc.
 
Mike Kerins said:
I agree, but may have a bit different take. The standard 110 was intended as a folder that could be used in the field to dress an animal. That holds true for any 110 with a liner. The slim version with the clip, in my opinion, is intended as an everyday carry option. Blade play, while an important issue, is not as important for an EDC. (My opinion) For a folder without a liner, I am more than satisfied with the solid lock on the ones I have and plan to use them in my EDC rotation.
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I would disagree with your opinion regarding blade play.

To me, it does not matter what use I have for a folder, blade play is an issue. A knife that is well constructed will not have significant blade movement, either lateral or vertical.
 
Daniel said:
I would disagree with your opinion regarding blade play.

To me, it does not matter what use I have for a folder, blade play is an issue. A knife that is well constructed will not have significant blade movement, either lateral or vertical.
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I think you nailed it. what is significant blade play? i know what I think it is. we all seem to have different guidelines and tolerances on the topic. a tiny bit to me is significant to others. what I consider significant is minor to others. rarely do folks measure the movement when discussing blade play. so we are stuck using our own terms to interpret what they discuss.

I do like solid no movement under normal cutting use, but I will tolerate very minor movement when cutting if the lock is safe.
 
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