What’s Going on with Buck Prices?

Top Gunner

Top Gunner

Joined
Dec 12, 2019
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50
Anyone else notice the *noticeable* price increases on Buck knives in the last 8 years or so?

Not long ago you could get a 110 for $30 (just last year they were about $40/$45), now you’d be pressed to find one for less than $50.

I bought a Vanguard 692 for $30 in 2013, now they’re $70. I bought a couple 192s as gifts in 2016 for $60/70, now they’re $90. I bought a Frontiersman for $100 in 2015, now they’re $150... Granted, these were some decent deals I got, but they weren’t *that* good. Obviously prices inflate, it’s the way it goes, but these are some pretty big leaps in just a few years time.

I always considered Buck knives to be priced as working people’s tools, but it’s left me wondering if they’ve lost sense of who their customer base is.

They do still have their more or less affordable phenolic line of classic fixed blades (though these have increased quite a bit as well), but they’ve discontinued the cocobolo/brass line, which is a real shame. Those were nice, affordable heirloom gifts to get for younger generations.

The dealer prices now are pretty close to Buck’s MSRP, which is just crazy to me. I know covid has impacted supply of materials, but much of this predates covid. Perhaps there are manufacturing costs that I’m unaware of that have increased dramatically enough to raise the price of each knife by $30-50. But it seems steep to me.

Anyway, sorry to gripe. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this upward trend in pricing & is as disappointed as I am.
 
In 1975, when I was 18, my first Buck 110 cost me $22. The federal minimum wage was $2.00 an hour. The federal minimum wage now is $7.25 an hour now. The same percent increase would have the standard Buck 110 priced at $79.25. I just checked four websites. Three had them listed for $49.95, one for $34.95. I have wondered at times how Buck keeps the price so low.

O.B.
 
Certainly a fair point. As I alluded to, I think their affordability is part of the ethos of both the company and the customer.

With that said, $22 in 1975, fast forward 35 years to 2010, and the 110 has only increased by $8. Fast forward 11 years to 2021, and the 110 has increased by an additional $20. Still a great knife for $50, but it’s enough of a leap to raise an eyebrow from me. Maybe I’m being unrealistic.

Sure am bummed about them cocobolo’s though.
 
I dont know. I think everything has and will continue to go up in price, but at my local Wal-Mart we have a standard 110 with leather sheath for 34$ and a 110LT with nylon sheath for 19$. They have the standard 119 for a decent price too, but I dont remember what that was.
 
Don W said:
I dont know. I think everything has and will continue to go up in price, but at my local Wal-Mart we have a standard 110 with leather sheath for 34$ and a 110LT with nylon sheath for 19$. They have the standard 119 for a decent price too, but I dont remember what that was.
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Same here.

I don't shop other knives but I wonder how they are priced compared to other U.S.A. made knives similarly made.

I know the materials I buy, even prior to covid are quite a bit more than they were 8 yrs ago. The hourly rates are quite a bit more than they were as well.
 
Welcome, Top Gunner to the Buck forum. Cost of many items have gone up.
For instance gasoline here was 2.05 - 1.99 / gal. just back during the summer. Now it's 3.59 - 3.69 / gal., in 8 mos.? Lumber, ( I just rebuilt my back porch) 2x6"- 8' treated were 10$ a board last June. Now the same boards are 20$.? Gees? Thus, it cost me over 200$ to do one entry way steps.? These boards I'm sure were cut months back??
Thus, a 110 at my big box stores are priced at 39- 42$ with a leather sheath. Which still sounds good to me. I'll allow this topic to continue but tread lightly. DM
 
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This is a timely topic as I was perusing the most recent AG Russell catalog and was both surprised and somewhat puzzled at the new $180 Paradigm.

IMO, knife prices "now" can be defined by four major things - before/after the 2008 recession, before/after the Affordable Care Act, before/after the 2015 explosion of Chinese derivatives and clones, and before/after the COVID19 pandemic.

The first, held down prices for many years. Competition was high, demand was low, materials costs were lower, as were employment costs. Many companies collapsed and their market share was consolidated by a smaller industry. Capital investment was relatively low, as was corporate rent-seeking. All these contributed to keeping prices low, relative to inflation.

The ACA becoming fully implemented in 2014, saw an increase in total compensation costs paid by the employer while holding down wages. This has caused a lag in wage increase, which eventually followed a few years later. Employees cost more to employ and the increase outpaced inflation for many years.

The arrival of "quality" Chinese clones mid-decade smashed the market, transforming more low and mid-price knives into commodity products and gobbling up huge sale shares. This created a perverse incentive to increase price and/or quality to prevent a race to the bottom. A $50 Buck 110 is a better product in the sense of competing with $30 Chinese knives than a $35 Buck 110.

COVID19 probably has the most effect in the sense of increasing the "price" relative to other things near-term. The cost of a Buck knife as all the inputs required to make the knife, has increased due to the money shock delivered by the FED to keep the economy from collapsing. Input prices rises regardless of anything else because they are more reactive to small trends in demand and relative cost or energy inputs.

Lastly, increased demand. I believe more knives were sold in the last 4 years than the entire decade before. This cannot be accounted for by population growth, but by increased access and popularity of knives in general. Facebook and Instagram have been market drivers that have vastly understated value as sales funnels. Buck made 1 million 110s in 2010, how many did they make in 2019? I think it's much more.

This does seem to be affecting most knife companies. This can be masked by holding down the prices of their "flagship models" like Benchmade does with the base Griptilians - fewer complaints about price even though overall they are close to the industry trend for marginal increase. That which Spyderco does not - the Endura and Delica prices have outpaced "reasonable" expectations of marginal price increase similar to the Buck 110 and there are many complaints.

So it's an interesting issue with many potential and probable effects.
 
When I see other brands of popular knives in the same materials for a considerable amount more than the Buck models I think I’m still getting more value from Buck.

When all things are considered, the Buck forever warranty, materials, Bos heat treatment, knives made and designed to handle the tough tasks and tops in customer service I think even with the recent increase in price it’s still a great value.
There have been a few Buck limited edition knives I was hesitant about getting but after seeing prices of other high end knives at double the amount I am glad I pulled the trigger on the Buck model.
 
Lot's of knives being sold today have better quality, higher priced steels.
That in itself could give the perception of price increases across the industry.

Price; Buck isn't doing anything other knife makers are not. Maybe less so.

I feel Buck is still a good value, especially compared to other makers.

I think some of their offerings are a bit expensive for what they are. But I need not buy them either.
 
Thanks for the replies, everyone. Lots of good thoughts. I agree, there is still a good value for Bucks today.

I suppose my whole point is this: I've always seen Buck knives as high value. I've never seen them as high-end. These are tools that working people can afford and depend upon. For this reason, I don't think comparing them to the cost of high-end knife makers is wholly relevant. I've always thought it was great that Buck would offer some of their knives with specialty steels or handle materials, for the niche group that wants a higher end Buck. But I always saw the cocobolo line as a way for more middle-of-the-road folk to have something "fancy" of their own, without breaking the bank. The discontinuation of that line, timed with the introduction of the pro line, at 2-3x the cost, leaves me shaking my head. But it is what it is.
 
I knew I was getting old when I heard myself say, "I remember when I used to pay just..." I also remember paying a little more to get a Buck knife compared to some other brands. Twenty five dollars for a 112 was a lot of dough. Now you can get a 112 Slim Select for about the same price, now that's a good deal in today's market.
 
How can Buck keep the sand prices on their products with everything rose going up?im in Nova Scotia,Buck 110 goes for $69.99 plus 15 percent sales tax.

A sheet of 3/4 inch plywood Is $100 plus taxes.everything imaginable has gone up ,there is no way Buck can compete and profit without higher prices.
 
I had a conversation with Tony @ Buck in 2018 and one recent change with Buck knife pricing was the enforcement of MAP pricing for resellers. Starting in 2018 it applies to any knife listed in the catalog that has a MSRP of $50 on up. Before that they did have MAP pricing, but it really only applied to New models that were released for that year. The only allowed exceptions to the MAP pricing is the two annual sales events. I can't remember which holidays, but you will see twice a year prices go down temporarily on Buck Knives on most resellers websites. An example of MAP pricing would be the 110 classic is set for a MAP of $44.99.
 
Tecate said:
I had a conversation with Tony @ Buck in 2018 and one recent change with Buck knife pricing was the enforcement of MAP pricing for resellers. Starting in 2018 it applies to any knife listed in the catalog that has a MSRP of $50 on up. Before that they did have MAP pricing, but it really only applied to New models that were released for that year. The only allowed exceptions to the MAP pricing is the two annual sales events. I can't remember which holidays, but you will see twice a year prices go down temporarily on Buck Knives on most resellers websites. An example of MAP pricing would be the 110 classic is set for a MAP of $44.99.
Click to expand...

MAP ??
 
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