Buck 55 versus 110, and the spyder drop

[Pax Jordana]

I just bought a Buck 'Folding Hunter' to complete my collection (sorry steve, I've no interest in a Peanut right now ).

Anyway, I know I bought it at Wal-Mart, and I know that we all hate wal-mart because it's the worst store ever and their employees are grown in vats, but the counter guy told me something that has bothered my conscience.

He said the Buck 110s of old were the same size as what's called the Buck 55 today. Can anybody qualify that? I'm perfectly happy with the one I've got but I'd just like to be sure we're all talking about the same knife.


Oh - and in case sm wanders through here.. there was mention of buck 110s opening fast.. how's that done? Is it like (what I've heard called) the Spyder Drop?

 

[rcmodel]

Wal-Mart guy is wrong.

The Buck 110 has a 4" blade, and always did.

The Buck 55 is a smaller, 2 3/8" version.

One-hand opening a 110 is a chore due to the very stiff spring.
To do it, you grasp the blade between thumb and finger and start the blade out.
Then give it a downoard flip. The weight of the handle will open it.
And it gets easier after about 10 million times!

I doubt you can do it with a 55 due to the lighter handle, but I haven't tried it.

rcmodel

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

I've no interest in a Peanut right now

Oh, you don't know how deluded you are
EVERYONE must own a Case with yellow handles and CV blades.

 

[Boats]

The 110 is a real folder, the 55, as the number implies, is about half size.



Better than the "spyder drop," is a clamp on thumbstud called the "one armed bandit," but they're hard to find.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Buck 110 Precedes 55

Buck 110 predates 55. Also, although the 55 is promoted as being "one half" the size of a 110, should you hold them side-by-side you'll see that the 55 is really a bit bigger than 1/2, going by length.

The Buck 110 dates back to Alfred Buck, son of Hoyt Buck, founder of Buck Knives. The original "Founder's Edition" release was a 110 bearing Alfred Buck's (etched) signature. The more recent "Founder's Edition" was the 112, bearing the (etched) signature of Alfred's father, Hoyt.

I'll have to look up the date of their first production, but you will note that it predates darn near all their other designs, including the (smaller) 112.

Re: flipping open the Buck 110:

You want to be very careful and "positive handed" when flipping the 110 open using the heavy handle's inertia to carry it through. I sliced a neat piece off the end of one of my fingers trying that. I got it to open once, thought "cool beans!" and tried it again. Didn't use enough wrist, it only opened part way, and as it started to slip in my fingers, I clutched to keep it from flying out of my grasp. Unsuccessfully. And dripped red on the kitchen floor.

The good news: the excellent edge made a clean excision with no rough spots or tearing of the skin. Healed clean.

It was educational.​

 

[pete f]

all three of my bucklite 3's and both my 110's will do the finger flip. grab the blade and snap your hand downward, the inertia of the movement will pull the handle down overcoming the spring resistance.

 

[Sharpdogs]

I have one of these http://www.bladeguy.com/mi139.html on my Buck 110 and it makes it very easy to open one handed.