Buck Knives

The name "buck knife" has become what's known as a proprietary eponym, a term for brand names such as Aspirin and Kleenex that are so dominant they become part of our common language. That honor is due both to the history of Buck Knives and their ongoing success. Here's a brief account of both.

The history of buck knives

As a general term, buck knife refers to a folding blade knife that rests in the handle when closed and locks into place when opened. The design was pioneered by Al Buck, son of Hoyt Buck, the man behind the company name H.H. Buck & Son.

This famous buck knife product actually originated much later than the Buck Knife family tradition. Hoyt Buck made his first knife in 1902 while working as a blacksmith apprentice in Kansas. His idea was to temper the steel of worn-out file blades to improve their edge retention. Hoyt passed away in 1949, two years after H.H. Buck & Son was formed.

Buck Knives was incorporated in 1961, and two years later, Al Buck had designed the product that would make the company famous. Its actual name was Model 110 Folding Hunter, but the knife's locking blade was so innovative that it has ever after been known by the name of its manufacturer.

Buck Knives today

The buck knife is just one of the many knives made today by the Buck Knives company. Hunting knives, outdoor knives, tactical knives, pocket knives, and folding knives are all available under the Buck Knives brand.

The Folding Alpha Hunter is just one of the many folding hunting knives that carry on the famous Buck Knives tradition. It's a great hunting knife that features a one-handed opening/closing mechanism, a patented gut-hook, and grip ridges. Handle materials include rosewood and contoured rubber.

Hunting Knives

At first glance, a knife appears to be a basic tool. But a great deal of knowledge and technical expertise goes into the making of hunting knives. Many different design types and blade shapes are used for hunting knives, each yielding a different performance suited to different tasks. Here is a brief glossary of hunting knife styles and blade shapes.

Styles of hunting knives

• Boning knife
  These hunting knives are designed for butchering game. The sharp point and long, thin blade of a boning knife is ideal for separating raw meat from bone.
• Bowie knife
  Bowie knives are long, heavy, single-edged blades and excellent all around, heavy duty hunting knives.
• Gutting knife
  Gutting knives are what you need for the messy process of cleaning out game. The designs of these hunting knives can vary, but their blades are usually thin and very sharp, and can feature a saw-tooth edge or a second hooked blade to prevent snagging.
• Skinning knife
  These hunting knives usually feature wide, curving, or semi-circular blades specifically designed for skinning game.

Hunting knife blade shapes

• Single edge
  A hunting knife with a sharp curving edge and dull, flat back. Single edge hunting knives can feature a false edge, a sharp or serrated spine for heavy-duty tasks.
• Double edge
  Double-edged hunting knives are equally sharp on each edge and can cut in either direction.
• Clip point
  A clip point hunting knife is a single-edged knife with a clipped back that accentuates and sharpens the point. The clip curve is usually short, leading to a false or second edge. Clip point hunting knives are sharper but weaker.
• Trailing point
The blades of these hunting knives appear to bend slightly backwards at their points. This design accentuates the belly rather than the point, making for good skinning or slicing knives.
• Drop point
  A drop point is a clip point with a more convex curve. The thicker point yields a stronger but less acute hunting knife.