Sixty Years Ago, This Iconic Pocket Knife Changed the Game. This Week, It Got a Huge Blade Steel Upgrade

A lot of momentous events occurred in 1964. Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, Martin Luther King Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize, Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) won the heavyweight boxing title and the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.  

Among both hunters and everyday users, the 110 quickly became one of the most popular knives ever, with more than 15 million units produced since its 1964 debut.

Big things were happening in the product world, too, with the Ford Mustang, Pop-Tarts and Diet Pepsi all making their debuts. Also launching that year, one of the most recognizable and influential knives of all time, Buck’s 110 Folding Hunter. 

In honor of that game-changing product, Buck has released a limited-edition 60th anniversary edition that retains many of the original’s most beloved features while significantly upgrading the blade steel to, you guessed it, MagnaCut.

Birth of a legend

Now, what makes the 1964 knife upon which this new one is based so special? Designed by Al Buck, son of brand founder Hoyt Buck, the original 110 Folding Hunter boasted a 3.75-inch, 440HC stainless steel blade, wooden handles, brass bolsters and, most critically, a high-tension lockback mechanism.

Locking out the formidable clip-point blade made the 110 capable of tackling traditional fixed-blade tasks, including butchering and skinning large game. At a price of $16, this plucky upstart essentially revolutionized the hunting knife space.

Among both hunters and everyday users, the 110 quickly became one of the most popular knives ever, with more than 15 million units produced since its debut. The knife’s impact has been so great, many consider it the original modern folder.

In the years since 1964, Buck has tweaked the blade steel a number of times, with production runs featuring 425M, CPM-S30V and, most commonly, 420HC. However, it has always retained the clip point shape, one of the most imitated silhouettes in history.

Steel the one

To properly celebrate the knife’s 60 incredible years in the field, Buck has changed up the blade steel yet again — and this particular swap is quite an upgrade.

CPM MagnaCut is most definitely the steel of the moment, making headlines with a number of knives we’ve covered over the past year, including a Buck we covered just last month, a special edition of the 663 Alpha Guide Pro.

The magic of this USA-made, powder metallurgy super steel lies in its optimal balance of toughness, corrosion resistance, edge retention and ease of sharpening.

With this particular model, the steel is new but the shape and size is little changed from what it was 60 years ago: a 3.75-inch clip point with a hollow grind.

Beyond the upgraded blade, fans of the original will be glad to see so many of its classic features retained. The handle features Crelicam ebony wood scales, brass bolsters and pins and a 4.875-inch alloy liner.

Affixed to the handle is the most obvious nod to the knife’s history: a brass badge with an illustration of the knife itself and an embossed “1964 60 Years.” 

You know, in case you forgot.