I’m a huge fan of the Buck 110 folding knife, but it comes with drawbacks; it’s long, and it’s heavy, and knives that size scare people. The Buck 112 is a bit smaller, but it’s still enough knife to raise an eyebrow in hoplophobic company. I was looking for something smaller last winter for an EDC, but I wasn’t looking for a knife made of exotic (another way to say “expensive and hard-to-sharpen”) steel, and I wanted a classic wood handle. Enter the Buck 55.
I wanted to try one this year, but couldn’t find one in stores. I turned to eBay instead, ordering one for $67.52 delivered, just under Buck’s $69.99 MSRP.
What It’s Made For
What I got: A traditional-looking lockback that will work as a non-frightening EDC in almost any office environment. It can also be used to skin small game or clean a fish on the weekend. While I wouldn’t carry it as my primary knife for big game hunting, it is an excellent backup to a fixed blade.
Rating: A traditional knife that’s strong enough for serious use.
9 / 10
Blade Quality & Steel
The Buck 55 uses the 420HC stainless steel for the hollow-grind blade. Some modern users might sneer at an older material like this, but with their proprietary heat treatment developed by Paul Bos, Buck’s knives still hold their own. The knife came very sharp out of the box, which is good; the thin blade would be difficult to fit into many mechanical sharpening systems. Personally, I would restrict it to pull-through cutters, but I haven’t felt it necessary to do anything besides a touch-up after half a year of use. One good thing about 420HC steel is that touch-ups or complete re-sharpenings are easy.
Most of that use has been day-to-day stuff like opening packages and boxes, but the Buck 55 has also come along on many fishing trips and is sharp enough to easily deal with any cleaning tasks. Although it is not serrated, when necessary to cut through rope, the Buck 55 has done quick work in that task, too.
I am not a huge fan of the clip-point blade shape on larger knives; I think it makes the user look like a Jim Bowie cosplayer, with the tip unnecessarily fragile. Having said that, the shorter Buck 55 blade means the tip’s point is less pronounced, and I think the shape works well for fine work while still being strong enough for more intensive cutting duty.
Because the Buck 55’s blade length is only 2 ⅜ inches, it is airline-legal in Canada, where I live (but obviously not in TSA territory). This makes it easy to carry on trips where I don’t want to check a bag, a definite bonus in my book. That means that when I’m traveling in-country for work, I can bring a real-deal traditional folder with me instead of some flimsy junk.
Rating: Not fancy-pants steel, but up to any real-world tasks thanks to Paul Bos’ treatment.
8 / 10
Handle & Ergonomics
You’re getting the classic brass bolsters and ebony scales found on Buck’s larger classic folders. No finger grooves cut into the handle, as some customers like on the 110 or 112; they wouldn’t work on the 55’s smaller handle, as it’s a bit cramped for real estate on larger hands like mine.
I wouldn’t want to use this with gloves on, although it’s fine when your grip is wet. And it’s not a knife I’d want to use with a pinch grip, although it worked for me in standard and pointed finger grips. I can’t imagine why you’d want to use it in a reverse grip, but the handle does work well in that orientation if you need it.
For what it is—a tiny-but-strong traditionally-styled knife—I think the Buck 55’s handle works very well.
Rating: A tiny knife that’s still incredibly usable.
8 / 10
Locking Mechanism & Deployment
The Buck 55 uses a scaled-down lockback, a smaller version of the lock seen on the Buck 110 and 112. So far, it has been extremely reliable for me. The small size of the knife means one-handed opening is difficult for someone like me, with fat fingers. A nail nick theoretically makes it easier to deploy the blade, but I’d prefer a thumb stud. I expect that at some point, the aftermarket will offer this, but even with that upgrade, I think one-handed opening would be hard. At least the two-handed opening means it works as well for lefties as it does for right-handed users.
I particularly like the Buck 55 because its lock is stronger than you can usually expect in a traditional-looking knife of this size. On mine, there is no play in the lock at all, and I would trust it more than most lockbacks I’ve used of any size.
Rating: The sturdy lockback is this knife’s greatest feature.
8 / 10
Carry & Pocket Clip
Buck sells no pocket clip or sheath for the Buck 55. I am perfectly happy with no clip, but a tiny sheath would have been nice; the lack of either option seems like an oversight to me.
I tend to carry the knife in my jeans’ change pocket, where it disappears with no printing. With no thumb stud and a slim form factor, it draws from that pocket with no snags. In my opinion, it is one of the best-carrying pocket knives I’ve ever owned, at least for actually carrying it in my jeans pocket as opposed to a sheath or a clip. But the lack of a pocket clip or sheath means that if you’re wearing slash pockets, you might lose this knife when you sit down. If you’re wearing khakis or cargos that don’t have secure pockets, then maybe leave this knife at home.
Rating: If I were only rating this for my jeans-pocket-carry mode, I’d give it a 10/10. It’s that good. But other users might want more features.
7 / 10
Fit and Finish
The blade is not perfectly centered when closed, but that does not bother me because I bought it for use, not to visually critique. Aside from that niggle, everything else on this knife feels high-quality; the brass and ebony handle feel like they’re made to last for multiple lifetimes. There were no unsightly machining marks, no cracks between the scales and the bolsters, no rough edges—you’re buying a beautiful knife here.
Rating: To get a nicer traditional knife, I think you’d have to go custom.
9 / 10
Value
Seventy bucks is a lot of money for a small, mass-produced pocket knife with no exotic materials, but I was willing to pay it because it’s well-made, and it’s made in the U.S.A. of steel, brass, and wood. I would recommend it as a thoughtful gift, maybe a good first knife for a child (as long as they are responsible enough to keep track of it).
You can certainly find other knives of similar size for less than $70 MSRP; Buck’s own lineup has some options if you want a small, quality pocketknife at a good price. But for a miniature version of a classic American-style lockback folder, I think you’re getting what you pay for. That’s all you can ask for.
Rating: Value is how you perceive it. I’m happy with money well-spent on made-in-America quality.
8 / 10
Overall Rating
Unless I manage to lose it somehow, the Buck 55 is going to be one of my favorite EDC choices for years to come. If I were looking to purchase a mini-lockback again, this would be the first one I’d consider purchasing. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a classic-looking knife with a sturdy lockback mechanism, but without the bulk (and potential legal hassles, in some jurisdictions) of a full-sized hunting folder. It won’t shock your cubicle-mates when you pull it out at the office, and on the weekends, when you want to go fishing, hunting, or camping, it’s enough knife for any task that you should do with a folder.
Overall Rating: A useful knife for someone who values tradition but wants a discreet carry option.
8 / 10
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