Buck 110 Slim Heritage Elite: Trimming Down a Classic

If I were a betting man, I’d put serious money wagering that a majority of readers of Tactical Knives own at least one Buck 110 Folding Hunter. I’d even go so far as to double down and bet that the Buck 110 was one of your first real knives. However, it can tend to be a little bulky for daily carry. For this reason, Buck Knives has trimmed the classic model down with its new 110 Slim Heritage Elite.

The Buck 110 Slim Heritage Elite

I am one of the many whose first real knife was a Buck 110. I’d been carrying a flea market Buck clone when my cousin took pity on me and gave me the real deal. I was about 10 at the time. That knife ended up wearing holes in countless pairs of jeans over the years as I carried it everywhere. It rode in my back right pocket and was my faithful companion on countless adventures.

As awesome as the knife is, the Buck 110 isn’t without flaws. It’s a big knife, as far as folders go, and it carries like one. At over seven ounces, it can feel like a boat anchor. While it was designed for belt carry, I’m far from the only person who routinely stuffed it into a pocket.

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This year, Buck Knives is finally addressing that elephant in the room with the 110 Slim Heritage Elite. Not only that, but they’ve sweetened the pot with a couple of extras.

The Slim Heritage Elite in Detail

When I slipped the knife from its box, I immediately noticed the weight reduction compared to the original. At 5.4 ounces, there’s still some heft to it, but it’s noticeably lighter than its big brother.

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The lengths of the blade and handle have been left unchanged. The only real dimensional difference is the thickness of the handle. It’s about 0.375-inch thick, where the original is about 0.62-inch. So, it’s not quite half the size, but close.

They’ve also added a much-needed pocket clip to the ensemble. It’s stainless steel and is set up for tip-up, right-hand carry. It is not reversible, at least not without some aftermarket modification.

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Buck replaced the standard 420HC steel blade with a MagnaCut version. This isn’t entirely surprising, given that MagnaCut has been the knife industry’s darling for a bit now. It’s a great steel.

What’s really nice about the Slim Heritage Elite is what they’ve kept from the original design. The brass bolsters, the ebony wood scales, this knife is instantly recognizable as a Buck.

Putting the 110 Slim Into Action

While I eventually lost the Buck 110 that my cousin had given me, I replaced it with a new one in 1993. It’s been a favorite of mine, so I was very much looking forward to seeing how the Slim Heritage Elite version stacked up. Once it arrived, I immediately worked it into the EDC rotation and have been carrying it for a few weeks now.

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Right up front, I’ll tell you that this is a true Buck knife, through and through. I’ll admit that I was a little concerned that the reduced thickness and weight would feel cheap or weak, but that’s not the case at all. This is a solid knife that’s ready to be put to work from the moment you lift it from the box.

A few days ago, we had a severe windstorm come through, with 60mph gusts. Our little pop-up shed in the backyard was already on its last legs, and this storm did quite a number on it. The 110 Slim Heritage Elite did a great job of slicing through the tarp material that was torn and tangled around everything.

One thing I’ve always liked about clip point blades is how the needle-sharp point can be worked into the tiniest folds and knots, which is exactly what we needed for that chore.

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In addition, shaving a branch into a feather stick posed no difficulty. The hollow grind edge of the blade did a great job with nearly zero effort.

Daily Tasks

We slice a lot of fruit and veggies in our home, and almost every knife I review gets a turn in the kitchen. No surprises here, the blade made food prep easy-peasy. This is an important test for me for an EDC knife, as many people use their pocketknife to slice apples, sausage, and such at lunchtime out in the field.

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Not everyone has a nice break room or cafeteria to use. The 110 Slim Heritage Elite would be great for meals you take sitting on the tailgate.

Once upon a time, a pretty standard knife review test involved cutting corners from thick telephone directories. I can’t remember the last time I saw a phone book in the wild, but we did receive a pretty thick catalog in the mail recently, so I decided to put it to use. I was able to get almost all the way through the catalog with a single press cut and very slight rocking.

Overall, the build quality is exactly what you’d expect from Buck Knives. Lock up is rock solid, with no wiggle at all. The blade is centered when folded into the handle. Walk and talk are on point. Likewise, the knife feels great in hand.

The only suggestion for improvement I could offer would be to make the pocket clip reversible. I know plenty of left-handed knife nuts who would appreciate that.

Who Needs the 110 Slim Heritage Elite

The original Buck 110 Folding Hunter is an absolute classic. But it can be difficult for many people to EDC due to its size and bulk. This Slim Heritage Elite edition cuts the bulk and the weight but doesn’t shortcut anything else.

Buck offers the Slim Heritage Elite edition of their 112 model as well, for those who prefer something slightly shorter.

Buck Knives 110 Slim Heritage Elite Specs