Factory custom programs have become increasingly popular in the knife space over the last few years, with brands like Gerber and Benchmade offering customization configurators on their sites, allowing customers to build out a handful of the brands’ best-selling models with a huge range of options. Another blade purveyor that we’ve seen toss their hat in the customization ring is Buck Knives, as the Idaho-based outfit is now allowing you to custom-configure a handful of its knives, with the latest to receive the custom-configurable treatment being the 110’s little brother, the 55 (or “055”).
Small But Mighty
The Customizable 55 is obviously based on Buck’s existing 55 model that first broke cover in 2004. Made in America, the knife is essentially a scaled-down version of Buck’s legendary 110 folder, approximately 40% smaller, clocking in at 5.75” overall versus the 110’s overall length of 8.50”. The aim of the knife was to offer much of the utility of the 110 in a smaller, more pocketable package. Like the standard 110, the regular 55 features a backlock-equipped ebony handle with brass bolsters and a 420HC clip point blade — albeit one that spans 2.625” instead of 3.75”. The Customizable 55 maintains these same details, though it gives you the option to swap out practically every material on the entire knife.
A Bespoke Family Heirloom
Buck is letting customers piece together the 55 in dozens and dozens of variations. The handle can be fitted with a huge variety of inlays. This includes crelicam, walnut, ironwood, Waterbuffalo, cherrywood, oak, black palm, black woven carbon fiber, or elk antler. These inlays can then be accented with your choice of silver or brass bolsters, plus the handles can be accented with a set of rivet pins on the scales, or left bare.
Your Steel, Your Shape
The Customizable 55 can be left with its usual 420HC clip point blade, though that blade can also be upgraded to CPM S35VN, or CPM MagnaCut. The knife can also be optioned with a drop point profile available in any of the three aforementioned steels. What’s more, the 420HC construction, regardless of profile, can be upgraded to a mirror polish — otherwise it sports a satin finish like the other steels which only come offered finished in satin. You can also have Buck engrave up to 11 characters onto either side of the blade in a regular print font or a script motif, allowing for even more personalization (and potentially making for an even better, more personal, sentimental gift as well.
Why We Love It
We’ve always loved the idea of products that can be used for a lifetime before being passed down to future generations, and Buck’s traditional knives have typically ticked most of the boxes that we look for when in search of those items. The fact that the company is now allowing us to customize the handle material, accents, blade shape, blade steel, and blade finish really does take things to the next level. Not only can you configure it to your liking visually, but the upgrades also allow for changes that will hugely improve the knife’s performance, such as stepping things up from 420HC to Crucible Industries’ game-changing CPM MagnaCut. All things considered, Buck is actually offering some of these upgrades at a surprisingly accessible price, even for more premium options like the MagnaCut steel and carbon handle scales, which both cost an additional $50 each.
Stuff We Don’t Love
We do wish that Buck offered the more premium S35VN and MagnaCut steels with a mirror-polished finish, but that can always be DIY’d if desired strongly enough. We also wouldn’t have minded seeing a black Cerakote finish option, but we imagine Buck will continue to expand its available custom materials and options over time, just like Benchmade has done, slowly rolling out new material options on its online configurator.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Buck Knives
Model: Customizable 055
Overall Length: 5.75”
Blade Length: 2.36”
Blade Thickness: 0.084″
Blade Steel: 420HC, CPM S35VN, or CPM MagnaCut
Handle Material: Customizable
Lock Type: Lockback
Weight: 8oz
Lifetime Warranty: Yes
Engravable: Yes
Manufacturing Origin: USA
Pricing & Availability
The Buck Knives Customizable 055 Knife is available now, with pricing starting at $80 and going up from there depending on materials and other options.
Recap
Buck Knives Customizable 055 Knife
Buck Knives reintroduces its ultra-EDC-friendly 055 knife — a scaled-down version of the American brand’s legendary 110 folder — now as a customizable model, giving buyers a wide choice of blade steel and handle options, as well as smaller configurable elements like optional engraving and bolster material.
