Buck Knives Now Offering Cerakote In-House

Folks who want or need greater protection for their knives can now enjoy the added benefit of having Cerakote ceramic coating applied to their Buck knives — right at the factory.

I’ve known about Buck knives since I was just a wee lad, and they’ve long been known for quality. Recently, I’ve sort of rediscovered them — and from a practical standpoint, there’s not much bad I can say about useful, high-quality blades that are still made in the USA. I recently reviewed a handy little Buck skinner called the 684 BuckLite Max II Small Knife, and I’ve since used it on a large whitetail buck as well, with equally good results.

Now, Buck has created a ‘Cerakote lab’ in their Post Falls, Idaho factory, in which they can apply Cerakote themselves. Here’s what the press release says:

Buck Knives, leader in sports cutlery, is pleased to announce the introduction of Cerakote to its manufacturing and production capabilities. Housed in Buck’s 132,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Post Falls, Idaho, the new Cerakote lab contains curing ovens, a robotic spraying arm, and a variety of color options for Buck’s growing product line.

Cerakote is a Polymer-Ceramic Composite coating that provides superior protection against abrasion and scratches while enhancing physical performance properties including wear resistance, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, and strength. After receiving comprehensive and hands-on training, Buck Knives’ factory trained technicians mix the coating to exact specifications and utilize computer programs to create custom handles and unique blades.

“Our goal has been to bring this process in house,” said Ryan Duckett, Director of Operations for Buck Knives. “Now we have the ability to control the cost, quality, and lead time on delivering a superior product to our customers.”

Recognizing the need for corrosion and abrasion resistant coating and the value add benefit to its products, Buck Knives will soon offer several customization options with a shortened lead time. Many new products for 2019 will feature Cerakote coated blades and hardware. Buck’s customizable 722 SpitFire features several different Cerakote color options for customers to create a truly unique and personalized everyday carry knife.

For those wondering about availability, it’s currently an option for the 722 Spitfire EDC lockback. For an extra $50 on top of the knife’s $55 MSRP, you can get a blade of S35VN steel Cerakoted in black, bronze, brown, green, or pink. Buck offers an even wider array of Cerakote colors for the Spitfire’s handle.

While most “knife guys” may sneer at anything from a production company that builds knives for everyday folks, I think it’s nice to see a longtime family-owned company that still makes knives right here in the USA and takes pains to keep them affordable for everyman… while offering cool upgrades for those who want them.

This video shows you how it works.

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.