The leader of one of the largest sporting knife manufacturers in the United States has died.
Charles T. (Chuck) Buck, the Chairman of Buck Knives, Inc., passed away at 78 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Feb. 6.
The third generation in the Buck Knives family business after his grandfather Hoyt Buck and father Al Buck, he began to learn knife making after his discharge from the Navy in 1961. Chuck took the reigns as president of Buck Knives in 1979 at the age of 43.
He was later inducted into the Blade Cutlery Hall of Fame in 1996. His son CJ Buck took over as president and CEO in 1999 and remains at the helm today.
As a business leader in the outdoors industry, Chuck was influential in Buck Knives’ considerable growth. The company, which started out in a wooden lean-to, has now grown to a 128,000 square foot building, employing more than 300 people in Post Falls, Idaho.
Chuck was widely known and respected by outdoor editors and writers, especially those who shared time with him at the annual meeting of the Outdoor Writers Association. They always made it a point to hear what he had to say about innovations in cutlery, and many also wanted to exchange thoughts on their mutual Christian faith.
He loved to travel all over America, many times with his wife Lori, visiting with customers in stores to hear what knife users liked and what they wanted.
Chuck will be greatly missed by his family, friends, everyone at Buck Knives, and throughout the outdoor industry.
