Buck’s Take on a Modern Frame Lock Flipper Is a Real EDC Crowd-Pleaser

The American knifemaking brand heard the fan feedback and came out swinging with an exceptional, affordable pocket knife.

By Sean Tirman

Published April 8, 2025

·

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Buck Knives is undoubtedly best known for its more traditional folding knives, like the lauded Buck 110 Folding Hunter. But that doesn’t mean the brand can’t dabble in modernity.

One of the brand’s latest launches, the Buck Knives Stinger, is here to prove it. Instead of relying on tradition, this affordable flipper is steeped in contemporary styling and mechanisms.

Buck Stinger knife open — Buck Knives has bucked its usual trends in creating this highly modern, affordable flipper.

Breaking from tradition

As mentioned, Buck is best known for classic folders, usually with manual deployments and more traditional locks, like the back lock. However, the Stinger is a pretty big break from that.

The handle, crafted from aluminum with carbon fiber inlays, has a more modern, ergonomic shape, marked by a finger cutout toward the blade and a gentle curve. It also has a reversible deep carry pocket clip and a jimped back spacer.

That jimping extends to the base of the drop-point D2 steel flipper blade, which is also highly contemporary in its shape and deployment. The whole package is finished off with an integrated frame lock that’s sturdy, reliable and uncommon for the brand.

Buck Stinger knife closed — The integrated frame lock is a sturdy, reliable locking mechanism and is somewhat unusual for the brand.

Affordable EDC

The Buck Stinger was launched at this year’s SHOT Show in January. So the story goes, the brand received a lot of feedback from fans and customers about wanting more up-to-date designs.

The Stinger was the brand’s answer, and it looks poised to be a big hit with the EDC crowd. That goes double when you consider how affordable it is.

Despite its excellent features, the knife is still plenty affordable at just $70 in all three colorways (black, blue and green). It’s a pretty paltry investment for such a fully featured knife.

While it can’t necessarily be called a steal, it’s priced appropriately and sits on the more reasonable side of the spectrum for EDC knives.

Buck Stinger knives on wood outdoors — The Buck Stinger is available in a trio of smart colorways, including the two above and a black option.

Pricing and availability

The Buck Knives Stinger is available at Blade HQ in three different colorways for $70 apiece. Interestingly, the knife isn’t yet listed on the brand’s website, and it’s unclear when (if ever) it will be.