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Buck Knives: "The Range Series"
Assumed responsibility for the Range Series in January 2024 after a failed pilot run threatened the project’s viability. By re-engineering failed lock mechanics and implementing DFM optimizations, I rescued the project’s schedule and budget for its successful launch in September 2025.
Key Skills
Reverse Engineering & Analysis
Reverse engineered competitor products to deconstruct and map critical lock geometries, engagement angles, and tight-tolerance zones. This data pinpointed the mechanical flaws of earlier revisions, establishing the necessary parameters for the redesign.
Mechanism & Tolerance Design
Re-engineered lock geometry and tolerance stack-ups to eliminate blade play and minimize lock stick. Optimizing the tang-to-lock interface and fastener specs delivered a "vault-tight" lockup and improved production consistency.
*Images courtesy of: Buck Knives Inc. and Blade HQ
DFM & CNC Optimization
Redesigned handle components to accommodate high-efficiency tooling and developed custom tool paths to eliminate time-intensive 3D rastering. These optimizations reduced CNC cycle times by 50% while improving handle function and maintaining aesthetic features.
Tooling Constrained Redesign
Restored product performance by engineering "steel-safe" part modifications and a strategic material change to salvage existing injection mold tooling. This approach bypassed the need for new capital expenditure while working within the fixed constraints of original fine-blanking dies.
*Images courtesy of : Hook & Barrel Magazine, Knife Magazine, and Buck Knives Inc.
Mechanical Fixture Engineering
Engineered spring-loaded fixtures to facilitate a linear build process and drastically accelerate product rework. The custom mechanism ensured precise alignment and eliminated redundant handling, increasing throughput for both initial assembly and part replacement.
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