Experience Unrivaled
Danny Peretti was washing dishes in El Cajon, CA, in 1976. He was only 18-years-old. Then, the course of Peretti’s life was changed forever with one straightforward offer from his neighbor: get out of the dish pit and come work for Buck Knives. That was over 47 years ago. Danny Peretti’s craftsmanship speaks for itself today.
Peretti started with prepping parts. He made sure the various nuts and bolts, inlays, blades, and springs were cleaned, in shape, and ready for assembly. He was a quick learner. Soon, Peretti moved into the assembly department. This is where knifemakers are born. The speed of the sharpening grinders, the loud hum of the ventilation system, the dirt and polish under his fingernails, and the gratification of creating a revered tool with his hands hooked him. And Danny Peretti has some of the most recognizable hands in the business.
Countless knives later, Peretti had graduated to running the new pocket knife division at Buck. This is where he honed his skills in the more minor mechanics of folding knives. Working with multiple blades and bolster rivets so small you had to be an artist to place them, Peretti began to perfect his craft. That attention to detail did not go unnoticed. Efren Reyes eventually recruited Peretti to work for him in the Buck Knives warranty department. “He was a firm boss but a fair boss,” said Peretti. Reyes taught Peretti to focus on fixing the knives that came across their shop tables solely for the customer's delight. Whatever they wanted done to it, that’s what Peretti and Reyes would do. “You can take a knife, try to fix it, and make it worse,” Peretti laughed. But with years of experience, he has mitigated most of the curveballs.
The majority of the knives that come into the warranty department at Buck simply need a sharpening. Still, there is no shortage of surprising reasons a customer would use Buck’s Forever Warranty. Everything from a knife run over by a tractor to rust thicker than his forearm would land in Peretti’s hands. A note with the desired outcome would accompany each knife. People tend to be nostalgic, and many of these knives have been passed down through generations. “One thing you have to remember about warranty is that these knives are very sentimental to people,” said Peretti. Some customers do not want the battle wounds, or physical reminders of time and use, buffed out.
The ‘thank you’ letters helped Peretti keep going through the years. The amount of gratitude shown for simply fixing up an old knife is still astounding to him. The letters are mailed so often that he keeps a log book and files them away. This practice started with his predecessor, Reyes, but Peretti thinks he may have him beat on sheer volume by now.
As Danny approaches retirement, he figures he should start training the next knife craftsman to take his place. No one is looking over your shoulder in warranty. You need to be your own boss and be self-motivated. Sam ‘Lukky’ Carr was a perfect fit. Lukky has the demeanor for it. He doesn’t get frustrated, and he works hard. “I’m hoping I can give him everything he needs to know,” Peretti explains. Fixing some of the older knives demands some creativity and stepping away from the general way of thinking catered to more common models. Lukky is learning daily and taking the demand off of Peretti’s shoulders. One day the warranty department will be officially handed over to Lukky, but for now, Peretti can still be found buffing, polishing, sharpening, and tinkering on knives ranging from the 1960s through yesterday.
Danny Peretti watched the company go from small satellite shops to a new factory in Southern California. Then, he followed Buck Knives when they moved up to Post Falls, ID, and into a giant manufacturing facility. He has touched every part of the knifemaking process, and after 47 years, Peretti embodies what it is to be a master craftsman and knifemaker. “This company has given me everything I’ve ever needed. I couldn’t have done it without Buck helping me along,” exclaims Peretti. To him, it doesn’t feel like 47 years at all.
