Does anyone recognize this Vanguard?

[Plumberdv]

I don't think I've ever seen this model of the Vanguard before. It has the camo rubber handle and the blade is stamped Buck/Custom/USA.

Could it be a special projects version for some vendor or the other? The seller mentioned "designers choice" but I don't know if that is stamped on the other side or not.

[ItsTooEarly]

Here you go Dave, here's a link to a auction that is over... Looks like yours and it is stamped "Designers choice" on the other side... It looks like a BuckCote Blade
in some of the pics... It could be the lighting ITE


http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI...vip=true&rt=nc

[Plumberdv]

Here you go Dave, here's a link to a auction that is over... Looks like yours and it is stamped "Designers choice" on the other side... It looks like a BuckCote Blade
in some of the pics... It could be the lighting ITE


http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI...vip=true&rt=nc

Thanks Armand, that seems be it alright and you're right about the Buckcote. If you look at the pictures with the zoom feature, you'll see that there's a bevel only on the tang stamp side.

[RAZORBLADES]

Its a buckcote model,with advantage camo handle,i've held one before,very nice knife.

[Plumberdv]

Its a buckcote model,with advantage camo handle,i've held one before,very nice knife.

Do you know who they were produced for and when?

[postfallsidaho]

Dave, I had a few of those years back. I emailed Joe about them back then. Before Buck moved to Idaho the Vanguard and Zipper were destined to be Custom Shop models. Once they decided to move, the blades were all offered as build out models with different handles on. Not many of those Ionfusion/Buckcotes were made. A couple hundred IIRC.
You could find them with the gold, champagne and even purple blades.

[RAZORBLADES]

I'm not sure who they were made3 for,i don't recall Cabelas selling them,a fella in camp had one once and i was interested in it because of the buck kote blade.