124 What time period

I

I4Bucks

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Apr 20, 2008
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This is a micarta handle 124, with a swivel belt loop sheath. It is not stamped with any numbers on the back. This is how it was when I bought it. Any ideas on about the time period of when it was made?

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Any information about this knife would be appreceated. THANK YOU HL
 
Let me add to the date confusion. It definitely is not a 1972 as those were two line stamped. Early 1973s had the three line date stamp read with the tip down. Additionally, the early ones had a stainless steel guard and pommel. Your appears to be aluminum. They switched to aluminum in later 1973. All the early and mid 1973s had a blocky scale configuration rather than a more tapered look. All the earlier and mid 1973s had a lanyard hole in the pommel. Yours does not. Apparently, the later ones had either a swing style sheath like yours or a snoopy style sheath. I cannot tell you when the swith was made permanent to the snoopy sheaths. The knives were essentially identical from the very late 1973s until December 1982 when BUCK changed the scales to impregnated birch. So the result of all this is to date your knife from very late 1973 to December 1982. Maybe someone can narrow that down more and I would be delighted to hear the basis for their conclusion.

Telechronos:):):)
 
The swivel sheaths were first made in 82. I don't know when in 82 the Birch handles came out but it was 1982. A box and paperwork would help. DM
 
Okay I read the BCCI newsletter Dec. 06 where Joe Houser has an artical in it about the 122, and 124 knives. In his artical he talks about a leather swinging sheath for the year 1971. I did not see a change listed for another style of leather sheath befor the handle material changed in 1982 to Birchwood. Thank you JB for referenceing that news letter in the link provided by Colt6731. HL
 
As Tele. well stated we already know its not a 71,72 and low possibility of being a late 73. Plus, I read Joe's article as well and he does not indicate when the swivel sheath was discontinued. So, it could have been used all thru 82. Which is when the swivel sheath (and snoopy style 81)began for the 100 series knives (from Joe's notes). Yet, this model does not follow the same pattern. Plus, no writing of years 74-79 leading me to believe there were no other changes to the model during that time. Yet, I have two of these models with this exact same stamp and none have the swivel sheath. So, this models history is varied and interesting. DM
 
David Martin said:
The swivel sheaths were first made in 82. I don't know when in 82 the Birch handles came out but it was 1982. A box and paperwork would help. DM
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David I was trying to indicate by stating the swinging sheath was used in 1971, that your statement of it first being made in 1982 seems to be off a little according to Joe. I also rember in a descussion about the 119's, that they had the swivel sheath in 1973. have also noticed that the 119 sheaths are stamped 119 on the back side, where the 124 sheath is not stamped, and that the early twin knife sheaths where not stamped on the back side. I did not know if there was any correlation between the two. I have come to the conclusion that my 124 could be a late mid 70's to early 80's. So if I make up a display of late 70's 100 series knives it sounds like it would be a correct example for a 124. Where I would need a 1x2 spacer 119 for this project, as the 2x2 spacers where 1973. Thank you Joe for an excellent artical, I really enjoyed reading it. HL
PS just read the Dec 04 news letter where Joe writes about the 100 series fixed blades, and he does mention that the 120 had a swivel sheath for 1981. Is this what you are refering to when you say the swivel sheath started in 1982 David? HL
 
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Uncanny, that Tele. and I were discussing this week a 124 w/the same 3 line stamp inverted offered w/ a sheath I've not seen with this model. So, I have to say the sheath is less of an indicator of age. The parts, materials and stamp carry the greater weight. Still, as he stated a broad range of mfg. date should be considered in this model. DM
 
Sheaths are never much of an indicator of age unless you bought it new yourself and know for a fact that it's the sheath that came with it......

Even then you have to wonder if it could be an old sheath from years before the knife was made that some Buck employee stumbled across in a dusty back storage room that had been forgotten for years.

Sheaths are even worse than old blades for turning up where least expected.

:D
 
Telechronos said:
. The knives were essentially identical from the very late 1973s until December 1982 when BUCK changed the scales to impregnated birch.

Telechronos:):):)
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I have two black micarta 124's that have no lanyard holes. The handles are very different on both. One has a very blocky handle that is similar to my Red Micarta 124 and the other has a thinner more rounded handle.
 
sudonym said:
I have two black micarta 124's that have no lanyard holes. The handles are very different on both. One has a very blocky handle that is similar to my Red Micarta 124 and the other has a thinner more rounded handle.
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as indicated in my earlier post, both could have been made in 1973. The blocky 124 is quite clearly a 1973. The more tapered 124 is 1973 to December 1982.

Telechronos:):):)
 
The Birch handled 124 showed up for the first time in the '83 catalog. The '73 124 had the blocky slab handle and the lanyard hole. That 124 was definately later than '73 and earlier than '83. The best idea is to search the Buck Collectors Club web site and look at the catalogs...
 
mbjannusch said:
The best idea is to search the Buck Collectors Club web site and look at the catalogs...
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That may be very hard to do, since Buck did not use new pictures for every catalog. They have been known to use older pictures even after they changed something on the knife. So trying to dettermine the age of a knife by design from the catalogs would be like trying to dettermine the age of it by the sheath. Trying to determine when one first came into prodution, useing catalogs would be okay. I am going to stand by my earlier statement of, late mid 70's to early 80's with this set, that I want to say late style of 70's 100 series of knives.

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The only thing I am wondering about now is when did Buck go from the 2X2 spacer, to the 1X2 spacer for the 120, so I know which one to put in it for sure, as I have both versions. HL
 
Why?

Now that's a hard question. Maybe somebody from Buck knows.

Sometimes they just do stuff at random, it seems.
 
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