184 Buckmaster Non Owners Club!

[tommycopper1]

Maybe I was wrong about "Vietnam" but there was a military contract with Buck. I maybe got confused by a picture of a Navy Seal wearing a knife maybe a Buckmaster. The only U.S. military contract Bayonet was the 1991 Marine. These were the only Military Knives Purchased by the 2nd Marine Division. There was a fair amount of blade tip breakage. There were an estimated 5500 made in July 1991. They were delivered by Buck, for "Division Level" testing. There was no Phrobis involvement. The right side of the USMC Bayonet ricasso is unmarked. I do remember the Navy S.E.A.L. in a rubber raft had the knife on his side and the handle was taped with electrical tape. It was most likely a Buckmaster.

 

[kyhunt]

When I was younger I really wanted one. Not so much now. I like them because of the historical value of them and because they are just kind of iconic 80’s. I personally have no desire for one myself.

 

[DeSotoSky]

This is an M - 9 Bayonet it was used in Vietnam. It actually mounts to a rifle. It was a Buck/ Phrobis compilation.

M-9 came long after Vietnam. We were out of Vietnam by '75. The M-9 came along mid '80's.
Qual-A-Tec was an R&D company that designed the M-9 knife (and the Buckmaster) but had no manufacturing capability. Phrobis-III was the business entity set up to administer the M-9 manufacturing being subcontracted by Qual-A-Tek to Buck.

The only direct military contract with Buck was for the 5,000 USMC knives. When Buck and Qual-A-Tek /Phrobis had a falling out Buck acquired USA manufacturing rights allowing Buck to bid directly for the USMC contract.

I hope I stated all that correctly.

 

[tommycopper1]

Phrobis - Qual -A - Tec supplied the Navy SEAL's with all kinds of suppressors ( silencers) for their weapons. Tested inside the building in a gun range with chains hanging down. The falling out with Mickey Finn and Chuck Buck were a bunch of lawyers telling Chuck to just let it go to court, but Chuck took it upon himself to sit down with Mickey Finn and they came to a happy split. Phrobis placed a Bid for the military contract but lost to Buck. Phrobis went to Marto Spain to have M-9's made and Buck finished the contract with the Military and produced only the 5500 M-9's. The 1991 USMC of which I have 3.

 

[David Nowlin]

Chains hanging down?

 

[tommycopper1]

That's what the book says. I think they were to break up ricochets, not quite sure. It makes good reading. Other stories about this Mickey Finn. I need to find the Buckmaster book.

 

[David Nowlin]

Interesting

 

[Ruari]

Unfortunately I am no longer eligible to be in the 'No 184' club, having secured two.
One early version, pre-patent and complete, and one fairly rare late black version (not complete, but in good condition).

Pics for your pleasure;

 

[David Nowlin]

OUTSTANDING!!!

 

[tommycopper1]

The M-9 is a heavy sturdy knife which would hold up to batoning, I also have an Ontario and a Lan-Kay both are made with thinner blades Thickness wise.

 

[Triton]

Its not a practical knife by any stretch, but that's not why I left this club. I wanted one back in the 80s and couldn't afford it. A year or two ago one came up on the exchange ( fortunately for me not in the Buck section, but in fixed blades) for a very good price for an unused example. It has no box but is otherwise complete.

 

[caquino]

I'm disqualified from both the non 184 and M9(188) clubs. I purchased both knives on "the bay" many, many years ago before prices went completely bonkers... best decision I've made in my knife buying, seeing what they are going for now, I wish my 401K did as well.

 

[David Nowlin]

Love your choice of background for both pictures.

 

[Triton]

When I was younger I really wanted one. Not so much now. I like them because of the historical value of them and because they are just kind of iconic 80’s. I personally have no desire for one myself.

You have described much of my collection which tends towards medieval swords and daggers as well as polearms. I like them because of the historical value of them and because they are kind of iconic 80s (1180s, 1280s, 1380s, 1480s)! The buckmaster was a departure for me into modern knives...

 

[zanussi01]

Maybe I was wrong about "Vietnam" but there was a military contract with Buck. I maybe got confused by a picture of a Navy Seal wearing a knife maybe a Buckmaster. The only U.S. military contract Bayonet was the 1991 Marine. These were the only Military Knives Purchased by the 2nd Marine Division. There was a fair amount of blade tip breakage. There were an estimated 5500 made in July 1991. They were delivered by Buck, for "Division Level" testing. There was no Phrobis involvement. The right side of the USMC Bayonet ricasso is unmarked. I do remember the Navy S.E.A.L. in a rubber raft had the knife on his side and the handle was taped with electrical tape. It was most likely a Buckmaster.

I know the picture you are talking about of the Seal in the raft. Yes it is a Buckmaster.
Yes Buck had a military contract to supply the bayonet for the Marines in 1991,they also had one again in 1993.
Yes it was only for Division level testing in both cases.
You are correct, there was no involvement by Phrobis as Buck had split with them before that contract.
This was the only two times Buck had a contract with the Marines,yes, but was not the only military contract though.
They first supplied the US Army with M9's from 1987-89.
Also in 1991 there was a contract to supply M9's to the Australian Army, that was for 20050 units.
Here are a few. All are correct as issued with all the right parts and scabbards etc.
The Black one on the far left is a "Contract Overrun", it has the same markings as the milspec versions, but has a Black oxide coating and were sold on the Commercial market.

 

[rhino]

Now I feel as if my life is unfulfilled with my lack of having a bayonet.

The struggle is real.

 

[tommycopper1]

zanussi01 Nice Collection. Do you know anything about the Australian Broad Arrow? I believe there were only a 100 or so left over and coated with black oxide,

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Here are a couple of links that y'all might find interesting. These models have discussed and shown before but not lately...

M9M4 BAYONET : COLLECTION KNIFE BUCK – LANCAY – PHROBIS USA KNIVES Accueil

M9 BAYONET, A WEBSITE OF COLLECTORS : SURVIVAL KNIFE BUCK – LANCAY – PHROBIS

www.m9m4.com

CUK & MFK lets show em and talk about them

These are two little talked about Phrobis knives. The CUK (Combat Utility Knife) and the MFK (Modulear All-Purpose Field Knife). For future reference I would like to create thread specifically for those two knives. Let's show some pictures and pull together what we do know about them. I...

www.bladeforums.com

here are my reasons for not being in the club...

VERY NICE!

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I know the picture you are talking about of the Seal in the raft. Yes it is a Buckmaster.
Yes Buck had a military contract to supply the bayonet for the Marines in 1991,they also had one again in 1993.
Yes it was only for Division level testing in both cases.
You are correct, there was no involvement by Phrobis as Buck had split with them before that contract.
This was the only two times Buck had a contract with the Marines,yes, but was not the only military contract though.
They first supplied the US Army with M9's from 1987-89.
Also in 1991 there was a contract to supply M9's to the Australian Army, that was for 20050 units.
Here are a few. All are correct as issued with all the right parts and scabbards etc.
The Black one on the far left is a "Contract Overrun", it has the same markings as the milspec versions, but has a Black oxide coating and were sold on the Commercial market.

I'm sitting here with my head slowly turning from left to right.

 

[NapalmCheese]

You can add me to the "No 184" club (and "No M-9" for that matter).

I've wanted a 184 since the first day I laid eyes on it at the Navy Exchange as a kid shopping for clothes and fishing supplies with my mom. I'm old and of better means now, but I still can't bear to pay the freight required for something "just to have because it's cool".