Here is some additional information on the metal handled Buck Crosslock Solitaires. I first saw them advertised in the September 1997 issue of Tactical Knives. There was a very short comment that Buck was going to make a metal handled Solitaire in three versions. They were an aluminum handle with 420HC blade, a stainless steel handle with ATS-34 blade and a Damascus handle with 420HC blade. I waited patiently for a few months but the knives never were generally available. This was before I was aware of the Bladeforums and I called several places including the Buck factory for information on them. I got to talk to a couple of people in Bucks shipping department, I think. They basically told me that the knives were special order only and were all gone. I dont think this is exactly true but at the time, I put my quest for one of these on the back burner. Finally a couple of years ago, someone asked about them in the Buck forum and Joe Houser replied with some production numbers. These are about numbers as I dont remember exactly what they were. Aluminum handle, about 500. Stainless steel handle, about 250 and Damascus handle, about 100. These are some of the rarer Buck knives and I think many people dont even know they exist. I finally found a couple in a knife store in Minnesota. Unfortunately, I didnt have enough money with me to buy one. The asking price three years ago was $135 for the aluminum handle and $155 for the stainless steel handle. If I remember correctly, the original MSRP was about $160 for aluminum handle, $190 for stainless steel handle and $250 for the Damascus handle. Hope you find this useful and I hope Joe will chime in if I am really off on any of the numbers.
