311 Price Check

Badhammer

Badhammer

Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Messages
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Ran across a 311 Trapper in a store today. It's NOS and has been sitting for a long time. Blade is marked:

Buck
311
USA


Have to check if it still has the box as it's been in a display case for a long time. Priced at $65 which I think is too high even if it has the box but I could be wrong.
 
Price is a function of experience and opinion and everyone comes out a little different on the calculation because of different life experiences but I'll offer mine. I would consider $65 to be full fair retail so it isn't out of line IF the box & papers are there. They can be bought in the $50-$60 range NIB on the auction site if you bide your time. They turn up regularly. No box and the knife is as new I'd try to stay under $50. Personally, I think I tend to pay a little more when buying in person cause I know what I'm getting and have the satisfaction of having found it. Of course we all stumble on the NIB $20 deals but that will be on the second one you find... ;o). When paying retail you need to want it. HTH.
 
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Thank you. I'll check into whether or not it has the box and see what kind of a deal I can make.
 
DeSotoSky said:
Price is a function of experience and opinion and everyone comes out a little different on the calculation because of different life experiences but I'll offer mine. I would consider $65 to be full fair retail so it isn't out of line IF the box & papers are there. They can be bought in the $50-$60 range NIB on the auction site if you bide your time. They turn up regularly. No box and the knife is as new I'd try to stay under $50. Personally, I think I tend to pay a little more when buying in person cause I know what I'm getting and have the satisfaction of having found it. Of course we all stumble on the NIB $20 deals but that will be on the second one you find... ;o). When paying retail you need to want it. HTH.
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For a new guy here, I like your reasoning... It makes sense. DM
 
Stopped back by the store today and picked up the 311 (no box) and a Crosslock River Rafter (NOS with box and paperwork). Got both for $89 which I thought was a decent price. Really wanted to find the box for the 311 and they searched every drawer in their display (lots of 312 boxes but no 312 knives) but we couldn't find it. Seemed odd that with all the 312 and others they sold without the box they'd be missing the box for a knife they still had? Someone probably left with the wrong box for their new Buck some time in the past.

This 311 is the last variant with the nylon stops so based on the 6/10 BCCI Newsletter this one should date from 1980-90 and I'm guessing 425M steel. I'm kind of a semi-collector of Trapper models (got a couple of the large Case trappers) and I have to say this Buck 311 is my favorite. It looks pretty good so all I've done to it is a little 3 and 1 oil on the blades. Not super sharp but if I'm not going to carry it at this time I should probably leave the factory edge like it is. Will post a couple of pics tomorrow here and or in the SPS.
 
Sorry, but remember......425M only applies to BUCK factory made knives. Not Camillus contract. NO DATE CODE means Cami made. The 311 with inserts is a nice find, but the steel is Cami steel, likely 440A.

Before Matt or David chimes in. The No Date Code rule has one small exception. The production by Buck in late 1985 had no codes. But if it was a 301,303,309 or 305 made with SMALL nail nic and no code it was a 85. Then we talk 425M.... Details, details, details..... You should always take ANY box they have with papers, if they don't have the right one for the one you are buying. One of those 312 boxes could have been good trade material. Or you could have gotten a 312 latter with no box but been OK NIB...

300Bucks
 
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300Bucks said:
Sorry, but remember......425M only applies to BUCK factory made knives. Not Camillus contract. NO DATE CODE means Cami made. The 311 with inserts is a nice find, but the steel is Cami steel, likely 440A.

Before Matt or David chimes in. The No Date Code rule has one small exception. The production by Buck in late 1985 had no codes. But if it was a 301,303,309 or 305 made with SMALL nail nic and no code it was a 85. Then we talk 425M.... Details, details, details..... You should always take ANY box they have with papers, if they don't have the right one for the one you are buying. One of those 312 boxes could have been good trade material. Or you could have gotten a 312 latter with no box but been OK NIB...

300Bucks
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Duh! Forgot all about that. Thanks for setting me straight on the steel. I'm thinking about going back and asking them if I can have any boxes that no longer have knives to go in them.
 
300Bucks said:
Sorry, but remember......425M only applies to BUCK factory made knives. Not Camillus contract. NO DATE CODE means Cami made. The 311 with inserts is a nice find, but the steel is Cami steel, likely 440A.

Before Matt or David chimes in. The No Date Code rule has one small exception. The production by Buck in late 1985 had no codes. But if it was a 301,303,309 or 305 made with SMALL nail nic and no code it was a 85. Then we talk 425M.... Details, details, details..... You should always take ANY box they have with papers, if they don't have the right one for the one you are buying. One of those 312 boxes could have been good trade material. Or you could have gotten a 312 latter with no box but been OK NIB...

300Bucks
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Good advice.

When you're handing over the cash is a good time to hesitate and say, (with an extremely aggrieved and depressed look on your face) "Well, if you don't have the right box you should just throw in those other spare boxes you got there--and those dusty old catalogs, too."

:)

And 300Bucks......how did the Cami steel compare with the 425MOD? Or is it too close to call or see a difference?
 
BG,

I think David will back me up on this but 425M is superior in most ways to 440A. BUT..........

I started to just email you on this, your gonna kick yourself.............P.BOS.........was doing the 425 heat treat.....

Never fret it happens to us all. I am a fall person so I just say my mind is elsewhere....300
 
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Great info Craig, I love to hear the finer details. Although We have talked about it hundreds of time, reading it again just refreshes the brain.
 
Here's a couple of photos I took early this morning. I'm really liking this one. A more slender model than my Case large Trappers. Very smooth.

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