BG-42 Vanguard

arksknives

arksknives

Joined
Jan 11, 2004
Messages
542
I was wondering if anyone knows about these. I received a couple of them today. Here is the description of them:

From the custom made division of Buck, this rare Buck Vanguard features Burl wood handles, Polished brass butt and guard. Sheath included. Weight: 6.3 oz. Handle Material: Burl Wood Blade Steel: BG-42 Length Overall: 8 1/2" Blade Length: 4 1/8" Sheath included

The question I have is they are NOT stamped BG-42 on the blade. I was told these were a factory build-out but I thought Buck always stamped the blade somewhere if the steel was an up-graded steel. Does anybody know if they are in fact BG-42?
192Burl.jpg


Thanks,
Eric
 
Yeah, that's kinda what I thought. They are packed and ready to ship back in the morning. Honest mistake by the seller I think? I did tell them I didn't think they were BG-42 if they weren't stamped after I received them today. I guess I should have asked first.:p

Eric
 
I have some that are stamped BG-42, they are very nice and I have some with left over Master Series blades and they are stamped BG-42
 
"I guess I should have asked first."

You shouldn't have to ask if the seller specified that it is BG-42 in the listing. After I had the issue with mine, I sent messages to every dealer I found that had that (BG-42) in the listing and not one said they were stamped. One said they were "told" by the distributer they had bought them from that they were BG-42. A couple changed their listing, but I still see some that haven't.
 
I bought a 192, box-marked 0192RWSBP9-B, Catalog #4528, dated 09/28/08, the middle of last October - two weeks old - from a B&M knife store in south Alabama. The blade was clearly marked - on it's backside - Bos heat treated and CPM154. It is my understanding that all knives are 420HC unless marked otherwise. All of my BG-42 110s are clearly marked as such.

BTW, that CPM154 Vanguard was a deal - same price as a basic 192 - but with a nylon sheath. Great user.

Stainz
 
Something I've noticed about the ones on Ebay. With the exception of a Master Series Vanguard, not one (including the Zipper version) shows the BG-42 stamp.They only show pictures of the tang stamp side, and not the back side of the blade. Hmmm?
 
Well I purchased one. directly thru a Buck dealer. It was advertised as BG-42 madeinthe custom shop, and when it arrived, not only was it not stamped BG-42, but it didn't have the Custom Shop markings either. I called, and spoke with Joe. Since it came in the box
and had all the codes, Joe looked it up in their system and found the build info for
the run. Turns out it was assembled for a customer on a sprint run using leftover material to keep the cost down. But the build info in the computer did officially indicate that it was BG-42 and burlwood, assembled in the Custom Shop.
Joe sent me an email, so I would have confirmation in writing.
He was very surprised that it left the factory without the stamping though.
Together, we assumed it was as part of the "cost cutting", and it was a great price
for a BG-42 Buck.
 
"Since it came in the box and had all the codes"

Mine has no "Custom Shop" stamp either. Any way that you could post the codes that are on your box? Mine also came with the box, so I'd like to compare the numbers.
Did Joe give you any idea how many were on that "sprint run"? There are at least six like this on Ebay right now and who knows how many have already been sold.
 
The seller that has six of them listed just sent me a message (in response to my question) that none of them are marked BG-42.
It would really be nice if Buck could somehow clarify for sure if and how many were made that way.:confused: It would save the sellers and buyers alike, some possible heartburn.
 
Don't know about the BG-42 Vanguards, but I've got an AG Vanguard from Cabela's with no stampings on the blade at all (not even "Buck"). Obviously, things sometimes "fall through the cracks."
 
OK GUYS ..... Plumber and Arks. The label codes are 0192b01-b Cat. 8633
Joe indicated about 80 left the factory....that is from my memory and not in
the email. Joe is a great guy and I don't want to speak out-of-turn on this issue,
because he really has alot of resources from Buck at his disposal. Our Kershaw
rep has disappeared from the forum, and I want Joe & Buck to continue to be the
awesome help and listening ear that they've been over the years on Bladeforums
As Samael said, Sometimes things fall thru the Cracks. I can live with it, & trust Joe.

to StainZ... I have one of the cm154's you have. same codes and all. Sweet knife!

And additionally....Arks is a great guy. He lives in my state, and I've purchased
knives from him before. Nice job researching the issue Arks....."keep it sharp!"
 
"The label codes are 0192b01-b Cat. 8633"

Thanks, that's exactly what mine has on the box. The 0192BO1-B has been marked through with a Sharpie, but you can still read it. Someone has written "192 Burl" with the Sharpie, just to the right of the number.:confused:
 
Buck is really slipping if they are letting BG42 or any other premium steel get out of the factory without being stamped.

Cost Cutting? Laid off experienced emloyees? Poor quality control?

I for one won't buy any that says it is, without the stamps.

and if I was Paul Bos, I might be a bit irritated if this happening.
 
Joe sent me an e-mail on this same knife about 8 months ago. He believed the knife was made special, along with others, for a factory sale. It has the same numbers on the box as stated above. The ones I picked up have "BUCK 192msU" "USA" on one side and "MASTER SERIES", "BG42" on the other.
 
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