Buck 110 25th anniversary 1993 issue steel?

M

madmath

Joined
Mar 19, 2005
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Recently I purchased a 1993 stamped Buck 110 with NS bolsters.
Here lying between my 2001 560XLT-Ti and my 2009 Ecolite in red.

5577846436_f3751a474c_o.jpg


The knife is in fine condition, not mint but not much used, no blade play. It's going to be my EDC for a long? time.

I have been searching BF for the steel the blade is made of.

Some say Buck used 425M through 1993 and started with 420HC in 1994.
Others say Buck used 425M through 1992 and started with 420HC in 1993.

The tendency is to believe it is made of 420HC.

The wood could be Macasser Ebony, correct me if I am wrong.

Anybody of the knowledgeable Buck family who can clear this out?

Thanks in advance.

Math.
 
This is from the data sheet sticky at the top.

"Blade steel was changed in 1992 from 425mod to 420hc."
 
My info indicates 425M was used "Until 1993."

I've always thought of 420HC as 1993 and on.

Transition years can be tricky. I'll be interested to see what others have to say.

Nice knife, anyway. Yes, it should be Macassar.

:thumbup:
 
Joe H. and I discussed this topic at length and he said the change from 425M to 420HC was made in 1992. The inlay material change was in 1994 the switch from ebony to a laminate. Many times these two dates get switched. DM
 
Dave, that's exactly what I mean.

...the change from 425M to 420HC was made in 1992.
Click to expand...

Rarely do you see someone say, "at the end of 1992" or "at the beginning of 1992."

;)
 
Thanks guys, :thumbup:

So the blade is made of 420HC and the handle inlays are made of Macassar Ebony. Great.

I like the 420HC steel alot. Regrounded the edge to +/-13° each side (Lansky slot 17°). Touching up the blade is so satisfying on this steel, no hassle, no fuss, just plain easy. Cuts like hell. :D

Math.
 
madmath said:
Thanks guys, :thumbup:

So the blade is made of 420HC and the handle inlays are made of Macassar Ebony. Great.

I like the 420HC steel alot. Regrounded the edge to +/-13° each side (Lansky slot 17°). Touching up the blade is so satisfying on this steel, no hassle, no fuss, just plain easy. Cuts like hell. :D

Math.
Click to expand...

Knives with date code mark of 1994 (\) can be found with either Macassar ebony or Obeechee wood inlays. Obeechee is more prevalent though.
Blade steel was changed in 1992 from 425mod to 420hc.

Let’s try to apply some logic to this subject.

Point One: I and most others will concede that Joe Houser, given his position at Buck and access to records there is the authority on the subject.

Point Two: Since Joe says that the change from 425Mod to 420HC took place sometime in 1992, I’m going to accept that as fact, given point One.

Point Three: Since Joe doesn’t say “on Jan. 1st., on June 1st or Dec. 1st, I can logically assume that blades made from both types of steel were produced and available in 1992.

Point Four: Since it isn’t logical that Buck would let themselves run completely out of blades for the production line (therefore shutting it down), there would have been both types of blades available to be used in production knives during 1992.

Point Five: Given point Four, I myself will assume that a 110 date stamped 1992 could have a blade of either type but that it’s unlikely to have a 110 date stamped 1993 with a 425Mod blade.

My money as David said, is on your’s being 420HC.
 
Thanks,

Plumberdv said:
Knives with date code mark of 1994 (\) can be found with either Macassar ebony or Obeechee wood inlays. Obeechee is more prevalent though.
Click to expand...

Mine is stamped 1993 (/), so it will be Macassar Ebony, correct? It's definitely non laminated, it's one piece of wood, very dark, almost black with typical Macassar ebony stripes.

Math.
 
madmath said:
Thanks,



Mine is stamped 1993 (/), so it will be Macassar Ebony, correct? It's definitely non laminated, it's one piece of wood, very dark, almost black with typical Macassar ebony stripes.

Math.
Click to expand...

Since the quote from Joe says the transition took place sometime in '94 and yours is stamped as a '93 knife, I'd say ebony.
 
If I read correctly, the Ebony is a one piece wood inlay and the Obeechee is a laminated inlay. This can be seen by lookin on the side at the inlay. So if someone has doubts about it being Ebony or Obeechee, he/she could find out this way?

Math.
 
madmath said:
If I read correctly, the Ebony is a one piece wood inlay and the Obeechee is a laminated inlay. This can be seen by lookin on the side at the inlay. So if someone has doubts about it being Ebony or Obeechee, he/she could find out this way?

Math.
Click to expand...

If they have younger eyes than mine they probably can. I've just been comparing a 2 dot and a 1995 model and while it looks obvious to these old eyes that the 2 dot has solid inlays, it's not quite so obvious that the '95 is laminated. It "appears" to me that I can see layers in the '95 inlay, but I wouldn't swear to that. It may be because the '95 is radiused and the 2 dot isn't that makes it less obvious and harder to see the layers. Or it just could be because of my vision.:(
 
Maybe if you use a magnifier under stronger light?

I took some pictures of my 1996 Buck 112 next to the 1993 Buck 110.
These pictures clearly show the difference between full wood and the laminated.

5580146822_39214339e4_o.jpg


5580146546_1684c9616f_o.jpg


5579559757_3143dc256a_o.jpg


Hope you can see it okay. :)


Math.
 
madmath said:
Maybe if you use a magnifier under stronger light?

I took some pictures of my 1996 Buck 112 next to the 1993 Buck 110.
These pictures clearly show the difference between full wood and the laminated.
Hope you can see it okay. :)


Math.
Click to expand...

:thumbup: I can easily see it in your pictures. I suppose I should get a different one out to look at because in the '95, the layers aren't nearly as obvious as in yours.
 
Transition years really ARE a pain, but I think you've got it figured correctly.

The plywood has varied some lately and there have been some different looks, especially with the Obitchy.

But yours looks VERY Macassar, as I said before.

Nice knife.
 
Yes, Mad yours is certainly ebony and 420HC blade steel. Thanks for the nice photos. I posed a question to Joe: Could a 93 stamp / have 425M steel ? He said its highly unlikely. His statement was saying that the 425 steel was cleared out in 92 and by 93 all the knives mfg. had 420 steel . Just simple reasoning. DM
 
Thats the 25th an knife from 1988 , brought three that year, ebony handles think it was 440 steel
 
sidecarr said:
Thats the 25th an knife from 1988 , brought three that year, ebony handles think it was 440 steel
Click to expand...

Here's a quote from the archives. That etch was produced on 110's and 112's into the '90's. Knife in this thread is in fact from '93 and is 420HC.


"Hmm, I think you guys are mixing 2 different blade etches. "The Legend Lives On 1961-1986" etch was a 25th Anniversary of Buck Knives Inc. 1961 is considered the birth of the modern era of Buck Knives when the Board of Directors was elected,stock was sold & the factory opened.
Both etches are discussed here:http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...th+anniversary
"Buck's Famous Folding Hunter 1963-1988" etch was the 25th of the 110. The 112 was etched "Buck's Famous Ranger 1963-1988". Both show up in the dealers catalog of 1987 for the 1st time, and the 110 & 112 were first offered in the nickel silver frames. These have been reproduced for numerous years into the 1990s.
The 110 was approved for production in November of 1963, but tooling issues prevented production until 1964.
Someone in marketing or advertising included the 112 with the 110, thinking they were started into production at the same time."
 
Buck discontinued using 440C steel in 1980 or 81 with the ending of the 3 dots. The 4 dots mark this change in steel to 425M. DM
 
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