BUCK 112 Fluke? (no nail nick)

[Modoc ED]

When I was in the U. S. Navy, I bought this Buck 112.

The knife has no nail nick. Can anyone provide any information. Just curious. I've wondered about it since I bought the knife.

I drilled the hole in the lower bolster so as to attach a lanyard via a steel ring to the knife so I wouldn't drop it in the water while over the side when working aboard a ship. This has always been a working knife and was bought for that purpose so drilling a hole in the knife was just a way to enhance it's usefullness.

 

[Tin Sue]

The Model 112 was first introduced in 1972 without a nail nick; nail nicks first appeared in 1980. The knife pictured is a "2-dot" Fifth Version, Variation 4 which was produced in the the late l970's, so, no, it is not a fluke.

 

[Modoc ED]

Well I'll be darned "Tin Sue". I had no idea. Thanks for the quick reply.

Of course that just begs the question; "Why did they make it without a nail nick to begin with"?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Well I'll be darned "Tin Sue". I had no idea. Thanks for the quick reply.

Of course that just begs the question; "Why did they make it without a nail nick to begin with"?

Bear in mind I have no idea why the Buck 110/112 knives would or wouldn't have a nail nick. But, I've always thought these knives would be just fine without 'em. I don't think I've ever actually used the nail nick to open mine. There's plenty of accessible blade spine to pinch between thumb & forefinger. And some (at least) can even be 'thumbed' open like a one-hander.

I think nail nicks are better suited to smaller knives and multi-blade folders, where it's difficult to pinch onto the back side of the blade (due to close proximity with adjacent blades).

BTW, I was in the Navy too, from '81 to '87. My ship made a stop at Diego Garcia in '85, when we were on our Indian Ocean deployment. So, to a small degree, I can picture how it was there. Kind of a big flat 'rock' out in the middle of the I/O, right?

 

[Modoc ED]

Flatter than flat as a matter of fact. You went through when they had permanent barracks. When I was there, they had Sea Huts (wood floors, 4-foot wood sidewalls with 4-feet of screen on top and tin roofs). They were just opening permanent barracks when I was leaving.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Flatter than flat as a matter of fact. You went through when they had permanent barracks. When I was there, they had Sea Huts (wood floors, 4-foot wood sidewalls with 4-feet of screen on top and tin roofs). They were just opening permanent barracks when I was leaving.

Even in '85, the place looked pretty 'spartan'. I think we were there about 4 days or so, and even in that short span of time, I couldn't help but think the place would test anyone's patience. Not much going on there, in terms of things to do during time off.

For you, and everyone else who were actually stationed on that rock, you have my utmost respect (and my sympathies ). Thanks for the time you gave. :thumbup:

Dave

 

[STR]

Those older ones open a lot easier than the newer ones. Buck changed that later on also. I know several guys that love those older ones better both for blade steel and for the fact they open so much easier. Some of the guys were flicking those open back before doing that was popular. I've got one I bought a long time ago and another I picked up here a few years back and the older one I have from 72 with no nail nick has a thumb stud on it that I installed years ago. Great knife too because its not difficult to open like the newer ones are when you do that with one of them. Had I known it was going to become collectible back then I'd have probably left it alone but its one of my old time users so adding a thumb stud was just something I wanted at the time. I later put a pocket clip on it as well. That poor knife has been worked but you know, its been one of those you just use for everything and it always performed. Its seen a lot of small game in its day.

STR

 

[David Martin]

Tin. Where did you go ? Modoc, Buck tried many different things with that model that they didn't do with the 110 trying to increase sales . DM