Buck 186 Titanium, once again

G

GFL

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Jul 26, 2006
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18
I finally got hold of one of these. When searching for more information, I've found this thread on the quarterbore forums which suggests that the Phrobis-made knives were already available in 1984/85.
Can anyone confirm or refute this? What was the exact year the first Phrobis prototypes were made?
 
This is confusing . The Buck 186 is a folder the Phrobis is a sheath knife . The later did not appear in a Buck catalog until after 1986 . Are you thinking of (I'm guessing) the Buckmaster model 184 ? Which did appear in Buck's 1985 catalog as 'New' . DM
 
Well, no, I'm speaking of the Phrobis-made prototype of the 186 titanium folder:
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Buck's 186 came out in 1987 and was discontinued in 88 . In 89 they came out with the 560 and it went until 2002 . If Buck had a 4 dot blade they could have put it in a 186 as they both fit . This was common on the 560's . DM
 
Thanks for that, but the knives shown above aren't Bucks. They were made by Phrobis before Buck started to produce the 186 model in 1987. The question is, when were these prototypes made? My guess is sometime between 1984 and 1986, but I'd like to know for sure.
 
You have pics of rare prototypes of the 186. I understand, thru research, that ony 50 folders prototypes were made and marked with the Phrobis dolphin before Buck began production of their 186 without the thumbstuds and without the dolphin stamp.

porterkids has sage information on Phrobis. You can find his contact information searching on this forum. So you might consider contacting him directly via email. However, I would be tickled to see any information you uncover.

Link to info on Mickey Finn, AKA America's Q: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Finn_(inventor)

Link to pic of the creative genius: http://www.mickeyfinngolf.com/mickeyfinngolf.asp

Link to my discovery, on this forum, of the 186: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=711822&highlight=porterkids

Link to some history, includes some about the folder: http://www.m9bayonet.com/development-m9.html

Link to pic of original concept knife: http://www.quarterbore.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1911&highlight=folder

Link to US Patent D302,934, filed 6-11-1986 and issued 8-22-1989: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/D302934.pdf
 
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The knives in the pics aren't mine, sorry if I made that impression. I just have the standard 186, which is a fine piece of history itself, but I'm more interested in the background story of the Phrobis versions. I already considered asking someone from quarterbore, but the forums here are visited by more people. I'll give it a shot nonetheless and post any new information here if I get some.
 
I am going to touch on the 186, 639 and M9 Bayonet in my BuckMaster book...I have held a few of the 186 prototypes and i was given some of the engineering Diagrams...I will share the 186 concept and where PHROBIS got the origonal idea's from. PLUS some prototype pictures NO one but thoses who made that knife have seen. EVER. In my book that will be start being published soon.
I will share this much...
ALL of the pre production PHROBIS 186 prototype knifes(are all numbered and I have the copy of the master list who had what # 0013 for example) had Four Dot 110 blades SOME were stamped PHROBIS on the blade SOME were stamped on the Titanium handles.. The 110 Four dot blades( unheat treated) were given to Harry Camphuysen (of PHROBIS)by Chuck Buck. The blades were stamped with a PHROBIS dolphin and re shapped for the pre production numbered prototypes. THEN the blades were heat treated by Paul Bos and given back to PHROBIS for final assembly of these RARE prototypes..The knife in above post is a PHROBIS prototype 186.
 
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I do know what date. I can tell YOU that the 1984 DATE is 100% WRONG..... Sorry I wont release that here YET as it's one of my BuckMaster Trivia's ... After the book comes out Then you can learn about that cool stuff...;) PLEASE forgive me but I am making this book, THE book Authority on the early PHROBIS/BUCK collaberation's... I can only answer some of YOUR question TODAY..In a few months everyone will then know this stuff.

:DI have access to detailed notes from one of the PHROBIS guys and let me tell you HE was meticulous.:D
 
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