Buck filet knives

mbjannusch

mbjannusch

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Apr 1, 2010
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The Buck filet knife is a bit unappreciated in the grand skeem of things BUCK related. The filet knife has been in the BUCK line even before the Co. was incorporated, and after with the model 121. I don't think most people think of the 121 as a filet knife but a more all around knife. The first 121's were thin and had a fish scaler on the back bone of the knife. Through out the life of the 121 Fisherman, the scaler was dropped and the blade became thicker. The name of the 121 was even changed from the Fisherman to the Guide. In the early 1983 Buck introduced the LakeMate. It was a mid sized traditional filet knife with a rubber handle. Later in 1984 the line of Mate knives appeared introducing the Stream and Ocean to the series. Joe Houser covered the majority of this in the BCCI news letter. The topic has come around before but If any of you have Buck filet knives I would like to see them especially the old and odd knives.

Here are some pre factory filet knives from the 40s to the mid 50s. Some of these are stamped *BUCK*and some are signed by Al Buck and this is a common way that he put his stamp on the knives he built. Some came in Lucite and some were wood, I'm not sure of the handle material in the wooden knives but it's a hard wood and although the blade looks to be in poor condition, the blades were shaped that way. Some of these have wear but are in great shape. Some times they would stamp the wooden handle with the same stamp they used in the old leather sheaths (BUCK KNIVES CO. 1273 MORENA BLVD SAN DIEGO CA) If you find one of these hold on to it, or sell it to me:D




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Thanks MB.

It's always good to get some history about the knives that aren't so well known.
 
I might add that to the filet knife line Buck added the TruBlue folding filet knife with the rare Sawby locking configuration and then in a body lock. After this the Fish locker folding filet knife came out and a few other off shore knives. The only filet knives BUCK offers now is the Silver Creek models. Buck has done exclusives in the past for BPS and other Sporting good stores.




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I am fortunate enough to have a 121 from the early 70s. It works wonders on a large walleye or salmon. As for the Silver Creek models, the folding versions are very popular among my fishing friends. I buy them a dozen at a time, and can't seem to keep any extras on hand.
 
The 420j2 steel seems to dull quickly on though skinned fish like Cats, among my least favorite of the filet knives made by BUCK.
 
Very nice Matt!! You have a very unique collection!! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I went and looked at some of the older catalogs on the BCCI site. I found one like your 121 with the scaler there....listed right in the catalog. I had never seen one with the stamp on the spine before you posted your picture.

I still use my old BPS 122 with the wood handle that my wife bought me in 1984.
 
Stumps said:
Very nice Matt!! You have a very unique collection!! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I went and looked at some of the older catalogs on the BCCI site. I found one like your 121 with the scaler there....listed right in the catalog. I had never seen one with the stamp on the spine before you posted your picture.

I still use my old BPS 122 with the wood handle that my wife bought me in 1984.
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Love that knife, I have one but have it in my collection and can't bring myself to use it. I have the AG with the rose wood handle and the S30V blade, it was an exclusive as well.
 
This is not the user I talked about that my wife bought me in 1984. This one has never been used. Those handles are VERY nice and the blade has a nice flex to it!! And talk about fitting in your hand!!!

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Stumps said:
This is not the user I talked about that my wife bought me in 1984. This one has never been used. Those handles are VERY nice and the blade has a nice flex to it!! And talk about fitting in your hand!!!


Buck122FiletKnife024.jpg
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Wow Stumps, that one is an eye catcher for sure! Really cool how the transition through the layers shows such character:thumbup:

These fillet knives are a pretty awesome subject, thanks for sharing these glimpses into your collections!
 
Like I stated in the beginning of the thread, The filet knife isn't given enough attention, for a knife that has been in the line up for 60 to 70 years. They came in all shapes and sizes colors and configurations. It's a specific knife for a specific job. I guess if you're not a fisherman you would have no need for one. Buck Knives center their lines of knives around hunting and fishing. Maybe there are more hunters than fisherman? I prefer fishing but love to hunt.
 
Jerry
Nice to see you, and again with an amazing display of filet knives. Does the Yellow wooden handled knife in the last pic have the 1272 Morena Blvd stamp on the handle? Those are assume knives, thank you for sharing.
 
Thanks. It does have the address stamped into the handle just as yours, but is not signed on the blade. It has the original sheath with the address also.
 
That knife pictured above isn't mine, although I would love to get my hands on it for my collection. It does belong to another collector we both know.
 
For those who don't know the colorful Lucite (Lucite was the modern day plastic of the 40s, used in such things as windshields of fighter jets) knives pictured here are products of BUCK circa 1940s and the wooden handled knifes are from the 50s. The light colored wood in the last picture are made of Lignum Vitea, a wood Buck use by BUCK for 10 years in the pre factory days, but was found to crack and break if not taken special care of. Other wood and handle material used at the time was Gaboon Ebony, and elk.
 
Here's a picture of some of my filet knives, mostly 121, pictured in the stands from bottom right and up and over 1964 thru 1985. The two Blue folding filet knives are the TruBlue folding filet knives made in '88, the one on the left has the Sawby locking system and the right has the body lock. The Sawby locking system was discontinued after being found to be extremely dangerous. They only made and released a couple of thousand and attempted to recall them. Only a few hundred came back.
 
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