Buck Knives article 1969

TAH

TAH

Joined
Jul 3, 2001
Messages
6,135
This morning, I was searching the forum for something else and came across this article from several years ago. I had never seen it before and really enjoyed it. Here it is for others who might have missed it the first time as well.


image1cul.jpg


image2ihb.jpg


image3up.jpg


image4zp.jpg


image5oy.jpg
 
Interesting.

The writer does not seem to be a knife expert, but he is certainly enthusiastic about the Buck operation.

Was Buck's unnamed and mysterious steel (440C which, in reality, was not a secret) really a "special steel, you can't buy it if you wanted to?"

Was every knife tested by using it to cut a bolt before that knife was accepted as qualifying for sale?

I don't think so.

The writer's enthusiasm seems to lead him into exaggeration, but it's still a nice article.

The info about the Buck's interest in possibly selling arrow heads was something new to me.
 
Nice to have any vintage information about Buck Knives, their history and their products. Thanks! OH
 
  • Like
Reactions: TAH
Der Verminator said:
Interesting.

The writer does not seem to be a knife expert, but he is certainly enthusiastic about the Buck operation.

Was Buck's unnamed and mysterious steel (440C which, in reality, was not a secret) really a "special steel, you can't buy it if you wanted to?"

Was every knife tested by using it to cut a bolt before that knife was accepted as qualifying for sale?

I don't think so.

The writer's enthusiasm seems to lead him into exaggeration, but it's still a nice article.

The info about the Buck's interest in possibly selling arrow heads was something new to me.
Click to expand...
Actually back in 69 we did test every edge with a bolt. Not sure when we stopped, but I was chatting with one of our engineers who was in the shop back in those days and he verified this.
 
J Hubbard said:
Actually back in 69 we did test every edge with a bolt. Not sure when we stopped, but I was chatting with one of our engineers who was in the shop back in those days and he verified this.
Click to expand...

How many knives per day was Buck putting out in 1969?

That's a lot of bolts if every one was tested by hammering it into a bolt.

:D
 
They may have stopped “hammer” testing blades when they stopped using 440C. Al Buck Sr. and Jr. were probably Hoyt and Al.
 
J Hubbard said:
Actually back in 69 we did test every edge with a bolt. Not sure when we stopped, but I was chatting with one of our engineers who was in the shop back in those days and he verified this.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's impressive, Jeff. Thanks for verifying!
 
st8yd said:
Do you really think they only used a bolt once per blade!
Click to expand...

Do you? We don't know what they did. Buck Knives is unpredictable.

But, when we get an answer on how many knives they produced in 1969 we'll have a better idea of how realistic it would be to think that they pounded each knife through a steel bolt before approving it for sale.

Sounds to me like a huge waste of time and money.......even if they used soft bolts. Does Buck have a history of wasting time and money?
 
Der Verminator said:
Do you? We don't know what they did. Buck Knives is unpredictable.

But, when we get an answer on how many knives they produced in 1969 we'll have a better idea of how realistic it would be to think that they pounded each knife through a steel bolt before approving it for sale.

Sounds to me like a huge waste of time and money.......even if they used soft bolts. Does Buck have a history of wasting time and money?
Click to expand...

Old farts are supposed to be wise, your …….
A 10" bolt could easily be cut over a 100 times.
I get the idea they didn't cut it completely thru for their testing.

Jeff confirmed it and that's good enough.
 
I have a copy of this article and examining it one should note that a 301 is shown with the bolster lines of the Schrade contract knives still being made. Plus, the Kalinga came out in 1969, thus with a 2 line stamp. Some have said 2 line Kalinga's don't exist. Thanks TAH for posting this article. DM
 
Last edited:
BuckShack said:
A picture of it and a comment from our moderator. Nope, never happened o_O
Click to expand...

A picture? You mean the one in the article? Do you really think every blade produced in 1969 was smacked on the spine with a steel hammer? A publicity pic. The picture is just a picture of one knife. It means nothing as applied to the question at hand.

And, with all due respect to Mr. Hubbard.......if this engineer he talked to has been working for Buck for over 50 years he's older than me!!!

And I know how reliable I am with memories from 1969.

No........color me skeptical. I can be convinced with some real evidence.

It's just that the notion that every knife produced in 1969 was driven through a steel bolt with a steel hammer is a little too far-fetched to stomach easily.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top