Buck Master Series 119 - BG42 or not?

Obsessed with Edges

Obsessed with Edges

Joined
Apr 12, 2009
Messages
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Hello to all. I'm brand new to BladeForums, just completed my registration minutes ago. Here's a question for any and all Buck experts here. I recently bought a Buck 119 Master Series knife (green checkered handle with the Master Series emblem/medallion on it). One side of the tang is marked as follows:

BUCK
119 U
U.S.A.

The other side of the tang is marked:

BUCK
119MSU
U.S.A.

Most of the few Master Series knives I've ever seen online have been marked on the blade as having the BG42 steel. This particular knife, however, is not marked as such. In fact, there's nothing specifically identifying what type of steel was used for the blade. Is this typical of the 119 Master Series knife, or is it an exception of some sort? I have been under the impression that all of the so-called "Master Series" knives were made with BG42.

I welcome your input and comments on this, thanks to all...
 
Master Series knives were BG-42 I believe, but I also seem to recall reading that there were some knives made up with regular blades, using left over green Master Series handles.
 
Here's some pics of one that I got from a ex-Buck-employee... I don't remember if there is anything on the other side... The knife is at home and I'm out in Carlsbad, CA...

ITE

119 M/S.... click on pics 2 times to make them Bigger...

119 M/S

119 M/S

119 M/S
 
This was in response to a question that I asked about a different model Buck.

"It would be stamped bg-42 if thats what it was made of.
Generally speaking, if the blade does not say what kind of steel it is, then it is made of our current production steel...420hc.
The listing does not show the backside of the blade, which is where the bg-42 stamp could be located.
__________________
Joe Houser
Director of Consumer relations Buck Knives Inc.
Buck Collectors club Liaison, Member #123"
 
Thanks for the interesting pics, ITE... I don't see any tang mark at all on the back side in your pics. Nor do I see a BG42 mark on either side. All the more interesting and/or confusing... Makes me wonder what exactly the "Master Series" branding brings with it, other than a different handle on the knife.

The fact that my blade has the "119MSU" mark (and I'm assuming the "MS" is the Master Series branding) on the back side of the tang would seem to indicate something special about the blade (although who knows what). The "U" in the mark, if I understand correctly, would be the date code for a 1998 blade. That's in sync with the other BG42 marked blades I've seen online. Seems like it would be more trouble than it's worth to add the extra "MS" mark to a regular production blade (420HC). Guess I'll have to take some pics and see if I can get them posted here...

Again, thanks to all for your comments (keep 'em coming)...
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Hello to all. I'm brand new to BladeForums, just completed my registration minutes ago. Here's a question for any and all Buck experts here. I recently bought a Buck 119 Master Series knife (green checkered handle with the Master Series emblem/medallion on it). One side of the tang is marked as follows:

BUCK
119 U
U.S.A.

The other side of the tang is marked:

BUCK
119MSU
U.S.A.

Most of the few Master Series knives I've ever seen online have been marked on the blade as having the BG42 steel. This particular knife, however, is not marked as such. In fact, there's nothing specifically identifying what type of steel was used for the blade. Is this typical of the 119 Master Series knife, or is it an exception of some sort? I have been under the impression that all of the so-called "Master Series" knives were made with BG42.

I welcome your input and comments on this, thanks to all...
Click to expand...


I just pulled mine out of the display..and it is marked like yours....no BG42 stamp, but it is definitely BG42. The regular run have green checked handles with MS round inlay medallion, the over runs have green smooth handles.
 
Hi OWE & All,

The Master Series 119 was marked as OWE stated. It is stamped on both sides of the blade (the photo from ITE is not of the normal issue knife). The one in my collection has no BG-42 stamp on the blade.


jb4570
 
ItsTooEarly said:
... I don't remember if there is anything on the other side... The knife is at home and I'm out in Carlsbad, CA...
Click to expand...

Hi Obessed with Edges...just wanted to say "welcome". I can't help with your specific query. Doesn't matter as I see you are garnering some great responses from gents that have Buck knowledge older than dirt.

OK...all the nice crap is out of the way. Now I'd like to know ITE's home address. Just to be certain his steel is being looked after of course ;)
 
Thank you Scott & JB, makes me feel better that mine's not the only one marked this way. I'd recently watched a couple of eBay auctions (for Master Series versions of the 110 and Bucklock 532). Both of those knives were specifically marked with the BG42 stamp on the blade. So, naturally, I wondered why Buck hadn't marked the M/S 119 the same way...

I think I'll still take some pics of my knife and show 'em to y'all. Kinda' looking forward to sharing it with everybody here.

Thanks again...
 
I attach photos of both a full scale 119 Master Series and the later plain green handled 119 MS Overrun. Note the Correct MS has "Buck--119MSU--USA only on both sides--No " BG-42." Note further that the Overrun MS has both the 119MSU stamp and the other side has "MASTER SERIES--BG-42." I would assume that the anomaly simply means that at different time the blades were stamped differently. I still seem to fail to get the pics in correct order but they are all there.

Telechronos






 
I just learned something.As I had only seen the Buck 119MSU USA ,stamping.I did not know the other existed.Thanks guys.DM
 
David Martin said:
I just learned something.As I had only seen the Buck 119MSU USA ,stamping.I did not know the other existed.Thanks guys.DM
Click to expand...

Yep...what DM said:thumbup: I had no idea there were so many variations of the Masters series.
jb4570
 
334dave said:
yup goose would take good care of ya!
Click to expand...
Yep. A trusting mug and chap ;)
One time when Five-0 pulled me over on my scoot, he saw my Eagle Scout card. His question was, "what happened?". Told him I was "deep undercover". We both chuckled.
chickentrax said:
Scott -
I don't doubt your belief...but how do you tell??? :confused:
Click to expand...
What Trax asked.

jb4570 said:
Yep...what DM said:thumbup: I had no idea there were so many variations of the Masters series.
jb4570
Click to expand...
Very interesting thread. Something to search for.
 
Okay, so does mine suck or what??? Is it a BG-42 blade or ??? I got the whole M/S set from that same ex-Buck-employee... I'm sure you don't want to see them... I'm going to have to tell Goose my address for he can come and get all my M/S 420 steel blades out of my house.... :eek: ...
 
I concur that all the 119s marked with either 110MSU or Master Series BG 42 are in fact BG 42. To the best of my knowledge there is only one MS 119 that has a 420 HC blade and that is marked as a "Photo Sample" for the catalog picture.
 
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