Buck Nemo #122

Wow Mike(!!!!!!!) the Who's Who of Buck Forumites are all paying homage to your fortunes! Hang around these fine bunch of fellows here........Tell me who your Frineds are and I'll tell you who YOU are........get my drift?

Dave
 
With that sheath you actually have a 124 Frontiersman. The Nemo box however is worth a lot just by itself. If you can find the plastic dive sheath to go with what you have you really will have the 122 version. Either way that is a hard knife to find in that condition, particularly with the original box.
 
I want to thank everyone for commenting and sharing in my good fortune. The seller of the knife said that it had been stored in an attic for the last 30 years. I wonder what else is in that attic.......

I was not, until now, a Buck collector. My EDC is a Buck 309, it's been my companion for many years. When a teenager, and young man, I carried a 110 but lost it somewhere along the trail in S.E. Alaska.

I have always admired the 100 series Buck's but this is the first I have owned. I look forward to continuing my collection and education of Buck knives.

So, if I understand correctly, the 122 is a 124 is a 122, based on the sheath it's carried in? Same knife, different packaging. I suppose when they started stamping the ricasso 122 or 124 you could say It was one or the other, but not mine?

Thanks again,
Mike
 
hummm yea what you said...
on yours: buck they made all their knives with out model numbers at that time...
so they sold the same knife two differnt ways...
with a rubber sheath as a Nemo dive knife and leather sheath as a fronteersman..????
what you have is the fronteerssman ie: 124 but in the wrong box.
not a nemo ie: 122 with the wrong sheath...


now they sold the same knife (like i have) later with 124 marked on it as a 124 fronttersman with leather sheath and also as a 122 nemo with the rubber sheath..
hows that again?

basicly the sheath is what determanes what the knife was and is so it is simple realy...
leather sheath is a fronteersman
rubber sheath is a nemo
if box matches sheath correct!! bingo a suppper dupper big winner
if not a match on sheath and box then the box is wrong.. but still a winner!
the numbering 122 and 124 was only a sales term and book keeping for sheaths..?

as a dive knife the knife left a LOT to be desired
i speek from personal experance as a diver and the water is not kind on the leather at all...
as a camp knife it was fantaskic and again this is personal experance

i bought my "dive" knife with a leather sheath new in 71..
seems that happened a lot if the rubber sheath got tore or damaged..
some times boxs got switched ...
all in all it is the sheath [[rubber or leather ]]that makes the knive what it is ...i think!
so you realy have a frontersman with the wrong box...
strangely what dick said is true the nemo box is worth a LOT by it self! could be as much as the knife...
some times the rubber sheath shows up and they sell for a right good bit...
there are / were a lot of the knives with the rubber sheath show up as the sheath was not changed at all from year to year so any year rubber sheath will work... correction there was a early rubber sheath also jese as the leather sheaths DID change from flap and snap to wrap and snap
hunters will put a knife and box up... box's dont normaly last with divers... again personal experance..
now is this all clear as muddy water?
if so let it settel a while and or some one else will come along with better info... :o
 
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MWallace said:
I
So, if I understand correctly, the 122 is a 124 is a 122, based on the sheath it's carried in? Same knife, different packaging. I suppose when they started stamping the ricasso 122 or 124 you could say It was one or the other, but not mine?

Thanks again,
Mike
Click to expand...

Mike, The box that your knife came in has Nemo on the end. The Nemo came with a plastic dive sheath. The Frontiersman came in a leather sheath as you have. But, often the knife was shipped with both sheaths in a box marked either 124 Frontiersman or 122 Nemo. But usually when a customer ordered a 124 Frontiersman, a gold colored sticker which said "Frontiersman model no. 124" was placed over the Nemo designation. Both the knives were stamped the same (BUCK/U.S.A. in two lines).

It would be nice to have the plastic sheath, your knife, box and paperwork. To a 124 collector (me), this might be the ideal combination to anchor their collection. I have the knife and and both sheaths. All I need is your box.:D

I believe your's is the way it came from BUCK, only it should have a sticker on the box!
 
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Hi Mike,

You may have already looked at this post; It has some fantastic 122/124 photo's. I attached it for you just in case you did not see them yet.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=543755

I forgot to say welcome to the buck forum!!!! I hope you just got the Buck fever that all the rest of us nuts have. If not....you soon will...LOL

jb4570
 
Yes indeed! Welcome to the Buck forum, Mike. You will find a wealth of information here, along with a great bunch of folks.
 
now how is that again ?
Buckaholic said:
I only collect 110 knives
....WOW...that is a great knife!!! Congrats!!!
Yep. MWallace...you are a lucky Buck.
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Whew! and here i thought i was the only one!
wow is it not strange how great mimes think alike!

Evil Eye Earl said:
Two different Nemo plastic dive sheaths were made.
1st version had small holes inside sheath,"no" retainer ears for guard,small rubber retainer strap and mounts.
2nd version had large retainer strap and mounts,large holes and guard retainer ears.
Your knife to be correct should have the 1st version sheath.
The leather flap sheath is correct.
Click to expand...

humble grasshoper collector stands corrected
in prescence of all wise buckmaster yoada,,,:o
many pleads for forgiveness sent in smoke from
humble mind working over time...:(
one never knows what you dont know tell you
open your mouth and get corrected...:foot:
i had not learned of that there were two yes two
sheaths for nemo tell this moment....:eek:
i shall add this data to the data pile
oh the shame ! the shame...
 
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WOW...that is about as nice as it gets. Any Buck fancier would be thrilled to have that knife.

Congratulations and thanks for posting the pictures.

Peter

P.S. EEE - thanks for your wisdom.
 
Again, I want to thank everyone for their input, for welcoming me to the Buck forum, and for taking the time to educate me on the knife and the sheath.

jb4570...thanks for the link to the 122/124 photos. All I can say is WOW, great shots and a great collection of knives, Earl & Jerry.

Earl / 334 Dave...thanks for all the info on the sheaths, the search is on for the plastic one!!

I spent yesterday morning at garage sales around town. Hoping to find anything "Buck", I didn't. My last stop was a sale at a junk collectors yard. I didn't see any knives so I asked the guy if he had any for sale.....He mumbled something, walked away, and came back with a small cardboard box filled with old pocket knives, kitchen knives and sharpening stones. I sorted out everything I thought was interesting and gave him $20.00 for the lot. The stones in the box were in good shape and worth at least double what I paid for the lot...this is fun!!

Given the 122/124 I have, what would be a sensible way to continue my collection? Should I be looking for all the 100 series with phenolic and micarta handles, or should I just look for any and all Bucks and then sell/swap for those that would complete a collection. Maybe a better question would be; what collection should I build around the knife I have? One more question, what year do you all think my knife was made, '67,'68,'69?

Take a look at this enlarged photo of the BUCK/USA stamp on my knife. It appears that they double stamped it...Feature or Flaw...or just a cigar?


NemoStamp.jpg


Mike
 
334dave said:
yea it is a great knife :thumbup:... not a 110 :p
{you all's do know i only collects the 110 as i is a 110 man! :eek:right? }
but a great knife jest the same!:thumbup::thumbup:
congtrats on a score many would love to have!;):D
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I skipped this thread for a few days as I only collect 110 knives and been pretty busy. So, having a lazy Sunday, I thought I'd check the thread out.
WOW...that is a great knife!!! Congrats!!!

Telechronos said:
The rarity of that knife can easily make it the centerpiece of even large respectable collections and is worth many hundreds of dollars. Either build a collection around that knife and keep it (it will only appreciate in value) or look for something approaching 4 figures if you sell it.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Telechronos
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Yep. MWallace...you are a lucky Buck.
 
MWallace said:
Again, I want to thank everyone for their input, for welcoming me to the Buck forum, and for taking the time to educate me on the knife and the sheath.

jb4570...thanks for the link to the 122/124 photos. All I can say is WOW, great shots and a great collection of knives, Earl & Jerry.
Earl / 334 Dave...thanks for all the info on the sheaths, the search is on for the plastic one!!

One more question, what year do you all think my knife was made, '67,'68,'69?
Take a look at this enlarged photo of the BUCK/USA stamp on my knife. It appears that they double stamped it...Feature or Flaw...or just a cigar?
Mike
Click to expand...

buck started putting the usa on all the knives they sold to comply with import laws in canada in 1968
so the blade was finished 68 or later how much later i can not say..
as to collecting... what do you like?
will it be one of these you only show to friends that could come in to the bed room or rec room to see a display ?
jest a collection of indivual knives in a drawer?
some thing you will want to take to a BCCI or knife show to show off?
some guys do a time span of one year and every thing then
some do a span of one model over years it was made...
i can not address the dubble stamp... it is odd and is clearly two diffrent die's
likely a balde made and stamped and set asside tell later because the frist stamp was wrong some how...
like chiped? i have not seen this so i dont know what to say
willl leave that one to buckmaster yoada....
the later is my prefreance and sorta were i am heading with my 124's
note every one - i only have 5 of them darn big pig stickers!
an acummlation is not a collection!!
i only collect 110s still ... but seems goose has set the fixed hebbie jebbies ta working on me!
 
MWallace, That stamp as you called it a double stamp, is a mistake. Knife makers call it a shadow stamp. It is created by: the stamps are two line of hard metal held by hand and after the knife is ground and before heat treated the stamp is applied using a 16oz. shop hammer. It is struck w/ one blow, never twice as you'll never get it aligned right. The maker was left handed holding the stamp in the right hand and hammer in his left. The blow could have been alittle at an angle and should be straight. But the real culprit was the maker laid the knife on a wooden top table to strike the stamp. Whereupon, striking the wooden table causes the knife to bounce, the stamp scoots and hits a second time creating the shadow. Note, it always shows up on the last two letters, "B"s and "S"s are just hard to get to come out on this type stamp. Hope this helps. DM
 
Wow David, thanks for that information! Once again I am humbled by the collective knowledge of the Buck forum members.
 
David Martin said:
MWallace, That stamp as you called it a double stamp, is a mistake. Knife makers call it a shadow stamp. It is created by: the stamps are two line of hard metal held by hand and after the knife is ground and before heat treated the stamp is applied using a 16oz. shop hammer. It is struck w/ one blow, never twice as you'll never get it aligned right. The maker was left handed holding the stamp in the right hand and hammer in his left. The blow could have been alittle at an angle and should be straight. But the real culprit was the maker laid the knife on a wooden top table to strike the stamp. Whereupon, striking the wooden table causes the knife to bounce, the stamp scoots and hits a second time creating the shadow. Note, it always shows up on the last two letters, "B"s and "S"s are just hard to get to come out on this type stamp. Hope this helps. DM
Click to expand...

hummm .. i have had times i had to stamp iron parts i worked on ...
i am right handed and yes i recall haveing the same thing happen but on the other side of my number id...
i did not know it was from the wood table! learn some thing every day here!
 
MWallace - To address your question as to which way to go with your collection, only you can answer that question. I will warn you that there are thousands of variations just in the 100 series fixed blades not to mention the folders that have 100 series model numbers (110, 112, 186, etc.). Even if you just stick with the 122/124 model there are 50 or 60 variations if you only count those knives that were made by the factory and not modified in the aftermarket. Also keep in mind that the 122/124 is one of the most highly sought after Buck models making it a very expensive model to collect. You can find high production versions in the condition of the knife you have for under $200 but most of the rest will be in the $200 to $2000 range. Good luck!!
 
WOW! :eek: Thats a beauty! I doubt that I can add anything else to this that has not already been said.
Probably the 124 lable fell off the end of the box. Its easier to believe that than that the plastic sheath got lost.
That particular style of sheath was only made for Buck from late 1967 to early 1969 by a company called Atcheson Leather. I call it the "dimple rivet" flap over because they are the only ones that used that type of rivet on the belt loop. Along with the dimple rivet is the model number actually stamped ON the belt loop.
Collection ideas? How about one of each Buck model from the same year? You would be looking for knives stamped the same as your 124/122. Mostly fixed bladed knives in 1967-8 but there were a few folders.

Welcome to the forums! :)
 
Thanks for the comments on the stamp, and the tips on collecting. I like the idea of focusing on a a specific year, or couple of years. Say, pre 70's. The problem of course, coming so late to the game, is that you guys already have them all...:grumpy:...Well, maybe not all.

Has any one published a book for Buck collectors? Or a book on the history of the company? Tell me more about the BCCI, I notice that many on this forum are members.

Here's a couple more photos, I hope I shrunk them down enough. Tell me if you've had enough....and I'll quit with the pics. :yawn:



Nemo21.jpg


Nemo22.jpg


Mike
 
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