BuckMaster 184

Stelth said:
I wish. There is no way I could spend the amount it would take to get one today.
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I totally understand. I actually balked at the idea too. The deciding factor was simply what it's condition seems to be in. I figure they made over 6,000 of them, so they are out there... But, how many were kept so pristine? So, I bit the bullet and paid it's admission fee 😱
 
My understanding is that the total number of Buckmaster 184 knives made was well over 100,000 between the years 1984 and 1999. That doesn't make them rare, but finding them in really nice shape is usually not without paying quite the pretty penny. Heck, even most that I've seen being sold in the just so-so condition, are far from cheaply priced. I guess it just comes down to that whole supply and demand thing, and the Buckmasters have folks seeking them out.

Same basic thing goes for the Buckmaster LT 185 model, except that instead of over 100,000 having been made, they only reached the over 6,000 total number produced range.
They are not exactly rare with those production numbers, but certainly much more scarce than the Buckmaster 184's.
And, with just over 6,000 being made, it's even tougher to find one in unused or minty condition.

I get a kick out of the Buckmaster LT 185 being produced out of one solid piece of forged steel.

These one piece forgings were done for Buck knives under contract in Syracuse, NY by a company named Schilling Forge.
This same forging company is still operating in Syracuse NY. It's parent company is Cutco, which is also the KaBar knife company's parent firm. As a matter of fact, KaBar's "Wrench Knife" is forged at the Schilling facility 👍

This is the knife I ordered this morning.

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So, for posterity, I am adding this bit of info that I found reading an old post put up by Joe Houser, who used to work for Buck Knives.

He stated that at some point during the Buckmaster 184 production timeline, they beefed up the beefed up the blade thickness of it's tip.
I guess the earliest were tapered to the point where the blade was quite thin near the tip area.

The following is a quoted from Joe Houser's post...

"Working in the warranty department at Buck i see all kinds of use and abuse. I bet I have only seen a few 184's that actually broke at the tang/handle/guard intersection. Most came in for broken tips. Here is my theory on that:
You buy a big old knife like the Buckmaster and somehow feel compelled to stab the first tree you see. I know I would. In order to remove your knife from the tree, you give it a little side to side movement, snapping off the tip. We actually beefed up the tip about a year after the knife was introduced.
Still the coolest knife in my collection!"
 
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Thanks for the info about Schilling Forge. I’m glad to hear of them, and that they are still in business. We’ve lost so many great American knife companies. Its cool when you hear about how they worked with each other back in the day.
 
eveled said:
Thanks for the info about Schilling Forge. I’m glad to hear of them, and that they are still in business. We’ve lost so many great American knife companies. Its cool when you hear about how they worked with each other back in the day.
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Yeah, that's how I see it too 👍

Btw, so in my recent correspondence with Schilling Forge, it was explained that in 2004, Mr. Schilling sold his business to his biggest customer, which happened to be Cutco (the owners of KaBar). The gentleman also mentioned to me that they were happy with their parent company, since they take care of them and the employees 👍
 
While doing some perusing on the "bay" online auction site today, I ran across this Buckmaster 184 with damage to it's spine's teeth that just makes you go hmmm 🤔

Like, what could that knife have been gnawing at to have caused such damage. Anyhow, I just figured that I would screenshot a couple pics to share them here.
Yup, the saw teeth are pretty broken/damaged up...

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One of the other pics of it on the auction site, shows the tang stamp. It's an earlier stamped blade, not the one of the forged steel blades that replaced the stamped out ones.

At first I was a bit surprised that somebody already has a bid on it, well over $100, but then I got to thinking...

Those spikes seem to have often been lost... So there's a bit of value to it there.

Then there is the pommel, the lanyard ring, the handle, and the guard.

It also comes with the original sheath, and that may be worth a pretty penny all by itself, since I think finding just Buck 184 sheath for sale is about as rare as hen's teeth!

I guess to the right person seeking out an original part for a Buckmaster 184, paying a certain price for this offering as a donor, may make sense.

It may also be a pretty cool project piece, since I've seen these Buck 184 lowers be attached to M9 bayonet blades.

As for value as a collector piece... Well, not so much 😅

I am curious to see how far up it goes before it sells 🤔
 
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It’s disturbing to see the type of damage on those teeth. I would expect them to wear down, not shatter off
 
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eveled said:
It’s disturbing to see the type of damage on those teeth. They should wear down, not shatter off
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I sure would like to know what was done to cause it.

No matter what they incorporated those teeth in the blade for, they are likely only usable on wood for notching, probably useless for anything else.

I noticed it was at 3 bids/$160+ already, and it's auction won't be over for several days. I will be very surprised if it gets much more $ than that. I plan to keep on eye on it, just out of curiosity.
 
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Thanks to finding this thread i am able to answer my own question about what steel buck used in my newer 184 thread about 184 production. Thx👍🏻
 
timw1 said:
I had one, bought it in the PX when I was in the army. I traded it on this forum to @SOFileworks without the screw on grappling hooks. I have since found the hooks and pouch but can't get in touch with @SOFileworks to send them. It was a nice knife, used it a lot in the field. I don't remember the steel, but it was easy to sharpen. I should have kept it.
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Do you still have the spikes and pouch?
 
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