Buck's 111 Classic

David Martin

David Martin

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Hey, Buck fans . I just picked up a Buck 111 Classic at a honey hole and was curious the first year this model came out ? So, you historians burn up your keyboards and collectors chime in or post a picture . DM :)
 
David Martin said:
Hey, Buck fans . I just picked up a Buck 111 Classic at a honey hole and was curious the first year this model came out ? So, you historians burn up your keyboards and collectors chime in or post a picture . DM :)
Click to expand...

OK, jb, your've thrown down the guantlet so to speak. I have to go dive into my box of literature 'cause I know I have an old article that gives the history of that series.:D
 
Topol, That term originated as a secret, private fishing spot . Where you had permisson to enter and could usually catch some fish . Its more commonly still used in the South .
But I used it here as a secret spot where I can usually find a rare Buck model at a good price . A commodity worth keeping private these days . DM
 
OK, the 111 Classic was introduced in the 1981 catalog. The original concept came from a rodeo cowboy/engraver named Gary Gist. Originally, the idea was to produce a Gentleman's Jewelry knife out of silver. When silver went out of sight due to a Mr. Howard Hunt, that idea was scrapped and they turned to aluminum.

The first few (<50) were produced using 110 blades and about 2000 were made with satin finish blades instead of the mirror polished ones. Some had a polished "banner" (rare) and later they had satin finished "banners". There were even a few really rare ones made out of brass.

There were four variations of the classic derived from the 110, 500, 503 AND 505.

I'll have to do some more looking to find out when the last ones were produced.
 
my only "honey holes" involve pan sized crappie and 3-5 lb channel cats all day long LOL
 
Plumber, Thanks, you've given me some good info.. This 111 I picked up today has a mirror polished blade and English script Buck stamp with 3 dots and the banner looks to be more of a satin finish . These were dropped ? sometime and the 111 as we know it with the gracefully curved bolsters came out . It too has since been discontinued in 2008 . Great looking knives . DM
 
pjsjr said:
David where are the pics;)?

I believe that 1980-81 was the first, should be a three dot...here's a link http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=687655&highlight=111+classic

I didn't read through the entire link. Think there's info on the BCCI website also. HTH, Preston
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I don't know whether or not any went to market before '81 but that's the first year they were listed in the catalog. I'm sure there had to be some made (sold?) before that though.

The article (by Vern Taylor) says that the satin finished blades were used until the polished ones were ready and then later they added the date marks. It sounds like from that, that some polished blades came out with no date marks. The 111's were discontinued in '86, the other three sizes in '88.

Some special runs were made later and they all have '88 and '89 year marks on them.
 
David Martin said:
Plumber, Thanks, you've given me some good info.. This 111 I picked up today has a mirror polished blade and English script Buck stamp with 3 dots and the banner looks to be more of a satin finish . These were dropped ? sometime and the 111 as we know it with the gracefully curved bolsters came out . It too has since been discontinued in 2008 . Great looking knives . DM
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Same as mine David, except mine is a four dot. My Mother in Law gave it to me for my birthday. That's the only Buck I owned and it's the one that lead me to this forum. I couldn't remember when she gave it to me and came here to find out when it was made.

My first ever post here was about that knife.:D

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=586402
 
David Martin said:
Plumber, Thanks, you've given me some good info.. This 111 I picked up today has a mirror polished blade and English script Buck stamp with 3 dots and the banner looks to be more of a satin finish . These were dropped ? sometime and the 111 as we know it with the gracefully curved bolsters came out . It too has since been discontinued in 2008 . Great looking knives . DM
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David, did you get the tooled sheath with it? If not, let me know. I have a pretty much like new one that's extra.:thumbup:
 
PJ, That is it and Plumber and Clyde had lots of good info. in that thread . Thank you .
I can't do pictures . My camera does not have good close up resolution .
So, discontinued in 1986 and the 500's were around a little longer . Ok . DM
 
David Martin said:
PJ, That is it and Plumber and Clyde had lots of good info. in that thread . Thank you .
I can't do pictures . My camera does not have good close up resolution .
So, discontinued in 1986 and the 500's were around a little longer . Ok . DM
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Some of the info came from the #4 BCCI newsletter in 1989 put out by the club founder, Vern Taylor. Some came from an article he wrote called " A Classic story", also written by him.
 
yes they are nice looking
the alum will loose detail after a lot of use and will scratch easly
there are two in the top left

close up of the lower one
 
David Martin said:
Topol, That term originated as a secret, private fishing spot . Where you had permisson to enter and could usually catch some fish . Its more commonly still used in the South .
But I used it here as a secret spot where I can usually find a rare Buck model at a good price .
A commodity worth keeping private these days . DM
Click to expand...

yes-sir-ree!
jest ask ITE! :p;):D
and me...:eek::rolleyes:
 
Here's a ad on the 111..... :D Nov. 1980.................

PA070252.jpg



ITE .... :thumbup:
 
It's an interesting knife, though not really a hard use knife. Vern Taylor wrote an interesting article on its history, "A Classic Story". It can be accessed on the BCCI website under Model History, 111, Special Projects.

A production chart states that the Classic 111 was introduced in 1980 and was discontinued in 1990. The estimated production was 78,000.

I have a three-dot 111 with a satin finished blade. The sheath has old-style leather tooling. I wish they still offered sheaths (to buy separately) with traditional western style craftsmanship like that. Flatlander just sent me a "First edition" Gen-5 that has a beautiful sheath with tooling (or stamping). I'd like to see more like that, not just on LEs. :):thumbup:
 
Here's a couple of the sheaths that came with the 111's. The one on the left is my original from years ago. The other one is a different color and has a larger "concho" snap than the original one.

111Sheathsfront.jpg


111Sheathsback.jpg
 
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