Clip Point 124

S

sudonym

Joined
Mar 9, 2010
Messages
111
There is currently an auction for a 124 referred to a on of the "rarest 124's ever made". Is this truly a factory made 124?? Here's the description from the auction.


Up for auction is as we understand it the single rarest variant of the Buck 124 ever made, a clip point 124. According to long-time Buck employee and renown knife maker Leroy Remer, Buck only turned out 50 such variants as factory productions, all in 1975. All fifty are handled in black micarta, with drilled bolsters, and all have the inverted 3-line tang stamp. This example is in MINT condition - it has never been sharpened or used. It comes with and will ship in an early sheath from Rigid, itself a collectible. The blade measures 6 1/2 inches (16.5 cm) , with an OAL of 11 1/2 inches (29.2 cm). Again, this is not a reprofiled blade. Nor is it a custom shop production, but rather a factory production, 1 of 50 ever made, and rarer than even the White Whale (the white micarta-handled 124). I have never seen one of these before, and don't know when or if I will ever encounter another example. A true niche item for the most serious 124 collector, and as it is one of only 50 such examples ever made, as scarce a Buck factory production (let alone a 124) as you will ever find.
 
And Leroy may indeed have said that.....but it doesn't prove that this is one of those.

The wordy and enthusiastic description seems a bit much. I'd say it needs a letter of authentication from Buck to be worth a premium price......no matter WHO supposedly said WHAT.

Let the buyer be wary.

;)
 
BG42EDGE said:
And Leroy may indeed have said that.....but it doesn't prove that this is one of those.

The wordy and enthusiastic description seems a bit much. I'd say it needs a letter of authentication from Buck to be worth a premium price......no matter WHO supposedly said WHAT.

Let the buyer be wary.

;)
Click to expand...

+1 Good advise for sure!
 
It is a nice knife but looks to my un-educated eyes to be modified. Add a non factory sheath, no box, and no providence or authentication and I think the asking price is a bit "optimistic". Did factory knives ever come with Rigid sheaths? Did'nt Joe Houser or someone from Buck post something a couple years ago that one of the guys who owned Rigid Knives was a Buck employee that was doing some unauthorized work on company time?
 
Last edited:
Here's one like it. I have seen two others. I don't have any idea who made them. I bought mine from a BUCK Rep several years ago.

124112096.jpg
 
HK, the blade on yours is shaped much differently than the one on e-Bay.

I sure wouldn't call them siblings.

Another mystery.

Always fun.

;)
 
a couple of days ago I wrote a very knowledgeable collector concerning the clip point 124 in question. Here are my comments:

Oldpueblo states that Leroy Remer dates this knife in 1975. Yet, it shows at least three items that do not agree with that dating and I really don't think that Leroy would get it that wrong. First, it has the wide, grey black micarta scales (1971-1972), second, it has the hole in the pommel (last year 1972), third, it has the tip down three line stamp (1972). Recently there was another clip point 124 on EBAY, and when I wrote the seller, he conceded that it was not a factory build. The knife is claimed to be absolutely mint yet he doesn't have the correct sheath. He claims that the standard stamp distinguishes it as a factory production knife (1 of 50) rather than a limited production knife. Yet BUCK has made limited production knives in much greater numbers (e.g. Sambar Stag 120s, 1 of 1000). It is this little collection of minor discrepancies that makes me suspicious. If all he ascribes to the knife is true, I question its value at $649. I wouldn't buy it anyway without Joe certifying to the truth of the representations. Even then, I'll leave it to someone else.

I hae written Joe concerning the knife and will report if he responds.

Telechronos:):):)
 
Oldpueblo states that Leroy Remer dates this knife in 1975.
Click to expand...

Do you really think so??? I'll have to go back and read it again, but I think it was just a real deceptive description.

Leroy was cited as talking about a group of knives and Leroy said nothing about this particular knife as far as I can tell.

Ok......

I read it again and it sounds like he's trying to trick the buyer into thinking that Leroy endorsed this knife as one of the fifty.

The whole description seems like an attempt to titillate the buyers with suggestions of what this knife MIGHT be.

I don't think the seller knows if it's one of the fifty or if it's just an old 124 modified to be a clip blade.
 
Last edited:
Price and provenance not withstanding, I still think it's an attractive knife.
 
I like it also ,I have seen four and none are the same.
One I have has a sheath to fit,but it is not marked Buck .
 
Last edited:
youa'ls got to excuse me but
every ting seems funny to me tonite youal
tee hee hee '
dont any o you boys recall a thing about them rigid boys?
and wernt day a working at buck back then..?
traint none o my bees wax tho..
youal gots a good ramport going heres
not many times i sees youa'ls in agreement on any thing a tall
or did i miss som'n here?
youal have a good nite every one
i sure is !!!
 
Fresh supply a shed juice musta cum in.

We kin all agrees that its is a good thing.

Anothr rare evnet.
 
BG42EDGE said:
Fresh supply a shed juice musta cum in. We kin all agrees that its is a good thing.Anothr rare evnet.
Click to expand...
well .. not got shed juice dis time cant take it cross state lines dont ya know...
son in law got some thing called .. oh its nick name is green ferry
sweet smooth.. no burn.. green stuff you poor over a sugar cube...onto ice .. ?
abb some thing ?
said it was a-gen the law tell a few year ago...
sorry no mean to change subjkick
yep is a mo better look on dat 124
had one once myu self..
 
I promised above that if I heard from Joe, I'd post it here. Here is what Joe says:

"

I took a look and my gut says the knife was sent to Buck in recent years with a broke tip and reprofiled…or something like that. I looked at the flat edge line that can be found on the older knives. On this knife, you can see it disappear as it goes towards the point. That makes me think the tip was broke off at some time. Is the blade length different than it should be? I’ll take another read of the description. The seller is in Poway, just up the road from Buck’s old El Cajon address. Maybe he brought it in?

The finish looks too “modern” as well.

Upside down 3 line stamp is generally agreed to be a 1972 trait as you said, but this only speaks to the accuracy of his dates. I think the above speaks directly to weather or not the knife was done at Buck as a production knife. It would not surprise me if it WAS done at Buck as a rework, or possibly even a special request by a customer. Another item that caught my eye was that it appeared to have a bellied out edge near the choil. This indicates use and the great finish indicates that its been cleaned up since the use. Hard to say for sure about this point without having the knife in my hands.

By the way, there are no records that indicate a special run of 50 model 124’s."

So it may be a rework or a one off but it does not appear to be the knife that the seller represents--not a special production run of 50. And highly questionable that Leroy discussed this knife with the seller.


Telechronos:):):)
 
I am grateful that someone here went to the trouble of contacting me directly and bringing my attention to this thread.

I am the seller of the knife in question. After reading these comments, I was compelled to respond. But in the event I somehow misinterpreted anything about the knife as related by Leroy, I went to the trouble of first calling him to clarify any possible understanding regarding the knife in question.

By the way - Leroy has been kind enough to welcome direct inquiries regarding this knife. This is a kind gesture, and I would only ask that discretion be used and any calls limited to respectful and serious inquiries only.

According to Leroy, this knife was one of 25-50 shaped by Al Buck, beginning sometime in 1974 and running through late 1975 (I had previously understood all were made in 1975), and the history behind Al having shaped them goes back to the first prototype 124s he produced, one of which, a one-off, had such a clip point. Some point relatively early in the 124's production cycle, someone asked Al why he didn't offer them with the same clip point as the prototype he had made years before. Well, long story short, he did.

While Leroy said there were some additional one-offs made by some Buck employees over the years to follows, he is adamant about this knife having been "one of the original ones" made by Al himself.

In short, according to Leory: not a one-off. Not a re-profile. Made in Buck's factory by al himself.

Maybe Joe should give Leroy a call, as I would think the very existence of this knife and its history would be of interest to the BCCI and Buck collectors in general.






Anyway, I understand the tendency to "shoot the messenger." If you want to choose to question the accuracy or veracity of my description, you can contact me directly, through our seller ID or through PM here on the board. I will try to address other concerns or questions in this thread as well. I even have a sneaky suspicion I've corresponded with one of the people involved in this discussion directly by way of email over this very knife.

I am a collector first, and a dealer only a distant second (if it was up to my wife, it would be the other way around). I treat everyone with the same level of respect and honesty I expect to receive as a customer in return. Our 100% feedback on the 'bay should attest to this, as will anybody who has dealt with me directly.

FWIW, I grew up in San Diego - El Cajon as a matter of fact - my first hunting knife was a 119 given to me by my late Uncle, and my first pocketknife a 110. I have immense respect for the legacy of Buck Knives and have more Bucks in my hunting and folding knife collection than all others - Case, Western, etc. added together. It is because of Bucks I have a weak spot for Bowies in general.
 
Welcome to the BUCK forum on Bladeforums.
Measure the width of the choil and blade and post it here.Thank you.
I like the clip point 124 you have for sale just not the story that goes with it.
 
(Leroy) he is adamant about this knife having been "one of the original ones" made by Al himself.
Click to expand...

Interesting, Pueblo.

What particular features identify this knife as one of the original 25-50 rather than one made up from a tipped 124?

And what exactly do you mean when you say that Al "shaped" them all himself? That sounds like he made every blade of the 25 or 50 himself by hand.

And you say the blade is exactly 6 and a half inches in length correct?

And were the original 25-50 furnished without sheaths or with regular 124 sheaths or were special sheaths made for them?

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x342/stoneknifeworks/Vintage Buck Knives/IMG_2463.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x342/stoneknifeworks/Vintage Buck Knives/IMG_2440.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x342/stoneknifeworks/Vintage Buck Knives/IMG_2456.jpg

The stag handled knife was made by Al Buck in the late 1950's early 1960's in my opinion. It is not a 124 but but very similar. It does have a clip point so you can compare photos to the one in question. The phenolic handled 122/124 is one I had built by Leroy Remer. One thing I have noticed over the years knife makers leave their mark when they build their knives. I hope this helps.
Heath
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top