early buck fixed blade

Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
5
After looking in the book titled "the story of the Buck Knife", I have I.D.my knife. It is a model 102. Can any one tell me approx. how many of the 102's were made? Thank you.
 
We've been making 102's for over 20 years, so if you can describe the handle and the blade markings (model code and the symbol next to it), the gang here can give you lots of info. A pic would also be most helpful..

Sorry your last post got missed, Joe Houser our Consumer Relations Director and Buck history Guru is off on vacation shooting something..


Jeff
 
J hubbard, I have a 102 that was the first knife I bought after leaving the army in 1968.although I think I bought it in 1971 or 1972.the markings are thus:is this a 440c knife,thanks for your reply.
buck
102
usa
 
gailt,
If you read the tang stamp with the knife pointed down, you have one of the earliest 102s made after Buck began adding the model number to the tang stamp. If the tang stamp on your knife is read with the knife pointed up, then it came along a bit later. This later stamping lasted from about 1972 until 1986 when Buck started using date codes. Sometime around 1982, the steel was switched from 440C to 425 modified. There is no "marker" which signifies this change on the fixed blade knives and it did not happen all at once, but rather, as existing 440C blades were used up, the new blades were made of 425 modified.

jmaraglia,
I think you indicated that your knife was like the one pictured in the Buck "history" book on page 92 or so. I looked up the picture earlier this week and that knife was one made by Hoyt Buck and sold by mail order. Joe Houser has a good article on the pre-factory production knives in the 5th edition to Levine's Guide. It will give you much more info.

All,
A comment I have made in the past bears repeating for newcomers. I do not want to enter the controversy regarding Levine's Guide 5th edition and the heartburn and comments that Bernard Levine has about it due to his dispute with the publisher. But, I can say that for Buck collectors, the 5th edition is by far the best. It is more accurate and has three new articles near the back of the book about Buck knives. Although some of the pricing is already out of date, it is still more accurate than the earlier editions. Also, on the accuracy, please note that some of what Vern Taylor had submitted for the original version was edited and, as a result, the published version was not exactly what Vern had written nor exactly what he wanted to convey. So please do not take my comments as criticism about Vern's contributions.
 
Larry,It has to be read with the tip pointing down.its in pretty good shapebut I have sharpened it some.I guess I'd better clean it up a little.
thank you for all the information.
I also have a old 120 but it was bought sometimes in the 80s.
 
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