factory customization

[Mike 1942]

Did the factory ever checker the pommel at a buyer's request? I found this on a 105, and the job looks really professional. I assumed a past owner did it or had it done, but I suppose the factory might have done it on special order. Anyone know if it was ever an option?

 

[sportingspecialist]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

PS: Welcome.

 

[Mike 1942]

It looks like the checkering on a handgun grip. Very clean and crisp. If an amateur owner did it, he was very "handy" as we say in Maine. Just the end of the pommel.

 

[sportingspecialist]

I'm not an expert but I have viewed thousands of images of Buck knives and have never seen checkering on the crows beak butt cap.

 

[eveled]

It's not hard to do. It takes a special file and a vise. The file has the spaceing built into it. Was it flattened then checked? Didit fade out at the edges or have a border?

This thread explains it. https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=52670

 

[Mike 1942]

I appreciate the reply. My interest isn't so much in the process of knife filework, which I'm generally familiar with, having collected custom knifes for several decades. My interest is in what sort of special orders the Buck factory was willing to accommodate in years past. Is there any reason to think that the filework on this Buck 105 of mine (a pre-1986 tang stamp) was not "aftermarket" but actually factory produced. I've never seen a buck with file checkering on the pommel but I'm no Buck expert either. If no one on this forum has ever seen this before, then I'll just assume the factory had nothing to do with it. Thanks.

 

[eveled]

I think that's a safe asumption. I'd still like a better visual of what it looked like. Was it filed flat and then checkered, or was it done on the round end? The the checkering fade out at the edges or did it have a border? Thanks