HELP! I would like to know more about my knife

X

XIXIII

Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
12
Hello i have a buck kalinga i got as a gift from my father a few years back. and was looking around now on the net to see what it is and what its worth. Ive looked a good while now n havnt found one like mine. Well same design model but not look on the handle. Here are some pics can someone please help me out and give me some info on my knife. thx to all its much appreciated.
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Welcome to the Buck forum. I hope you decide to stick around.

Many Buck knives are customized with special handle treatments like yours. Is there any sort of marking on the tank other than the normal Buck/USA and model number? If the person who customized the knife didn't put his stamp or engravement on it then it is pretty difficult to say for certain. Whoever did it did a great job. You have a very nice Kalinga. As for the value, I'll let someone who is more familiar with that model give you an idea.
 
Thank you very much. The only odd thing on it is after the Kalinga USA theirs what looks like a upside down U. I tryed taking a pic but the blade had to much glare or was to dark. I dont know if that means anything though.
 
The upside down U denotes its mfg. date of 1997. Also, the finger guard was changed in 81 to your style so I knew on its other side it would have a date stamp. Without the box and COA its worth half as we don't know who did the work. Even though its in good shape and seems nice. It would be worth more to collectors if the customizing work could be verified to Buck. Also, if it were done by Buck there would be some other etched numbers on the side you show. I can't be certain of more. DM
 
Oh ok thank you that was helpful. So any idea on what it could be worth if i were to sell it?
 
You can probably find out who did it.

It would just take a little detective work. If it was a 110 there might be a zillion around.

A Kalinga? Not so many. Even fewer if it's really top quality. Google, e-Bay, etc. Look for similar styles of work and then ask the likely knifemakers if it's their work.

Actually, someone here may still be able to tell you just from looking at it. Better pics would help.
 
thanks i have done a good deal in searching and havnt found much. I may just not be searching the right things though. Any suggestions on what to look for?
 
Yeah that is kinda close thank you. it seems likely that its similar really sense i live close to that area in AZ.
 
Seems to me that the black material in the center is a bit unusual in this style of knife.

Is it some kind of synthetic or is it shell or pearl?

Also odd to see the handle rivets left as they were......to me (to my mind, or sense of continuity) that's at least a minor artistic sin. The round shapes don't fit with the rest of the linear composition.
 
Im not really sure what the black is. Shell or pearl is a pretty good guess. It kinda looks like abalone i think. Gems n minerals stuff really isnt my thing though. Its seeming really hard to find a price value for this thing though.
 
Give it a little time.

Surely there's somebody here who has seen something like that before.

They may be out knife-hunting, but they'll probably turn up here sooner or later.

:)
 
It sure looks like someone started with a standard model 401 Kalinga and cut out part of the handle. The handle ends appear to be the standard wood used during the time your knife was made at Buck. The black material does look to be synthetic.
Its so hard to give the knife a value unless you were able to find out who did the work. Usually, a Buck that was rehandled outside of Buck is not worth as much to Buck collectors. The exception to this would be if it was done by Yellowhorse, Santa Fe Stone works, Ghostown, Prater, and a couple of the guys that frequent this site and do that sort of work. These folks have a following due to the awesome-ness of their work.
 
Personally, If my father gave me a knife like that, particularly a buck. I'll be damned if I'd sell it. Quality is quality regardless of the maker, although obviously some would pay more for a name. From the pictures it looks pretty good.
 
You know I had wondered that same thing myself st8. But everybody don't think like us. DM
 
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