Is the D2 steel in the buildout 118's Bos treated?

Plumberdv

Plumberdv

Joined
Sep 26, 2008
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It just occurded to me that the 118's that I have with D2 blades don't sport the Bos symbol. Is there some reason for that? Does D2 not need the treatment?
 
As I recall there was a thread a while back that stated the BOS logo is only used on premium/upgraded steels even though all Buck steels get the BOS heat treatment. If correct perhaps D2 isn't considered premium?
 
Unless something has changed ALL Buck steels get the BOS heat treat.

Only a few get the BOS Logo.

D2 is a premium steel.

BG-42 never got the BOS Logo either.

I suspect it's more random than planned.
 
I think Hammers right, only the premuim steels get the 'BOS' emblem. Then some can be missed. He's been gone now for a year.? When did those 118's come out? DM
 
I believe Paul retired a year ago this month.

My Folding Alpha Hunter has the BOS stamp. It's box shows a mid August 2010 date on it. I hadn't considered the 12C27M (can't hardly see the 1 in this photo) a "premium steel" but I guess since 420HC is standard anything else is considered an "upgrade" at the least.

100_2476.jpg
 
David, I have no idea when the D2 blades for the 118's were produced, they have no date stamp, just the Buck/Anvil/Custom/USA markings on both sides and D2 on the right side of the blade. I know the recent web specials offerings aren't the first ones, I have them from previous years (before Paul left) that don't have the flame Bos symbol on them. They are still using that logo, so him leaving didn't stop the use of it. In fact, there was a statement in a thread here somewhere from either Joe or someone at Buck that they would continue to use the logo after he retired.

See you in a few hours!
 
Badhammer said:
I believe Paul retired a year ago this month.

My Folding Alpha Hunter has the BOS stamp. It's box shows a mid August 2010 date on it. I hadn't considered the 12C27M (can't hardly see the 1 in this photo) a "premium steel" but I guess since 420HC is standard anything else is considered an "upgrade" at the least.

100_2476.jpg
Click to expand...

That's interesting.

Maybe BOS stamps are not as random as one might think.

Adding the BOS to the 12C27M is smart marketing because it gives status to the new steel (which is really about the same as 420HC).
 
These D2 blades have been sitting around for a long time. My recollections is that these blades were made before we started using the BOS flame, however I can't remember for sure..
 
J Hubbard said:
These D2 blades have been sitting around for a long time. My recollections is that these blades were made before we started using the BOS flame, however I can't remember for sure..
Click to expand...

Yes, thank you very much. Would the same perhaps apply to the BG-42 blades and especially to the buildout 110's that were just offered? They have what appears to be an older Custom Shop blade with just Buck (script style B)/Custom/USA tang stamp, designers choice on the otherside and ATS-34 along the top same side as the Custom Shop stamp. They have no Bos flame either.
 
J Hubbard said:
These D2 blades have been sitting around for a long time. My recollections is that these blades were made before we started using the BOS flame, however I can't remember for sure..
Click to expand...

Do you know when the BOS stamp was first used?
 
I've tried to use my limited reasoning abilities (plus some catalogs) to come up with my own answers to some questions. The first time I see a representation of the Bos Flame symbol in any catalog is in 2003. In 2002 they were shown differently. Does that mean that's when they started? I don't know, but it seems to be a clue anyway.

2002:
symbolsin2002.jpg


2003:

symbolsin2003.jpg


The D2 blades used in the 118 buildouts has the tang stamp "Buck/anvil/Custom/U.S.A. which lead me to believe that they were produced no earlier than 2002 because I think that was when the anvil stamp first appeared.

The ATS-34 blades have a "custom" tang stamp without the anvil, so I'm assuming that they were made prior to 2002 when the anvil first appeared.

Wow, way too much thinking. I think I need a nap now to recover!
 
Ooops, if you saw it before I changed it, check it again. The first time I had two pictures of the 2002 catalog.
 
David Martin said:
I thought the Anvil stamp began to appear in 2002 or shortly after. DM
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They (anvil mark) were the "date symbol" for the 100th year (2002) and then were used on the custom shop stamps after that. I don't know if the custom shop stamps for 2002 used the anvil or not, that's why I think the D2 blades were made no earlier than 2002 but perhaps later than 2002.

You home already or still on the road??
 
I'm thinking that "In the beginning" the first D2 blades came out in the 2002 "Family Favorites" version of the 118......and I think only 100 were made.

Then there was the "President's Tour" 2004 version 118 with D2 and I doubt they made many of those.

Since then there have been sporadic limited runs of D2 118s.

Plumberdv has done the catalog sleuthing to show it's likely that the BOS stamp and D2 118s hit the market at about the same time.

Seems to me that this is the only knife Buck has done in D2, but I don't know that for sure, other than rumors of a few 110 blades made with D2 and never marked.......a fun and romantic notion that probably originated with 110Dave.
 
From what Joe H. told me, the D2 blades are left over from the FAMILY FAVORITES set and have been sitting there since 2002. He couldn't recall when the BOS stamp started being used but thought it was around 2002-3.
 
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