Is this a Buildout or a Custom Shop knife?

Plumberdv · Dec 6, 2011

Sometimes surprises pop up when I go through some of my accumulation of Bucks. This is one and it has me a bit confused. Is it a buildout or is it a Zipper from Bucks old custom shop?The box really isn't to be trusted in my opinion, since the model number on the label (0191BO1-B) has been crossed out and 191 Cocobola added in ink next to that. Below that is printed Buck Zipper (BO) and cat. 8631, and dated 08/06/2008. I checked the SP/LE list and don't even find a Zipper from 2008 and I don't believe buildouts ever show up on those lists anyway.

This one has the old Custom shop stamp (no anvil) and has "Designer's Choice" and "BG-42" stamped on the other side. I have no recollection of when or how I came to own this one. I only wish that it was the Vanguard and not the Zipper.

J Hubbard · Dec 6, 2011

That part # matches up with what you have as a build out. Looks like we did 90 of them

Plumberdv · Dec 6, 2011

J Hubbard said:
That part # matches up with what you have as a build out. Looks like we did 90 of them

Thank you Mr. Hubbard. So the knife pictured matches up with the description of the build out that should be in the box that it came in?

Also, is there a publicly available list of build outs with their descriptions?

J Hubbard · Dec 7, 2011

the knife matches the description or the part # and the part # in our system. Not sure why the part # on the box is marked out

I'll see what we can do about a list.

Plumberdv · Dec 7, 2011

J Hubbard said:
the knife matches the description or the part # and the part # in our system. Not sure why the part # on the box is marked out

I'll see what we can do about a list.[/QUOTE]

Thanks again. Having a build out list would be terrific I believe.

exiled13 · Dec 9, 2011

Man that's a nice looking vanguard. Have you used it? I'm not trilled about the gut hook. At a young age I learned how to dress game and gut hooks wasn't in sight. I would like to have avanguard in BG-42 steel with wooden handle. Mine is run stock w/ rubber handle and 420HC.

Plumberdv · Dec 9, 2011

exiled13 said:
Man that's a nice looking vanguard. Have you used it? I'm not trilled about the gut hook. At a young age I learned how to dress game and gut hooks wasn't in sight. I would like to have avanguard in BG-42 steel with wooden handle. Mine is run stock w/ rubber handle and 420HC.

Nope, it's never been used. I'm not a fan of the gut hook either, but strictly from an esthetics point of view.

You should like this one, it has the BG-42 blade also.

exiled13 · Dec 9, 2011

Oh yea that's really nice. Wish I could beat cha out of it. Lol.
esthetics, lmao. I had to look that word up. Yea I agree it doesn't look real good. I used the gut hook on my cross loc and just didn't like it. It would unzip a Fall deer, but when the temps drop and they put on their winter coat the fur would "clog" up the "hook". I felt faster doing it the 2 finger way. Seems to me that reversing the grip on the vanguard would counter productive. That gut hook on your vanguard is wider than mine on the cross loc so even if it didn't clog up the handle would feel weird.

Plumberdv · Dec 9, 2011

Just for grins I thought I'd post a picture of the first "Zipper" but then it was called the "Quest-R". It never made it into the catalogs according to Joe because they took it on a hunt and found out it just flat didn't work. They redesigned it and introduced it as the Zipper a year or so later. The Quest is the bottom knife in this picture.