When I was a kid my Dad had a buck knife that was his hunting knife. I have no idea how many deer were dressed with it or racoons that were skinned with it.
I did not know what model it was.
When I was 9 I did the hunter safety course and got my first hunting license at 10. We hunted together that year (before I just walked along or sat with him). On our third season hunting together, on Thanksgiving he died in a accident (not hunting related).
I hunted with the buck at my side after that. When I joined the Army it was just no big or manly enough and I got a Ka-Bar that is well beat up after decades of service. When I wanted to use the Buck I could not because the sheath had torn on the belt carrier part.
Back then, a typical army guy had something like a Ka-Bar or bayonet on his LCE, a swiss army knife in his pocket, and a buck folder on his belt for when he had no LCE.
Times changed and the buck folder and the swiss army knife became replaced with a pocket clip folder and a leatherman or other multitool.
I was feeling some nostalgia and got out the old buck. I got it out and looked into it and it is a woodsman 102. Not big or scary, but a near perfect hunting and fishing knife. It has the two line inverted buck and usa marking without model number, so if I am correct from what I read it has to be a 1961 to 1972 made knife. I have no idea when or where he got it, and he had it as long as I remember. I ordered a new sheath, and it just did not feel right with the new style sheath.
I buy it now'ed an expensive NOS 102 off ebay that has the old kind of sheath. I will put the NOS knife in the new sheath I bought and put my trusty old one in the old style sheath. when I first saw bucks with the new style sheaths, I wanted one instead of my lousy old fold over one. but, I was soon using other knives, and this was long before websites and easy ordering new sheaths, etc. So here we are years later and when I got the new sheath there was nothing wrong with it, but knife just did not set and carry in that old familar way.
I have been skipping the bench mades and other pocket type knives I use a lot lately and been putting this woodsman or a 110 or ranger on the belt. Or an old al mar. there is something about the "feel" of that woodsman compared to a new model folder that is just right.
as for the old school folders, the almar and 110 or ranger, with their non thumb flick blade, no pocket clip, and wood and brass and lock back, compared to the side locks, thumbholes, studs, modern materials stuff just has a heft and comfortable old feel I am happy to get back to after all the years without using them.
So, for a nice warm glow of old, comfortable, familar times,
I say take off your new compass/altimeter watch and throw on the old seiko auto diver you had back in the day,
pick up your pre-64 model 70 winchester 30-06 or lever action 30-30 instead of the synthetic stocked bull barreled rifle chambered for the newest all the rage cartridge,
and leave the single ground edge resin handled modern style knife behind while you strap on your favorite old buck and head for the woods.
I did not know what model it was.
When I was 9 I did the hunter safety course and got my first hunting license at 10. We hunted together that year (before I just walked along or sat with him). On our third season hunting together, on Thanksgiving he died in a accident (not hunting related).
I hunted with the buck at my side after that. When I joined the Army it was just no big or manly enough and I got a Ka-Bar that is well beat up after decades of service. When I wanted to use the Buck I could not because the sheath had torn on the belt carrier part.
Back then, a typical army guy had something like a Ka-Bar or bayonet on his LCE, a swiss army knife in his pocket, and a buck folder on his belt for when he had no LCE.
Times changed and the buck folder and the swiss army knife became replaced with a pocket clip folder and a leatherman or other multitool.
I was feeling some nostalgia and got out the old buck. I got it out and looked into it and it is a woodsman 102. Not big or scary, but a near perfect hunting and fishing knife. It has the two line inverted buck and usa marking without model number, so if I am correct from what I read it has to be a 1961 to 1972 made knife. I have no idea when or where he got it, and he had it as long as I remember. I ordered a new sheath, and it just did not feel right with the new style sheath.
I buy it now'ed an expensive NOS 102 off ebay that has the old kind of sheath. I will put the NOS knife in the new sheath I bought and put my trusty old one in the old style sheath. when I first saw bucks with the new style sheaths, I wanted one instead of my lousy old fold over one. but, I was soon using other knives, and this was long before websites and easy ordering new sheaths, etc. So here we are years later and when I got the new sheath there was nothing wrong with it, but knife just did not set and carry in that old familar way.
I have been skipping the bench mades and other pocket type knives I use a lot lately and been putting this woodsman or a 110 or ranger on the belt. Or an old al mar. there is something about the "feel" of that woodsman compared to a new model folder that is just right.
as for the old school folders, the almar and 110 or ranger, with their non thumb flick blade, no pocket clip, and wood and brass and lock back, compared to the side locks, thumbholes, studs, modern materials stuff just has a heft and comfortable old feel I am happy to get back to after all the years without using them.
So, for a nice warm glow of old, comfortable, familar times,
I say take off your new compass/altimeter watch and throw on the old seiko auto diver you had back in the day,
pick up your pre-64 model 70 winchester 30-06 or lever action 30-30 instead of the synthetic stocked bull barreled rifle chambered for the newest all the rage cartridge,
and leave the single ground edge resin handled modern style knife behind while you strap on your favorite old buck and head for the woods.
