Just for fun... opinions on the age of this 305...

[DeSotoSky]

Not my knife or pictures. I have my own opinion but lets hear all yours first.
Let's test your 300 knowledge... 300bucks and bertl should not play

"My husband bought the knife new and carried it all the time. He had to remove it from his pocket and put it in his drawer in 1984 because we moved to NYC..."

"305 USA, two blade Pocket Knife. Like new, 1970's vintage, has just been sharpened and cleaned by xxxxxx. It is razor sharp and clean as new. Camillus made these for Buck from 1968 to 1985. Buck began producing the 305 in 1985. This is a Camillus Co. production knife - for sure. Single back spring and spacer/ catch bit."

 

[bertl]

Well that's not fair. I'm going to tell my mother.

Bert

 

[MT_Pokt]

Interesting....

My guess... 32

I reserve the right to change my guess once I get home and cheat....

 

[MT_Pokt]

Here's a Camillus 305, for comparison...

 

[DeSotoSky]

Well that's not fair. I'm going to tell my mother.
Bert

Bert, you and Craig give everyone else a 1 day head start. OK?

 

[300Bucks]

Interesting. MP's is after prohibition was lifted. 300

 

[Tin Sue]

2002 or later

 

[MT_Pokt]

I've changed my guess to 12... 12 years old...

I'm stumped.

One piece frame/bolster started in '88-ish (if memory serves me correctly), but '86-'88 they used the "BUCK" escutcheon.

The only year that I'm aware there was no date code on the main blade was 2005 when they put the Idaho stamp on the opposite blade. But it's not there. Blade replaced perhaps?

I'm looking forward to the answer from the real gurus...

 

[BuckShack]

1984 made by Buck, not Camillus

 

[DeSotoSky]

2002 or later

Would like to hear your thoughts why....

 

[DeSotoSky]

1984 made by Buck, not Camillus

Explain reasoning please.

 

[BuckShack]

Explain reasoning please.

Well, we know it couldn't be later than 1984 because of the first quote "My husband bought the knife new and carried it all the time. He had to remove it from his pocket and put it in his drawer in 1984 because we moved to NYC..."

Also, there is no date code on the blade so it had to be before 1986.

It's not a Camillus because it doesn't have the long nail nick. When Buck took over they changed it to the one on this knife.

I think Buck started making these in house in 1984 (but I could be wrong)

 

[300Bucks]

Old photo from 2007. Use the visible clues. You should have said no Tin Sue answer, he knows about 300s as much as Bert and I. To be honest the 305 is the worst group in my collection. I got past the BUCK shields and lost interest in this small "Sunday" knife. Sometime in the early 2000's I decided I liked the 303 best and concentrated on those. Between Bert, Tin and I we might be able to field a display of every 303 ever made. Oops, I just gave away a likely one of a kind to a co-workers retirement.

 

[bertl]

Here is what I see.

1. From Photos 1 and 3: despite the written statement, I think this is a two-spring knife and no earlier than 1989

2. From Photo 3: integral liner, bolster, and shield tower means no earlier than 1990

3. From Photos 1 and 2: stainless steel spring rivet means no earlier than 1992

That brings us to the blade, which may have caught Roger’s eye in the first place. From Photo 1 the crescent nick and tang stamp “BUCK/305/USA” indicates 1985, but that is misleading. I can’t be certain from Photos 1 and 2, but both blades look hollow ground and that means no earlier than 1998-1999. Look at my photo of a 1985 knife. The grind for both blades is flat, and I think the font for the tang stamp is different. That eliminates the chance that there was a blade replacement with 1985 blades.

Here is my guess: I think the knife is from 1999 or later and for some reason the date code didn’t get stamped. Maybe someone else can pinpoint the date. I can't.

Bert

 

[DeSotoSky]

This was not a "trick" post but a post for "fun" and I have no additional information other than the images and text presented. That said, I think the best answer will be by consensus. I exchanged several emails with the seller and she would just not accept from me that this was not her husbands knife he purchased in the early 70's because she remembers him carrying it all those years and in addition the "knife shop" where she took it to be cleaned and sharpened confirmed to her that it was a Camillus made knife from the early 70's.

 

[300Bucks]

It's better to just agree and go on, even though you were right. Don't think the thread is over, ask questions or give opinions. 300

 

[DeSotoSky]

Here were my talking points... MT_Pokt and bertl have pretty much covered them..
1. Camillus v Buck (if you don't know this one you are already in over you head)
2. 1-spring v 2-springs.
3. 'BUCK' shield v Classic Shield. This addresses late 1985 with no date code.
4. Brass liner Construction v 1 piece nickel silver frame
5. Flat grind v Hollow grind..
6. ....I did not think of the brass v stainless rocker pin bertl pointed out.

All of the above give us a "can't be older than" answer, clearly the seller is remembering her husbands other knife.

6. Style of the tang stamp and lack of a date code. Is the lack of date code an error or ?
This is the point where I am going to hang my hat and suggest an approximate age but first would like to see if anyone else comes up with the same idea.

 

[DeSotoSky]

It's better to just agree and go on... 300

Yes you are correct Craig, One and Done, and I would have been done but she followed up with more. It was all polite so it was OK. Was not trying to prove anything, just be helpful. I didn't push it any further.

 

[bertl]

Delete

 

[MT_Pokt]

Does anyone have a photo of a 305 from 2005? This would have the 3-line with no date code on the clip point and the Idaho outline on the spey blade.

If the stamp matches, I would concede that it was made in 2006 with a 2005 left-over clip point.

If it doesn't match, well... back to the drawing board.