Mentor mystery deepens, Joe??? Help?

Plumberdv · Sep 4, 2009

A few days ago I started this thread about two Mentors that I had aquired, with no markings on the blades.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=669786

This morning I decided to do a "family portrait of them and I realised that the unmarked "Mini Mentor" is larger than the others I have. I'm beginning to wonder if the two unmarked ones are counterfeits.

Here are three together. Top one is the real thing and is smaller than the one below it. The bottom is the same size as the other full size 470 that I have.

I hope someone from Buck or anyone else can shed some light on this. Were there three sizes made?

Haebbie · Sep 4, 2009

I am not sure that your small knife without stamp is a 475. The Mini Mentor looks different in severals points.

Haebbie

Plumberdv · Sep 4, 2009

Haebbie said:
I am not sure that your small knife without stamp is a 475. The Mini Mentor looks different in severals points.

Haebbie

I'm not sure either now that I've compared them side by side. What I can't understand is if it's a phony, why wouldn't the counterfeiter put some kind of Buck stamp or etch on it?

Many potential buyers wouldn't recognize the pattern as a Buck so they would need something on the knife.

Oh yeah, those are a bunch of beauties you have there!

Plumberdv · Sep 7, 2009

I'm hoping CJ or Joe will look at this and let me know what goes with the odd sized "Mini".

bucksway · Sep 7, 2009

Havent a few Bucks made it out of the factory without a tang stamp?

Plumberdv · Sep 7, 2009

bucksway said:
Havent a few Bucks made it out of the factory without a tang stamp?

More than likely there have been. What concerns me more is the size descrepancy.

110 Dave · Sep 7, 2009

bucksway said:
Havent a few Bucks made it out of the factory without a tang stamp?

yes several of diff models
on the buck 110
before the war in nam ended some showed up
the legend was that they were special order by us govt
so SOG had nothing id'ing them as us army..
i have seen some with no marking real odd
and i seem to recall Pete of the Cal custom shop said
that there may have been some of other steels that were not marked
as they were test knives.. could this be one?
could be that some 110s out of D2 or some others may be around..

Plumberdv · Sep 8, 2009

"could be that some 110s out of D2 or some others may be around.."

That would be nice if they were some exotic steel, but I'd be happy just to know that they (especially the odd sized small one) aren't fakes.

110 Dave · Sep 8, 2009

Plumberdv said:
"could be that some 110s out of D2 or some othersteel may be around.."

That would be nice if they were some exotic steel, but I'd be happy just to know that they (especially the odd sized small one) aren't fakes.

yes we can always hope...

CJ Buck · Sep 8, 2009

Did you buy the two unmarked knives together or from a single seller? Your concerns on the size discrepancy I share. I can not think of a reason other then as a prototype and those do not usually get out without the story to back them up. Because of the size I would say it might not be real...if they were connected then the larger would be same as the smaller.

I will get a second opinion here from the floor

Plumberdv · Sep 8, 2009

CJ Buck said:
Did you buy the two unmarked knives together or from a single seller? Your concerns on the size discrepancy I share. I can not think of a reason other then as a prototype and those do not usually get out without the story to back them up. Because of the size I would say it might not be real...if they were connected then the larger would be same as the smaller.

I will get a second opinion here from the floor

Thanks CJ. Yes the larger one with the wood handles came from the same source I wasn't too concerned about the lack of markings since I have a rubber handled 479BK, new in the box with no markings.

Joe Houser · Sep 8, 2009

I've never seen a third size but the knife looks genuine from the picture. If the person you bought them from was a Buck rep or somehow afilitated with Buck, my guess would be along the lines of CJ's.
No real way to know for sure unless your seller has a story.

Plumberdv · Sep 8, 2009

Joe Houser said:
I've never seen a third size but the knife looks genuine from the picture. If the person you bought them from was a Buck rep or somehow afilitated with Buck, my guess would be along the lines of CJ's.
No real way to know for sure unless your seller has a story.

No story that I know of. The seller is a consignment seller and sells estate stuff for others.

I guess they are what they are. I like them and they just add a little variety and mystery to my collection.

Thanks for the replies.