My New Buck

R

rprocter

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I'm posting this knife because i'm so pleased with it. This is something for a guy with 6000+ knives. Only 50 or so are Bucks and i only have a superficial knowledge of Buck specifics. I was scrolling through "folding knives" on ebay and this one seemed to grab me right away. Looks to be an unused 307 with the oldest (well, second oldest i think) stamping. So with no time to check whether this assessment is correct, i bid and won.
I think that unused 'old' 307's are not rare, but not too common ? And that as a fine large stockman it is sought after both by collectors and users ?
I just opened up the package and it's a score for sure. Not every production knife comes out just right in all areas. Well this one pretty well did and i'm so pleased with my new Buck that i'm posting here to show off.
And hear comments from those who know all the little details about the 307.

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Great blade grinds and perfect shield inletting:

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Pattern # 307 on the back:

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Good blade spine/spring alignment and liners/springs tight:

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The well, closed:

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Walk and Talk is just how i've come to like my folders now with arthritic hands, sprung just slightly on the softer side. (I used to prefer bear traps).
I'm looking forward to hearing what you say about rarity and any specifics on the early issue 307s.
I doubt this is a post Camillus closure parts knife as it had old dried grease on it like 40 yr old NIB Schrades i have.
roland
Edit to add: the springs should be carbon steel but are not tarnished. There is a rectangular area of pitting rust on the end of one spring, leading me to think it was wrapped in a waxed paper but with one spot exposed x 40 years ?
 
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That looks like a very nice example. I only own one 307, but was very impressed with mine as well. I wish Buck still made them. I'd love one with cherry dymondwood.
Here's mine with some family members:
300flagv.jpg
 
Roland, I am glad your 307 experience turned out well. Stelth, all I can add is , if you want a different scale grab one that seems to be always selling on ebay and have one of the knife guys rehandle it. Or do it yourself. The Scale will pry off and take the shield with it. You will likely have to cut around the spring rivet to easily do that. Then grind down the brass spring rivet and 're-ping' the rivet head. Then its all about how good you are at cutting small pieces of stuff and mixing epoxy glue. Then the hard part, sanding down the scale without messing up the bolsters, liner or springs. Careful is the word. Also masking tape protection helps. Its do-able, I did.... 300
 
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Craig, yes i saw that the handles have 2 protruding pegs that go through holes on the liner. I bet some fine old thin British stag would look great, as would Mammoth ivory.
Is this one not worthy of being a collectible as is ?
roland
 
Yes, that is why I mentioned grabbing another newer looking one to Stelth. I would not modify that one of yours. The way to look at the Made In U.S.A. tang stamp models is that they are a finite group. The number produced of those is a certain number that I am sure is much less than those stamped BUCK, 307,U.S.A. as the number of years of production was only 71 -74, while the other stamping was 75 - 97.....!!!!!
Ch/300

This was a modern dymondwood scale knife that had scale rivets that had to be gotten rid of. The middle age Camillus knives won't have those. Whats funny is even though I had one little ding on the bottom I really liked the knife, but a Buck brother gave his knife away and was at a meeting with no knife. I had a extra in the car so I handed him my custom made one. I know he takes good care of it and it gets to go to the mountains more than me.
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I would say that knife is collectable due to its age and fine unused condition. I would not alter it.
As 300Bucks said there are some new 307's available on that auction site that are late 90's Camillus construction.
I would purchase one of those and get one of the knife guys around the forum to rehandle it with a nice piece of antler or bone.
 
rp, Welcome. Your 307 with that stamp is one of the first models coming out of the Camillus factory in 1972. The stamp was changed in 73 to incorporate the model number. Hence; Buck
307
USA
Notice yours carries the model number on the back side of it blade. I've always thought the 307 was a good size knife to carry. Buck discontinued the model in 86. DM
 
Thanks David. Reading in this forum, i think the 307 was D.C.'d in 1997. I agree about the size. It's amazing how much the feel of a knife changes with just 1/4" either way change in frame length and this one feels just right. Same size as the Case 75.
Craig, that's a beautiful job with the burl wood and it is a true gift when you give something away that you really like for yourself. I give away a lot of knives and i get a lot of pleasure from doing so.
I'll keep this early 307 as it is and look for another with full blades. I'm not very good with finish carpentry type work so i'll ask one of my knifemaker friends to haft it up maybe with some top notch stag. This will take awhile (gotta find the right 307 first), but when all is done i'll post it in this forum.
roland
 
Awesome find. I scored a good'en as well last year. I carry it a lot. I always drool over the 307.
 
Here you go Roland, let me stimulate you senses. folks like to see photos also.

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Old Buck Custom shop products. Someone who was generous to me, had them do a set of the era in stag before I even knew better.
I think your stag idea would be great, and I bet you can come up with some really classy looking popcorn..

ch/300Bucks
 
Craig, nice display ! I don't like the popcorn Stag as much as the smoother Stag like found on 100yr. old Sheffield knives or the Stag that Henckels used 75+ years ago. I'll see what i can come up with and report back here in a few months time.
I am really liking this 307. I just received Schrade's large Stockman, the 858. It's 4 5/8" which is big. It too is an excellent knife, but the 4 1/4" 307 seems 'just right' for a big Stock knife.
roland
 
That 307 looks great, I for one wish Buck would revive this particular pattern seeing as there aren't too many jumbo stockmans in production aside from Case's offerings.
 
David, as i said in my OP, my knowledge of specific details about Buck knives is quite limited. Before posting i searched both "Wrangler" ans "307" and came up with a number of posts giving 1997 as the last year in which 307's were made. (except for post Camillus closure knives)
Here is a post by 300Bucks from 2010, which is one of the references to 1997:
"Lets just agree on a few facts.
1. BUCK did not make 307s, they did not have the tooling. They modified a few in-house but did not make them. Camillus 'constructed' them. Which included making the blades.
2. SMKWs sold most of the 'different'/ 'special' 307s via special orders from Buck/Cami..
3. They weren't made after 1997ish. UNLESS some parts were assembled for Cami. factory auction. Cami. had that habit of producing more than the order to insure backup supplies. As an example the big 2000 trapper (334 offhand) had spare parts assembled and sold at the end. They will have brass spring rivets and not have any blade inked stamping."

roland
 
Ok, we are discussing this and the dust has not settled yet as there are conflicting articles which exist. I've seen this occur where it didn't get settled for a year or two. DM
 
Ok, I found it and can agree with the 97 date. But the absence of date codes I'm still mulling over. DM
 
OK, Since we can all see since the dust is settled let me save someone some money. I figure since we have been talking about the 307, some folks might be hot to get one. Well, on a certain auction site there is one incorrectly listed. First off you have to be cautious in all things on auction sites. Look at the perspective, it is not correct for the large 307. The sellers stated measurements are for a 301. The photo shows scale rivets, something that "I" have never seen or seen a photo of on a 307. (Exception is the stag custom above)

The knife shown is a early Camillus 301. The version with NO model number. But it is a 301. They were only made during 1971 and had scale rivets.

So if you were hot to get an unusual 307 and bid on the thing, hope you will be happy to have a early 301 instead.

Thought I would bring this notice up since we have been discussing 307 details. Rule one as always : Buyer beware.

300Bucks.
 
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Thanks 300. I had read findings from respected Buck collectors which spoke of these early Camillus made 301's with scale rivets and no model numbers. DM
 
300Bucks said:
OK, Since we can all see since the dust is settled let me save someone some money. I figure since we have been talking about the 307, some folks might be hot to get one. Well, on a certain auction site there is one incorrectly listed. First off you have to be cautious in all things on auction sites. Look at the perspective, it is not correct for the large 307. The sellers stated measurements are for a 301. The photo shows scale rivets, something that "I" have never seen or seen a photo of on a 307. (Exception is the stag custom above)

The knife shown is a early Camillus 301. The version with NO model number. But it is a 301. They were only made during 1971 and had scale rivets.

So if you were hot to get an unusual 307 and bid on the thing, hope you will be happy to have a early 301 instead.

Thought I would bring this notice up since we have been discussing 307 details. Rule one as always : Buyer beware.

300Bucks.
Click to expand...

I have already contacted the seller of that listing and advised him that he has misspoken and the knife he is selling is an old Camillus contract 301. He replied back, " Ok thanks for the info." The listing hasn't changed.

As for the dates on the 307 in question, I have 1971-'74 and the knife was produced till '98, with a brief shield change (BUCK spelled out) in '85-'87, and then back to the regular till '98.
 
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