Need some help with this one

[Plumberdv]

I just received this one and it has me a little puzzled. I'm hoping someone can shed a little light on it's age and who or what it was produced for. It reminds me of the "Classic" series, but it's size is between the Classic II and III. It's exactly the same size as the 501.

The back side of the handle is completely covered in engraving with no banner and it appears to be "blued" like a gun barrel. The tang stamp is Buck over an anvil but no USA.

No paperwork came with it and the case has nothing on it but the flag on the top. It's a pretty cool little knife and I'd like to find out what I can about it.

 

[110 Dave]

i really like that knife!
but i did not win...so
i have seen a FEW
on evil e but not to many..
i dont know how many were made but
that even if there were a lot you dont see it often
Nice snag!!

 

[Flatlander1963]

Beautiful!!!
Very pleasing to the eye...I like it. Nice snag. Plum that one needs to go in your "for lookin only" herd.

 

[jb4570]

Two of those sold at very nice price's on ebay. I could only watch no $$$$ for that modle. PBD, I did find one for sale on the net that is marked 521 on the blade, Blued scroll work, with flying duck in gold in place of your flag. They called it a VIP-1 1996 issue knife.
jb4570

 

[Joe Houser]

What is real puzzling to me is the stamp. YOu say it has BUCK over and Anvil but NO usa? Off the top of my head I would say that Buck did not do the custom work but that blade stamp is a real head scratcher.

 

[110 Dave]

have see several of late with different motif's ... wandering now....

 

[Plumberdv]

What is real puzzling to me is the stamp. YOu say it has BUCK over and Anvil but NO usa? Off the top of my head I would say that Buck did not do the custom work but that blade stamp is a real head scratcher.

This is a little blurry, but it does show the tang stamp pretty well. Do you think I have a phoney? I can't see someone going to all that trouble for something like this one. It would be a little like making counterfit $1 bills.

 

[Plumberdv]

The same seller now has four listed. One with the flag like mine and three others. Marine, Air Force and Coast Guard logos.

I'm getting more and more curious about them.

 

[jb4570]

This is the 521

Old Discontinued BUCK Knife "VIP-1 Blued w/Gold Duck" 1996
Proudly Made in The U.S.A..

 

[300Bucks]

Great looking knife jb,

It would cause me to stray off the 300 path.......300Bucks

 

[Plumberdv]

This is the 521

Old Discontinued BUCK Knife "VIP-1 Blued w/Gold Duck" 1996
Proudly Made in The U.S.A..

Hmm, the same knife. The squared C indicates 1999 though, not 1996. I'm off to check the 1999 catalog to see if they are listed there.

Just checked the 1999 and 2000 catalogs. Nothing about them in either. I give up.

Thanks jb

 

[jb4570]

Hmm, the same knife. The squared C indicates 1999 though, not 1996. I'm off to check the 1999 catalog to see if they are listed there.

Just checked the 1999 and 2000 catalogs. Nothing about them in either. I give up.

Thanks jb

PBD & 300,

I took that photo from an on-line dealers site. I did not even think to check the date stamp:foot:....LOL I used their date when I looked in the catalogs & LE lists...now I'll have to look again.
jb4570

 

[tvranesic]

Hmm, the same knife. The squared C indicates 1999 though, not 1996. I'm off to check the 1999 catalog to see if they are listed there.

Just checked the 1999 and 2000 catalogs. Nothing about them in either. I give up.

Thanks jb

I know this is an old thread but I was researching another knife and stumbled upon what looks like some of the information you were looking for.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201478&highlight=buck+521

The OP states that this series of knives was offered by USAA insurance company in their current (thread is from 2002) catalog. Some answers, but still some mystery.

 

[Richard Matheny]

I suspect the overlay on the handle is covering up the USA from the tang stamp. The tang stamp is positioned to show up on a knife without an overlay. That is my guess.