New, is it original Phrobis or build out?

It's Craigs knife and coa. I found this prototype and coa very interesting.

The whole Phrobis line was awesome. I also enjoy the tops and strider collaboration models.
 
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Very nice knife Makael. Thank you for sharing some pictures of it to all of us. The originals as well as the buildouts are all great knives.
 
Makael said:
I would love to see the folders, fixed blade sand any variation of the Buck Phrobis knines.

This is the knife in question.

. Is it original or a build out from later years.?


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If you look close you will see the heads of the screws are broken off the 4 dot two front screws.
 
The 4 dot look at the right side first and second screws from the blade. I even see a piece of the thread sticking up. You even have a close-up of it. The Titanium is countersunk and in the center is the screw without the head. I look at the full knife picture and I see the same thing on the second screw. Unless that is the bottom of the screw and the head is on the opposite side. That's it SORRY!
 
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I don't see it either. These only had screws on one side, right?

Perhaps Ginny could post photos of one of his originals for comparison?

I want to add also that of all of the 186s and 560s I've had my hands on, I don't remember ever seeing the dolphin on any of them.
When was the dolphin used and not used? Does anyone have any definitive dates?
 
Keep it friendly and don't take it personal. Insulting other members is out of bounds
Oh you want to start now. RSFDFA- MT Pokt!!
 
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Can someone give a condense version on what this "Phrobis" stuff is or means. I have never heard of it until the past few days. I see a Buck knife with a little dolphin spelling Phrobis. What's the significance?
 
Alright, Michael your going after other forums members.
I have relations with most of these people off the forums. I don't understand why your so sensitive about things.
Please don't derail my thread. This was put up for the fun of it and spirit of the forums.

Let's see an original if someone has one. We would all love to see it.
 
Hello kyhunt,
I will tell you what went down with Buck around 1983 thru 1989. There was a company called Qual - A-Tec and the man that owned it was Mickey Finn who built equipment for the Gov. Seal team six. They made silencers and seal team members would come and go from Qual-A-Tec. A man that worked there was Harry Camphuysen who was a staunch Morman and when things would go wrong he would say "This is a cluster Phrobis" and Mickey was trying to sell the gov. a rambo knive. They needed a name and PHROBIS was created. They talked to Buck knives to co-produce a survival knife for the Gov. and basically that is how it began. They co-produced The Buckmaster for the seal team six guys because their equipment needed to be anchored with the pins provided with the Buckmaster 184. They also made M-9 bayonets and dive knives called Buckmaster LT 185. The significance of the dolphin was put there because these knives were to be used as dive knives except the M-9 hence the dolphin. It is all in a book that is called Buckmaster Knives - The Authorized History of Models 184 - 185, written by Richard Neyman. It is a very interesting book even some funny parts. Ask your library to order it. There is much more that I missed and I am sure you will hear more. The above is page 315 from the book I mentioned. This M-9 Bayonet below is the only bayonet Buck made alone without any input from Qual -a-Tech it was made for the marines and a total of 5000 were produced date code is for 1991.



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Makael said:
Alright, Michael your going after other forums members.
I have relations with most of these people off the forums. I don't understand why your so sensitive about things.
Please don't derail my thread. This was put up for the fun of it and spirit of the forums.

Let's see an original if someone has one. We would all love to see it.
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Ginny is my sister that passed away last July!! Thats Why!! My son used her name to keep her in his memory. What original are you looking for?
 
This thread a cluster Phrobis. Did I use it correctly? Now that I know what it means, I think I want one. Sadly, I will worry too much about whether I get a real model or a fake so I'll probably just pass.
 
There are no fake 186's. The 1st prototype's were stamped with the phrobis dolphin and were numbered and are called Ti-Masters as well as they have COA's on them. Than there are ones that
were built as buildouts or one of a kinds by Joe Houser which has the Phrobis dolphin stamp in many configurations. Than there is the standard production 186's.

The Ti-Masters will run $500-$800. The buildouts $300-$500. And the standard production 186's $200-$300.

All are very collectable.
 
Facts reading from the book, 50 four - dot Buck 110 blades to make pre-production samples. They were shaped to fit the Ti-Masters. Some were stamped with PHROBIS on the 110 blade and some on the handle. They were initially dubbed the TiMaster which did not stick,three digit numbers were stamped on the base of the knife and it was called The Titanium made out of 425m ss. Buck was shown the knife and they agreed to mfg. it. A new company evolved for this new development Phrobis 2. Available in 1987 and 1988 all of these were marked BUCK, 186<,U.S.A. PAT.PEND. ESTIMATED 16,700 made, these were the take apart.
Many folks would take apart the MODEL 186 but were not able to put it back together. This was the reason the MODEL 560 XLTi was made. The handles were riveted so you could not take them apart and no pocket clip. In 1999 the 560 XLTi series ended. Phrobis 2 was created for this project.
I am not putting a price tag on any model although the first 50 I will probably never see. I have a double blade Phrobis, a Dolphin on one blade, and a 186 on the other the handle is also stamped with a Dolphin along with the pocket clip. I also have two more actual PHROBIS knives single blade dolphin stamp on one and single blade 186 on the other. I also have 6 560 XLTi 2 are black in color. Now you can find on the bay an array of Titanium knives with mismatched blades in all colors from anodizing. I looked at 7 Titanium knives and every one was not what it was advertised as, all by the same seller from $250 to $500. Tried to ask a question but I would get sent back to ebay.
 
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gedlicks said:
There are no fake 186's. The 1st prototype's were stamped with the phrobis dolphin and were numbered and are called Ti-Masters as well as they have COA's on them. Than there are ones that
were built as buildouts or one of a kinds by Joe Houser which has the Phrobis dolphin stamp in many configurations. Than there is the standard production 186's.

The Ti-Masters will run $500-$800. The buildouts $300-$500. And the standard production 186's $200-$300.

All are very collectable.
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That you for this. The insanity in these recent Phrobis threads has been really off-putting to a neophyte like me.
 
You'll get over it!! This is a part of Buck knives growing into a front runner in their industry. Making fixed blades besides the folders.
 
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Ok thanks for the info. The whole Phrobis thing was new to me. I had heard of the Ti-frames and the Buckmaster, but never the Phrobis or the dolphin. Very interesting.
 
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