NIB Buck 119 1973-1981 Value

HilhamHawk

HilhamHawk

Joined
Dec 22, 2016
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I just picked up a Buck 119 today that has me stumped on value. It is a 1973-1981 model that is brand new in the box, and includes the old swivel style leather holster. It still has the original factory edge, with the only marks I can see on it being a few VERY faint scratches on the left side of the blade that would easily buff out. It even includes the original factory box. What would be a fair price for a highly collectible Buck 119 like this?

Thanks, Troy

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That is a 2--1 spacer= 1980 model 119. I have that knife in my collection, on mine the belt loop does not swivel and the leather
is sewn all around the edges. I think different sheaths were offered. The steel is 440C. DM
 
David Martin said:
That is a 2--1 spacer= 1980 model 119. I have that knife in my collection, on mine the belt loop does not swivel and the leather
is sewn all around the edges. I think different sheaths were offered. The steel is 440C. DM
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119s and 120s went to 2-1 spacers earlier than 1980. The swivel sheath dates this knife to the late 70s, IMHO. :)
 
You could have a point. I've been looking for my data sheets and haven't found them. DM
 
Ok, I located my data sheets. A 119 with those spacers is a 1981 manufacturing. Late in 1981. The swivel sheath is a 1972 type sheath. I searched and found a sheath like that on one of my 124's and it is stitched on one side. Now, we are not going to solve this mystery. How did that sheath get in the box with that 119? Was it from the factory, from a left over, available sheath? Or did
it get switched from a previous owner? Who knows, but I am certain that sheath normally does not accompany that year knife. This is what I have as hand out sheet information from BCCI 20 year reunion. Joe H. did this particular lecture. DM
 
David Martin said:
Ok, I located my data sheets. A 119 with those spacers is a 1981 manufacturing. Late in 1981. The swivel sheath is a 1972 type sheath. I searched and found a sheath like that on one of my 124's and it is stitched on one side. Now, we are not going to solve this mystery. How did that sheath get in the box with that 119? Was it from the factory, from a left over, available sheath? Or did
it get switched from a previous owner? Who knows, but I am certain that sheath normally does not accompany that year knife. This is what I have as hand out sheet information from BCCI 20 year reunion. Joe H. did this particular lecture. DM
Click to expand...

You may need to amend the data sheet. I purchased this in the late '70s (most likely 1978, but it could have been early 1979) from the local JC Penney (my normal source for Buck knives).
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Could be lamber. A nice photo. Joe's data sheets go on to say that "during 1981-86
just about any type sheath can be found" in Group 4. But specifically says the
swivel sheath was used with the 120 & 119 in Group 3. DM
 
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David Martin said:
But of course no one has the original sales receipt and Joe has over 30 years at Buck. DM
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I am fully confident on the purchase being late '70s. The sheath bears the marks from rubbing on the canoe seat that happened during a week-long canoeing trip in the Adirondacks that I did when I was in Boy Scouts. I bought the knife specifically to take on that trip, which was either 1978 or 1979, before I graduated from high school in 1980. I am pretty sure it was 1978. We did that trip two years in a row, and the first time was 1977. I remember that because when we got home everybody was raving about a new movie that was out called Star Wars.
 
lambertiana said:
I am fully confident on the purchase being late '70s. The sheath bears the marks from rubbing on the canoe seat that happened during a week-long canoeing trip in the Adirondacks that I did when I was in Boy Scouts. I bought the knife specifically to take on that trip, which was either 1978 or 1979, before I graduated from high school in 1980. I am pretty sure it was 1978. We did that trip two years in a row, and the first time was 1977. I remember that because when we got home everybody was raving about a new movie that was out called Star Wars.
Click to expand...
What's this Star Wars you speak of? ;)
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lamber, I'll not argue with you. It seems like TAH had an example we hashed over some years back. DM
 
Guys, I appreciate all of the responses, you guys definitely know more about these than I do. So, the million dollar question is, if I were to list this in the classifieds, what would be a fair price for it?
 
OK, one final narrowing of the date for me. Now I think our second canoeing trip, when I took that knife, was 1979. Definitely before I graduated from high school in 1980. One of the other scouts brought a casette player on the trip, and he had only one tape - Jethro Tull's Bursting Out. Let's just say I heard that album more than once during the week. And I bought my own copy when we got home. I just checked and that album was released in September 1978, which means that the canoeing trip was during the summer of 1979. I guess there was a two year lapse between our first trip (1977, when Star Wars came out) and the second trip. I bought the knife before that second trip, so it would have been 1978 or 1979.
 
I would date the knife between 77 and 81. Everything shown is correct and goes together.

If you have any paperwork in the box, look to see if there is a printers code on a bottom corner. That would give you a can't be older than date.

I agree with sassafrassdogs3..... $100-$125. The 3-line 3-spacer upright is the most common variation to be found during this era for the 119 (and 120).
 
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