Odd 112 from 1987- nickel/silver, finger-grooved

[Happy Hippo]

I received this 1987 nickel/silver, finger-grooved 112 from FB. It came with the standard, light-tan box with part number 112FG and the sheath is the reddish-brown one that the finger-grooved versions came with. It has a few peculiarities. I have never seen this version pop up before.
1) Its 1987 date stamp has 3 dots.
2) It has nickel/silver bolsters and is finger-grooved. How would one have been able to get such a thing in 1987? There were Ducks Unlimited nickel/silver, finger-grooved frames back then but its blade was etched. The commemorative 112 had nickel/silver frames but the finger-grooved version had brass frames. Also, both versions had their blades etched.
3) Are the handles ebony? I'm not quite sure. Maybe someone who is more expert at ebony variations can chime in.

What happened here? Did someone order this out of the custom shop? Was the N/S, finger-grooved an option back then? Did Buck have a factory build, maybe made from leftover DU frames?

 

[Meadowlark]

I'd put my money on leftovers from the Canadian DU knife because the wood slabs look like the ones used on that knife and the bolsters are the same nickel flavor.

Those same three dots were seen on a lot of '87 112s and as far as I know--that mystery was never definitively resolved.

Some said the blades started out as four-dot blades but the dots don't seem to match up with a four-dot.

 

[Happy Hippo]

I'd put my money on leftovers from the Canadian DU knife because the wood slabs look like the ones used on that knife and the bolsters are the same nickel flavor.

Those same three dots were seen on a lot of '87 112s and as far as I know--that mystery was never definitively resolved.

Some said the blades started out as four-dot blades but the dots don't seem to match up with a four-dot.

So you're saying they used left over frames from the DU run and used similar handle stock but dyed more brown instead of green? That could be but why don't I see any? The DU hypothesis is supported by the fact that the timeframe is consistent.

 

[Meadowlark]

I think they made these with green scales, brown scales, nickel bolsters and brass bolsters.

But that's just from memory.

I gave away all my Ducks unlimited knives to a DU fanatic some years ago.

I think I just have the one picture left.

However, Google has many pictures.........problem is that pictures sometimes make it difficult to tell if the bolsters are nickel or brass.

Anyhow, it's a slow day but no doubt people who have some will show up.

 

[SoDak81]

I received this 1987 nickel/silver, finger-grooved 112 from FB. It came with the standard, light-tan box with part number 112FG and the sheath is the reddish-brown one that the finger-grooved versions came with. It has a few peculiarities. I have never seen this version pop up before.
1) Its 1987 date stamp has 3 dots.
2) It has nickel/silver bolsters and is finger-grooved. How would one have been able to get such a thing in 1987? There were Ducks Unlimited nickel/silver, finger-grooved frames back then but its blade was etched. The commemorative 112 had nickel/silver frames but the finger-grooved version had brass frames. Also, both versions had their blades etched.
3) Are the handles ebony? I'm not quite sure. Maybe someone who is more expert at ebony variations can chime in.

What happened here? Did someone order this out of the custom shop? Was the N/S, finger-grooved an option back then? Did Buck have a factory build, maybe made from leftover DU frames?View attachment 2863909View attachment 2863910

Awesome find!

 

[Happy Hippo]

I am told that there is no such thing as finger-grooved frames. The finger-grooving is shaped on a standard frame after the scale is attached.

 

[bucksway]

Yes finger groves are added to a regular frame. I'm 99.9% certain.What I'm not all sure about is bareheaded frames..Do they grind off the rear bolster? That's a unusual Shieth too. That deep red is seldom seen. Back in the late 70's and 80's there's not many hard and fast rules for 112's. If you want to go down a VERY nice Rabbit hole combin Dots radius frames finger groves and...Stag! That's a wild trip..