Pre-'86 119 Spacer questions

m.and

m.and

Gold Member
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Jul 8, 2009
Messages
1,590
Hi all,

I know this is a topic that has been discussed ad infinitum, but I have a few questions and observations about what is widely regarded as the accepted dating criteria for the pre-1986 119s and 120s. According to the information below, among the rarest versions should be the knives produced in 1972 and in early 1981.

1961-1962/63 Leather Spacer barrel nut configuration.
1963 hard fiber barrel nut configuration.
1963-1966 Single Line.
1967 Buck* blade stamp.
1967-1969 Buck USA with Hard fiber spacers.
1969-1971 Buck USA with micarta spacers.
1972 Buck 119 USA (Inverted blade pointed down)
1973-1980 Buck 119 USA 4 micarta handle spacers (reverted blade pointed up)
1981 early Buck 119 USA 3micarta handle spacers.
1981 late to 1995 Buck 119 USA, 2 micarta handle spacers.

In doing some very non-scientific photography-based research on the 'Bay, most of the pre-'86 knives I found for sale were of the early 1981 configuration (1 micarta spacer in the guard, 2 micarta spacers in the butt). With this many on the used market is it possible that this configuration was produced prior to and after early 1981? I found very few pre-'86 versions with just 2 spacers.

What's more is I came across several examples of the 4 spacer (2 in guard, 2 in butt) configuration and all but one had the inverted (read with blade point down) 3 line tang stamp of the 1972 production date. The one that didn't had a second guard spacer with the same footprint as the handle (see pic below) whereas all the others have a spacer the same size as the guard. Could this also mean that the 1972 configuration was produced for more years than just 1972?

s-l1600.jpg


I know that the big auction site is not the best place for this type of research, but the apparent availability of what I believe to be low production versions has me thinking.

Any thoughts?

Best,
Matthew
 
1973-1980 Buck 119 USA 4 micarta handle spacers (reverted blade pointed up)

This has been the traditional dating scheme but more recent thinking has the 119 and 120 transitioning from the 4 spacer to 3 spacer configuration very soon after the change from inverted to upright making the 3-line 4-spacer upright version of the 119 and 120 the rarest. For all other 100 series knives this variation is the most common.

Here is the most recent discussion about this subject...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1351154-Vintage-Buck-119-info
 
Last edited:
DeSotoSky said:
1973-1980 Buck 119 USA 4 micarta handle spacers (reverted blade pointed up)

This has been the traditional dating scheme but more recent thinking has the 119 and 120 transitioning from the 4 spacer to 3 spacer configuration very soon after the change from inverted to upright making the 3-line 4-spacer upright version of the 119 and 120 the rarest. For all other 100 series knives this variation is the most common.

Here is the most recent discussion about this subject...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1351154-Vintage-Buck-119-info
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing me to that discussion topic. I don't know how I missed it in my search. Very valuable information. It's what I love about this forum.

Best,
Matthew
 
Matthew,

I agree with DeSoto. Back in December, I was doing the same type of "eBay research" and I found a NIB, 3 spacer, 119 with a swivel sheath and the original 1977 sales receipt. That was good enough evidence for me that 3 spacers and swivel sheaths were being used on 119s long before the traditional 1981 time frame. I posted the eBay photo in post #35, but it is no longer active.
 
Okay, now I am confused. I thought I brought my oldest 120 with me but I had one in the mid to upper mid 1970's. The one I have with me is a 3 spacer (dark red micarta I think), 1 in the guard and 2 in the pommel, 3 line read with tip up. It has a flap sheath. I thought this one was circa 1977 or so, but I might have mixed up the knives.

With the tip up it reads:
BUCK
120
U.S.A.

BUCK is a tad larger than the other letters and numbers. USA us smaller than the 120
 
IIRC, the sales receipt that I referenced was from the last quarter of 1977. My question is, was the 119/120 flap sheath completely discontinued when the swivel sheath was introduced? There are many examples of 3 line (read point up) 3 spacers, 119s with flap sheaths on eBay. I suppose they could all be from 1973-1977.
 
That is a good question. Mine does not have the swivel. It is just a flap sheath with BUCK in fancy letters on the flap and 120 on the rear. I had one earlier (mid 70's) and one later (early 80's) and I thought this one was earlier, but I might have mixed them up, as I said. So you think that this knife is from the early to mid 70's, if I understand you correctly?
 
TAH said:
IIRC, the sales receipt that I referenced was from the last quarter of 1977. My question is, was the 119/120 flap sheath completely discontinued when the swivel sheath was introduced? There are many examples of 3 line (read point up) 3 spacers, 119s with flap sheaths on eBay. I suppose they could all be from 1973-1977.
Click to expand...
I have a model 120 a 2 spacer, one in the guard and one in the pommel. Which came with a flap over sheath in 1981. The blade has the more hollow ground style. So, I'm thinking it may be 425M steel. But the flap over sheaths were still being used right along with the snoopy sheaths. DM
 
TAH said:
IIRC, the sales receipt that I referenced was from the last quarter of 1977. My question is, was the 119/120 flap sheath completely discontinued when the swivel sheath was introduced? There are many examples of 3 line (read point up) 3 spacers, 119s with flap sheaths on eBay. I suppose they could all be from 1973-1977.
Click to expand...
I have a model 120 a 2 spacer, one in the guard and one in the pommel. Which came with a flap over sheath in 1981. The blade has the more hollow ground style. So, I'm thinking it may be 425M steel. But the flap over sheaths were still being used right along with the snoopy sheath. DM
 
David Martin said:
Thanks, Tom. Good to see you on. It was hot down your way today. DM
Click to expand...
I've been really busy taking care of my Wife's parents the last few years. Her Dad passed in April and her Mom is dying of esophageal cancer now.
She stays with her in El Paso and I drive back and forth everyday. When this is over we'll have to get together Dave. Yeah, been hotter than a $5 pistol down here. :)
[URL=http://s1201.photobucket.com/user/blackhorse71/media/IMG_0673.jpg.html][/URL]
 
skyhorse said:
I've been really busy taking care of my Wife's parents the last few years. Her Dad passed in April and her Mom is dying of esophageal cancer now.
She stays with her in El Paso and I drive back and forth everyday. When this is over we'll have to get together Dave. Yeah, been hotter than a $5 pistol down here. :)
[URL=http://s1201.photobucket.com/user/blackhorse71/media/IMG_0673.jpg.html][/URL]
Click to expand...

Nice 103. I carried one of those in Alaska that I modified by taking the hump off the spine and dropping the point a tad. It did all I ever needed a knife to do.

I think David has a 103 he modified in a similar manner.
 
Doc, here you go. Both of these 103's had the same number of spacers and material type. DM
 
m., I did the entire modification from start to finish. Taking a factory 103 to that. The stacked leather with colored spacers were to commemorate both of mine serving. The stainless pommel added length for a roomier handle with a lanyard hole. The blade shape I just like, it gave it more point. It's more toward a custom skinner without the Dozier price tag. I enjoyed the project. Thank you, DM
 
David Martin said:
I have a model 120 a 2 spacer, one in the guard and one in the pommel. Which came with a flap over sheath in 1981. The blade has the more hollow ground style. So, I'm thinking it may be 425M steel. But the flap over sheaths were still being used right along with the snoopy sheath. DM
Click to expand...

David, so you think that Buck simultaneously used the 119 flap sheath during the swivel sheath (approximately '77-'81) and snoopy sheath (approximately '81-??) eras?
 
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