QUESTION: Buck 4-blade Congress

bbb4u

bbb4u

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
235
Can anyone give me any info / history about the 4 blade congress with black delrin handles? Just won one on ebay... There is no model number on the knife (Just BUCK usa) and I didn't get a box or any paperwork with it. Nice little knife. Just a little longer than the 303 Cadet. I didn't even know Buck had ever made one. Thanks, Dan
 
WOW...I can't wait until someone at Buck chimes in, I was not aware of Buck EVER making a 4 blade Congress, and it shows up in none of my references.

Prototype that never got mass produced maybe?????

Is this it?

a2_12_sb.JPG
 
That's the one! The gentleman sold another one after mine and I was asleep at the switch...had it on my watch list and didn't get a bid in.

Come on Joe. Tell us about this knife please.
 
I'll wade in here till Larry or Joe gives the fine details..I believe these are a Smoky Mountain Knife Works commission. Comes in yellow handles also. Are not uncommon , shows up at shows and online :footinmou but can be pricey if the moon is full..
 
If it was/is a SMKW project, it seems strange that there is no model number or date code. I hope some "experts" from Buck can weigh in on this....
 
I know that Buck often does special runs of their standard lines for SMKW, but it does seem a bit odd that they would do a run of a pattern that they have never been set up for????

The scales on this one look different than the standard production 300 series USA made stuff also.

Hmmm...
 
Most of the Camillus contract knives made for SMKW do not have model numbers on the tang. They are usually rebadged versions of stock Cami knives. The California Toothpick is a rebadged fishing knife. I have seen at least a half a dozen Cami versions of the 334 Millennium Trapper. Have a look at a Buford Pusser. It’s the same knife.

The Congress is a little different from the standard Cami version. It is a mirror image of its Cami brother. On the Buck the main blade on the right is to the front. On it's Cami version the main blade is at the back. This means that the nail nicks are on the other side of the blades on the Cami version. Weird eh.
 
Always fascinating to figure out what is a contract knife and what is actually made the company who's stamp is on the tang. Old, old knives, or new ones. Some companies are very upfront about it; Camillus & Remington being a couple that make their relationship very clear. Other's like to keep it a secret.
 
I refer you to the Buck Collectors Club website. An archived article on the 300 series I wrote a couple years ago has been well received. I cannot recall the date but it seems to me it may have been sometime in 2002.

edited correction: I found the article: September 2003 My Sometimer's disease is active!!
 
Thanks Larry,

I remembered you had done that nice article on the 300 series but didn't remember the mention of the 4 blade Congress.

You stated in your article they were made by Camillus and "didn't have a date mark." This particular knife doesn't even have the Model number on the tang. (Seems kinda unusual, even for a contract knife) !!

Thanks again for being such a great asset to the Collector Club.

DL
 
Once again Larry beat me to the punch! Good thing to since he knows more about the 300 series than most.
The contract knives that were done fairly recently did not have model numbers on the tangs. I don't know why, not too much info to look into for an answer either. Maybe someday the answer will bubble to the surface and we can add it to Larry's article.
 
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