Question for you knife-nerds

[tom horn]

Hello guy's, maybe someone can answer a question. Around 1982 I went into Buck knives and bought a stag handled 301 knife . I picked it from a round spinning type display case that was sitting on top of the counter. It cost me around 75.00 bucks. Can anyone tell me what type of steel it is?

 

[dogwood dan]

Is anything stamped on the blade? Don't mean to be captan oveuse but one has to start with the basics

 

[tom horn]

Just say's "Buck", and below that, 301A,(actually, an upside down V).

 

[300Bucks]

OK Tom, Have a gander at the stickies on the top of these Buck threads. You will see one for the date stamps. I believe you will see it is date stamped 1988 ( ^ ), which is after your estimate of purchase. But, it is correct for the production of the first sets of 300 series stag scales. During the that late 80's era Buck was making the 301,303,309 and 305 in (drum roll) 425M. Some folks think that is a pretty good pocketknife steel. At that date all other 300 series models were made by Camillus in 440A.

300Bucks

These both have that date code. Left one is elk.

Here's one with scale rivets and Camillus steel. Must have been an after market mod. Other one is elk.

 

[David Martin]

Thats a 1988-- 301. DM

 

[Plumberdv]

It's strange, but it doesn't show up in either the '88 catalog or price list. It does show up the following year (page from '89 below) and had a dealer price of $31.50. They must have used blades left from '88 or introduced them too late in the year to get them in the catalog.

 

[Plumberdv]

OOPs, duplicate post deleted.

 

[300Bucks]

Yes.

I have a stag 301 with scale rivets, and the blade is a Camillus era Buck blade. BUCK, 301, U.S.A. ???? After market modification ??? I have a 88 and 89 stag 303 also.

300

 

[tom horn]

Thanks guy's..