Seeking info about a Buck knife

J

Joe_Kerr

Joined
Jun 18, 2016
Messages
7
Hi, a friend of mine is looking for info on a particular Buck knife and asked me to help him out. He says that he remembers reading a magazine article back in the 80's about Hank Williams Jr. using a Buck knife to carve hand holds and foot holds in a rock after falling....and apparently this was not the famous fall from Ajax Mountain, but another time. He's also found pics of a limited edition 121 with the Hank Jr. logo on it, but still nothing on the one he remembers reading about. If anyone knows or even remembers anything about this, we'd appreciate the help. Thanks.
 
Yes, there were some Hank Williams Buck Knife limited editions about 1991. A 102 and a 121 that I can recall. I'll look to see if there are listed production numbers. Search this forum for "Hank Williams" and you should find some pictures. My recollection is his name is etched on the knife and there is a logo on the sheath. They show up on eBay occasionally.
 
Hello Joe_Kerr,
I just looked up about a Hank Williams Jr. 121 knife and yes there was at least one. They said in a sale there were 3 Bocephus knives. I just went and googled Hank Williams Jr. 121 buck knife and alot came up. You got me interested in what I could find. It or they were made by Case knife co. They called Hank, Bocephus since he was in the cradle and his father looked at him and said BOCEPHUS. There is mention of a 121 knife ,don't know who made it or them. I looked up old posts and yes there was a Buck 121+ (1991) the person that was inquiring about the knife said it had the # 108 as a limited edition. Bocephus was engraved in the sheath and somewhere on the knife his name is etched on the blade. The one showing in the Bladeforum thread that DeSotoSky mentions is a 102+ (1991) #056 knife with Hank Williams Jr. etched in the blade and a symbol on the handle, and sheath in red. Hope that is of Help.

Welcome to BladeForums Joe!!!
 
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DeSotoSky said:
See post #18 in this old thread for a picture of the Buck model 102 Hank Williams knife.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...15302954&highlight=Hank+williams#post15302954

I have a model 121 in my collection, I'll see if I can dig it out to take a picture. Could not find Hank Williams listed in Special Projects but about 1992 there were Merl Haggard and George Strait Buck knives.
Click to expand...

Hi Roger,

Awesome info, I thought I remembered these had something to do with Ruger. Looking at your linked thread to Stumps photo I see there is a red Ruger with "Hank" embossed on the sheath and a Ruger emblem cut into the handle. I always looked at these for the Ruger look as I'm not a huge Hank fan, so never pulled the trigger.

JB
 
Can't lay my hands on mine at the moment and don't have a picture on file which is unusual for me. Anyone else have a picture to share?

Yes, it does look like the Ruger logo, never thought about it before. Michael, what did you call it? a Bocephus? I would have called it a Phoenix.
 
Copied from elsewhere on the net.... And now you know the rest of the story...

What is the story behind Hank Williams Jr. using the Ruger symbol?
Ryan Barks
Written Nov 18

First, they are not completely identical. But the rumor is that Hank got special permission from (his friend) Bill Ruger to use his logo. Hank has always really enjoyed Ruger firearms. I am not exactly sure when he and Bill Ruger became friends, But Hank has always used and collected Ruger firearms. In 1975, on a hunting trip, during a particularly dark time in his life, he fell 500 feet down a mountain and landed when his face hit a boulder, he was carrying a Ruger rifle when it happened. Doctors said it looked like someone had hit him in the face with an axe. He should have died, but he didn’t, and after a two year recovery and many surgeries, he looked completely different. He grew a beard, started wearing sunglasses and hats, his voice was a little different, and he began having real success singing his music instead of his father’s.

I am not sure when he started using the logo but I am sure it was after his accident. Further, although I have never read or heard of him saying it, I think he identifies with it because it is a Phoenix. A mythical bird that rises from the ashes after it dies.
 
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DeSotoSky
Hank Williams Jr. was called Bocephus by his father the first time he saw him in the cradle. Somehow it transfered to his knifes I believe. I am not a fan, these are things that I ran across by googling and searching Bladeforums with Hank Williams Jr. 121 Buck.
 
Wow guys very cool info! Now I like the HW knives better than before.

JB
 
Thanks, y'all! I appreciate all the replies. On the logo, I always thought it was a Phoenix too, and always wondered why he was using Ruger's logo.
 
I like Hank Jr music, Ruger firearms and Buck knives. They fit together perfectly in my world. Nice post.
 
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