Selling it with Hype....

DeSotoSky

DeSotoSky

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Mar 21, 2011
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The lack of a true US Army issue fighting knife in the 1960s led many cutlery companies to produce their own versions for sale to servicemen. The famous Buck Knives offered an impressive 7.5" blade fighting knife known as the 120 "General" to soldiers at base PXs or via mail order. This US Army Vietnam TWO LINER BUCK 120 "GENERAL" PX FIGHTING KNIFE is in good condition......
.....Most interestingly, it carries "BUCK" stamped across the lower top flap, bears a fully functional "BUCK" metal signature snap front closure.......
.....a fine example of a rare, original US Army Vietnam TWO LINER BUCK 120 "GENERAL" PX FIGHTING KNIFE.

Wow.....how interesting is it that "BUCK" is stamped on the sheath!! To my knowledge the General was never marketed as a military knife. The name "GENERAL" was not a military reference but a counter play on the name of the other popular knife....the "SPECIAL", Specialized vs Generalized. I know we've talked about this before and many servicemen carried personal knives, including Bucks, but I thought this description was enough to entertain. It was pointed out by someone here that the most common personal knife they saw in Vietnam was a 110.

This brings me to my own question, is it true there were no military issued knives during the Vietnam war? I kinda find that hard to believe but not a subject matter I know anything about.
 
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The military did issue both fixed blades and pocket knives. Once I got to my duty station with the 39th Engineers in Vietnam, I was issued a Camillus MK2 sheath knife. I already had the all steel scout knife some call the "demo' knife, that was handed out in the supply rooms of most Engineer units I was stationed with.

If the Camillus MK2 was in short supply, then the Camillus pilot survival knife was issued.

The PX had Buck knives for a very discounted price from the civilian world. Many of the soldiers had either a Buck special or the folding 110 on their web gear.
 
The Army did not issue a fixed blade fighting knife as did the Marines. The Army thought the bayonet was good enough. Plus, many officers felt that the enlisted men could not be trusted with a large fixed bladed knife, as I well remember. The bayonet was issued and that is why enlisted men could keep and use them. Many bought fixed blade knives at the PX or were sent them by loved ones. Some Special Forces guys carred Buck 120's and 119's due to the nature of their duties.
 
A seller with active imagination. That's the best way to cover cluelessness ;)

My thought to the Name "General" for the knife is it is designated for general use.
What do you think?

Haebbie
 
Still, the 120 is a fine knife and deserves to be named after a military general.
 
MICHAEL5135 said:
Yes General Westmoreland !!
Click to expand...

He was a Randall guy. :)

xWest2_zpsa71ad95b.jpg
 
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