The Sunday Picture Show (April 27th, 2025)

[DeSotoSky]

Hello and welcome to the Sunday Picture Show. Share your Buck knives with others by posting pictures of them here. New or old, plain or custom, user or safe queen, one or a collection, we love to see them all. This weekly tradition was started in 2010 by ItsTooEarly (Armand Hernandez) and Oregon (Steve Dunn). Help keep the tradition alive. Feel free to click that 'LIKE' but lets not let it replace discussing and complimenting each others knives. DeSotoSky (Roger Yost)

Ill-fated "Sultana", Helena, Arkansas, just prior to its explosion on April 27, 1865.

On this Day, April 27th, 1865 Steamboat "SS Sultana" explodes in the Mississippi River, killing up to 1,800 of the 2,427 passengers in the greatest maritime disaster in United States history; most are paroled Union POWs on their way home. Built in 1863 the 260' wooden steamboat moved passengers and freight between New Orleans and St Louis. Passenger capacity was rated at 376. With the end of the Civil War thousands of POW's were released from the Confederate prison camps and required transport back home to the North. The government contract was lucrative ($2.75 per enlisted man and $8 per officer). The was a kickback arrangement between Sultana's Captain and the Army Quartermaster to take on as many as possible resulting in extreme overloading of the steamer. The overloading is obvious in the picture above. Anxious for the contract the ship's captain opted for a quick patch on a leaky boiler instead of a proper repair to get underway. Struggling Northward, extremely overloaded, and fighting heavy spring thaw currents the overworked Sultana boilers blew. Those who were not killed instantly perished in the river. GREED KILLS
personal comment: I find it interesting that the Sultana was both built and running passenger-freight service on the Mississippi during the War.

Sultana on fire, from Harper's Weekly.

Sultana (steamboat) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Sultana Disaster

An American Battlefield Trust history article describing the S.S. Sultana explosion, which remains the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history.

www.battlefields.org

Buck 110 with gold etched rear paddle wheeler steam boat c.1990. This knife is documented on the 1991 Special Projects list. Serial number engraved to 1,000, the list records 550 actual production. This is a nice package with an Oak box and a faux marble lid with matching etch. There were 8 knives in this series with the marble lids from 1989 to 1991. The other etched images were Ducks. Geese, Pheasants Turkeys, Deer, steam locomotive. and Ghost Rider. The last gold etch knife Aurum made for Buck was the Chuck Buck 103 Skinner in 1989. Although Aurum discontinued etching services they did help Buck set up the same process so this knife would have been gold etched by Buck in house.

 

[cccanada]

A link to thread with some scans of the mable lids in the series
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/marble-faux-marble-etched-lids-from-display-cases.2015019/

 

[bertl]

In the early to mid 90s, Buck collaborated with Wenger knives to produce a variety of Buck Swiss army style knives. A number of models were made by Wenger for Buck, which included the large SwissBuck SwissMate knives, about the length of a Buck 110. In 2005, Wenger was purchased by Victorinox and continued making knives under the Wenger name until 2013.
There were three versions of the SwissBuck SwissMate knives—I, II, and III—, actually four variations, since the SwissMate I had two variations. All versions had a locking clip blade and came with a black Cordura sheath.
SwissMate I was the simplest, since it had only a clip blade and either a Phillips screwdriver or a corkscrew.
SwissMate II had the most tools, including a tiny screwdriver that spiraled into the corkscrew for storage.
SwissMate III was similar to SwissMate II, but had a reduced number of tools.

 

[Chilebrown]

 

[jb4570]

Happy SPS to All of the Buck Nuts,

Thank you Roger for hosting this weekly event and the History info. Thanks to everyone who posts photos or adds to the conversations.

Here is that last Aurum etch, Chuck Buck. Aurum went Belly up before they completed this run. BCCI members could get their member number on the blade, this one is 113.

 

[DeSotoSky]

The T-Rex and Pteranodon were done for Sports Authority.
Here is a set I put together years ago for my grandson of the 525's.

 

[OldHercDude]

Enjoying these threads and the history - thanks for hosting.

Only been back on the site a bit over a week after an absence, and had not spent much time here in the Buck forums, so apologies in advance if I make any faux pas.

I don't have many Buck knives, no etched copies. I do have a humble 55. I never thought I'd like the knife, but it has grown on me as it's a great size for my random tasks. Easy to slip in the pocket, big enough to do most of what I need. It stays out in the apartment these days, and is what I usually reach for to open mail or packages. I like it enough I have a couple ordered through the custom shop.

 

[OldHercDude]

Very cool.

 

[The Fort]

Roger, Thank you for another interesting piece of history, and for hosting the SPS! My newest Buck knife survived it’s first week with me at work. It cut some electrical tape, and made short work of a large zip tie. Lance

 

[Ironbut]

Thanks for the SPS, and another interesting piece of history that I'm going to have to read more about. As the weather warms up, the 112 Slims will be getting more pocket time.

 

[howiema]

Was out chunking some wood for the stove in my shed and figured I would take a pic of my edc that I switched the slabs out on. Thank You for the SPS Enjoy Pete

 

[kyhunt]

Enjoying these threads and the history - thanks for hosting.

Only been back on the site a bit over a week after an absence, and had not spent much time here in the Buck forums, so apologies in advance if I make any faux pas.

I don't have many Buck knives, no etched copies. I do have a humble 55. I never thought I'd like the knife, but it has grown on me as it's a great size for my random tasks. Easy to slip in the pocket, big enough to do most of what I need. It stays out in the apartment these days, and is what I usually reach for to open mail or packages. I like it enough I have a couple ordered through the custom shop.

The bolsters on that one really patina nice. I like it.

 

[kyhunt]

Thank you again for the history lesson and the SPS.Nothing new or unseen here.

 

[Ironbut]

Was out chunking some wood for the stove in my shed and figured I would take a pic of my edc that I switched the slabs out on. Thank You for the SPS Enjoy Pete


View attachment 2860093


View attachment 2860095

We've been using wood as our primary heat source since 1976, but I had to google what "chunking" was. The size of the wood chunks in the pic should've been a clue.
And......to keep from getting too far off track, a pic of my Custom Shop 110 in oak.

 

[jmh33]

 

[tiguy7]

Thanks Roger for doing the Sunday Picture Show and the History lesson. Coast Guard safety inspections were a long way off (founded in 1915). A precursor to the Coast Guard was tasked with collecting import duties.
This BuckLite was modified for air travel. The handle and tools are carried on; the blade is in checked luggage. The bronze pivot bushing, which is slightly thicker than the blade, is immobilized by clamping it between the scales. The clam shell coin purse holds the tools and the loose parts. This set up prevents thievery.

 

[howiema]

We've been using wood as our primary heat source since 1976, but I had to google what "chunking" was. The size of the wood chunks in the pic should've been a clue.
And......to keep from getting too far off track, a pic of my Custom Shop 110 in oak.
View attachment 2860150

I have a small stove that I found brand new at a antique store, it is for coal but I hate coal so I decided to chunk the wood and the little stove has burned about 30 cords of wood in the 10 years , I hang out in the shed and have flatscreens and the
Frig and many buck knives in there --- TX Pete

 

[Meadowlark]

Hello and welcome to the Sunday Picture Show. Share your Buck knives with others by posting pictures of them here. New or old, plain or custom, user or safe queen, one or a collection, we love to see them all. This weekly tradition was started in 2010 by ItsTooEarly (Armand Hernandez) and Oregon (Steve Dunn). Help keep the tradition alive. Feel free to click that 'LIKE' but lets not let it replace discussing and complimenting each others knives. DeSotoSky (Roger Yost)

Ill-fated "Sultana", Helena, Arkansas, just prior to its explosion on April 27, 1865. Copy of a photo from unidentified source.

On this Day, April 27th, 1865 Steamboat "SS Sultana" explodes in the Mississippi River, killing up to 1,800 of the 2,427 passengers in the greatest maritime disaster in United States history; most are paroled Union POWs on their way home. Built in 1863 the 260' wooden steamboat moved passengers and freight between New Orleans and St Louis. Passenger capacity was rated at 376. With the end of the Civil War thousands of POW's were released from the Confederate prison camps and required transport back home to the North. The government contract was lucrative ($2.75 per enlisted man and $8 per officer). The was a kickback arrangement between Sultana's Captain and the Army Quartermaster to take on as many as possible resulting in extreme overloading of the steamer. The overloading is obvious in the picture above. Anxious for the contract the ship's captain opted for a quick patch on a leaky boiler instead of a proper repair to get underway. Struggling Northward, extremely overloaded, and fighting heavy spring thaw currents the overworked Sultana boilers blew. Those who were not killed instantly perished in the river. GREED KILLS
personal comment: I find it interesting that the Sultana was both built and running passenger-freight service on the Mississippi during the War.

Sultana on fire, from Harper's Weekly.

Sultana (steamboat) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Sultana Disaster

An American Battlefield Trust history article describing the S.S. Sultana explosion, which remains the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history.

www.battlefields.org

Buck 110 with gold etched rear paddle wheeler steam boat c.1990. This knife is documented on the 1991 Special Projects list. Serial number engraved to 1,000, the list records 550 actual production. This is a nice package with an Oak box and a faux marble lid with matching etch. There were 8 knives in this series with the marble lids from 1989 to 1991. The other etched images were Ducks. Geese, Pheasants Turkeys, Deer, steam locomotive. and Ghost Rider. The last gold etch knife Aurum made for Buck was the Chuck Buck 103 Skinner in 1989. Although Aurum discontinued etching services they did help Buck set up the same process so this knife would have been gold etched by Buck in house.

Thanks DeSoto, for the unknown history and the also unknown (to me) knife.

 

[Ironbut]

I have a small stove that I found brand new at a antique store, it is for coal but I hate coal so I decided to chunk the wood and the little stove has burned about 30 cords of wood in the 10 years , I hang out in the shed and have flatscreens and the
frig in there. ManView attachment 2860176y Buck knives also

Yeah, I figured the small chunks were for a pot belly, or something similar, but I had never heard of chunking before. We hillbillies around here always just called it cuttin' n splittin'.
Edit to add another pic for the show:

 

[Meadowlark]

If memory serves, this was a special run of 50 of these in 2017, which was some years after the 419 was discontinued.

They must have had some leftover parts. I was lucky enough to get one.