VANGUARD out front on the cutting edge: My favorite Field Knife for Deer Season

[USMule]

Bought this Vanguard model 192 in 1992 and have been in love with it ever since! along with my BUCK 103 Skinning Knife coming in a very close 2nd also bought at the same time.
I was conflicted so I bought both. LOL Since then I've had a love affair with drop points especially this one for field dressing large game.
If you own a VANGUARD feel free to post our favorite Pics! here.....all is Wilkum.









I made this platform last summer out of #2 pieces of Cherry Wood glued an clamped together to get a 24x30 platform and sanded it down and then oiled it with very light machine oil a old artist trick thats been around for over a century......

MY CUSTOM VANGUARD #0660 / 1000

 

[Badhammer]

Nice composition and a great knife. I've got a couple of Vanguards but have not used either to date. One is a build-out with blue handle and ATS-34 blade. The other is a special cased model for the VA Depart. of wildlife or some other agency with a longer than normal blade. I'll have to dig them out. Like you I love the blade shape of the 192.

 

[David Martin]

Mule, That was the year of their introduction. Unless I've not seen a small market test of those models offered the previous year. You'll find many here who like that model. DM

 

[USMule]

Badhammer, I just love it for dressing out a Deer.....I find the drop point's edge facing up to the sky while "skinning" & dressing a Deer is a total pleasure its glides through all [processes] smooth as cutting through butter out in the field......and it takes out 90% of the risk of cutting open the vital deers organs thats that can contaminate the meat. Now should of I got it in Kraton? probably for a better grip but this is my all around sporting knife for fishing too. Its light an pretty compact VS that 121 I had back in the 70's.

Thanks Badhammer for the kudos on my composition......

 

[USMule]

Oxymoronic, but I bought the Vanguard & 103 Skinning Knife at the same time at ROCHE BROS Porter Square in the "Peoples Republic of Cambridge" as its coined here lovingly by Massachusetts Citizens for decades....even the CAR TALK boys Click & Clack on NPR Radio, call it the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts on AIR, LOL ROCHE BRO'S is also is a Gun Store. Right in the "Belly of the Beast" and Like I said above I was conflicted which to get? so I bought both.

 

[DeSotoSky]

Mule, That was the year of their introduction. Unless I've not seen a small market test of those models offered the previous year. You'll find many here who like that model. DM

The Vanguard was introduced in the 1991 catalog as an upcoming model not yet in production when the catalog printed. It hit the stores in late 1991. 1992 was the first full year of production though. Here is an early Vanguard with a 1991 date code. The coloration is storage film on the blade.

 

[USMule]

DesotoSky, I Love it! the blade photo makes it look like mother of pearl....did you photo shop it? or that the sky reflecting off the blade.

Thank you for sharing your beauty with us! and thanks on the [details] of it's pre-release.

beautiful rich looking handle too! enjoy the rest of your weekend......

 

[DesertChris]

So far, a 1991 and a 1992.....

Here is a 1993 purchased in 1993
Just after its return from a visit to the "Spa"

 

[USMule]

DesertChris, thats a beauty for sure....it was well worth getting it a Spritz.....thanks for sharing :thumbup:

 

[DesertChris]

USMule..... keep your eyes peeled..... at any time, DeSotoSky could bust out with myriad photos of fancy 192's

 

[HotSteel]

The Buck Vanguard is the knife that got me into knives. I have both the rubber handle version 192BK and the Alaskan rosewood handle version 192BR.

 

[jb4570]

Here are a few nice 192's for the pot!
RMEF LE

Master Series over run

BP Timberlake

jb4570

 

[USMule]

JB4570, Those are some really awesome STAGS....and U usally don't like green anything but in this case this one is real pretty! thanks for sharing! and have a great night!

 

[DeSotoSky]

DesotoSky, I Love it! the blade photo makes it look like mother of pearl....did you photo shop it? or that the sky reflecting off the blade.

The coloration is a storage coating on the blade. You can see on the tang where I wiped some of it off polishing the brass.

 

[DeSotoSky]

Here is a 686 Mini Zipper and a 687 Mini Vanguard. A special Project for Bass Pro in 2006.
Compare the mini to a standard in the 2nd picture.

The Mini's are about .25" shorter in the handle and .75" shorter in the blade totaling 1" shorter overall.

 

[DeSotoSky]

Here is a Vanguard I purchased last year.
The prettiest piece of wood I've ever seen on a knife.

 

[DeSotoSky]

The blade has a price on it that appears to be laser etched on. ITE suggests that it is a salesman sample. $39.00 certainly isn't a retail price and fits with being a salesman's sample. I couldn't find this particular knife in any of the special project lists but Chuck and CJ signed the backside in '04.

 

[USMule]

DesotoSky, I could fall in love with the 687 Miniguard........thats knife is really neat! phat! & short what a combo....All of your knives are spectacular!!! thanks for sharing an all the details with the photos.....have a great night! :thumbup:

 

[DeSotoSky]

A Vanguard with ram horn handle.

 

[DeSotoSky]

Another Vanguard for the show. This one is called "Pennsylvania Black Bear. A limited edition of 250 in the year 2000. Lots of features.... bear paw laser cutout, bear head cutout on end of pommel, nickel silver bolsters, a black blade, serialized, and a "Custom" tang stamp. The handle is Buffalo horn hand jigged to look like Impala. I don't care for the handle jigging at all, seems like the ruination of a nice piece of horn and not at all comfortable to fondle in the hand.

The black blade is hard to photo. Here I tried a little silicone shine and chalk in the tang stamp.