Vintage Buck 119 info?

TAH

TAH

Joined
Jul 3, 2001
Messages
6,135
This 119 has one Micarta spacer in the guard and two Micarta spacers in the pommel. Based on the number of spacers and sheath style, what is the date range of this one?

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The transition time from four to two spacer was 1981.
1980 they still had the four spacer. In the early 1981 Buck
build the three spacer 119. Later in the year they killed
the second spacer at the pommel.

Hope that helps. :)

Haebbie
 
Thanks Haebbie.

Then what year did the 119 sheath go from this style...

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to this style?

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Always Thought the 4 Spacer 119's ended in 1973, and 1973-1980 was the 3 Spacer, and 2 Spacer 1981 to today,
I got to pay attention a little better
Nice Knife and Thanks for the Lesson

KEEP EM SHARP
 
someone will set it straight,
1972 inverted 3 Line 4 Spacer's (read blade pointing down)
1973 3 line 4 Spacer's (read Blade pointing up), Later 1973 Drop 1 Spacer by Guard so only 3 Spacer's

So the term elusive 119 as not so many made 4 Spacer (read Blade pointing up)



KEEP EM SHARP
 
Four Spacer up to late 1980.
The BCCI list suggests the end of the 4th spacer in 1972. But that's too early. The three spacer knife is the rare one.

Haebbie
 
Haebbie said:
Four Spacer up to late 1980.
The BCCI list suggests the end of the 4th spacer in 1972. But that's too early. The three spacer knife is the rare one.
Click to expand...

I agree four spacers (up to late 1980) on most 100 Series knives, but I'm not so sure that goes for the 119. Actually, I see quite a few 3 spacer 119s.
 
The 119 got the same procedure as all the other 100 phenolic series knives. Give or take some month.

Haebbie

((I hope I am not going completely wrong [emoji15][emoji27][emoji851][emoji88]))
 
Haebbie said:
The 119 got the same procedure as all the other 100 phenolic series knives. Give or take some month.

Haebbie

((I hope I am not going completely wrong [emoji15][emoji27][emoji851][emoji88]))
Click to expand...

Still confused. Here are a few 119s with old style flap sheaths that I just pulled off the Bay and they all only have 3 spacers.

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I throw in my 2 cents. I'll summarize agreeing with what some have already said.
Traditional dating for 3-line upright knives

4-spacer upright 73-80
3-spacer 1981
2-spacer 82 onward

this arranagement makes 4 spacer the most common and 3 spacer the rarest
but the 119 and 120 did not follow the rest of the crowd converting to 3 spacer very early say late 73 or early 74
So for the 119 and 120

4-spacer 73
3-spacer 74-81
2-spacer 82 onward

For the 119 and 120 4 spacer becomes the rarest and 3 spacer the most common, opposite of the other 100 series knives.
I am "presuming" that the 119/120 made the 3 to 2 spacer conversion at the same time of the other 100 series in late 1981.

Keep in mind the changes did not necessarily happen on January 1st. I have rounded off years for simplicity.
 
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Well for a minute there I was excited. I thought my only 119 was a three spacer but it's a four spacer but tang is read tip down.
300

Here's a photo of my only 119. Will take some better ones and use them in Sunday Picture Show.
 
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300Bucks said:
Well for a minute there I was excited. I thought my only 119 was a three spacer but it's a four spacer but tang is read tip down. 300
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Still just as rare.

1-line BUCK* (1967)
3-line 4-spacer inverted (1972)
3-line 4-spacer upright (1973)

In my mind these 3 variations are all 1 year or less production for the 119 and 120.
 
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So they changed to3 spacers in 973 on the 119 and 120, but all the other100 series not until 1980, I have a really hard time believing that
 
STEELHEADBULLY said:
So they changed to3 spacers in 973 on the 119 and 120, but all the other100 series not until 1980, I have a really hard time believing that
Click to expand...

As Benjamin Franklin once said "If it's on the internet, it must be true."
Where are Matt Jannusch or Joe Houser when we need them?
 
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DeSotoSky said:
As Benjamin Franklin once said "If it's on the internet, it must be true."
Where are Matt Jannusch or Joe Houser when we need them?
Click to expand...

Per Joe Houser on above mentioned thread, "There was a color range in the micarta we got and I would not be surprised if diferent types of micarta were even tried. I have no documentation to support that, but it seems possible.
I remember when I set out to document the 100 series and assumed that they all followed the same path. My first clue that they didnt was when I was not able to find certain variations in all models. Unfortunately, my notes are horrible and I cant recall which variations were missing from which models. If I remember right, from my sample pile of several hundred old knives, I saw piles of every variation but when it came to the 119/120 (?) I had only one sample of a certain variation. Should have been basically the same sized pile and it was then that I knew each 100 series was diferent.
I will start compiling a new sample "pile" of 100 series so as to take another look. Unfortunately, this will take a good year or two."
 
I think Haebbie and Sky has it accurate. I have the exact knife TAH & 300 bring up. In TAH's post 11 and 300's post 14. It has a thick primary edge and a snoopy sheath, with 3 spacers and curvy tip. 300 was lucky enough to get a 119 that someone positioned the stamp wrong in the holder. I've seen those. Wonder how many others are out there. I really like that style blade and tip on the 119 so, I kept mine and carry it. I've given some thought toward thinning my 119 blade down to make it a better cutter. But I'd rather keep it the way it came out of Buck's factory. DM
 
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