Vintage Buck 119 info?

Hi everyone. New to the forum, long time collector. Quick question as we're on the topic of vintage 119's. What year was the 1st 119 made? I keep seeing old posts from 2-3 years ago saying that the 119 is about 47 years old. If this is the case does that mean that this year is it's 50th anniversary? Does anyone know if Buck plans on making a 50th anniversary 119 like they did for the 110 a couple of years ago?
 
Nic, welcome to the Buck Forum. The model was made for sure in 61 or 62 but without a model number. (a similar model was made in the 50's but with a different model number.) Buck First began to use model numbers on their sheaths in 1967. The number later was stamped on the knife in 1971. So, yes a 50 year anniversary model is in order. I'd have to give it 50 years with that model number. DM
 
Going back to the 1940's, Buck knives had model numbers. Model numbers were not routinely stamped on the tang until about 1972. The 5.5" clip point blade is referred to as the model 104 Standard Hunting knife in the late 1940's. In the 1951 catalog it is called the model 104 Camper. I find the 119 "Special" in the 1956 catalog. With those two date points, I would conclude the evolution from the 104 to 119 as a hunting knife took place sometime between 1951 and 1956. In the 1957 catalog, the model 104 is now longer and called the Fighter. The "classic" 119 as we know it today with a black phenolic handle would start with factory production in 1961. However you want to date it, the 50th anniversary for the 119 has been missed by a long shot.
 
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Here's a NIB 3 spacer 119, two-piece box, 1/73 paperwork. Possibly a little more evidence that 3 spacer 119s were around earlier than thought. Just adding it to the thread. :)

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Front spacer=1, rear spacer=2. I have to buy into your evidence. I doubt Matt will. That 119 looks just like mine except my blade has the thick semi-hollow ground edge and snoopy sheath.
Some strong supporting evidence. DM
 
Hard to tell if the edge is thick. Lighting can be deceiving. I'm not say this set is solid evidence, but you're thoughts are that the two-piece box, paperwork, and perhaps the sheath are original, but the knife is not. Correct?
 
If that knife is original to that box & paperwork, it would be the 1st I've seen dating back that far that didn't have the thick semi-hollow grind edge. So, yes you're correct in what you surmise. DM
 
In this photo of the same knife, does the edge look thicker? I'm seeing the shadowing along the edge, which makes it appear to have a semi-hollow grind, not full-hollow.


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So, IMO, I don't see why this whole set isn't original. As for how lighting can be deceiving, here's a quick demonstration...


119, late 70s, thick edge


Same knife, same light source, thick edge nearly undetectable.


105, 1975, same outcome


 
A good point and nice photos. Then to compound things guys write in here posting they want more info. about their early 119 and we ask about stamping, sheath, spacers, box and papers. All this they give. But when the question comes about is the edge thick they don't know... So, we'll have to refer them to this topic. As this explains it. DM
 
Edge talk, let us talk and learn. We have some excellent photographers so hopefully we can see thoughts.
 
TAH said:
Here is a 3 spacer 119 with a swivel sheath and a sales receipt from 1977. Pretty good evidence that 3 spacer 119s and swivel sheaths appeared earlier than suggested.
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sharp thoughts said:
This is correct. I have the same purchased new in 1979. Also have customer info card dated 12/78 with it in yellow one piece box.
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Here's another NIB 119 with 3 spacers, swivel sheath, and paperwork dated 12/78 (confirmed by seller). Hopefully someday there will be enough evidence to accurately create a data sheet/timeline for the 100 Series that separates the 119/120 changes from the rest of the series. If nothing else, I think this thread has exposed some preliminary evidence that suggests 3 spacer 119/120s and swivel sheaths started earlier than previously thought. :thumbup:

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Good evidence. I think those swivel sheaths came later with the 119's. But they came earlier with the 124's (1973) which didn't follow the same pattern. Mine is like the one above except the belt loop on my sheath has 2 rivets and does not swivel. DM
 
Here's a 4 spacer 119 with 3/72 paperwork. When considering the knife in post #87, this might suggest that the 119 went to 3 spacers sometime in 1973. Again, I realize this isn't concrete evidence, but if enough of these examples with box and paperwork show up, it starts to make a pretty strong case. They all can't be mismatched sets.


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It is hard for me to buy into the 3 spacers coming out in 73. The example above yes... No problem for 73. A 3 spacer in 79 I would give the nod. We're talking 6 years earlier than previously thought for a 3 spacer. Hummm. Of course there is not much concrete when discussing these small details. Keep notes on these examples and write a article on it. Drawing your conclusions. Then we'll see if this creates a stir. Still, I enjoy discussing these. DM
 
David Martin said:
It is hard for me to buy into the 3 spacers coming out in 73. The example above yes... No problem for 73. A 3 spacer in 79 I would give the nod. We're talking 6 years earlier than previously thought for a 3 spacer.
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It's hard for me to believe Buck used 1/73 paperwork for knives made in 1979. I know they printed thousands of "Use and Care" papers ahead of time, but the papers were supplied with all models and would be used up fairly quickly.

Here are a couple of NIB 120s, 3 spacers with 1/73 paperwork.

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