Vintage Buck Knife Display Case Questions

Stumps

Stumps

Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Messages
3,053
I bought this vintage Buck Case about 5 miles from my house today. I was pleasantly surprised to see it. I just don't run into things like this very often here in Florida.

I believe it is from the 1960's....maybe early 1970's. Am I close, or am I way off??

Does anyone have any idea how many were made?? I have two others, but they aren't in the nice condition this one is.

Any information about these would be greatly appreciated. :)

TNpics005.jpg


TNpics002.jpg


TNpics004.jpg


TNpics003.jpg


TNpics008.jpg


TNpics009.jpg
 
Good question! Great find! I've been told that insert was started about 1976 with the introduction of the 107. I do see a lot of displays with the 307 in that diagonal placement, which would have been brought into production in 1971. Hopefully we'll both get a definitive answer in this thread.
 
I can't tell you how old it is but you have to imagine that in the 70s and 80s, one of these was in every hardware and sporting good store across the country, there must be hundreds if not thousands of them out there. I see them regularly on the bay and they go for over a hundred $ each. I have a stack of the metal plaques that say Buck Knives like the one on your display case.
 
Scott Hartman said:
Good question! Great find! I've been told that insert was started about 1976 with the introduction of the 107. I do see a lot of displays with the 307 in that diagonal placement, which would have been brought into production in 1971. Hopefully we'll both get a definitive answer in this thread.
Click to expand...

I didn't think about a 107 fitting in this case. I'll have to try that. There doesn't seem to be a place for a Caper. Maybe someone knows the original list of models that are supposed to go with this case. I have a 120, 119, 103, 121, 118 and 102 that seems to fit reasonably well on the left side. A 105 works on the far right. A 110 on the bottom. I'll have to see but I'm guessing a 307, 301, 303 and then one more of something to fill the other slot.

The 121 and 118 don't quite fit as snug as the rest.

mbjannusch said:
I can't tell you how old it is but you have to imagine that in the 70s and 80s, one of these was in every hardware and sporting good store across the country, there must be hundreds if not thousands of them out there. I see them regularly on the bay and they go for over a hundred $ each. I have a stack of the metal plaques that say Buck Knives like the one on your display case.
Click to expand...

I have several of those metal plaques....they are my favorites. I knew that I had seen these cases sell for over $100.00, so I was happy picking this one up for $50.00.
 
I did a quick search of the catalogs on the BCCI site. The 63 & 64 catalogs show a similar type display but without the chrome plaque. The first year I see this type display with the plaque is in the 1969 catalog. I found them in the dealer catalog up until 1981. The 1982 catalog is showing the newer upright rotating display cases.

The 1970 picture shows what looks to be the 121 in the vertical RH spot and the 105 is third up on the left. In 1970 the 307 wasn't in the product line yet so the pocket knives would be the 110, 301, 303, and 305. Interestingly there is no space provided for the 116. Over the years there were variations in the tray layouts.

1970 catalog image
1970BuckDisplay.jpg
 
Last edited:
DeSotoSky said:
I did a quick search of the catalogs on the BCCI site. The 63 & 64 catalogs show a similar type display but without the chrome plaque. The first year I see this type display with the plaque is in the 1969 catalog. I found them in the dealer catalog up until 1981. The 1982 catalog is showing the newer upright rotating display cases.

The 1969 picture shows what looks to be the 121 in the vertical RH spot and the 105 is third up on the left. In 1969 the 307 wasn't in the product line yet so the pocket knives would be the 110, 301, 303, and 305. Interestingly there is no space provided for the 116. Over the years there were variations in the tray layouts.
Click to expand...

Thanks DeSotoSky!! You are right about the placement of the 121 and 105. They work better that way. :)

This one does have a spot for the 307, so I'm guessing it could be from 1971 to maybe 1975 since Scott stated that there was a spot for a 107 in 1976 and this doesn't have that.

I have some older knives in it right now, but will switch them out to the proper period knives maybe tomorrow.

case002.jpg


I think it will be fun having a vintage display with the proper knives from the early 1970's!! :thumbup::thumbup:
 
Stumps,

You need the plastic model buttons that goes by every knife. Contact Larry Oden, he may have some available......there is a liner for the same era that has 9 300 model slots and two slots for the 110/112. 300Bucks
 
300Bucks said:
Stumps,

You need the plastic model buttons that goes by every knife. Contact Larry Oden, he may have some available......there is a liner for the same era that has 9 300 model slots and two slots for the 110/112. 300Bucks
Click to expand...

Thanks 330Bucks....I will see if Larry has any.

I have seen the cases for the 300 series. I have quite a few different 300 series knives, but am not really up on the years each was made. I know I have some of the older ones, so I'm going to have to start figuring out some of their vintages.


DeSotoSky said:
I found one in a flea market earlier this year. It was a lucky day.

BuckCounterTopDisplayCase021812002a.jpg
Click to expand...

That's what I'm looking to do!! Very nice!! :thumbup::thumbup:

Unless I hear differently from someone that knows more, I'm going to go with the early 1970's knives for the case I got today.

Maybe this will inspire me to get my other two display cases out and get them in shape to display some knives. I need a glass top for one and a velvet liner for the other. Other than that, they are in pretty nice shape.
 
Last edited:
Stumps & Desoto,

Your placement is spot on. Here is a scan of a 70's Buck display as taken from an old Knife book from the 70's.

This display photo was copied from the book "The Gun Digest Book of Knives", by B. R. Hughes and Jack Lewis, Copyright 1973.
BuckDisplay.jpg

jb4570
 
jb4570 said:
Stumps & Desoto,

Your placement is spot on. Here is a scan of a 70's Buck display as taken from an old Knife book from the 70's.

This display photo was copied from the book "The Gun Digest Book of Knives", by B. R. Hughes and Jack Lewis, Copyright 1973.
BuckDisplay.jpg

jb4570
Click to expand...

Now that's what I thought this display should look like, with the 307, but I've got hand written notes saying the 107 goes in the diagonal slot. Odds are I was talking & writing and wrote it wrong

000_2331.jpg
 
Roger
One thing I noticed is that although you have the 303 with scale pins, you are missing the 301 and 305 with scale pins...

and Stumps you are missing the 305 with scale pins as well
 
mbjannusch said:
Roger
One thing I noticed is that although you have the 303 with scale pins, you are missing the 301 and 305 with scale pins...
and Stumps you are missing the 305 with scale pins as well
Click to expand...

You have an eagle eye Matt. The picture was taken the day I brought the display home and was anxious to grab whatever was on hand to give the case a quick test drive.

There is a shortage of empty "horizontal" space in the "man" approved areas of the house (ie basement) and currently the display is stored in a box. I'm toying with making an alternate interior board and rotating the plaque 180degrees and using the display in an upright position.
 
I had to do some digging, but most all the display images of display cases remained the same throughout the 1970's catalogs. In the 1980 catalog is the first pictured image of a display case with the diagonal slot, and it's shown with a 107 in it. I just had to be sure I'm not totally crazy:D

001-9.jpg

002-6.jpg

003-5.jpg
 
mbjannusch said:
Roger
One thing I noticed is that although you have the 303 with scale pins, you are missing the 301 and 305 with scale pins...

and Stumps you are missing the 305 with scale pins as well
Click to expand...

Matt....do you think that is a spot for a 305 and not a 309?? I have tried both and the 309 seems to be a better fit. I ask because I'm not even sure the 309 was made in the early 1970's. You may be right though when you look at Scott's picture below. The knife seems to be small enough to be a 305 in that picture and I know I have a couple 305's from that time period.

jb4570 said:
Stumps & Desoto,

Your placement is spot on. Here is a scan of a 70's Buck display as taken from an old Knife book from the 70's.

This display photo was copied from the book "The Gun Digest Book of Knives", by B. R. Hughes and Jack Lewis, Copyright 1973.
BuckDisplay.jpg

jb4570
Click to expand...

Thanks JB!! I see that the spot where I have a 309 and that Matt says it might be for a 305 is empty in the picture you posted. Another mystery, although it does look like Matt is right because that spot looks like it has a 305 in it and not a 309 in the picture that Scott posted below.

Scott Hartman said:
I had to do some digging, but most all the display images of display cases remained the same throughout the 1970's catalogs. In the 1980 catalog is the first pictured image of a display case with the diagonal slot, and it's shown with a 107 in it. I just had to be sure I'm not totally crazy:D

001-9.jpg
Click to expand...

Excellent!! Thanks!! You have proven to all the Buckaroos that indeed you are not "totally" crazy. :p

This doesn't seem to be what I have here though. I found one of my 107's and tried it in my new case. The blade of the 107 laps over the blade of the 105 and the bolster of the 309. I am guessing mine really was made for a 307 in that spot although I'm not sure because now I think I'm going crazy. I would never have made a good detective. :)
 
300Bucks said:
305 - 1968 start
309 - 1971 start

300
Click to expand...

Thank you 300Bucks!! :thumbup::thumbup:

I decided to go with a pinned 309 to place in the spot in question. It seems to be the right period and fit for the case I have. Now I have to see if I have one of those buggers. I'm sure I have all the rest of the knives that fit in the case for the early 1970's.
 
Stumps,

1971 309, Scale Rivets, Tang says BUCK, Made In U.S.A., Model number on reverse, 2 brass liners, one spring. You know I am not sure I even have one of those.......300
 
Boy this thread went away quickly. I was hoping to see the results of the final decisions. Did you figure out which 305 you had and which knife went into the horizontal space?

Craig I hate to question the 300 God but the 309 never came with scale rivets, it made its first appearance from '72-'74, and had the tang that says BUCK, Made In U.S.A., Model number on reverse, 2 brass liners, one spring, and was a Camillus manufactured knife. I have one if you want to see it;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top