What Does the Date on the Box Signify - As Opposed to the Tang Stamp Date Code?

[Vaporstang]

On 2/13/2020 I ordered the BOTM 55. As part of a promotion, any order over $100 received a free Buck 110 LT. I received both knives on 2/24/2020. I was looking at the 110 LT tonight and realized the date on the box is 2/19/2020. The LT's tang stamp has a date code of 2017.

Does this mean that the blade was made in 2017 and the knife assembled on 2/19/2020? The knife was assembled in 2017 and grabbed off the shelf on 2/19/2020.? Etc.?

Summary:
Ordered 13Feb2020
Box Date 19Feb2020
Received 24Feb2020
Tang Stamp Date Code 2017

I did a search here and found some stuff touching on this, but nothing definitive. (There were a lot of "rabbit trails" though - LOL) Thanks!

 

[Your Name Goes Here]

On 2/13/2020 I ordered the BOTM 55. As part of a promotion, any order over $100 received a free Buck 110 LT. I received both knives on 2/24/2020. I was looking at the 110 LT tonight and realized the date on the box is 2/19/2020. The LT's tang stamp has a date code of 2017.

Does this mean that the blade was made in 2017 and the knife assembled on 2/19/2020? The knife was assembled in 2017 and grabbed off the shelf on 2/19/2020.? Etc.?

Summary:
Ordered 13Feb2020
Box Date 19Feb2020
Received 24Feb2020
Tang Stamp Date Code 2017

I did a search here and found some stuff touching on this, but nothing definitive. (There were a lot of "rabbit trails" though - LOL) Thanks!

From my experience, the date code on the blade and the date code on the box don't always match - this is common when buying Buck factory direct.

The date code on the blade is when the blade was made. The actual year the knife was assembled can be different from the date code on the blade (for example, limited editions / build outs).

As for the difference, blade vs box dates, I assume the date on the box is when the actual knife is assembled (or just sold by Buck).

Others on this forum, way more knowledgeable than me, will hopefully give the full correct story.

 

[DeSotoSky]

This sounds like a question for our moderator to chime in on.
Good question to post here Vaporstang, I've wondered about this myself.

 

[guy g]

To the best of my experience , Buck will use existing blades until they are gone . Resulting in over lap of years.
They also use old handles with new blades. It can be a interesting collection area.

 

[caquino]

This sounds like a question for our moderator to chime in on.
Good question to post here Vaporstang, I've wondered about this myself.

Yes indeed... curious minds would like to know.

I've run into the situation where I've purchased an unfamiliar model Buck knife on the secondary market and wanted to know more about
it. I check the date code on the blade to see what the year is, then go to the BCCI website and pull up the Buck catalogs and look at
the catalog for the year of the date stamp.. and the knife is not in that catalog.

I then look at the follow year catalog and there it is.

 

[jbmonkey]

I'm assuming the date on the blade is when it was stamped out...date on the box was when it got stuck in the box......would like to hear how it really works from Jeff too......

 

[bucksway]

Build outs from the past throw a wrench in the whole dating game..

 

[J Hubbard]

The date on the Box is the date we boxed it up.

 

[DeSotoSky]

J J Hubbard Would I assume correctly that with the the lean manfucturing model is it close to the build date?

 

[J Hubbard]

J J Hubbard Would I assume correctly that with the the lean manfucturing model is it close to the build date?

Fairly close, but can't promise how close.

 

[Vaporstang]

Thanks for the responses!