What was the last knife made for Buck by Camillus?

DeSotoSky · Dec 28, 2011

The thread "When is a Buck not a Buck?" got me thinking. Buck had a long history of collaboration with Camillus spanning almost 3 decades from the early 70's to at least 2000 with the issue of the Millenium Trapper. Was the Millinium Trapper the last knife made for Buck by Camillus?

David Martin · Dec 28, 2011

300 will know more. Yet, I'm sure Camillus began producing Buck Knives in 1969 with the 305 Lancer. Buck began to phase out Camillus made slip locks bringing them to the Buck factory in 1984. With the 301, 303, 305 and 309. You show a nice model and he (300) has some of those. DM

sitflyer · Dec 28, 2011

First time I've seen this model DeSoto...
Very nice! :thumbup:

300Bucks · Dec 29, 2011

The answer to DeSoto is- you are correct....

With one Caveat, you know exception - if I were a lawyer I might say the knives assembled by Camillus from leftover parts as the factory closed would be the last, lawyer wise that is.

Of which some were Millinium Trappers, some 307s and some 301's with odd shields that were deeply stamped BUCK. And maybe others.

But I declare, the Millinium trapper with scale medallions and printed blades to be the last legal issue.
300

mbjannusch · Dec 29, 2011

The first Camillus made knife was the 305 dating 1968-71

hkingdom · Dec 29, 2011

300Bucks said:
The answer to DeSoto is- you are correct....

With one Caveat, you know exception - if I were a lawyer I might say the knives assembled by Camillus from leftover parts as the factory closed would be the last, lawyer wise that is.

Of which some were Millinium Trappers, some 307s and some 301's with odd shields that were deeply stamped BUCK. And maybe others.

But I declare, the Millinium trapper with scale medallions and printed blades to be the last legal issue.
300

Here is a 301, as 300BUCKS describes. It is a first version stamped in three lines: SCHRADE, WALDEN, N.Y. U.S.A.

300Bucks · Dec 29, 2011

Jerry, et al,

Unless you know something I don't, which is likely, this knife would be called in my play lawyer world, one 'OF' the first model Bucks. I would call it a first model with a Schrade knife blade (so stamped) in place of the Buck stamped blade made by Schrade. It in fact may be one of the first produced but could also be one of the last. The fellows at Schrade may have run out of Buck blades and just stuck some Schrade blades in to finish the contract. Or the Buck stamped blades were late arriving from the Schrade furnaces.

Camillus was known for 'over-production' of their contract runs. Sometimes by several hundred knives...finishing up construction runs with odd stamped but similar designed blades continued even after Camillus took over. You can find crosses of 301/319 and 313/321 blades. Some knives came with correctly ink stamped special markings and other came with no markings. I have examples of this from Buck made knives also.

Other incidents of of this nature include a knife of exact specifications as a Buck 303 with the tang ground off and Camillus stamped in the tang grindings and on the shield. Was it a new shield or did they just turn over Buck shields and restamp. I have an example of one of these but don't have the heart to pry it loose and see. Just over produce the sawcut black scaled knives and stick in your ID and sell the surplus of the Buck contracted run as your own.

So as everyone sees with this discussion, you play fast and loose with 300s BUT not too fast and loose. Use examples and written records and documented discussion with Schrade, Camillus and Buck 'retirees'. Even I catch myself telling a windy now and then......

300Bucks

PS I like match strike finger grooves. Wish that would have been standard. But collects 'gunk' worse.

mbjannusch · Dec 29, 2011

The first schrade produced Buck was stamped BUCK MADE IN USA, as seen in the pictures. These are a few of the Schrade, Camillus, and Buck made 301. The lower right side of the last pic shows the first Schrade made knives and as they go up the right side and back to the lower left side and up they get newer.

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