When were the First Nickel Silver Frames?

I wonder who at Buck pushed for Nickel silver?? Was it CJ or Chuck or maybe it was a board decision? Someone at Buck had to bring the idea foward first and I'm sure it was expensive and required new tooling and processes Buck had to work out. Were other knife companies using Nickel in the 80's or earlier? I think Buck used it for hilts and butt caps for there fixed blades along with aluminum with stainless steel used in some of the smaller folders. Mr. Hubbard can you shed a little light on this topic?
 
bucksway said:
I wonder who at Buck pushed for Nickel silver?? Was it CJ or Chuck or maybe it was a board decision? Someone at Buck had to bring the idea foward first and I'm sure it was expensive and required new tooling and processes Buck had to work out. Were other knife companies using Nickel in the 80's or earlier? I think Buck used it for hilts and butt caps for there fixed blades along with aluminum with stainless steel used in some of the smaller folders. Mr. Hubbard can you shed a little light on this topic?
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Why would it take any new tooling? It's just brass with some nickle added to make it silver. And yes nickle silver has been around a long time. The Chinese developed it hundreds of years ago. The first mention of it in European literature is 1597. The Germans started producing it in 1770. According to Wikipedia, it's use became popular for pocket knife bolster around 1920.

O.B.
 
bucksway said:
I wonder who at Buck pushed for Nickel silver?? Was it CJ or Chuck or maybe it was a board decision? Someone at Buck had to bring the idea foward first and I'm sure it was expensive and required new tooling and processes Buck had to work out. Were other knife companies using Nickel in the 80's or earlier? I think Buck used it for hilts and butt caps for there fixed blades along with aluminum with stainless steel used in some of the smaller folders. Mr. Hubbard can you shed a little light on this topic?
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Yes, the question of "Whose idea?" is interesting.

It really is about time for our Mr. Hubbard to weigh in on the original question and this new one.........maybe Joe Houser, too.

Buck history is always of great interest.
 
When I was a kid I remember folks talking about nickel silver being to shinny for hunting knives or any tools being used even saw blades and such. I think that’s why they preferred carbon steel and brass as it formed a dark patina. My grandpa liked brass after it darkened. I think he also must have had a stigmatism cause he always wore dark sun glasses outside. Back then I think a lot of country folks and outdoorsmen avoided shinny metals as being to flashy or fancy for work or outdoor activities.
 
I agree with your grandpa I like patina on brass. The darker the better.

I can see nickel silver being too fancy and the old timers saying he’s a Fancy Dandy or some other nick name.

Remember too it was also called German silver so maybe it’s an ethnic pride thing?

Who knows?

On top of all that styles change. Look at how popular turquoise was at one time.
 
Well according to the BCCI LE/SO list, Herbert is right and wrong. What did he just say, well the 4 dot 110 from Buck made for DU was in a set of a NS frame 110 & a little 505 gold etched, these were issued in 1985 not 1987. There was another 110 issued in 1987 for DU with a finger grooved NS frame it was stamped with the 1987 year mark. It should be noted that Buck also issued in 1985 a 4 dot NS frame 110 with a Gary Hawk Cowboy etched blade.

 
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Forgive my sleep posting ignorance, but weren't the mid-80s slip joints there first nickel frames?

Going back to bed before crucifixion, since I should know this... or was my question rhetorical?
 
MT_Pokt said:
Forgive my sleep posting ignorance, but weren't the mid-80s slip joints there first nickel frames?
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Nope.
I have a c.1910 - c.1917 Robeson pen knife with NS bolsters. I think the liners are NS, too, but I don't have that knife with me at this phisical rehab place, so I cannot check.
 
jb4570 said:
Well according to the BCCI LE/SO list, Herbert is right and wrong. What did he just say, well the 4 dot 110 from Buck made for DU was in a set of a NS frame 110 & a little 505 gold etched, these were issued in 1985 not 1987. There was another 110 issued in 1987 for DU with a finger grooved NS frame it was stamped with the 1987 year mark. It should be noted that Buck also issued in 1985 a 4 dot NS frame 110 with a Gary Hawk Cowboy etched blade.

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Thank you, JB for correcting. You are completely right. The knife in the photo is out of the presentation box together with the 505. Issued in 1985. What i saw in the list is a 112 with four dot blade, issued 1987. But this knife has a brass frame. Sorry for confusion. But there is a question mark left. The list shows stainless steel and nickel silver for the 1985 DU 110 frame. I have no idea what that means.

Haebbie

7CF2DA7A-1480-4962-8951-51139E8AF967.jpeg
 
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Buck doesn't mill the frames. Maybe they used to but a California company machines them and ships up to them. I'm not sure if Nickel is done the same way. I would say the frames have perfect consistency.
 
bucksway said:
I wonder who at Buck pushed for Nickel silver?? Was it CJ or Chuck or maybe it was a board decision? Someone at Buck had to bring the idea foward first and I'm sure it was expensive and required new tooling and processes Buck had to work out. Were other knife companies using Nickel in the 80's or earlier? I think Buck used it for hilts and butt caps for there fixed blades along with aluminum with stainless steel used in some of the smaller folders. Mr. Hubbard can you shed a little light on this topic?
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A California company mills the brass frames then ships up to them, I'm not sure if it's always been this way.
 
Haebbie said:
Thank you, JB for correcting. You are completely right. The knife in the photo is out of the presentation box together with the 505. Issued in 1985. What i saw in the list is a 112 with four dot blade, issued 1987. But this knife has a brass frame. Sorry for confusion. But there is a question mark left. The list shows stainless steel and nickel silver for the 1985 DU 110 frame. I have no idea what that means.

Haebbie

View attachment 1198338
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Ducks Unlimited. DU
 
afishhunter said:
Nope.
I have a c.1910 - c.1917 Robeson pen knife with NS bolsters. I think the liners are NS, too, but I don't have that knife with me at this phisical rehab place, so I cannot check.
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My mistake. I thought the question was about the first nickel frames Buck made. :rolleyes:
 
MT_Pokt said:
My mistake. I thought the question was about the first nickel frames Buck made. :rolleyes:
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The original question was........

"So when did Buck introduce Nickel silver frame 110's ?? Was it available in the old Custom shop? Does anyone know for sure when the very first Nickel silver frame 112 came out?"
 
Our Official Buck Historian Joe Houser should weigh in on this.......although our unofficial historians here have done a fine job of taking it all the way back to 1985 on the 110 and 1988 on the 112.

But Joe could probably add some interesting detail.

:)
 
Makael said:
A California company mills the brass frames then ships up to them, I'm not sure if it's always been this way.
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Since 1975 the 110 has used sintered brass frames, and since the late 80s the nickel silver frames of the 300 series have been sintered metal, as well. These aren't what we would consider milled in the traditional sense of the word. The first sintered frames were done by Pacific Sintered Metals. I'm not sure, but I think they may still be the supplier.

Bert
 
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Der Verminator said:
The original question was........

"So when did Buck introduce Nickel silver frame 110's ?? Was it available in the old Custom shop? Does anyone know for sure when the very first Nickel silver frame 112 came out?"
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Thanks for clearing that up Einstein. I totally ignored the first 26 posts. :rolleyes:

One with a capacity for abstract thought might have read my post and thought: "You know what... Buck was using NS for frames on the slip joints in the mid-80's, perhaps that's when they started using it on 110s too... Perhaps I can confidently say, not before '85".
 
bertl said:
Since 1975 the 110 has used sintered brass frames, and since the late 80s the nickel silver frames of the 300 series have been sintered metal, as well. These aren't what we would consider milled in the traditional sense of the word. The first sintered frames were done by Pacific Sintered Metals. I'm not sure, but I think they may still be the supplier.

Bert
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I believe they do.
 
If I can inject another tiny bit of off topic information without being reminded what this thread is supposed to be about:

The spring holders and lock bars are sintered as well. (I would have said those parts on the 112, 55s, and 500s are as well, but this thread is about NS 110 frames and the opportunity for general information shall be ignored.)
 
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