Which Buck did I have?

F

fahrout

Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
2
Hi, Guys:

I'm looking for some help in identifying a knife that exists now only in my memory. Here's my story...

I purchased two of the same model Buck knife back in the 1960s. They were purchased separately, I don't remember if I bought them before or after 1966, but definitely remember them as being two of my most prized possessions. I kept both of them for probably 10-15 years until someone decided to relieve me of them in the middle of the night.

I continued to look for replacements for a number of years but never found the same knife again. I've spent many hours researching old Buck knives but still haven't found the exact knife, or at the least the knife that my old brain remembers.

Here's what I feel I know for sure:

1) It most definitely was a Buck knife.

2) From what I've seen in photos, it was probably a 3-blade Stockman or at least the size of a Stockman (about 4 inches closed) with black (phenolite?) sides. I say "probably" because I remember it as being ever so slightly wider or "beefier."

3) As I recall, the sides or slabs were not slightly recessed or "dished" like a Stockman but had a more "rounded" profile. The finish was mottled or pebbled instead of being smooth, polished, or with "saw cut" marks.

That's about it. I freely admit that my memories may be faulty and would welcome anyone telling me so. Does anybody have any ideas?

Thanks!
 
If it was a stockman, then at 4" closed, it sounds like it would be a 301? (Correct me if i'm wrong please)
Otherwise, the smaller stockman that buck makes is a 303 and is about 3-1/4" long.
 
Well, Buck wasn't making pocket knives themselves in the 60's. They contracted with Schrade for the 301 & 303 from about 67-69, and then with Camillus after that. I've only seen the 301 Stockman in the black sawcut handle from that period. Other models didn't join the lineup until the early 70's. How good is your memory really? Another possibility would be a larger stockman called the 307 Wrangler. It is about 1/4" longer than the 301 Stockman and quite a bit beefier in the handles. The 307 Wrangler doesn't appear on the scene until late 1971 and was also made for Buck by Camillus. Black sawcut handels were also standard on that knife but I guess there may have possibly been some jigged bone. Hopefully our 300 expert Craig will chime in.
 
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Catching up here,

Well, whatever it was if the scales were black in color back then they had to be 'sawcut' texture not pebble grain. If your timeline is close they may have been Schrade made Stockmen, with three brass rivets in the black sawcut scales.

The only pebble grain folder made near that time was the old lifeboat single blade knives, most of which still had a bail loop on the end.

Lets see about photos. After that who knows from your description, it would have to be a custom rescale nothing factory was made as you describe. Since there were two alike, it is not likely a early custom made stockman like folder by one of the two Buck brothers working at that time. 300

Here's a old photo of Schrade 301's, this shake up any memory. In this photo it's not shown well but all have grooved scales called 'sawcut'. Some of them appear smooth, from arms length and in bad light.



This picture is not your knife (is a Schrade model 303) but is shown in close-up so you can see the sawcut texture of the black delrin scales.


The only old pebble grain folder made early in the timeline is this re-blade WWII single blade 'lifeboat' knife, the next factory 'pebble' grain scale did not show up till the late 80's.. For this one pictured Mr. Buck removed the blade in his workshop in San Diego and replaced it with one of his hand forged blades. The scales were your "pebble grain" but were usually brown rather than black. I will make a guess this is not what you are talking about so that I don't have to tell you how valuable they would be today if you still owned them....
 
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Tcha, David, some People come, leave a question
and go and never come back. Let's see what Fahrout
will do.

Haebbie
 
Hi, Guys...I know I'm late with my response, but you folks are fantastic. All the photos brought back memories, and I'm thinking it was, indeed, a Buck 301. I'm going to continue studying all your replies until a light bulb finally goes off. Thanks again!
 
In the meantime buy a Buck 301 and a 303 - pocket them each for a week or two - that should aide in assisting your memory! Even if you can't lock onto the perfect memory you will have a couple of great EDC pocketknives. OH
 
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