yaughtsman (?)

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rural57

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Jan 2, 2013
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Buck used to make a heck of a useful knife the Yaughtsman. A stout rope cutting blade and a folding. marlinspike. Does Buck have anything comparable ? . Marlinspike picked knots in ropes , broke ice , picked rocks and muck out of hooves .
 
I think the closest knife/tool Buck makes is the X-Tract. No they don't make the style you described anymore. Remember Buck has a large market to compete with and my generation(X) is into Spring assist flippers and new stainless steel that are lightweight and tactical. I love the older knives myself and love collecting older stuff. :)
 
Like they said above, Buck use to have its name on a marlinspike style folding knife. They are not made by Buck currently, at the time they weren't made by Buck either. They were a near copy of a Camillus Marlinspike knife with Buck scales, shield and bolsters. BUT, they carried Bucks lifetime warranty. They currently are priced like collectors items, unless you run across one at a flea market or garage sale. I don't have direct knowledge but I will bet a quarter that if you send one in with a broken blade for warranty replacement you will only be offered a new knife of another type.

Since it sounds like you use a knife with a marlinspike frequently I would go to that big auction site on the Bay and search Yachtsman knives. A Buck will appear as will its brothers from the past. You might also try Smokey Mountain Knife Works online store to get some idea of the value the Bucks are worth if you find one flea marketing..

Some of the fancy salt water sailing Marlinspike knives are resistant to salt water but command a high price. 300Bucks
 
I kind of thought you kept up w/ David's offerings. He sails, likes water and would find a marlinspike useful. DM
 
Here are a couple of Buck's older rigging knives (Both are Buck #315, although one or both were possibly made by Camillus.) along with a Victorinox 'Helmsman', with it's skeletonized marlinspike, and a real Japaneese Myerchin and a lesser expensive PRC-made variation. The Vic has a thicker variant - the 'Skipper' - with a wine corkscrew and pliers. Both Vics and the PRC Myerchin have serrated blades, while the others are plain. The old Buck 315 models are available on the secondary market, while all the others shown were found moments ago on my first stop - AMAZON. Try your favorite knife source - or boating store.

IMG_4131.jpg


I was in the USN for almost four years ('69-'72) and recalled the 'cool' knives, Marlinspikes, and fids the boats carried with them. As an electronics tech, I carried nothing! I thought about those knives when I owned a San Juan 21 sailboat from '81-'90, but didn't have one until I started collecting them years later. I can no longer afford a boat - but I can afford the knives now... go figure!

Stainz

PS Another decent riggers knife appears to be marketed under the old Camillus name now - in VG10 steel - and made in China - ~$32-$40.
 
The reason the marlinspike on the Victorinox Helmsman is skeletonized is that the tapered slot is a shackle wrench.
 
300Bucks has a photo showing all the variations of the 315 (six of them I believe - all made by Camillus). I own one, the final variation (circa 88 - 98). OH

Buck_315_Ver-6_mark_side_opt.jpg
 
Here's old photo, but was easy to find.

These are the most common. Two with bolsters; oldest one says Made In USA on tang other says BUCK, 315, USA...Other two are newer bolster-less, oldest one has hidden scale rivets and solid spring. Camillus had same bolster-less model but with Camillus stamped tang and partially serrated blade
 
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