Buck knife Model 117 Life Boat Knife ????

[dhumphrey12]

Hi, I need help!!! Can anyone verify that this is a Model 117 Life Boat Knife for me.
I will attach photos of it. If it is, is this really the first Buck Knife, and what is its value?

Thanks all....

[tjmurphy]

Can't speak to it's being the first Buck knife, but if it is a life-boat knife, someone has re-profiled the blade. I am thinking that the life boat knives has a rounded tip to prevent puncturing the raft. Probably wrong in that thinking, but that's what's in the back of my mind.

[dhumphrey12]

I found this post by 300 Bucks, it says he is a gold member this is his post about the knife
and he has a picture of the exact knife I have, there was also another one I found that did have
a rounded edge to it. This is why I am asking for help, I suppose it does say the blade had been replaced with a Buck made blade. You are right, blade had been replaced. Now I would like to know
of its value if you know that would be great.

This was his post:

The First Buck Made Slipjoint Knife.

We like to call the Model 117 , lifeboat knife with replaced Buck made blade, as the first Buck slipjoint.

[philco]

I won't dispute 300Bucks because he knows Buck better than most anyone here on AAPK. I think what he meant by that statement was that that knife was Bucks first slipjoint (folding) knife. Buck started out making fixed blades.

Cool knife by the way.

Phil

[dhumphrey12]

Thanks so much, but can you tell me what its value is ?

[dhumphrey12]

There is a gun show in town here where I live tomorrow, I hope someone there will be to
help with the task of authenticating this knife. I did find out that there are very few of them made. Interesting story behind the knife.
In 1946 they made the first Buck folding knife Model 117, actually he just made the blades and put them into handles from war surplus life boat knifes.
Wish me Luck....

[dhumphrey12]

Went to the gun show today, and many gun and knife dealers looked at the knife and they
all agree it is authentic, but with condition issues of course. Over all with every ones help
I received the answers to my questions. I go to many auctions and
estate sales its always helpful to get information from the folks that know best
Thanks to you all!!!!

[orvet]

Amazing knife! I have only seen one other one like it. I saw it at the Buck display at the OKCA (Oregon Knife Collectors Association) show a few years ago. I had a picture of it but cannot find it this morning.

It seems when Buck was getting stared (IIRC it was in the time of Hoyt Buck) they ran ads in magazines that they would put a blade in any knife for $5.
That frame is from a Camillus lifeboat or life raft knife. The blade with the BUCK stamp is the blade that Buck put in that frame as a replacement.

Joe Houser in the Buck forum can confirm this info.
I will transfer this thread to the Buck forum.
Perhaps Joe has a picture of the knife in their display or can get one.

[dhumphrey12]

Wow amazing!! Thanks this is the best information yet, there were so many people where I bought this knife and it was just sitting there by itself, nobody seemed interested in it. Just goes to show you there are still treasures out there.

[300Bucks]

The Bay is a watched site for sure. The 117 has been up only a day or so.

Ok, Lets clear this up.

The knife pictured is considered a model 117. Buck knives was basically just a small shed operation at the time it was created, grinding fixed blade knives from old files, some of them from the Naval Ship Yards of San Diego, CA. They purchased a small batch of lifeboat knives from post war surplus sales and rebladed them with a Buck made and marked blades. The blades were hand ground and heat treated.
There is some tiny variation in blade markings in the four I have seen. All have brass pivot pins, as does this knife. BUT, be careful there have been fakes made in past. WHY ?? you ask because if this old beat up knife doesn't sell for $150 or higher (especially since it is getting play on two forums) I will kiss my foot. One in really good shape sold for over $350.
To my eye and a couple of others who have studied these, this is the real deal. Very few were made, likely no more than a couple dozen (my guess) still are out there hiding in old sock drawers.
I first thought I wanted one and was willing to pay the high cost. I have settled in to using my money for the holes in my more modern (70s and 80s)collection. So if you want an example of the very first Buck folding knife get out your coinage and let'er rip the bay.

300Bucks

[Miller Bro's]

Post a link to the auction

[300Bucks]

I am embarassed to say I don't know if that is allowed, at other forums it's not. But;

Look under: Buck, vintage, pre-1970 and see if you don't see it. Posted up on the 16 th I think.

300

[tjmurphy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/1946-Vintage-Buck-F ... 3f0bfd2a9b

[Miller Bro's]

TJ

I am embarassed to say I don't know if that is allowed, at other forums it's not.

Why not

[tjmurphy]

This is a picture that Trail posted in the Camillus thread. Looks to be the same frame and handles:

Camillus detail_rope_from_1946.jpg (14.68 KiB) Viewed 3328 times