All About Pocket Knives

Why is the Buck sheepsfoot opposite to the main blade instead of beside it like other brands?
Do you think it's a good idea? Why don't other brands do the same?

I don't know the answer exactly but I believe Buck made that change when they switched from two backsprings to three.

Here's an example. The backspring change on the three blade 700 series was made mid 1986. The 703 on top is a two spring before the change and the 703 on bottom is a three spring after the change. Both knives are dated 1986.

It might have been the same for the 300 series but I don't know that for a fact.

The change was made when Buck transitioned to three spring construction for Stockman knives. As I remember it was done to allow the Sheepfoot to be opened with the right thumbnail by right handed people (per blade alignment when you flip the knife over). Schrade accomplished this on their 897UH by making the Sheepfoot stand up high, but Buck flipped the orientation. Don't know if that is true or not, but that is what I have read - maybe 300BUCKS will chime in - he is the Buck 300 expert. OH

That makes sense OH but now I'm wondering why the sheepsfoot was given this preference over the spey blade. Probably because it's used more than the spey?

I think 300bucks did a timeline for 301 that shows the changes. Somewhere on this forum or another.

I heard rumor that the 301 might be added to the Buck Custom shop. That would be sweet!

[quote="supratentorial

I heard rumor that the 301 might be added to the Buck Custom shop. That would be sweet![/quote]


Yes it would!! NICE!!! Count me in on thisun!!! John

Buck switched from two springs to three for the 300 series in 1988. With the two spring design, the main clip blade was separated from the sheepsfoot and spay by a spacer. The two secondary blades were bent or crinked so they would bypass when closed.With the three spring configuration, there is no spacer. Each of the three springs has a spacer end and a pivot end and two spacer ends can not be next to each other. The sheepsfoot blade has to be on the center spring. Because the sheepsfoot is wider than the spay it would cover the spay in the closed position if the spay was the center blade. Since the sheepsfoot has to be in the center, it also has to pivot from the opposite pivot of the clip blade. The photo shows the orientation for the three spring design.

Bert

Great explanation, Bert. Thanks for the info.

Railsplitter wrote:Great explanation, Bert. Thanks for the info.

Ditto on that.
I hadn't considered that the sheepsfoot is a wider blade and now with two spacer ends on either side and with its own bolster, the sheepsfoot blade must be the strongest blade in the knife. I don't think the pen or Spey blades need that degree of seating stability.
("seating stability" the words I end up using to explain myself!!!)
I think that alteration must give Buck an edge over the competition but obviously not worth it for the other brands.