All About Pocket Knives

Here are 2 Buck 307 Stockman pattern knives, 4 1/4" closed. Both are marked only on the master tang. One has "BUCK/Made In/U.S.A." on the front side and "307" on the rear. The other is marked only on the front side: "BUCK/307/U.S.A."
The one marked only on front tang has clearly visible blade pivot pins. On the other ones the pivot pins are not visible.
Are these both all original, not altered after leaving the factory ?
And what please are the date ranges for these ? Made by Buck ? or Camillus ?
thanks for the help in understanding these 2 knives.
kj

I can't provide any solid facts but I think the one with stamps on both sides of the tang is 1971-1974 production. I'm only making that assumption because I have a friend whose looking for one just like it. Check your PM's please, Roland.

According to this: https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... 15#p386840

The two-line Buck/U.S.A was used from 1967-1971, then the model number was added in 1971. The date marks started in 1986, so the three-line stamp would be 1971-1986.

I have a couple of Remington (Camillus) 9501 jumbo stockmans, green and yellow sawcut Delrin handles, that are basically identical to the 307. One of my 9501s has visible steel pivot pin; the other one has no visible pin (or maybe pin is same material as bolster and it just doesn't show).

The knife with 307 on the pile side of the tang is the first version of the 307 dating 1971-1974. The other knife dates 1974-1998. No Camillus contract knives had date codes—even those from 1986 until the end of production in about 1998. The 307 was always a Camillus contract knife. There is a third version made 1985-1987, which has "BUCK" spelled out on the shield, instead of the traditional hammer, knife, bolt shield.The shape of the shield for that version was a racetrack oval instead of the traditional ellipse.

The blade rivets of all 307s are visible, but sometimes they are hard to see, especially if the bolsters have been polished. Try rubbing the bolster against your pant leg and then breathing on it. That may help seeing the rivet.

Bert

Thank you guys for this help. Is it common for the '74-'98 307's to have visible pivot pins ? This is a bit unusual for a USA made knife.
kj

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:39 pm Thank you guys for this help. Is it common for the '74-'98 307's to have visible pivot pins ? This is a bit unusual for a USA made knife.
kj

Check the post I made a few minutes ago. I edited it.

Bert

Got it ! Thank you bertl. I like Buck knives because most questions actually have known correct answers. Schrade questions are often answered with "who knows", or "maybe", or "you never know".
But one good answer brings on another question:
Is the 307 the only Buck folding knife with easily visible pivot pins ? I cannot recall noticing this on other Bucks.
kj

Well, i can answer my own question because i just found the last of my Buck knives. Turns out visible pivot pins are the norm for Buck folding knives.
Here is a 310 Whittler with pearl handles: pivot pins visible.
319: pivot pins visible
two 303's: pivot pins visible
But these two folders 3 15/16"closed, 301 ? pivot pins not visible. H'mm, maybe Schrade Swinden ?
kj

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:51 pm
But one good answer brings on another question:
Is the 307 the only Buck folding knife with easily visible pivot pins ? I cannot recall noticing this on other Bucks.
kj

They all have visible pivot pins, but sometimes they aren't easily visible. The only knives in the 300 series with hidden pivot pins are the knives made by Schrade. That's the main reason Buck switched from Schrade to Camillus—the hidden pins on the Schrade knives made them impossible to repair and when there is a lifetime warranty that's not a good thing.

Bert

Thank you Bert.
This knife is likely a Schrade built knife, circa 1966-67 ?
kj

KJ, your last one is a Schrade built Buck. The Schrade 301’s have a long Blade Swedge making them easy to spot. OH

Thanks OH. Good tip. I can see that the swage goes to near the tang end of the long pull.
kj

Here is one you don't find often. It is a 1st Version Schrade 301, which was repaired with visible blade rivets. Joe Houser told me Buck only did a dozen or so of these before stopping the repair of them. It was a time consuming process and a weak repair.

Bert

That early version has grooved bolsters. Is it marked only on the master blade ? If so, according to Levine, it is the earliest of the early Schrade made 301's.
kj

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Sun Oct 13, 2019 2:49 pm That early version has grooved bolsters. Is it marked only on the master blade ? If so, according to Levine, it is the earliest of the early Schrade made 301's.
kj

It is. This version was made 1966-1967.

Bert

Here is one I bought about a year ago. It matches my 301 perfectly.

Have a blessed day,

Leon


Yeah, I learned how to post photos!

Very nice Leon - good pictures too! OH

Wow! A 307 without box and papers, which I have with mine, just sold on the "bay" for over 90 bucks. But, a 301, no box etc, sold for less than 25.00. As I learned a long time ago, the price of anything is what the market will bear.

Have a blessed day,

Leon