All About Pocket Knives

I acquired this 119 several years ago and have not seen another with the anodized blade. The 3 line date code indicstes 72-86 which puts it in the time frame for the Vietnam war. Could this have been an issue or available in the PX? The Buck historian hasn't been much help. Someone replaced the handle with body putty! so I'll be sending it to Buck for proper repair. Any info on this knife would be appreciated.

Never issued. I think whoever did the handle darkened the blade. Anodizing is done on aluminum, not steel which is usually blued or parkerized and the dark finish on your knife was not done at the factory. Might be cheaper to just buy a nice condition example than pay Buck for repair, these are not scarce.

How do you darken a blade?

What would be the correct sheath for this knife?

The standard Buck black fold over sheath is what it came with. If you just look up your knife on ebay you will see plenty of them with original sheaths. It is easy to darken steel. Just cutting an apple and leaving the juice on carbon steel blades will cause them to darken and other natural fruit juices will do the same, they have acid which makes a "patina" on the metal. I work metal and have some patina chemicals for turning brass and copper brown, green, or black and one for turning silver black. The one to turn silver black also works well turning steel black as well, I have used it in trials on knives, it makes them a matte black finish. Anodizing is an electrical process (base word anode) and is used on aluminum to impart a corrosion proof coating. Blueing (like on gun barrels) can be blue, purple, brown, or black and is actually a chemically induced "rust" or oxide which prevents further rust from forming easily as long as the finish is oiled occasionally. Many old knives have black or grey looking patina just from use. I can turn any carbon steel knife blade black in about twenty minutes with my silver patina solution. Many of these chemicals are easily obtained from gun finishing supply companies. Most are simple to use and anybody can do it. Your knife is also missing the black spacer between the two aluminum parts of the guard and to properly replace that part it would be necessary to remove the pommel, handle, and the first part of the guard, not a cheap fix.

Here's a replacement sheath directly from Buck. $40. I'm very surprised they make these as they look just like the original that came with that knife. I hope there are some type of markings on it (maybe a date), that would distinguish it from an original from that era.


https://www.buckknives.com/product/119- ... 19-05-BK6/

____________
Mike

I just looked up 119s on ebay and it seems the fold over sheath was an early edition which changed to one with a wide wrap around keeper strap. I do not know when the change occurred. Looking under "sold items" there have been many 119s in very nice condition with proper sheaths that have sold for $25-$40. Most likely less than getting the one here repaired and buying a sheath. There are also used sheaths on ebay in nice condition for a lot less than the forty bucks Buck wants.

Gunsil wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 11:08 pm I just looked up 119s on ebay and it seems the fold over sheath was an early edition which changed to one with a wide wrap around keeper strap. I do not know when the change occurred. Looking under "sold items" there have been many 119s in very nice condition with proper sheaths that have sold for $25-$40. Most likely less than getting the one here repaired and buying a sheath. There are also used sheaths on ebay in nice condition for a lot less than the forty bucks Buck wants.

Excellent and accurate advice. Take it to the bank... er... ebay, maybe. Meanwhile, I hated it when BUCK abandoned those flap-over sheaths and replaced them with the crap side strap kind. They never heard of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The old ones were the most functionally perfect (not fancy) sheaths ever. Just my never-humble-opinion.

tongueriver wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2020 12:08 am

Gunsil wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 11:08 pm I just looked up 119s on ebay and it seems the fold over sheath was an early edition which changed to one with a wide wrap around keeper strap. I do not know when the change occurred. Looking under "sold items" there have been many 119s in very nice condition with proper sheaths that have sold for $25-$40. Most likely less than getting the one here repaired and buying a sheath. There are also used sheaths on ebay in nice condition for a lot less than the forty bucks Buck wants.

Excellent and accurate advice. Take it to the bank... er... ebay, maybe. Meanwhile, I hated it when BUCK abandoned those flap-over sheaths and replaced them with the crap side strap kind. They never heard of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The old ones were the most functionally perfect (not fancy) sheaths ever. Just my never-humble-opinion.

Bean counter issue - some financial whiz-kid said "Hey, you know you can save "$X" on each sheath if you do THIS."

Not sure about that hypothesis Wayne. It looks to me that the flap over was easier (less labor and parts) to make than the wide keeper sheath. I'm thinking some folks just didn't like the flap over version and change was just for change sake.

I like the original flap over and will be getting one for my 119 after Buck gets finished with it. I'd rather have the repair done than replace it with another just to have my original sit in a drawer.

Kindly let us know what Buck charges for such a job and let us see the "after" pics.

Gunsil wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2020 6:32 pm Kindly let us know what Buck charges for such a job and let us see the "after" pics.

Wiil do but it may be several weeks before I send it in.

The flap over sheaths are great if you are used to carrying a 110. It’s the same muscle memory opening the sheath and drawing the knife.

But honestly I don’t like any of the factory sheaths. The blades all rattle and the leather is thin. I like sheaths made like KA-BAR sheaths. Stitched all the way around with a belt loop not just 2 cuts. If I was to carry a 119 it would be in a KA-BAR sheath. You can find them for around $15.

Actually the Buck 124 Sheath is very nice too.

eveled wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2020 10:51 pm The flap over sheaths are great if you are used to carrying a 110. It’s the same muscle memory opening the sheath and drawing the knife.

But honestly I don’t like any of the factory sheaths. The blades all rattle and the leather is thin. I like sheaths made like KA-BAR sheaths. Stitched all the way around with a belt loop not just 2 cuts. If I was to carry a 119 it would be in a KA-BAR sheath. You can find them for around $15.

Actually the Buck 124 Sheath is very nice too.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check them out.

This is the only picture I have. It’s a factory KA-BAR sheath $10 on Amazon. I even use it for my model 1 Randall.

Don’t order one until I can post a picture with a 119 in it. I’ll be home in a hour or so.

eveled wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2020 11:40 pm This is the only picture I have. It’s a factory KA-BAR sheath $10 on Amazon. I even use it for my model 1 Randall.

Don’t order one until I can post a picture with a 119 in it. I’ll be home in a hour or so. DD634533-FA1E-413C-87A2-38E02BE1C1AE.jpeg

I have just been looking at them online.

The 119 fits good in the KA-BAR sheath. With about an inch to spare. The 120 is a perfect fit.

The 119 fits perfect in this TripleK sheath. But it’s more expensive. But a very nice sheath.

eveled wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2020 1:39 am The 119 fits good in the KA-BAR sheath. With about an inch to spare. The 120 is a perfect fit.

The 119 fits perfect in this TripleK sheath. But it’s more expensive. But a very nice sheath. 13B6DD75-BF95-4F31-9F2B-2FD09E4AA42B.jpeg4F1B660B-79EB-4B4E-8BC7-89E32E6A43D4.jpeg1FB6FCAD-819D-4EEA-9D50-A191C1EA2817.jpeg701E0E8B-BE42-4832-88FD-D89E13EEC771.jpeg86D849D4-8B88-49C8-AB60-E882A4BFC471.jpeg

That Triple K is very nice!

Thanks.
These 4 sheaths are all perfect for my needs. I just like the design and how they carry. 7”,6”,5”&4” One of these days I’m going to add drain holes to the triplek sheaths. I usually use a spent .22lr case and a hammer.

If I have a custom sheath made it would still be this basic design.

Very nice indeed!

Chayes wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 8:36 pmWhat would be the correct sheath for this knife?

Your knife can be dated specifically to 1972. 1972 was the first year for the 3-line tang stamp. The stamp was inverted, switching to upright in 1973. As already said, the original sheath would be a holster style (flap over). I think 2 different sheaths, denoted by the style of rivet used on the belt loop could be period correct. Earlier being a large smooth headed black rivet on the base of the belt loop but more common and later, a small dimpled rivet, the style that was used thru the rest of the 70's on the 3-line upright knives.

Personal opinion,"Can't make a silk purse from a sows ear", find a better one.