Buck 120 General ?s

T

tecolote

Joined
Jun 22, 2006
Messages
24
When was the buck 120 General introduced and what type of sheath did it have?

Thanks in advance.

Tecolote
 
gee long time ago!!!
they made a 120 back in 47 i think!!
as buck knives inc they made then in 61 when the company started as major company.fold over top sheath..
some of the fixed blades nuts can give more data!
stand by .. scott? any one?
i am out of my pool of knolage here!!
 
Yeah, the first ones were chipped out of flint around a campfire when Dave was just a young man.

Sheath from brontosaurus tail.

:D
 
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No, wait.....it wan't 1661
it were
1961 like dave sed.
I thinnk.
Of the modren day ones.
 
Dave334 is mostly correct. The 120s in one form or another were available prior to Buck's incorporation in April of 1961. The first to be offered after incorporation was the Barrel Nut 120. I think I disagree with Dave concerning the sheath. The flap overs came a little later.

I include a picture of a 1961 Barrel Nut 120 and its correct sheath.
Hopefully that answers your question.



Telechronos:):):)
 
I'd say Tele's got it . As my notes seem to indicate the barrel nut models are 1961 with that sheath . Later 1963 the pinned handles and the over flap sheath . Even Pat Donovan's (whom I've met and respect) article on the 120 in Sept. 06 issue of Buck collectors agrees w/ the stated info.. Then as he indicated a knife similar to the 120 just not that model # dates back to the 40's . So, thanks guys for the info. on the 120 .
DM
 
Ed, Thanks for showing us your 120's . The knives look to be 1980's, the black sheath may be late 70's the tan one looks like one I saw at the Buck 20yr. reunion and was marked, "Buck Custom" . DM
 
DM the tan one is a custom, it is marked on the back side in the second picture. Ed what was custom about that 120? I have one ingraved in the handle, PEERLESS EAGLE COAL COMPANY " 0 VIOLATIONS" FIRST QUARTER 1988, it is a three line no year date 120 knife. Found it in an atique shop, all most passed on it. Did let it sit there for a year befor buying it though! The sellar had several 120's for sell at that time. Wound up buying three 120's, and two 124's from him. Still have one of the 124,s, let the other go to a Buck brother. HL
 
see tecolote i told you the ones with deep knowledge would be right along!;)

BG42EDGE said:
Yeah, the first ones were chipped out of flint around a campfire when Dave was just a young man.
Sheath from brontosaurus tail. jest so happens i do have a chipped flint 110!
shussssss!.... they dont know how old i am since i had the face lift!:D
Click to expand...
 
LOL!

One thing I know for sure......Dave had the answer right from the get-go. The only addition was a little more info on the correct sheath.

So......the old brain must still be about as sharp as a brand-new Buck!

:thumbup:
 
Telechronos said:
Dave334 is mostly correct. The 120s in one form or another were available prior to Buck's incorporation in April of 1961. The first to be offered after incorporation was the Barrel Nut 120.
Click to expand...

Now that begs clarification...Is the OP looking for the first instance that the knife we know as the "120 General" was officially called that??? Or is he looking for the first instance that knife appeared (regardless of what it was called)??? :confused:

The 119 was originally available in several different blade lengths; there is a pic on this Forum [somewhere] of the old Buck catalog showing the 119 and listing the longer blade lengths...7", 8", 10" (IIRC)...

There was a thread that discussed the evolution of the "120 General" from this optional long bladed 119...(The seven inch plus blade was so popular that Buck made it a production knife)...

My memory is getting vague...But I believe these threads were in the last 18 months...maybe 24...If someone were to do a Search... :)

...Or maybe it was just a dream...but most of my dreams have Heather Locklear in them... :p
 
Telechronos said:
Dave334 is mostly correct. The 120s in one form or another were available prior to Buck's incorporation in April of 1961. The first to be offered after incorporation was the Barrel Nut 120. I think I disagree with Dave concerning the sheath. The flap overs came a little later.

I include a picture of a 1961 Barrel Nut 120 and its correct sheath.
Hopefully that answers your question.



Telechronos:):):)
Click to expand...

Telechronos, nice pic of a nice knife:thumbup:

Trax, my memory is as bad as yours, I recall the same thing:eek: $2 extra per inch, for each inch added to the Special(119),... wish I could pull that off now:D
 
This is an old pic of my early 1961 General(Leroy has it lookin better now)
000_3286.jpg
 
I know that my 120 pictured above is a barrel nut. I also am certain that Scott's is a barrel nut. Scott's however is older than mine since it has leather spacers and mine has the red spacers. I attach a pic of one of the first pinned pommel 120s which also has the red spacers.



Now the question---was Scott's 120 made before or after Buck's incorporation in April of 1961? Is it one of the extended 119s?

Telechronos:):):)
 
Telechronos said:
Now the question---was Scott's 120 made before or after Buck's incorporation in April of 1961? Is it one of the extended 119s?
Click to expand...

BTW: There was a pic of a ridiculously extended 119 in one of those aforementioned threads...maybe Scott remembers how long it was... :p

I've often mused about the name of the 120...the 119 came first, and was called the "Special"...Then, when the 120 was offered, it was called the "General"...I'm sure most people think Buck named it after the highest officer's rank, but was it really a tongue-in-cheek "opposite name" of the 119??? As in "The 119 is for Special jobs; but the 120 is for General work"...

(I've also wondered why the Japanese have to have a name for everything...A giant lizard menaces Japan; they immediately name it Godzilla...A giant flying insect; Mothra...A giant spinning turtle...I don't know the name for that one...but they had a name for it)... :D

Hmmm...I see that Buck made a "Special Centennial"...

119CEN.jpg


Centennial "100 Years". 6" blade with 24K Gold plated "100" laser cut through. 10 1/2" overall length. Weighs 10.5 oz. Handle is Palm-wood (exotic wood found in the south seas), Includes a black leather sheath, limited edition box.
 
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