History of the M124 Frontiersman?

[RickJ]

I know I am fixing to get some links to other threads, but I have looked at them and all fall short. So to all the Buck experts here are a few questions about the Frontiersman. I just got two of the 2012 knives and I want to know more of the history.

1. What year did it actually come out? Hit the stores.
2. What was the reason or use for the 124? I.E Hunting knife
3. What other brand and model was it made to compete with?
4. Did the first ones look like the Nemo?
5. When did Buck start making them with full tang?
6. Have they ever been used in like a famous expedition or by NASA?

 

[oregon]

A membership in Buck Collector Club, BCCI, provides access to extensive archives on model information. The club archive is a goldmine. For a collector the archives are worth the price of admission. A lot of thoughtful people, over a great many years, have worked hard to provide this content. You might consider joining. I am a life member and I couldn't be more satisfied. My membership in BCCI makes it possible for me to find answers to many questions, including those shown above.

 

[RickJ]

A membership in Buck Collector Club, BCCI, provides access to extensive archives on model information. The club archive is a goldmine. For a collector the archives are worth the price of admission. A lot of thoughtful people, over a great many years, have worked hard to provide this content. You might consider joining. I am a life member and I couldn't be more satisfied. My membership in BCCI makes it possible for me to find answers to many questions, including those shown above.

Yes I have been thinking about that and hope to get around to it soon.

 

[David Martin]

Rick, While Oregon is correct, I'll attempt your questions. Man, nothing like an entire wish list of knowledge when it takes many years to find out all this. You should try deeper studies and reading.
#1 is late 1967 or early 68, #2 Vietnam, #3 I don't know. #4 Yes. #5 From the beginning. #6 Yes, and thats been posted. Try a BladeForum search. DM

 

[RickJ]

Rick, While Oregon is correct, I'll attempt your questions. Man, nothing like an entire wish list of knowledge when it takes many years to find out all this. You should try deeper studies and reading.
#1 is late 1967 or early 68, #2 Vietnam, #3 I don't know. #4 Yes. #5 From the beginning. #6 Yes, and thats been posted. Try a BladeForum search. DM

Thanks DM,

 

[RickJ]

Tried to find the answer to #6 but come up short, anyone know the anser to #3 and #6?

 

[Evil Eye Earl]

# 3 designed to compete as a dive knife ,no specific brand or model # that I know of.
Later as Camp and Hunting Knife
# 6 Used by the Westinghouse deep submergence vehicle in the late 60's and early 70's.

Usually presented to the recepient with their name engraved on the handle.
James Drury,Doug McClure from the TV series The Virginian (pg 54) The Story of Buck Knives by Tom Ables and Peter Hathaway Capstick received the Nemo and 124 micarta knives.

Peter H.Capstick's 124 aluminum pommel and guard micarta slabbed w/snoopy sheath sold at the Dallas Safari Club Show in 2008 for $3500.00

The first 50 Nemo's had 3" phenolic handles w/white teflon spacers marked BUCK*

 

[RickJ]

# 3 designed to compete as a dive knife ,no specific brand or model # that I know of.
Later as Camp and Hunting Knife
# 6 Used by the Westinghouse deep submergence vehicle in the late 60's and early 70's.

Usually presented to the recepient with their name engraved on the handle.
James Drury,Doug McClure from the TV series The Virginian (pg 54) The Story of Buck Knives by Tom Ables and Peter Hathaway Capstick received the Nemo and 124 micarta knives.

Peter H.Capstick's 124 aluminum pommel and guard micarta slabbed w/snoopy sheath sold at the Dallas Safari Club Show in 2008 for $3500.00

The first 50 Nemo's had 3" phenolic handles w/white teflon spacers marked BUCK*

This is all conversation guys, DM stated the knife was intended for Vietnam, so was it intended as a dive knife as the nemo or was just the Frontiersman intended as a Combat/Field knife? I know it could actually be a mix of both since the Nemo and Frontiersman could fill all those task very well.

 

[BG42EDGE]

As for your question #2......I've never heard anything to indicate that the 124 was produced for use in Vietnam, so I'd say Evil Eye has the right answer.

Maybe David M. has some backup for his statement, though, so let's give him a chance.

You might want to haunt Amazon to see if you can score a copy of "The Story of Buck Knives." Great book.

May take a while, but you can probably get one for about $25 if you keep checking.

 

[RickJ]

As for your question #2......I've never heard anything to indicate that the 124 was produced for use in Vietnam, so I'd say Evil Eye has the right answer.

Maybe David M. has some backup for his statement, though, so let's give him a chance.

You might want to haunt Amazon to see if you can score a copy of "The Story of Buck Knives." Great book.

May take a while, but you can probably get one for about $25 if you keep checking.

Guys I know it looks like I am crazy, I just like to know the thoughts that went into the purpose of a knife, It could have been designed as a robust dive/field blade that may have gotten some attention in Vietnam by our Forces over there.

 

[Evil Eye Earl]

Guys I know it looks like I am crazy, I just like to know the thoughts that went into the purpose of a knife, It could have been disigned as a robust dive/field blade that may have gotten some attention in Vietnam by our Forces over there.

Several models of BUCK knives were used in Vietnam 119,120 and 124 that I know of.
I have a 124 ,1969 that was carried by one of our Great soldiers that gave his life in South Viet-Nam in 1969

 

[BG42EDGE]

Guys I know it looks like I am crazy, I just like to know the thoughts that went into the purpose of a knife, It could have been disigned as a robust dive/field blade that may have gotten some attention in Vietnam by our Forces over there.

Well, it no doubt got some attention from our forces in Vietnam (as did the 120 and 119 and 110 and others) but your question was "What was the reason or use for the 124?"

And David Martin's answer was, "Vietnam."

Now, David may have some reason for saying that, but I've never heard that as the sole reason.

I wish the Nemo and 124 experts would chime in, because it seems to me we're talking about two different knives (especially on this "full-tang" issue).

Maybe that's contributing to some perceived confusion here.

 

[BG42EDGE]

Another interesting question would be:

If the Nemo was discontinued due to rust issues with 440C.........could the Nemo be brought back successfully with 420HC???

We've brought back the 124.....now what about the Nemo?

 

[Evil Eye Earl]

Well, it no doubt got some attention from our forces in Vietnam (as did the 120 and 119 and 110 and others) but your question was "What was the reason or use for the 124?"

And David Martin's answer was, "Vietnam."

Now, David may have some reason for saying that, but I've never heard that as the sole reason.

I wish the Nemo and 124 experts would chime in, because it seems to me we're talking about two different knives (especially on this "full-tang" issue).

Maybe that's contributing to some perceived confusion here.

Nemo and 124 Frontiersman are the same knife,the only thing that changes them are the "sheaths"

 

[Evil Eye Earl]

Another interesting question would be:

If the Nemo was discontinued due to rust issues with 440C.........could the Nemo be brought back successfully with 420HC???

We've brought back the 124.....now what about the Nemo?

All Buck would have to do is build dive sheaths,The NEMO and 122/124 are the same knife.
The NEMO's rusted due to lack of proper care after diving in salt water.

 

[Evil Eye Earl]

The pins in the pommel indicate that the tang is full although hidden by the phenolic handle,so it should be called a hidden tang knife.

 

[BG42EDGE]

...it should be called a hidden tang knife.

Thanks EEE (I forgot that you were the 122/124 expert).

Yes, that was exactly what I was getting at......apparently there was a change early on from hidden tang in the Nemo to full tang in the 124.

I don't know much about these, but I noticed the picture on page 56 of the Buck Book and realized that RickJ's question #5.....

5. When did Buck start making them with full tang?

Was a little more complicated than some might think at first.

Thanks for clearing it up.......I wonder how many hidden tang models were made before it went to full tang?

 

[BG42EDGE]

All Buck would have to do is build dive sheaths,The NEMO and 122/124 are the same knife.
The NEMO's rusted due to lack of proper care after diving in salt water.

Well, if one has a hidden tang and one has a full tang they are not exactly the same.

Also, 420HC is a little more rust-resistant tha 440C, right?

So the knife would have a better chance with 420HC, one would think.

 

[Evil Eye Earl]

Well, if one has a hidden tang and one has a full tang they are not exactly the same.

Also, 420HC is a little more rust-resistant tha 440C, right?

So the knife would have a better chance with 420HC, one would think.

You used some type of jam while in the Navy to keep rust from eating up steel , maybe you could persuade BUCK to furnish some with each new NEMO

 

[Evil Eye Earl]

Thanks EEE (I forgot that you were the 122/124 expert).





Was a little more complicated than some might think at first.

Thanks for clearing it up.......I wonder how many hidden tang models were made before it went to full tang?

No expert on 122/124's just have a few

several