Looking for 110 ID Help & a Blade Question

knifewing

knifewing

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I have a classic Buck 110 I've owned for years. I've recently been looking at the newer 110s and pulled out my old one for a quick look. First my question: Is it my old-guy eyes or is the blade narrower (edge to spine) than more recent models? It just looks "skinny" to me as if it had been sharpened many times and gained a recurve. But to my knowledge it's had almost no use and the blade is unmarred. I've tried to show the blade profile in the attached photos.

I'm also trying to determine how old it is. From the Buck manufacturing symbols list I can determine that it dates to somewhere between 1972-1986 because it has Buck / 110 / U.S.A. stacked in three lines. But there are no dots beside the model number and there are periods in U.S.A. Could this knife date back to 1972-74? There are two barely visible pins near the blade on either side of the front bolsters and there are three scale pins, two small and one large between them. The yellowed old paperwork in the square-ish tan box has an El Cajon address, which puts it before 2004. I think the handle scales are Macassar ebony and the blade steel is 440C but it's hard for me to say for sure.

Can anyone tell me if there's a way to narrow the age down a bit further? Any help you Buck scholars and historians can provide will be appreciated.

jim

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With no dots, I think it pre-dates 1972-1974.
Blade would be 440c.
What is the blade length from bolster to tip?
I've been told that if it is under 3.75 inches, say 3.5 inches or slightly less, there is a "good" chance the blade suffered a busted tip and was re-profiled at some point in it's history ... like my 1972-1974 2 dot experienced with a prior owner. :(

Edit: The rocker pin (the big one) isn't counted :)
 
Yes, macassar ebony, 440c blade from that^ timeframe. Your lucky to have the box and papers. Do you have the sheath? DM
 
Thanks to all who responded for your expertise. To answer your questions, I do have a sheath but I don't know if it is THE sheath. It's black leather, looks totally unused, and the belt loop allows it to ride low. It's stamped "110" about .5" up from the bottom on the back.

In terms of blade length, it measures just a hair under 3.75". The only other thing I can say about this 110 is the handle feels a bit "blocky" with not a lot of rounding of the edges.
 
The blade width from that era varies somewhat, more hand operations vs. modern era. I have some with narrow blades, some with wider blades. Look at the edge, if it had been narrowed by sharpening the raised portion would be gone. Nice knife. OH
 
Does the sheath have a dish cut out at the top?
Plus, your model should have blade convexing near the edge. A Thicker blade along that area? The squared handle is correct for that era model. DM
 
I agree with the 1972-1974 5th V 3rd v estimates. I think this version is closer to the 1974 time and it was the last using a forged frame. One thing that makes the blades of the earlier 110s look "skinny" is that the swedge is more pronounced than that of current 110s.
 
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