So...why was the 119 designed so big?

[Takoma]

Hey Buck crew, I have been wondering why the 119 was designed as a relatively large knife? With exceptions respectfully acknowledged, I find that this size knife is a little large for the type of game that I deal with (Deer, squirrels, fowl) as do most of the folks I hunt with. Most folks feel that the 105 is about as big a knife as one can comfortably use on most common game here in the Mid Atlantic. Were bigger knives more popular for hunting back when the 119 was developed? Was it designed solely with hunting in mind? Thanks in advance, I haven't found the answer to this anywhere.

 

[Old Hunter]

I think the Buck 119 grew out of the fighting knives Buck made one at a time for Soldiers and Marines in WW-II. It compares in size and heft to US issue, and other commercially adapted fighting knives of that era. OH
Ps. Give me a Buck 118 any day for my primary Southeastern big game knife.

 

[dsutton24]

Big sheath knives like the 119 have long been popular items for a number of reasons. They're used by the military and sportsmen for all sorts of cutting and hacking jobs. They're big, manly blades... sometimes that's all it takes. Look at all of the 'tactical' knives out there these days. How many of them get used for anything more tactical than opening the latest arrival from Amazon?

 

[Takoma]

Thanks OH, that makes sense. I like a 102 or 110 to dress and a 105 to skin and break the deer down. I'm kinda curious to try the 119 and see how I do.

 

[sassafrassdogs]

Thanks OH, that makes sense. I like a 102 or 110 to dress and a 105 to skin and break the deer down. I'm kinda curious to try the 119 and see how I do.

My first hunting knife was a 119. Got it in 1972 and I used it to kill my first whitetail deer, 10 pt, I had run out of ammo, 12 ga slugs, after chasing it for a mile it was still standing in a half frozen plowed field and just looking at me. We were both breathing so hard we could hear each other, so I sat my shotgun against a fence post and did my best to run 35 yds or so wrap my arms around the antlers pulled them over his back and sliced his throat. I'm sure the GI's in all the wars had done the same thing on the enemy, with that type of knife. I know now if I had just sat down and waited 15-20 mins the buck would have collapsed, first deer hunt, first deer, first time using a Buck knife...

 

[David Martin]

In the west and north west, Buck knives had a standing. They were good dependable knives. Plus, the game in this area is larger than Whitetail. i.e. Elk, Moose, Bear and more. To quarter up a bull Elk, I like a 6" blade and don't consider it excessive. Buck saw the need and brought out a model this size. Hey, my brother lives in East Texas and hunts Whitetail and hogs and carries a 119. He likes this size in quartering one. DM

 

[SharpieB]

I find the 119 a great sized all purpose (or camp/woods) knife but prefer a 102/103 pair for small game and skinning. If I had to pick only one for hunting, fishing and the bush... it would be the 119 though.

For me, the 120 is the Buck model too big for anything other than banging around in the woods.

To each their own though. Nice to have lots of choice.

 

[sassafrassdogs]

In the west and north west, Buck knives had a standing. They were good dependable knives. Plus, the game in this area is larger than Whitetail. i.e. Elk, Moose, Bear and more. To quarter up a bull Elk, I like a 6" blade and don't consider it excessive. Buck saw the need and brought out a model this size. Hey, my brother lives in East Texas and hunts Whitetail and hogs and carries a 119. He likes this size in quartering one. DM

An Illinois whitetail is quite a bit larger than a Texas whitetail, the only one larger is a mule deer then elk...

That 10 pt dressed out at 235...It does the job on quartering, 110 for deboning, 105 for steaking...I use a USA Schr*de Sharpfinger 152 for caping and stew meat...

 

[David Martin]

I like a 103 -- 4" size for skinning. And have quartered elk and Mule deer with this size. Our Mule deer are over 200 lbs.. It works but for a larger mammal I like a longer blade knife. DM

 

[DocT]

For me the 119 has always been a between knife: between the 102 and the 120, both of which I find more useful. The 120 is a better camp knife (and apparently a better fighting knife as many Green Berets carried them in Nam). The 102 is better on deer.

 

[NapalmCheese]

I generally like bigger knives but the 119 is just a bit much for a hunting knife IMO. It wouldn't be my first choice field dressing anything anyway. That being said I've used other 6 inch knives to field dress deer and I can't say it's that much of a bother, just not my preference. In general I use a 110 for field dressing (including splitting the ribs, I don't split the pelvis) and a 5 inch semi-flex or stiff boning knife for the rest of the butchery back at camp. For steaking I like bigger knives and typically just use my 10 inch chef knife.

All that said, I once used a 119 to start my butchery process and it's size made getting the shoulders off a breeze. Likewise, it's size, shape, and grind made neat work getting the backstraps out. When I use a boning knife I end up following all the protrusions on the spine and my backstraps end up looking a little ragged. With the 119 they come out looking nice and smooth, no hesitation cuts, just beautiful. It leaves a little meat on the bone, but I get that later with the boning knife and throw it in the grind pile.

I keep wanting to buy a 105 as I'm pretty certain that would be about perfect for me, but I haven't got around to it yet. I always figured one of those smooth bone ones from Bass Pro would be nice.

 

[NapalmCheese]

I do occasionally look around for old photos of hunters around the turn of the century, and a 5-6 inch bowie style knife wasn't exactly uncommon. Maybe it's a long standing tradition of manliness or something that prompts us to like big knives even when a smaller one may be better?

 

[Swampdog]

Some people have the mindset that the further you go into the wilderness the bigger your knife should be to handle any task that may arise.

 

[David Martin]

Napalm, also look at the 121. That size may appeal to you for boning and filleting. I like it. DM

 

[TAH]

Were bigger knives more popular for hunting back when the 119 was developed?

I think this is it more than anything. Sportsman carried larger knives back in the day, as commonly seen in Philip Goodwin artwork.

 

[David Martin]

Perhaps but I still prefer a longer blade knife for Quartering a large animal whether at home or in the wilderness. On a large steer or bull elk a model 120 is fine. A 7-8" blade is a good size to have. For me, they have a place. DM

 

[afishhunter]

Yep. This makes sense. The fire is perhaps minutes away, and they're taking time to break camp and watch momma bear and her cubs vacate the area ...

 

[David Martin]

Yes but for the front of a outdoor magazine cover, this would really get attention. DM

 

[TAH]

they're taking time to break camp and watch momma bear and her cubs vacate the area ...

I see them rushing, but the bears catch their attention.

The beauty of art. We all see something different.

 

[DocT]

I think this is it more than anything. Sportsman carried larger knives back in the day, as commonly seen in Philip Goodwin artwork.

Those look like 4 to 4.5" bladed knives to me