When did finger grooves come out on 110?

C

csabbar

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Jun 5, 2017
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Two questions about a Buck 110:
1. When were finger grooves first introduced? Did they exist in a 110 no dot knife?
2. When did Buck go from 2 pins (not including the rocker pin) to 3 pins? Would it be possible to have a no dot knife with 3 pins? (on on one end and 2 on the other, not including the rocker)
Thanks
 
csabbar,

The finger groove 110 first showed up in the catalog in 1984, but I think the first finger grooves were in 1983. The first 110 with 3 pins was the two-dot variation 3 in about 1977, give or take a year. Before the 3 pin variation, a few with 4 pins briefly appeared in about 1977 (the 2-dot variation 2). Exact dates for the early 2-dot knives are open to question and different people will give different years. Some might give a specific date with great authority, other people will say, "more or less."
 
You can find odd non catalog Buck knifes occasionally that were employee customs such as thinned or reblades, lunch box (polite term for stolen) or for years of service. Over the years many knives were customized by both professionals like Leroy Remer and by hoards of not so professional.. If you find a oddball that should not be the box and sheith might give you a clue as to its age.
 
csabbar said:
Two questions about a Buck 110:
1. When were finger grooves first introduced? Did they exist in a 110 no dot knife?
2. When did Buck go from 2 pins (not including the rocker pin) to 3 pins? Would it be possible to have a no dot knife with 3 pins? (on on one end and 2 on the other, not including the rocker)
Thanks
Click to expand...
To the last part of your question 2, is no. The 3 pins came later and the no dot blade was earlier. DM
 
bertl said:
csabbar,

The finger groove 110 first showed up in the catalog in 1984, but I think the first finger grooves were in 1983.
Click to expand...

Interesting factoid.......there are some 112s with finger grooves with the 1980-81 Three Dot blades. The 112 finger groove model may have gotten a head start on the 110.
 
Not my knife, but FWIW, here's a 110 with three tiny brass pins and a sales receipt from 1976.

PT8YQ6v.jpg
 
TAH said:
Not my knife, but FWIW, here's a 110 with three tiny brass pins and a sales receipt from 1976.
Click to expand...

TAH, that's good information. Having a dated receipt puts that 3rd variation in 1976. The other thing it shows is how cheap the 110 is today.

Bert
 
bertl said:
TAH, that's good information. Having a dated receipt puts that 3rd variation in 1976. The other thing it shows is how cheap the 110 is today.

Bert
Click to expand...

i seem to remember stock sitting around far longer than it does today. not that it applies to this example, but in theory couldnt this knife been made in 1970 and sat for 6 years in distributor and stores stock before being sold for that reciept date?
 
jbmonkey said:
i seem to remember stock sitting around far longer than it does today. not that it applies to this example, but in theory couldnt this knife been made in 1970 and sat for 6 years in distributor and stores stock before being sold for that reciept date?
Click to expand...

Stock can be sitting for a while, but I think 6 years is pushing it for this knife. The sintered frame didn't start until about early 1975. What it does show is that the 3rd variation was being made in 1976.

Bert
 
bertl said:
What it does show is that the 3rd variation was being made in 1976.
Click to expand...

Bert,

This photo came from eBay about a year ago. The knife is a 2 dot making it a 6th variation. To me, it shows that 3 small brass pins came along earlier than 1977 - the year that is typically attributed to 3 pins.
 
I'm pretty sure we paid more than $8.80 for 110s in 1970 or 76, so there would have to be some explanation for that.......maybe the auction description had more information.........but as you say, those added bits of paper and sheaths do get mixed up.

I just went through some of my old boxes and........I'm guilty of some confused extras, too. :)
 
Yeah, and since they figured the tax on that 8.80 there's not going to be anything else below that on the folded part of the paper, so I can't see how it could be applicable to that knife. Oh well.
 
not sure how buck and dealers applied msrp back then, i was a little kid, but bucks list price of a 110 today on website is $82.00 with leather sheath, we can buy them from authorized dealers apples to apples sheath and all for $40 something dollars. even cheaper at walmart with cordura sheath etc.

so long ramble over was it the same back then give or take? higher list price in catalog cheaper buying price at authorized dealer or store? thanks.
 
I think most Bucks sold with real box and leather sheath from a wood and glass case back in those days......and there was one price with no discounts.
 
bertl said:
I just looked and the 1977 catalog price for the 110 was $22.00.
Click to expand...

According to the inflation calculator $8.80 in August 1976 has the same buying power as $37.64 in August 2017. The same "average" price range that we pay for a 110 today. On most items, MSRP is always higher than we usually pay. Sure, it might not be the original receipt, but I have a hunch that it is.
 
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