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We extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to all our BCCI members! We’re overwhelmed with all the cards, letters, emails, gift baskets, and flowers you sent. We especially appreciate all your prayers extended on Chuck’s behalf. He is now 2 months Post Op and his recovery is remarkable. Everyday I thank the Lord that he is still here!
He’s spending several days a week at the plant with limited hours and says he feels so much better than before bypass surgery. He is limiting his travels but we will both attend the Blade Show and we are looking forward to seeing all of you there.
Chuck had his first heart attack in 1995 (age 59) and at that time was a candidate for a “stint” procedure. His recovery was quick and he’d not had any heart issues for 16 years nor had he established a cardiologist since our move to Idaho. As you know our son-in-law Joe Houser had open-heart surgery a year ago and his cardiologist is one of our special neighbors.
I had noticed with some concern over the past few years that Chuck’s fatigue level had slowly increased. He simply excused it just being tired or his busy schedule. I wasn’t sure.
A few weeks before his heart surgery, he became concerned that his heart seemed to skip some beats then there would be 2 or 3 strong beats with a force he could feel up through his neck to his head. On Feb 1, 2012 after a disturbing episode of irregular heartbeats in the night he called our neighbor and the doctor set up an appointment for him that morning. Chuck had
an EKG and all seemed to be OK. It showed a few irregular beats (PVC) that were not of concern to the cardiologist. He scheduled Chuck for an echocardio-gram in two weeks. The rest is history. (I wrote about his heart at-tack and triple by-pass surgery in the last newsletter)
I am thankful that God has allowed him more time and we are looking forward to hosting the BCCI 25th Anniversary BBQ at our house again in 2013 and experiencing all the other wonderful activities that your event committee is planning to make your visit an extra special event!
Again we say “Thank You” for the abundant love expressed to us through this unexpected and difficult time. God is faithful to strengthen and sustain us and how blessed we are to have experienced His love and comfort through so many precious people!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2Cor 1:3-4
Promoting thecollection anddisplay of Buck
Knives since 1988
Famous forHoldingan Edge!
Great KnivesSince 1902!
June 2012
ChuCk’s Corner By Lori BuCk
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CLuB neWs By John Foresman
Former BCCI President Murray Andrews passed away in April. Both he and his wife Judy were inaugural members of the BCCI Hall of Fame. Murray was instrumental in leading the club towards incorporation once Buck Knives Inc. turned the reins over to club members. Murray and Judy were steadfast exhibitors at the Blade Show, bringing a different display every year. Murray’s spirited presence will be sorely missed. Our annual Membership Drive Contest ended on March 21, 2012. We had a very strong year in recruiting, bringing in a total of 111 new members. Tammie Cleary is the contest winner for 2011 and James Owens is our second place winner! Thanks to both members for helping our club to grow. Tammie and James will be awarded a special knife courtesy of Buck Knives Inc. We appreciate Buck for sponsoring this contest. The traffic on our message board in our website has grown dramatically this year. Our youth auctions are always popular, but many members have posted on the site sharing thoughts, pictures etc. Club member David Hallmark has been instrumental in lighting the spark! Thanks David! If you haven’t already done so, drop by the message board and join in the conversation! You’ll make some new friends and
it’s fun!Please try to attend our annual meeting at the Blade Show this year! It will be held on Saturday, June 9 at 12:00 in room 103. We’ll be holding elections for Vice President, Treasurer and one Board Member this year. As always, you can bring any Buck knives that you want to sell or trade for the post meeting knife swap and sale! Chuck and Lori Buck will also be attending this year!The 21st Annual Shenandoah Valley Knife Collectors Show is in the books now. What a great time was had by all that attended. We had 18 tables filled with Buck Knife displays. Jim and Becky Seagle, Dave Meier, Clinton Meier, Brent and Dee Schindewolf, Ken Burns, Vickie Burns, Dan Rickman and Larry Oden all joined me in exhibiting our collections. Brent and Larry were honored with display awards at the SVKC banquet held on the Saturday night of the show. Sales were brisk at the club table as we raised a record $1711 this year. Not only did we have visits from quite a few club members, we also signed up a few new members as well. The fellowship was truly outstanding!Hope to see many of you at the Blade Show!Happy Collecting,John
Design Your Own “Lucky” Lucite KnifeHello Youth Club members and parents. My name is Heath Stone, owner of Stone Knifeworks and Buck Club Member #1594. One of the most rewarding things in any club is devoting yourself to making your member-ship be the most fulfilling experience it can be. A successful club such as the BCCI requires that new people continually step up which allows for a new perspective to be introduced. We are looking for our Youth Club members to share their knife experiences with us in the Youth Newsletter. So this year starting in September newsletter and ending in the June newsletter the Youth Club member who submits the most quality knife related articles will win a Buck 102 Woodsman Customized with a Lucite handle by me. The Winner and his or her parents will have the opportunity with me to design a one of a kind knife just for you. The winner will have the opportunity to accept his or her award at our annual club meeting held at the Blade Show in Atlanta, GA 2013. You can visit www.stoneknifeworks.com to see my Lucite creations and begin designing your own.
Here are the rules: 1. Best "Quality" knife related "Article(s)" submitted by the following publication deadlines: Aug.15, Nov. 15, Feb. 15, April 15 2. Article length between 100-200 words with a title3. Pictures are recommended4. There is only one winner
Please email or send your articles and pictures to:Russ Donoghue2751 Ft. Union Blvd.Salt Lake City, Utah [email protected]
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PresidentJohn Foresman (2011-2014)
110 New Kent DriveGoode, VA 24556(434) 610-7482
Vice PresidentLarry Oden (2008-2012)
1112 Veach’s CourtPeru, IN 46970(765) 472-2323
TreasurerBrian Hugh (2009-2012)15332 Weather Vane Lane
Lockport, IL 60441(708) 301-1237
SecretaryRuss Donoghue (2010-2013)
2751 Ft. Union BlvdSalt Lake City, UT 84121
(801) [email protected]
Membership/WebsiteAdministrator
Jack Foresman (2010-2013)2604 Everest Pkwy
Cape Coral, FL 33904(239) 898-0209
Board MembersKen Burns (2010-2013)
7069 Highland CourtWarrenton, VA 20187
(540) [email protected]
Bruce Dollinger (2010-2013)20 So. Linden Ave., #6B
South San Francisco, CA 94080(650) 873-0224
Pat Donovan (2009-2012)56600 Edgewood Drive
Shelby Twnsp., MI 48316586-786-5549
Craig Heflebower (2011-2014)601 S. Poplar
Sallisaw , OK 74962(918) 774-4973
Liaison OfficerJoe Houser
660 S. Lochsa St.Post Falls, ID 83854
(800) 326-2825 Ext. [email protected]
I wanted to start by saying that Buck is having a great year and many of the relationships we have strengthened over the last few years are continuing to pay off.
I was at the NRA Annual Meeting and Convention the weekend of April 11-12 in St. Louis MO. It being an election year this year, the annual meeting was very well attended. The NRA blew past their fund raising goals and will be a voice in the November Presidential and Legislative elections. Speakers included Mitt Romney, Glenn Beck and Ted Nugent.
I did not get to hear any of those speeches because our booth was so busy from start to finish. There was a St. Louis newspaper journalist who had been sent specifically to write a story about Buck Knives and he flat out told me he was amazed by how our customers loved both me and the company. He watched the interactions while people were getting their knives signed in our booth. What seems so normal to me just amazed him. It humbled me and inspired me to appreciate our customers right back.
The NRA was using Buck Knives on a "Spin to Win" wheel of fortune when you upgraded your membership. The "Made in USA" just keeps getting stronger with the membership and we see that also in other membership organizations.
Another neat event that happened a few weeks ago was we were visited by CBS Evening News to do a story on how we were bringing back manufacturing jobs from China. It is possible it will have already been shown by the time you get this newsletter however it will be available online afterwards. I will be sure and provide that link to all. It will be a two part story involving Buck Knives as a small business perspective, and another company you many have heard of for a large business perspective. http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=2085&DateTime=4%2F21%2F2012+4%3A44%3A47+PM&Term=Buck+knives&PlayClip=TRUE
Will see everyone at Blade Show.All the Best.cj
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A popular American rock and pop band, The Four Seasons (with lead singer Frankie Valli) opened 1976 near the top of the Billboard chart with their new hit single December 1963 (Oh, What a Night). The song soon went to number one in the country. By March of 1978, Buck Knives began shipping quantities of the newest addition to their classy selection of slim line, lock back folders, the model 505 Knight. “Oh, what a Knight” it has been. This 2 ¾ inch closed length knife with a drop point blade still remains in the Buck Knives’ catalog thirty-four years later. Even though the model 505 never became the number one seller in the Buck lineup, it seems the “Knight” knife has substantially out-performed the “Night” hit song when viewed over the long haul. Additionally, during this strong run, Buck Knives has incorporated the Knight’s handy 1 7/8 inch blade in several other models making the model 505’s footprint even more impressive. If you will allow me to borrow a favorite phrase from my mother-in-law, “Not too shabby”! Yes, the Knight is a diminutive knife, but one with a rather large measure of effectiveness. Previous BCCI newsletter articles highlighting the 500, 501 and 503 models have featured the special order, special project and limited edition versions of these knives. (See the December 2003, March 2008 and June 2008 issues and please be reminded that the BCCI website archives all previous BCCI newsletters and Buck catalogs). Now we will examine the upgraded model 505 (and “cloned”) renditions. In addition to the model 505 Knight, otherwise identical models with different handle and blade treatments should be mentioned. The model 506 White Knight (originally named Lady Buck) was introduced in 1980 with the only difference being the substitution of ivory micarta in place of the Knight’s burgundy micarta inlays. In their 1982 catalog, Buck first pictured the model 507 Ultima I. It was still the same basic knife as the Knight but with mother-of-pearl inlays and a mirror polished blade. Although the overwhelming majority of the special project type knives we will cover in this article are model 505s, there are a few 506 and 507 versions to note. If you are not a close follower of the 500 series knives, you may be surprised by the sheer number of different handle treatments to be found on upgraded Knights offered throughout the model’s long run in the Buck lineup. Perhaps the rarest decorated Knight we will examine was actually incorrectly advertised by Sterling Editions Limited as a model 506 Knight. A typographical error may have been made and it was just a coincidence that Buck Knives offered essentially the same knife with both 505 and 506 designations, but different names. Or, someone could have looked at Buck advertising literature and became confused by the fact that the same knife (except for handle inlay color) was offered with two different model numbers. Whatever the case, it is likely that this knife was also the first of the 505/506/507 models to be officially embellished with Buck approval. As related in the afore
mentioned 2008 articles, club member Richard Matheny’s research indicates that the Dillingham “Sterling Edition” set, constructed in 1982 with hand engraved sterling silver bolsters and what appears in the color advertisement to be macassar ebony inlays was only produced with a quantity of three sets out of a planned run of 200. This high end set featured six exquisitely enhanced lock back folders from Buck Knives. Each of the blades depicted a 24K gold etch plate rendition of a trophy game animal set in an original outdoor scene. My original color advertisement of this project contains pictures of each of the knives in the set with the actual blade scenes shown and I am able to clearly identify the trophy animals on the larger knives. Unfortunately, the animal etched on the Knight blade is just a bit too small for positive identification, even though I have tried using a magnifying glass. If I had to offer a guess, I would opt that it could be a mountain goat. Just for the record, here are the game animals assigned to the other models in this outstanding set:110 – Grizzly bear, 112 – Deer, 500 – Bighorn sheep, 501 – Elk, 503 – CougarThe $2500 retail price tag in 1982 dollars probably contributed greatly to the failure of this offer to sell the projected 200 sets. It also seems likely that a further stipulation that buyers provide a $1500 deposit up front and the final $1000 at delivery also discouraged participation in the project. The artisans, materials, hand work and handcrafted oak cabinet appear to have been top drawer but in retrospect, it is not hard to understand the public’s reluctance to shell out that kind of money for just six lock blade knives that were, at that point in time, not considered immensely collectable by the knife collecting public. Remember, this was several years before the founding of the Buck Collectors Club and well before the public’s knowledge and interest in collecting Buck knives had caught on. At this time, Buck knives were still considered great using knives but their collectability was yet to be appreciated. Some thirty years later, we look at the matter with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight and what a difference that makes!
oh, What a knight - the BuCk modeL 505 By Larry oden
Ducks Unlimited 505505 Pictures by Craig Heflebower
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In 1985, Buck Knives produced a two knife set for Ducks Unlimited pairing the famous Buck model 110 Folding Hunter along with the subject of this article. Both knives featured impregnated birch (also called fibron) inlays with a brass D/U medallion on the mark side of the knife. The model 505 in my set has the expected three line tang stamp with a dot after the model number that indicated that the satin finished blade was fine blanked. The blade featured a gold etch picture of two mallards landing in a marsh scene. This project was packaged in a specifically marked two piece presentation box that housed both knives and was suitable for display. The box lid featured an embossed gold foil DU logo while the inner portion was of formed plastic with blue flocking and offered specific space for each knife plus the leather 110 sheath. Buck records indicate that 4000 of these sets were anticipated. While not rare, these knives are not readily found leading me to suspect that the ultimate production total fell substantially short of the projected figure. But since the knives were not serialized, there is no hint of a number or range of numbers to assist in making an educated guess on the actual quantity. Another highly desirable model 505 from 1985 presented an Aurum gold etch of a San Francisco cable car packaged in a small jewelry type case. This blade was also fine blanked as is denoted by the “dot” placed after the 505 model number on the tang stamp. The handle inlays were orange fibron and the blade was serialized xxx/250. The combination of some twenty seven years plus the low production quantity has made this knife one of the harder to locate early decorated models. It is also likely that the popularity of the San Francisco cable car system has siphoned several of these knives into the possession of individuals who would otherwise not be attracted to a collectable knife. My advice to Buck collectors would be to never pass up the opportunity to place one of these examples in your collection. Starting in the late 1980s, the Buck Custom shop produced a matching set of 500 series knives (including the Knight) that I find to be outstanding. Each knife, including the 505SI, was handled with riveted Siberian Impala horn slabs and came bareheaded (no rear bolster). These knives had Buck Custom tang stamps on mirror polished blades and were serialized. The set is featured in the 1991, 1992 and 1993 Buck catalogs. Take a look at the color pictures and you will see why I find them to be so desirable.In the early 1990s, Buck offered several of their models with picked brown bone inlays they called Buckhorn (See page 15 of the 1991 Buck Dealer Catalog). These knives were categorized by the addition of “BB” after the model number so this version of the Knight is model 505BB. I have always been drawn to the beauty of these knives, especially the variations with distinct contrasting shadings of light to dark brown in the bone. As each year passes, I see fewer and fewer of these “Buckhorn” models showing up for sale. One of several types of brown bone used by Buck Knives, the Buckhorn handles on these models were never riveted.
The decade of the 1990s also saw Buck Knives expanding their market by means of increased exclusive special projects for key retailers. Bass Pro Shops, with corporate headquarters located in Springfield, Missouri was one such account and in 1995 they sponsored seven models with jigged bone inlays in quantities of 200 per model. It will not surprise you to learn that one of the offerings was the Knight model 505JB. Other models in this non-serialized “set” included the 500, 501, 503, 703, 705 and 709. The riveted jigged bone inlays were of a most attractive “worm grooved” variety. A review of the November 1995 BCCI newsletter will provide additional source material if you are interested in this project.Approximately one year later, Bass Pro offered another special project Knight, model 505JB (note that Buck Knives sometimes repeats model numbers). Along with the other three 500 series models, the Knight in this project featured extremely attractive riveted bone inlays carved and dyed to resemble impala horn. The knives were not serialized and I do not know the quantity produced but would suspect it would be similar to the worm grooved project numbers.
For 1998, Buck produced several models with jigged brown bone inlays fitted with a special “Limited Edition” medallion. One of the L.E. models offered was our Knight (model 505JB, again) and it is especially striking with the dark chestnut brown jigged bone used for these knives. This knife omitted the handle rivets and was packaged in a black L.E. box with markings that replicated the medallion logo.
505BB (L) and 505JB (Bass Pro)
1998 505JB LE (top) and 505JB “Impala” (bottom)
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Coincidentally, the BCCI annual club knife for 1998 also just happened to be our Knight – model 505CC and its construction features make it quite special: Damascus bolsters, sambar stag inlays, mirror polished blade with gold acid etch BCCI logo and a script Buck / Custom / U.S.A. tang stamp. Only 210 of these knives were produced and you rarely see one become available.
The Buck Knives 2001 catalog introduced two new Limited Edition Knights with cast resin and bonded stone inlays. The 505PS3 Snow Leopard with poly pearl had a distinctive mottled black and white appearance while the 505SS4 featured green malachite bonded stone inlays. These inlays were not pinned and both knives were packaged in Buck L.E. boxes.
In early 2002, Buck made available model 505SP1, a carved buffalo horn handled Knight. This knife was not in the catalog and I no longer recall how dealers were made aware of its existence. I do know it was built without handle rivets and the knife in my collection has a standard satin finished blade stamped with a 2001 year mark. Additionally, the knife came with a small charcoal hued hardwood display box incorporating a sliding lid
that could be removed to reveal the knife nestled in the box.Also in 2002, Buck Knives produced two other model 505 versions as special projects for J.C. Penny. Both were handled in a synthetic material called poly pearl intended to replicate a mother-of-pearl look at a fraction of the cost. The 505JCP1 in black and the 505JCP2 in white each featured mirror polished blades with 2001 year marks and handle rivets were omitted.
For several years, Buck Knives followed a pattern of issuing a few new knives along with one or more upgraded custom models during the late summer months. Often, the upgraded knives were creations from the imaginative genius of Wilde Bill Cody. In 2004, one of the mid-year introductions was a WBC Custom Knight, model 505SP5. This knife is a real looker and anyone familiar with Bill’s exquisite work will immediately recognize his classy artistry. The knife has custom file work, a mirror polished blade with Anvil / Custom mark and is handled with sambar stag in a bare head design. These knives were serialized xxx/250 and packaged in a Buck L.E. box with certificate of authenticity. They are simply outstanding.To draw attention to Buck’s move from El Cajon, California to Post Falls, Idaho at the end of 2004, Smokey Mountain Knife Works commissioned two etched blade 505s. Otherwise standard, the blades were black etched appropriately: “Last Production Year / El Cajon, CA” (505LSP) or “First Production Year / Post Falls, ID” (505FSP). The LSP models were tang stamped with a 2004 year mark and Buck produced 225 of these. The FSP knives were stamped with an “Idaho” state outline denoting a 2005 year of blade production and 250 were built. Several other Buck models received the same sort of “Last/First” blade etch and all of them were SMKW projects.
505SS4 (top) and 505PS3 (bottom)
505SP1
505SP5 WBC Custom
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For 2006, Buck Knives reintroduced several old favorites as “Limited Editions” using sambar stag handles. The Knight 505LE was one of the models chosen for this endeavor. Buck chose to use a standard satin finish blade with Anvil / Custom tang stamp and the stag inlays were not riveted. This decision to bring back three discontinued models (118, 124 and 402 Akonua) along with the three 500 series knives still being produced (501, 503 and our subject 505) all handled in stag allowed many newer collectors to obtain stag handled models that had previously been a very tough find. Needless to say, these knives sold quite well.Created exclusively for A.G. Russell Knives in 2007, Buck produced one hundred model 505s handled in gold lip mother-of-pearl. (One hundred each 501s and 503s were likewise enhanced in this project). These knives featured mirror polished blades and arrived packaged in Buck L.E. boxes. The blades were stamped Anvil / Custom and apparently sold quickly because I only recall seeing them offered in one A.G. Russell mailing.
Another “mid-year” 505 from 2007 may have the most eye appeal of all the Knights. You will not be surprised to learn it is a Wilde Bill Cody creation, model 505MTSLE1. Limited to just 250 serialized pieces, I have never seen one for aftermarket sale. Consider these features: Mastodon ivory handle slabs (bare head construction) with petrified Mammoth tooth segment and nickel silver spacers, mirror polished blade with Anvil / Custom stamp, black paper trim, brown distressed leather pocket pouch, and L.E. box. The aesthetics on this knife are simply outstanding. A collector with this knife in his or her possession will not easily part with it. Last year, Buck Knives created a separate catalog featuring their “Legacy Collection”, including an assortment of customized models from renowned artists such as David Yellowhorse, Michael Prater and naturally, Wilde Bill Cody. Some of the knives are not attributed to a particular artisan but the 505BFSLE has Wilde Bill Cody’s work in its DNA. This is another bare head type knife, this time combining smooth buffalo horn and mother-of-pearl with a nickel silver spacer. The mirror polished blade has the Anvil / Custom stamp and file work on its spine. The file work is also tooled down the lock-bar continuing the custom look. A soft black leather pouch, COA and serialization of xxx/500 complete the package for this elegant knife. Commencing in 1985, there is record of several 505, 506 and 507 models that were produced to advertise various companies or their products, to commemorate events and anniversaries, to promote employee incentive and work safety campaigns and to recognize organizations such as trade unions. Most of the knives listed in this category are mentioned solely on the basis of their inclusion in Buck archival records although you may sometimes run across one at a knife show or on-line auction. You may find any combination of electro-etched, laser etched,
engraved or pad printed blades and laser cut handles. The most difficult decision as regards knives in this category is to ascertain whether the “enhancement” was actually done by Buck Knives as opposed to being done by some other aftermarket entity. I would propose that knives listed in Buck’s archival records may be safely considered to be “Buck” projects but I would not go so far to say that the exclusion of a particular project from this list is definite proof it was done aftermarket. It is possible that a few Buck projects were somehow overlooked and not placed in the Buck archives. Following are a few of the projects Richard Matheny located in the archives:
2006 505LE
2007 WBC Mid-Year 505MTSLE1
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year desCription modeL
1985 Oxycities Service – ivory micarta? / laser cut handle inlay 5061986 Invader – laser cut birch handle inlay 5051986 Spike – electro-etch blade - birch handle inlay 5051987 Nibco Faucets – electro-etch blade – birch handle 5051988 Kerr- McGhee – medallion on front bolster – 2 diamonds - birch 5051988 Hamilton Std. Div. UA – man in spacesuit – laser cut inlay - 506 ivory micarta handle1989 Kiewit/Shea Safety Award – electro-etch blade – birch inlay 5051990 F&H News – engraved blade – pearl handle inlay 5071991 Buck Knife and Hammer – Laminate inlay 5051993 Tiffany’s Sterling Silver handle inlay 5071994 PRCA (Pro Rodeo Cowboy Assn.) blue fibron-electroetch blade 505PR1994 AT&T, Call Before You Dig – laser etch blade, laser cut birch 5051994 Buck Knives – birch handle inlay 5051994 Top Brands – birch handle inlay 5051995 Lake Erie Electric – laser cut birch handle inlay 5051996 White’s Boots – electro-etch blade, birch handle inlay 5051998 Pro Gibb Abbott Laboratories – laser etch blade – birch handle 5051999 KOBELCO – laser cut birch handle inlay 5052000 NRA – etch on blade - 5052001 Kohler – laser cut birch handle inlay 5052002 IBEW Local 8 – laser cut birch handle inlay 5052002 IBEW Local 725 – laser cut birch handle inlay 5052004 Johnny Morris – Bass Pro Shops 505SP2B
2006 The Cliffs – electro-etch blade – birch handle inlay 505This effort as well as each of the earlier 500 series articles on the special order, special project, limited edition and “decorated” type knives have each benefited greatly from the staggering amount of research invested by club member Richard Matheny. Every BCCI member is indebted to Richard for his efforts and our base of knowledge would be far less without his selfless work. The above listing is just a small sample of the results of his intense desire to expand the club’s information data base. Thank you Richard! While this article does not intend to list every single 505 type special project or decorated knife, the reader should be able to get a rather broad view of the range of availability of these “gentleman’s knives”. Besides the models mentioned, the same blade has been used for several other Buck models including the 425 MiniBuck, 525 Gent, 526 Executive and 826 Statue of Liberty models. If you are looking for a Buck collecting category, the 505 family of knives may be your answer. The ultimate scope of different models to seek is vast and the cost of many of them is downright affordable. The incredible range of different handle materials used can make a collection of these knives most interesting. You may even want to title your display “Oh, What a Knight”!
BCCI Hall of Famer Murray Andrews passed away April 4, 2012 after several years of declining health. Murray was a faithful ambassador for the hobby of collecting Buck knives and represented the Buck Collectors Club with great distinction all over the Midwest. Hundreds of people had been introduced to our club and to our hobby because of his tireless efforts. In 2010, Murray and his wife Judy exhibited a display of Buck knives at their 20th consecutive Blade Show. Murray's poor health prevented their attendance in 2011 but it is certain that they established a Blade Show record for display longevity and it may be a record that will never be surpassed. Murray was instrumental in convincing many people to join the BCCI and some of these individuals are in club leadership today giving evidence to his leadership role in member recruitment. For many years, Murray served as BCCI president. During his tenure, he was the driving force behind our club's attainment of incorporation and non-profit status. Murray will certainly be missed by his many friends and fellow club members. Please join with me in sending our heartfelt condolences to Judy and the remainder of the family.
Thank you is not enough to express my gratitude to all of you for your support in the loss of Murray. As many of you know, he had been sick a long time. For those of you who knew him, I think that you would agree that he is in heaven teasing and picking on everyone and "having a ball" and no longer struggling as he did for the past several years.I appreciate all of your cards, phone calls, thoughts, prayers, e-mails, and at-tendance at the visitation and the funeral - Also for donations to Hospice (a really wonderful group of folks).THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!Judy :-)
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ColleCting and exhibiting buCk knives By John Hunt
As an active member of BCCI and frequent Buck exhibitor at the Blade Show in Atlanta, I would like to share some observations for your consideration relative to collecting and displaying Buck knives.
No other knife company in the world has the distinction of having their knives presented in more diverse for-mats than Buck. There’s a wide variety of models which Buck direct markets with varying features such as handle and blade materials, blade etches, limited editions, etc. Adding to this diversity among the standard catalog models are the iterations that Buck creates, often referred to as “Special Projects”, in collaboration with it’s secondary market customers such as Bass Pro, Cabela’s, Smoky Mountain Knife Works, etc. This diversity is expanded even further when models are modified by aftermarket or third party customers such as Triple-R-Knives, Yellowhorse, Prater, etc. All this variety is great for business and results in many very beautiful Buck knives. However, it can also present challenges (one being budgetary) to collectors in building a collection around a particular model or series that will ultimately be exhibited in a knife show.
In an effort to bring more clarity to the diversity of Buck knives and to help the collector in building a collection suitable for exhibition, as well as one interesting to show observers, it is proposed that knives within a display/award category be identified under the following three groups
A. Primary Market: Knives manufactured and direct marketed by Buck through their dealer organization, catalogs, company store, or website. In addition to Buck’s standard catalog models would be designer choice knives, factory build outs, prototypes, and custom shop knives.
B. Secondary Market: Knives manufactured by Buck exclusively for, and in collaboration with, a secondary party who then markets the knives , e.g., Smoky Mountain Knife Works, Cabela’s, Bass Pro, BCCI, Ducks Un-limited, Willey Knives, Aurum, L.L. Bean, NRA, and other “Special Projects” knives.
C. Aftermarket/Third Party Knives: Knives manufactured by Buck then modified (blade and/or handle) either by the purchaser or third party, e.g., Triple-R-Knives, Yellowhorse, Santa Fe Knife Works, Michael Prater, Wilde Bill Cody, etc. (These knives may originate from either A or B).
A collection can be built around a particular model or series that fit in one or all three areas. For example, under BCCI’s display/award category, “Etched Knives”, my collection includes only those knife models etched by Aurum that were directly marketed by Buck (group A). I have the option to expand the size of the collection beyond A by adding knives from B and C. When exhibiting I would label each knife with an A, B, or C. Poster boards explaining these three groups would be placed in the Buck display area so that observers would under-stand how exhibitors have delineated the knives in their collection.
The question can be raised, “How do I know what knives fit into A, B, or C”? One good answer would be that the excitement and fun of collecting is exploring the history and provenance of your collection through research, communication with fellow collectors, and, of course, attending shows. I hope this information will add to the thrill of collecting and exhibiting Buck knives. It is always satisfying to see our Club displays improve and increase the public’s awareness of the many intricacies involved with collecting Buck knives.
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2012 MODEL 113 RANGER SKINNER MEMBERS ONLY KNIFE!!
THE 2012 ANNUAL CLUB KNIFE HAS BEEN CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT IN ORDER TO BRING BCCI MEMBERS THE MOST FEATURES POSSIBLE AT A VALUE DRIVEN COST:
*MIRROR POLISHED 420HC DROP POINT BLADE WITH BCCI GOLD ACID ETCH LOGO AND BCCI/BUCK TANG STAMP ETCH.
*BRASS BOLSTER MATCHED WITH ELK HORN, IRONWOOD SEGMENT AND BRASS SPACER; THONG HOLE & SUEDE LEATHER LANYARD, NO HANDLE RIVETS.
*EACH KNIFE INDIVIDUALLY ENGRAVED WITH CLUB MEMBERSHIP NUMBER / TOTAL # PRODUCED. *CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY/GLASS TOP WOOD DISPLAY CASE
*****IMPORTANT***** ORDER DEADLINE AND PAYMENT DEADLINE IS NOT THE SAME DATE!!!!! SEE BELOW. ONLY ONE ANNUAL CLUB KNIFE PER MEMBERSHIP NUMBER MAY BE ORDERED. ALSO, YOU MAY PAY FOR THE KNIFE IN INSTALLMENTS. JUST BE SURE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $185.00 IS PAID BY THE NOVEMBER 1, 2012 PAYMENT DEADLINE.*****************************************************************************************2012 113CC “MEMBERS ONLY” $175.00 plus $10.00 S & H BCCI MEMBERSHIP NUMBER _______ TOTAL = $185.00__Check/Money Order enclosed __Credit/Debit card (MasterCard,Visa, American Express, Discover)
Card Number _________________________________Exp. Date _____ (MM/YY)
Signature authorization ___________________________ PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO BUCK COLLECTORS CLUB!!Member shipping address – Please print neatly – This will be your shipping label. Photocopies ok!
Send orders to: Name ________________________________ Address________________________________Georgia Foresman ________________________________Dept. BCCI - 2012CC City, State, Zip________________________________110 New Kent DriveGoode, VA 24556
ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AUGUST 15, 2012. WE ANTICIPATE SHIPPING THESE KNIVES IN DECEMBER
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2012 SANDVIK STEEL 113 RANGER FOR BCCI MEMBERS
THE 2012 “USING KNIFE” IS THE FIRST BCCI PROJECT KNIFE OFFERED WITH SANDVIK STEEL AND WE THINK YOU WILL BE IMPRESSED WITH THE LOOKS, FEATURES AND VALUE OF THIS
GREAT KNIFE:*SATIN FINISHED DROP POINT BLADE OF SANDVIK 13C26 STEEL WITH BCCI/BUCK TANG STAMP ETCH.*BRASS BOLSTER FITTED WITH DESERT IRONWOOD, THONG HOLE & SUEDE LEATHER LANYARD, NO
HANDLE RIVETS.BLACK LEATHER SHEATH, CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY & LE BOX
******IMPORTANT***** ORDER DEADLINE AND PAYMENT DEADLINE IS NOT THE SAME DATE!!!!! SEE BELOW. NO LIMIT ON QUANTITY ORDERED. ALSO, YOU MAY PAY IN INSTALLMENTS. JUST BE SURE THE TOTAL AMOUNT IS PAID BY THE NOVEMBER 1, 2012 PAYMENT DEADLINE.*****************************************************************************************2012 113CC “USING VERSION” $132.00 plus $8.00 S & H TOTAL = $140.00 EACHQUANTITY ORDERED _____ X $140.00 = __________ TOTAL DUE__Check/Money Order enclosed __Credit/Debit card (MasterCard,Visa, American Express, Discover)
Card Number _________________________________Exp. Date _____ (MM/YY)
Signature authorization ___________________________ PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO BUCK COLLECTORS CLUB!!Member shipping address – Please print neatly – This will be your shipping label. Photocopies ok!
Send orders to: Name ________________________________ Address________________________________Georgia Foresman ________________________________Dept. BCCI - 2012CC City, State, Zip________________________________110 New Kent DriveGoode, VA 24556
ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AUGUST 15, 2012. WE ANTICIPATE SHIPPING THESE KNIVES IN DECEMBER PLEASE NOTE THAT WE MUST RECEIVE 100 ORDERS FOR THIS PROJECT TO MEET BUCK KNIVES’ MINIMUM ORDER POLICY.
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a BCCi Friend From sW neW mexiCo Leesa Martin and her husband David live near Silver City, NM. The small town of Tyrone is actually where they get their mail. David is a Club Member and has displayed his fine Buck Collection at several shows in New Mexico, as well as at the Buck Factory in 2008 during the Club’s 20th Birthday celebration. They have two daughters and enjoy living in the country of SW New Mexico. Their home is near the Burro Mountains, which is a range west of Silver City in the Gila Wilderness Area. The area is home to mule deer, mountain lion and various other species of wildlife. There are a lot of juniper, pinion, live oak and ponderosa pines in the area. So, it’s in this beautiful country where we begin to learn about Leesa and her great artistic talent with enhancing Buck Knives and supporting her husband’s love of collecting and displaying his knives. She was born in Montgomery, Alabama, but lived in many places because her dad was a pilot during WWII. One particular location that she remembers vividly was in La Paz, Bolivia. She reflects back to those days,
“My most memorable place to live was dur-ing the three years we spent in La Paz while I was in grade school. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the South American people, their history and culture. It also helped me appreciate my own country and made me realize how lucky I am to be an American.” Leesa’s dad flew B24 Bombers during the War and was in the late Barry Goldwater’s Squadron. After 30 years in the Air Force, he retired and soon after became a pilot for FedEX headquartered in Memphis, TN. Leesa gradu-ated from Memphis State with a degree in Fine Arts. Later she met David
while they both worked at the airport in Las Cruces, NM. Leesa said, “My interest in Buck Knives came through David, who grew up using them for hunting and fishing. He began collecting them after we were married. It was just a natural development for me to apply artwork to his knives and now to some of the knives for the members of the Buck Collectors Club.” Her art form involves “scrimshawing”, not only with knife handles, but with special bolo or string ties that she and David cre-ate. She explained this art form in simple terms. “It involves creating a drawing, then transferring it to a surface such as a bone knife handle and scratching that image into the bone. Then you apply ink to it and the im-age appears in black, or color can also be used. In addition to embellishing knife handles, I make bolo ties by scrimshawing on discs of Ivory Micarta that Dave cuts for me. My favorite subjects for scrimshawing are animals – both wildlife and pets.” As you look at the pictures of some of Leesa’s fine work, you can see that she is very talented and enjoys working with Club Members. She has a web site – www.scrimshawinc.com.
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PLAN NOW FOR BCCI 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EVENT!When: July 30 – August 2, 2013
Where: Post Falls, Idaho – Spokane Valley
The BCCI 25 Year Anniversary Committee has been hard at
work planning the best club anniversary event yet. If you
have attended previous club special events, you know it will
take a great deal to “out-perform” the fantastic events our club
has previously sponsored. Never fear, the 25 year anniversary
party will be better. We are even planning to start a day earlier just to allow sufficient time to
pack-in all of the great features we have on the drawing board. From our Kick-off Banquet on
Tuesday evening, July 30 until the closing picnic at the home of Chuck and Lori Buck on Friday
afternoon, August 2, this celebration promises to make our 2013 Silver Anniversary sparkle.
We are planning informative new seminars, fantastic event related Buck knives for sale, great
meals and fellowship, demonstrations by your favorite Buck artisans, an enhanced Buck Factory
tour, a Knife Show and Swap with all Buck Knives’ employees invited to participate, raffles and
auctions, a special Lake Coeur d’Alene dinner and cruise, interaction with Chuck and CJ Buck
plus other key Buck Knives’ employees, member displays and more!!!
We understand that most of our club members are males but history shows us that our spouses
greatly appreciate the club’s special events. Some of our most glowing reviews of past events
have come from wives who met new friends, learned a bit about their husband’s hobby and
had a fantastic time. We guarantee that all attendees will have a great time and go away with
memories that will last a lifetime.
Watch upcoming newsletters and the BCCI website for more information and registration
details. Start saving now and we will see you in Post Falls next year!!
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VERY LIMITED 186 STYLE MODEL 110RUN OF ONLY 25 CUSTOMIZED BY CLUB MEMBER JERAD GILMAR
ALL KNIVES ARE CUSTOMIZED USING ONLY BENCH AND HAND TOOLS
KNIFE IS DESIGNED FOR TIP UP POCKET CARRY. YOUR CHOICE OF LEFT OR RIGHT!FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. LIMITED ONE PER ORDER.PLEASE ALLOW APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS FOR DELIVERY.
SEND ORDER TO: COST: $150 PLUS $8 S&H ……..TOTAL $158.00BCCI CHECK OR MONEY ORDER __DEPT. 186 CREDIT CARD __110 NEW KENT DRIVE NUMBER_______________________________GOODE, VA 24556 EXPIRATION (mm/yy)____________________ LEFT HAND___ RIGHT HAND___ (PLEASE CHECK ONE)
NAME _________________________________________________________ADDRESS_______________________________________________________CITY___________________________________________________________STATE AND ZIP CODE____________________________________________
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It so happens I really enjoy displaying my Buck knives, being a part of the collectors and the many associations this brings. However, I’ve come to realize displaying my knives is not about me and my knives. I’ve come to view this op-portunity as a platform or billboard that attracts momentary attention, causing a person to stop just long enough for me to ask them, do you have a Buck knife? Yes! Which one?This question is not so gripping that it causes brain waves to intensify at this moment. Instead it strikes a simple cord we all have as people, which is a need or desire to tell another human our story of our travels in life. I’m merely providing the back drop for this setting to take place.You get people looking and talking about knives and you’ll learn all sorts of things about them. Even what one they gave their kids. And why. Where their grandfather lived and why he bought a Buck knife. I take my knives to shows but leave with more memories and friendships than I came with. Be real and people will enjoy talking to you.Many owners want to tell you an adventure they had while carrying their Buck knife. Or want to know the history of their model. ’They’re a great knife and stay sharp a long time’. ‘USA made and I’ll buy nothing else’. These I hear most often.Quite often the same people come to shows and once you’ve established a friendship they look forward to seeing you and your display. Several times Buck owners have driven 150 miles each way bringing a box of knives to a show and looked me up to ask about their models manufac-turing date. This is always a huge honor for me, to know
people care this much and genuinely want information about their Buck knives.Like Mr. Carl Swartzing, who after seeing my display and chatting briefly with me, left, drove several miles back to his home, and retrieved an early two line 122 Nemo with the rubber divers sheath and returned to show it to me. I was amazed as I’d never held one of these models before.On another occasion at this Las Cruces Gun and Knife Show I stood speechless as David Greenwood stopped by and told me he worked side-by-side with Al at the Morena Boulevard location, where he and Al made the 1st large folding knife that later became the 110. Al gave it to him and he still has it to this day. This man was a ‘salt of the earth’ kind of guy and spoke highly of Al Buck.Another show attendee, Dudley Williams relayed to me that his Uncle Paul Middlestead, while living in San Diego, fished often with Al and loved talking knives with him. On their fishing trips Al would bring a different model each time and let Paul use it. Subsequently Paul purchased every model Buck made during the 60’s. Paul greatly enjoyed those fishing trips with Al and spoke fondly of them. He also supplemented his retirement from dividends paid to him from shares of Buck Knives stock he’d purchased. As Dudley walked away I stood staring, ---watching him go with a strange feeling that I’d just been paid a short visit from Al Buck. What’s that worth?I’m aware this article has not given you the nuts and bolts on how to display your Buck knives, yet I’ve given you much more… I’ve given you the “the good stuff”, that
happens when you display your Buck knives.Another patron who stopped by my table at the show was Stan who worked at California Electric (CALEWO) a company that sold and rewound electric motors and had a large shop in the San-tee area. He said he knew Al and chatted with him on numerous ocassions when he brought motors in for them to rewind (new brushes, magnet contacts, ect.). Then in a few days Al would return and pick them up. It was always fun talking to him, Stan said.So, polish up some of your favorite mod-els, put them in a display and bring them on down and I’ll introduce you to some folks from my home town.
The Good Stuff By David Martin
Oh, What a Knight BCCI Loses Hall of Famer Collecting and Exhibiting 2012 Members Only Knives Leesa Martin Scrimshaw The Good Stuff - David Martin
