Buck 124 Frontiersman

[Dennis The B]

This one's for Shouldazagged - My Buck Frontiersman, Model 124, red micarta scales. I've had this one since 1973. Put it up in 1974 in favor of my Buck 110 for hunting. Didn't know until a few days ago that the red micarta scales were fairly scarce. Most today, have either black micarta, or rosewood scales. Enjoy.

 

[shouldazagged]

Thanks, Dennis, that's a beauty. What's the blade length?

 

[Texas Star]

Used to have one. I think the blade is about 7.25 inches.

I sold mine because the handle was a little too thick to feel really good in my hand. Replaced it with a Model 120.

This was an offshoot of the Nemo dive knife. Have you seen the magazine ad featuring one that Nocona Boots used to run in big, slick magazines?

I wrote an article about that ad and the artist who created it. The ad shows a cowboy stepping on a rattlesnake's head, which he is about to amputate with his very identifiable Buck Model 124.

That ad is really a painting, but looks almost photographic. The artist used a real snake and a real Buck 124 as models.

Someone better at posting photos than I am can probably show the ad here. I'm sure that many here will recall the ad. If someone posts it, look hard: you can see the full tang of the knife between the halves of the aluminum pommel. That artist has a real eye for detail! I enjoyed working with him, Nocona, and Buck for the article. I wish I could recall now where the story ran. It was in a cutlery magazine. I don't think that one ran in, Blade. Probably, National Knife Magazine, which is now defunct. I really should look for it in my old magazine files. I also published one about the Randall Model 3 that used to appear on cans of smoke-flavored Spam. That one ran in, Knife World.

That Model 124 is a good, stout knife. It's sort of Buck's equivalent to Randall's Model 14. I just wish it fit my hand better.

 

[Dennis The B]

Thanks, Dennis, that's a beauty. What's the blade length?

Measures 6.5", top of the guard to the blade tip.

Texas Star hit it. It's a bit big in the grip for real comfort. I prefer the 119 or 120 for a fixed blade hunting knife.

It's one of those knives that I kept, just because I like the looks of it.

 

[Texas Star]

Dennis -

My blade was def. at least seven inches. I wonder if different production batches had different blade lengths?

If I had the money, I'd be tempted to ask the Buck Custom Shop to thin the handle of a black Micarta 124 to fit my hand. But I'd almost have to be present to be sure they got it just right. I bet they could come close, though.

Of heavy duty knives that do fit me, the Randall Model 14 and the Fallkniven A-1 seem just right. The Swede is also contoured, seen from above or below. Darn, it feels good! And it's longer, which I like in some grasps.

So do the Models 119 and 120 from Buck feel good. BTW, the Model 120 was the model for the knife used in the, Scream horror movies. I think there were four of those films.

Can you post the Models 119 and 120? I much admire your photo skills, and those red backgrounds look good with most Buck models.

 

[5-Shot]

This ought to help. Here's my old feller.

 

[Texas Star]

This ought to help. Here's my old feller.

Wow! Massive thanks! Yes, that looks to measure as I recalled.

But is this knife an early Frontiersman or a Nemo dive knife in a leather flap sheath? They haven't used those sheaths in years, although Fallkniven has a very close item. This handle is the normal Buckarta with fiber trim, not the later Micarta with pins.

The Nemo was a good knife, but some divers complained that salt water worked its into the blade/guard joint and rusted the tangs. That's one reason why Randall silver solders his guards. But a lot of the problem was probably due to careless divers not properly cleaning the knives after salt water exposure. My son used to dive a lot and is a certified master instructor. He says that most divers just see knives as tools and buy cheap ones with so much chrome in the blades that they won't take and hold a good edge. If a blade rusts, they blame the knife.

My son found that one must SCRUB the blade under fresh water. A sponge is ideal, but even fingers or a toothbrush works. Just RINSING it will not loosen and remove all the salt residue, and that's what rusts blades. Randall also told me that he grinds his Model 16 blades a bit on the dull side as divers tend to dig a lot with their knives and a really sharp edge might suffer or dull readily. The answer is to order a keen edge that'll cut and stab, and carry a separate pry bar for digging and prying.

BTW, I think that scrubbing a hunting or fishing blade that's exposed to blood or fish slime is also an excellent idea. Blood is quite salty. I carry extra Kleenex or an old rag and use water from a canteen to clean a bloody blade. I also prefer stainless high carbon blades. With proper cleaning and oiling, I never see rust.

Oh: I read the ruler. As a Texan, the name Sam Houston means a lot to me. That was a nice touch. Thanks. BTW, we celebrated San Jacinto Day here this week, honoring Houston's victory over the Mexican dictator, Santa Anna.

 

[Cyrano]

BTW, I think that scrubbing a hunting or fishing blade that's exposed to blood or fish slime is also an excellent idea. Blood is quite salty. I carry extra Kleenex or an old rag and use water from a canteen to clean a bloody blade..

I agree. The 45 that I used years ago as a match gun is missing most of the blueing on the rear grip due to my bleeding when the hammer bit me in recoil before my hand became more muscular.

 

[TAH1]

Have you seen the magazine ad featuring one that Nocona Boots used to run in big, slick magazines?

I wrote an article about that ad and the artist who created it. The ad shows a cowboy stepping on a rattlesnake's head, which he is about to amputate with his very identifiable Buck Model 124.

That ad is really a painting, but looks almost photographic. The artist used a real snake and a real Buck 124 as models.

Someone better at posting photos than I am can probably show the ad here. I'm sure that many here will recall the ad. If someone posts it, look hard: you can see the full tang of the knife between the halves of the aluminum pommel. That artist has a real eye for detail! I enjoyed working with him, Nocona, and Buck for the article. I wish I could recall now where the story ran. It was in a cutlery magazine. I don't think that one ran in, Blade. Probably, National Knife Magazine, which is now defunct. I really should look for it in my old magazine files.

Hello Texas Star,

Yesterday, I asked you this same question over in the Ruger Forum, but wasn't sure if you are still active there. I would be very interested to read your article. I am a passionate Buck knife collector and recently purchased a late '70s Frontiersman. I remember the Nocona advertisement well and have always wondered about the story behind it and Buck's involvement, if any.

I see that you might not have the article readily available. If not, could you please post some details of your research and conversation with Buck Knives, the artist and Nocona Boot Company?

Many thanks for your help,

Tom

 

[Richard Simmons]

Welcome TAH1. I know you from the Buck Forum at Bladeforums though I have a different handle there. If you look at post #9 in this old thread you will see the ad Texas Star is talking about.

Old Nocona Boot Ads - TexasBowhunter.com Community Discussion Forums


Dennis the B

I've also got a burgundy/red micarta 124, among others and it is my favorite.

From what I can tell they are fairly rare as from the latest info I've seen they only made them with this handle color for one year, 1973 and I'd be they made fewer of these than of the black. Nice score!

 

[Texas Star]

Hello Texas Star,

Yesterday, I asked you this same question over in the Ruger Forum, but wasn't sure if you are still active there. I would be very interested to read your article. I am a passionate Buck knife collector and recently purchased a late '70s Frontiersman. I remember the Nocona advertisement well and have always wondered about the story behind it and Buck's involvement, if any.

I see that you might not have the article readily available. If not, could you please post some details of your research and conversation with Buck Knives, the artist and Nocona Boot Company?

Many thanks for your help,

Tom

Hi, Tom:

If you mean Ruger.net, I am still there, as Lone Star. I am not on Ruger.com, but often read a couple of topics there, mainly the Gallery, for photos. I haven't been to Rugerforums.net today, but will check my mail there.

I'm really busy this week and next, but will try to locate that magazine. I'm pretty sure the story was in, National Knife Magazine, which ceased publication in 1996, I believe. It was one of my better markets for about a decade, and I was paid a premium rate by the editor. I miss it!

I don't recall the details, but if I find the issue, will let you know. I'm almost sure that I kept a copy or two, but some of my old magazines disappeared during a move. I think a relative threw some out. It's possible that the publisher has some on hand, but the National Knife Society fell on hard times, and I'm not sure they still have an office and museum. Many of the knives were stored at Smoky Mt. Knife Works, I read, and these are no longer there.

I recall a little more about the Knife World story on the Randall Model 3. The knife belonged to the asst. photographer, who offered it for the ad. Alas, he never got anything beyond his salary and was supposedly disappointed. Randall did send the ad agency some empty cans of the smoke-flavored Spam that Hormel had sent to Randall. (Randall has no more of those cans, so don't ask them.)

The ad agency was in Chicago, a long way from where you'd see a skillet cooking Spam and eggs in the woods with that Randall Model 3 knife with leather handle and six-inch blade on a stump! I miss those cans...they changed the labels.

Contact Hormel and they may have cans or photos of that edition.

Knife World may have back issues of that story, if I can recall when it ran. It just used a small pic of the can for photos, unlike the much nicer story on Buck-Nocona. And Knife World is a tabloid. National Knife Magazine used slick paper and was a normal magazine. It used more and better photos, some of which I got from Nocona. I think I may have also gotten pics from Buck and may have taken some. I don't recall if I still owned my 124 when I wrote the story.

I can probably rummage through some back issues of, Playboy and find the Nocona ad, if you want to know an issue when it appeared, to look for that back issue. The publisher does sell back issues, but not especially cheap. However, used magazine stores often carry the title, and many public libraries store it in some form. Or, copy it (ad) off the link in another post here, if that's legal. (I know that many make such copies, but don't want to advise it in print, as I don't know copyright laws in that regard. And you may want to see the ads in magazines as they appeared.) Buck or Nocona may have sturdier copies of the ad, on heavier paper.

I've been planning on going through those old Playboy issues soon, looking for that ad and for ads for the Olympus OM-1 camera and Schrade knives. Just nostalgia...

If you write to Nocona, they may have copies of that ad. Explain that you collect Buck knives and want the ad and want to know if they kept my article and can copy it for you.
Better call and ask for the PR or ad person and go from there. They may charge for their efforts, so work that out in advance. Ditto for Buck.

I know the name of the Buck PR contact then and he may still be there. He did their advertising and PR work for decades. I've got the Buck book that he wrote. But I'm not sure if I should give his name to someone not from the press. Ask Buck. If he's retired now, they can put you in touch with whoever handles their media contact. They have worked very well with accredited writers from the trade press and should be sympathetic to a Buck collector. I definitely feel that a collector should have that ad.

I look for appearances of guns and knives that I like, and recall seeing a Model 120 on the old original, Beverly Hills 90210. I noticed that Model 120 on boxes of a lot of movies when I was routinely renting VHS tapes. It is one of the most used prop knives in Hollywood! One idiot artist even painted an exact replica that had the blade upside down!

Thanks for your interest. Writers, like actors, many lawyers, and politicians, usually have a narcisstic streak and like to hear from readers. If I can direct you to the story, I will. Please be patient. If I can find it at all, it'll probably be in the next two weeks.

 

[TAH1]

Thanks for your reply, Texas Star. I found a good size, high resolution photo of the Nocona ad on the internet and printed it on photo paper. Turned out pretty nice. I clearly remember that ad from the late 70s as it stirred my imagination. I'll wait and see if you are able to find your copy of the article before I contact Buck or Nocona. No rush, but again, I would be very interested in reading it. Thanks again for your time and effort!

Richard Simmons,

Your Maroon Micarta 124 is a beauty. I like its more pronounced Bowie clip. What style of sheath does it have?

 

[Richard Simmons]

Richard Simmons,

Your Maroon Micarta 124 is a beauty. I like its more pronounced Bowie clip. What style of sheath does it have?

Actually it's a standard clip point. The angle just makes it look more pronounced. As I recall Buck may have made a few with a deeper clip point or maybe they were customs by Leroy, can't recall but I wish I had one. I'll have to dig it out to check the sheath. Maybe I'll take some new photos and add some of my other 120's for this weeks Sunday Picture Show.

Again, welcome to the S&W forum!!