Smith & Wesson 6080 Question

[BuhnieKleever]

Hello All,
I have recently obtained a 6080 and while the knife is in decent condition, it has definitely been doing its job. There is a "2" stamped on the handguard only on one side. Does anyone have an idea why it's there? I unfortunately don't have any history on the piece and and the patina indicates that the numbers been there for as long as the knife has been around. Appreciate the help. Have a great day!

 

[s&wchad]

Welcome aboard!

I haven't seen that marking before and can't give a definitive answer, but I suspect it may have been a factory second. "Seconds" typically have minor cosmetic flaws that don't meet the manufacturers standards.

It's a common practice... Spyderco sells factory seconds and marks them with a small grind mark on the spine of the blade. Grohmann Knives sells factory seconds and marks them with an "S". I purchased some S&W grips that had factory defects years ago and have an S&W holster stamped "reject" on the back.