1987 Date Code - Silver Buck - Phrobis M9 Bayonet

[Quarterbore]

I was looking at the M9s on EBAY again and I found this knife interesting

Here is a link to the auction (http://www.qksrv.net/click-1113488-5463217?loc=http%3A//cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D2289554845)

Here is the description:

Quote:This Buck No. 188 Phrobis III M9 is in olive-drab color and is in mint condition, never sharpened. This knife has the porpoise logo stamped on the guard and on the back of the sheath near the mint-condition sharpening stone. Belt clip is marked BIANCHI.

This is one of the early Buck M9s as defined by the 1987 date code. Also note the duel markings of Buck/Phrobis, which as Porterkids posted below, indicates this is a civilian version as opposed to a USGI Issue M9 bayonet. Military bayonets of the same erra would not have the Buck markings.

Following are some photos of this knife from the auction:

http://quarterbore.com/images/buck-phrobis-m9_1987_01a.jpg

http://quarterbore.com/images/buck-phrobis-m9_1987_01b.jpg

http://quarterbore.com/images/buck-phrobis-m9_1987_01c.jpg

http://quarterbore.com/images/buck-phrobis-m9_1987_01d.jpg

Special thanks to N. Freyermuth from MA for allowing me to use his images here!

As an aside, on my website is a VERY INTERESTING history of Qual-A-Tec which is the company that invented the Buckmaster and M9 Bayonet who later created Phrobis and worked with Buck to bring the knife shown in this post to the world. You can see this write up here: http://www.quarterbore.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=435 (http://www.quarterbore.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=435)

[Shrike9]

Allll righty then, this looks exactly like the M9 I was issued in 1987 while stationed at Offutt AFB.

Guess I was issued a local purchased item that's not worth much, so I'll keep on using it :D :D :D

[porterkids]

This isn't the first time that I've heard of people being issued commercially marked bayonets. Back in 1987-88 it was virtually impossible to get your hands on a military M9. I believe that some enterprising individuals were purchasing the commercial models and swapping them for the military ones, which later ended up on the collector's market.
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