1990 Commerical M9

[ColinG]

On ebay there is a Buck/Phrobis commercial M9 with the + (plus) sign indicating 1990 manufacture date. It is my understanding that Buck and Phrobis seperated in 1989 with the completion of their military contract and that Buck continued to produce commercial versions starting in 1990 sans Phrobis markings. Would this Buck/Phrobis be a fake, a rare version, or other? I am considering bidding on it, but I would like to be sure that it isn't some knockoff or run-of-mill commercial M9 as I already own a mint, all black 1989 manufactured Buck/Phrobis commercial. Thanks in advance.

[ColinG]

Excuse me. I meant the bayonet had a 'X' after it - not a + (plus) which would indicate 1991. Sorry about that.

[porterkids]

Can you post a link or the auction number?

[ColinG]

The item # is: 200268082712. Perhaps someone with better computer skills that I have can post a direct link.

[Carlo]

Hello Colin,
thank you for your question....I saw the auction but I didn't think about it!
First of all the auction link
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...earchZ1QQfviZ1
I have looked around in my notes, and I found part of a letter by H. Brett which could help you.
Here it is:
.
Sorry because the image size is not that great.
Basically, from what I understood, while the military contract ended in 1989, an agreement between Phrobis and Buck was arranged only by April 1991.
So yes, in 1990 you could still find the Phrobis&Buck marking on the commercial M9.
Hope this helps and apologize for my english!

[ColinG]

Thank you Carlo. That is interesting. So it may be conceivable that a commerical version with the Buck/Phrobis markings could be found with the '+' date symbol! Thanks again.

[porterkids]

I suppose anything is possible but I've never seen a Phrobis/Buck with the "+" date mark. The 1991 marked bayonets had the Phrobis stamping completely eliminated and the Buck stamping was moved from the right to the left ricasso.

[Carlo]

I found an old topic about this very same bayonet, but with a bright blade!
http://www.quarterbore.net/forums/showthread.php?t=58
About the possibility to find a Phrobis/Buck commercial M9 dated 1991 if Bill says he never saw one... well you won't find it!

[porterkids]

Most of the commercial Buck M9 bayonets can be found in three configurations:

• OD plastic with bright blade.
• OD plastic with dark blade.
• Black plastic with dark blade.

Buck did not market a black plastic/bright blade variation. It would be easy enough to put one together, but they did not ship from the factory that way. The only exception to this are the 1997 bayonets. I've seen some odd combinations of black plastic with green webbing. And if I remember correctly the black scabbard bodies have the Phrobis dolphin logo on them. I think Buck knew they were at the end of production and they were using up whatever componet parts they had in stock. (Like the two bayonets I wrote about in the SABC Journal article featured at usmilitaryknives.com http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/bill_porter_ii.htm )

[pwcosol]

It looks like Buck may have been paying very little attention to these bayonets even earlier. I & a friend purchased two M9s each from a large knife/cutlery store in the center of Los Angeles. Hard to imagine such a concern could still even exist there any longer. We each got a silver & black oxide finished M9. In looking at them now, they are all a bit different. He got a black handled, black finished M9 in a green scabbard. It is dated (backwards "C") '96. His silver one is dated (/) '93 with all green fittings, but the "BUCK" embossed logo is not on the scabbard base. It is neutered out like seen on the 1991 USMC contract scabbards. I got a silver one identical to his, but with the BUCK name on the scabbard. I also got a black oxide example (\) '94 with all green fittings. Each came in the white box pictured. Strangely, all are marked as "parkerized" finished....