KNIFE ACQUIRED FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION
* Origin: Acquired from a private individual, previously purchased
* Condition: Excellent overall condition, with minor storage and handling marks consistent with its age
* Commercial availability: Discontinued - rare collector's model
* Sharpening: Apparently original factory edge
* Marks on blade: Minimal surface marks consistent with age; blade in excellent overall condition
* Marks on handle: Minimal surface marks consistent with age and storage
* Box: Present, original period box, with stains, yellowing and normal signs of age
* Sheath: Present, original Buck Nemo synthetic diving sheath, complete with retaining straps
* Manuals, Certificates and Warranties: Original BUCK NEMO documentation with use and maintenance instructions included
* Inspected and Certified by our in-house laboratory

The Buck 122 Nemo is one of the most fascinating and collectible knives from Buck's early production history and represents an important chapter in the development of the American brand. Introduced in 1967, the Nemo was specifically designed as a professional diving knife for divers requiring a strong, powerful and dependable tool for use in marine environments.

The Nemo design would subsequently give rise to the celebrated Buck 124 Frontiersman. During the earliest stages of production, the two models were essentially identical in terms of knife construction and were distinguished primarily by their equipment: the 122 Nemo was supplied with a dedicated synthetic diving sheath designed to be strapped to the leg, whereas the Frontiersman was marketed with a traditional leather sheath for outdoor use.

The example offered here belongs to one of the rarest and most desirable configurations within the Nemo/Frontiersman family: the early 1967 commercial production with white Teflon spacers. According to historical documentation from the Buck Collectors Club, the estimated production for this configuration was only 300-500 examples.

Its construction details are highly distinctive: a black phenolic handle, thin white Teflon spacers, a robust stainless-steel guard and the characteristic one-piece stainless-steel bird's-beak pommel, complete with a lanyard hole at the end.

The blade marking is also significant for dating the knife. The ricasso bears the simple two-line “BUCK / U.S.A.” stamp, without the 122 model number. Buck introduced systematic model-number markings only in later years, making this early configuration immediately recognizable to knowledgeable collectors.

The large plain-edge blade is made from 440C stainless steel, one of the reference steels used by Buck during this period and selected for its strong cutting performance, toughness and good corrosion resistance. Nevertheless, the Nemo's intended underwater use required particularly careful maintenance after exposure to salt water, something Buck specifically emphasized in the documentation originally supplied with the knife.

This example retains its rare original Buck Nemo diving sheath, made from rigid synthetic material and complete with adjustable straps for attachment to the diver's leg. The presence of the Nemo-specific sheath is particularly important, as it distinguishes this configuration from the contemporary Buck 124 Frontiersman.

The set also retains the original large two-piece ivory-colored Buck Knife box, typical of the earliest production period, and most importantly the rare original “BUCK NEMO” instruction sheet, in which Buck explained the characteristics of the steel and provided specific instructions for proper blade maintenance following use in water.

The knife is in excellent condition considering its age. The blade retains a very uniform satin finish and shows no evident corrosion; the handle, guard and pommel are likewise very well preserved. Only minor surface marks consistent with almost sixty years of storage and handling are visible.

The original sheath is complete and in excellent overall condition, with normal superficial signs of age. The box shows more evident staining, yellowing and storage marks, entirely consistent with its age. The original documentation is present and further enhances the historical importance and completeness of this set.

A 1967 Buck 122 Nemo with white Teflon spacers is already a highly significant piece in Buck history; finding one still accompanied by its original diving sheath, box and BUCK NEMO documentation makes this example particularly desirable for a collection dedicated to early Buck knives, American military and professional knives, or the history of diving knives.

Intended use: Professional diving / Collection
Production type: Industrial
Brand: Buck Knives
Model: 122 Nemo
Year / Variant: 1967 - White Teflon Spacers
Country of manufacture: USA
Blade: 440C stainless steel
Blade profile: Clip Point / Bowie
Edge: Plain
Blade finish: Satin
Marking: Two-line BUCK / U.S.A., without model number
Handle: Black phenolic material
Spacers: White Teflon
Guard: Stainless steel
Pommel: One-piece stainless steel, bird's-beak profile with lanyard hole
Blade length: Approx. 159mm / 6.25"
Overall length: Approx. 298mm / 11.75"
Sheath: Original Buck Nemo synthetic diving sheath with adjustable leg straps
Box: Original two-piece ivory-colored Buck Knife box
Documentation: Original BUCK NEMO instruction and maintenance sheet
Estimated production of this variant: 300-500 examples according to historical Buck Collectors Club documentation
Notes: Rare 1967 example with white Teflon spacers, previously purchased and acquired from a private collection