Switchblades Past and Present

A home for those who love the springblade knives, including American, Italian, German, English and others.

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  • peter force

    the ones i do own are all from the 1980s ,,fat fitted stag ectect...,,but lockbacks.

  • Jan Carter

    I received this info from CKC today, just passing it along for you all

    http://gallery.mailchimp.com/f2eafa9d7ab0b0ff0d3ba7a19/images/60aed..."/>
    https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f2eafa9d7ab0b0ff0d3ba7a19/images/6ecc..."/>

       SWITCHBLADES are "LEGAL" to own, carry  and purchase in 40 states, made in USA. The entire line of automatics are currently available and will ship same day, model 108 shown above 4" long with blade closed, blade length 3 1/4"

    440 blade steel
    molded handle for lightweight with strength
    pocket clip Suggested  retail 69.99 a U.S.A. product
     
    Copyright © 2014 Colonial Cutlery International, Inc., All rights reserved.
    you are receiving this email because you opted in at our web site

  • In Memoriam

    D ale

    Jan .. got a link for this ???


  • In Memoriam

    D ale

    I found it .. thanks :)


  • In Memoriam

    D ale

  • Jan Carter

    Thanks Dale!

  • Greg Bayes

    What's this knife I bought from Portugal.

    13 1/4", 5.2mm backspring, India stag scales are almost 1 inch wide. A really hefty knife. The tang punch says "IN0X" over

                                                    "9".

    Can anyone nail this one down?

  • Bill DeShivs

    Maniago made, classic "transitional" stiletto. NS bolsters Two piece spring, swivel bolster, flat ground blade. Late 1950s to early 1970s.

  • Jan Carter

    Bill!   Thanks, always there with the answers.  Greg this is the man I was telling you always helps when I need to know something about switchblade!  This group is wonderful


  • In Memoriam

    D ale

    Picked up a new one today ...Leverlock design.

    Laminated blade steel.

    This steel holds a good edge.

    An attractive and functional knife.

    As a locking mechanism .. I've formed a fondness for the leverlock design.

  • Ron Cooper

    That's certainly an unusual, unusually beautiful knife you got there, D ale! 

    From a purely aesthetic perspective, this picture really epitomizes WHY I love and collect knives...

    The mating of wood with steel to form such an exquisite piece of functional art is expressed so perfectly in your new knife. I absolutely love it!

    Congratulations, D ale! Enjoy your new knife in good health, my friend!

  • David L. Packham

    Thank you for allowing me to join the group. I really appreciate it

  • Jan Carter

  • Clint Thompson

    Hey Dale....

    Nice knife.  I too love the lever lock.  I have several German brands with this locking and opening via a lever.

  • Clint Thompson

    Dale...

    Where was this knife made?

  • Jan Carter

  • Jan Carter

  • Clint Thompson

    Nice.

  • Clint Thompson

    This is not my favorite auto knife.  Too much junk, lint and dirt get in the end.  Soon the knife does not operate well.  Gerber sent me the Infidel auto out the front when i was in Iraq.  I tested it and a SF guy tested it and we found the big opening at the end allowed a lot of dirt and such to gum up the works.  Cool to play with and impress the friends but no my first choice....second and so on.


  • In Memoriam

    D ale

    Clint Thompson .. sorry .. I did not see your query. The leverlock is straight from china. I pd $79.oo for my first one & 57.40 for the second unit. The current pricing ranges from $60.20 ~ 79.oo .. depending on vendor. The included link is the unit on sale for $60.20.
    The frame halves are stamped identically .. making south paw conversion relatively straight forward. i.e. I've a brother who's left handed & one of these will be his soon enough. 

    Also, the spring is NOT an integral part of the backspring. i.e. it could be replaced w/o dis-assembly of the frame. Although .. threaded fasteners are used throughout .. assembly & dis-assembly requiring only a torx tool .. T-8 (pivot) & T-6 (scales & frame).

    The blade steel is "marketed" as damascus .. hardened to a 61 HRc.
    What I have in front of me .. I would describe as a san mai ..a laminated steel w/ a hard cntr core (??VG10??) laminated w/ 33 layers of a softer steel (??420??) on either side. 

    I'm happy enough w/ it that I purchased a 2cnd unit for south-paw conversion for my brother.

  • Jan Carter

    Clint, well that is something I didnt think about with an out the front.  Thanks for the heads up


  • In Memoriam

    D ale

    Clint is absolutely correct relative to OTF's. It takes very little foreign material w/i the internal tracks of an OTF to hinder it's ability to operate properly. I do carry a small one as an edc ..but.. must clean it 2~3 times a week to maintain proper operation. Pocket lint is enough to cause failure. Peeling an apple & then retracting the blade w/o cleaning can totally disable it. The sticky apple juice ..once inside .. quickly renders it inoperable. Simply unacceptable for a primary EDC.

    It sure is fun though .. 'n the one hand OTF operation .. is simply "too cool" !!!


  • Featured

    David Fenn

    Hello all. I have recently discovered that an old knife I picked up many years ago...I can't even remember where now (I thought it was my grandpas but my dad says otherwise) is a really cool kabar grizzly switchblade. Unfortunately, the mechanism has broken rendering it a rather loose folding knife.

    I am wondering if any of you have a line on someone who might be able to repair such a knife. http://imgur.com/FYYGvWP
    http://imgur.com/ZnslsNj

    It looks like the steel spring that runs along the spine broke at some point. Unfortunately, I don't have the piece that broke off. Any info will help. Thanks!
  • Bill DeShivs

    David, If you were to call KABAR, they would tell you to call me to repair your Grizzly.

    See www.billdeshivs.com for details. I'll be happy to help you!

  • Bill DeShivs

    George Schrade's great grandson is sending me authorization, on original G. Schrade Knife Co. stationary, as the repair station for Presto knives!

    How cool is that?

    That makes: Latama, Hubertus, Grafrath, Ritter, Venier (LePre), KABAR, Colonial, Mauro Mario, and G. Schrade.

  • John A Smithers

    Thanks for letting me join!  Here is a picture of my current EDC line up:

    They are all switchblades.

  • John A Smithers

    My daughter's favorite knife is a cheap stiletto. For Christmas I bought her a nice Italian stilletto.  No THAT is her favorite knife :-)

  • Clint Thompson

    John....

    Nice looking line of knives. The only thing I could see to be added is a good Pro-Tech Auto. Pro-Tech is making Chris Kyle Frog Foundation knives with the proceeds going to this foundation. These autos are not listed yet but will be soon. I bought one from Dave at the Shot Show. He will be mailing it to me as I bought the first and only one of this design and model. I will post a pic when it is received.

    Chris Kyle was the American Sniper. I met with his widow at the recent Shot Show. Very nice lady. His Brother-in-law administers the foundation for Mrs. Kyle. Go to their web site: http://www.chriskylefrogfoundation.org/

  • Clint Thompson

    A young lady who likes Auto knives. Now I know two. PM me and I can help with her interest in knives.

  • John A Smithers

    Clint, She is 26.  She says "Dad!  Just because of liking knives doesn't mean I want to get involved with them as a hobby!"  Oh well :-(  About the Pro-Tech auto for Chris Kyle Frog Foundation, I would LOVE to buy one.  Keep me posted please.

  • John A Smithers

    BTW all, my Buck Auto got clogged up with meat juice and is opening real slow.  It was slow opening to begin with, now it barely opens.  I am working VERY slowly to take it apart so I can get it back together. 


  • In Memoriam

    D ale

    It's probably too late .. but, John .. before resorting to disassembly .......

    I would try holding the knife under some running hot water first. With the knife open .. I would hold it under the hot water such that the water enters into the cavity between the liners where the blade is housed when closed. Hold such that the blade pivot is downstream in the water flow. Do this for a minute or so .. till the knife itself begins to warm up. Then .. unlock the blade & manually swivel between almost fully open & almost closed .. while the hot water is continually fed into the inside of the knife. This can remove a lot of gunk ..&.. forego disassembly in many cases.

    Further cleaning can be accomplished with a cue-tip. Although . sounds to me like you've simply got some "gunk" in the blade swivel area. Running hot water can do wonders in that case.
    Obviously .. dry thoroughly afterwards ..&.. add a bit of lubricant to the joint once everything is dry.

  • Bill DeShivs

    Correct- but try dishwashing detergent and hot water, then rinse.

    Shake as much water out as you can, towel dry, and then flood liberally with WD 40 and wipe dry. The WD 40 will displace water in all the crevices, and provide rust protection in those places.

  • Clint Thompson

    John & Dale...

    Yes a dirty knife is something to behold. I throw it in the hottest tap water I can with dish washing soap which cuts grease. I then run hot water over this to rinse off the Dawn and all the junk. I then, depending on the handle, drop it in boiling water for 6 to 8 min. You pull this out and it steam drys instantly. No oil...no nothing. I then put 3 in 1 oil on the moving parts and rub the excess all over the entire knife. Wipe clean and your done. For the Buck I would use very hot water when removed does about the same as the boiling water. I have spray gun oil so I use this to remove the water. Good luck.

  • Bill DeShivs

    WD 40 was designed as a water-displacing lubricant.

  • John A Smithers

    Thanks guys!  I will try your suggestions.  I may tomorrow but I can't promise it, given how Monday's tend to be for me.

  • John A Smithers

    I soaked the knife in hot water and then put it in the dishwasher.  when it came out I hit it with some wd40.  It works like you promised :-)  Thanks!-=

  • Clint Thompson

    John...

    I am glad you solved this problem and that we could help. Remember WD40 is a penetrating substance which does repel water...as does oil but is not a great lubricant. So keep and eye on the action. One drop of oil on the locking points, both open and closed, will prevent the wearing of the release point/s. Remember, cut long, deep and continuous.


  • In Memoriam

    D ale

    Glad it's working again for you, John.

    A little light oil (3 in one ..or.. sewing machine oil ..or.. equivalent) is certainly suggested / required at this point. I'd stick to a light oil .. a high quality sewing machine oil works great !!

  • Lawrence Somma

    Hello All .. glad to be a member of the switchblade group.  I look forward to learning from the experts here and displaying some pictures of my small collection (working on my photography technique)

    Cheers,

    Lawrence

  • Alex K.

    Hi Lawrence, welcome to the group. I hope you enjoy your stay. Feel free to post pictures at will.
  • Jan Carter

    A member sent me a link today that I wanted to share with you, It has some amazing information! http://thebladeblog-ulf.blogspot.nl/

  • Ron Cooper

    Thanks for posting that link, Jan. While I'm not a shooter I am nonetheless a man who admires a beautiful stag handle knife. And, good lord! That blog certainly has some gorgeous examples of stag handled knives that were designed with a specific purpose in mind - To extract shotgun shells. 

    I enjoyed looking at all of the pictures as well as reading some really interesting information about the history of those knives. Good Stuff!

  • Jan Carter

    Ron,

    I have seen multiple types of shell pullers but i have never seen them as lever locks 

  • Clint Thompson

    Jan in Germany and Italy where autos are legal, these are common. In the past I have had several lever-locks which were 12/16 ga pullers. They are not my favorite so they went in a trade to a straight lever-lock. Great topic Jan....great web site.

  • Jan Carter

    Knife Magazine May 2016 !!


  • In Memoriam

    D ale

    Nic link, Jan

     http://thebladeblog-ulf.blogspot.nl/

    !! . Thank you . !!
    .
    I've a fondness for autos & have representative samples of most approaches to auto locking systems.

    While buttonlocks are really cool .. and I've a few of them .. I've had every one I own open accidentally at some point .. i.e. when not intended too.

    I've grown to appreciate the leverlock for it's comparative SAFE locking system.

    .

    !!! .. Nice article .. !!!

  • Jan Carter

  • Jerrod Leffler

    Anyone familiar with the Walt's flatguard stilettos?  I'm looking for some to add to my collection.

  • Alex K.

    More vintage switchblades for sale have been added to my store. Click the link below. 

    Allegheny Mountain Knives