View Full Version : Who Wants To See Something Cool...(Part X)
Figured we could use a non controversial topic. Regular members know I collect things, lots of things. And from my early youth I have always had a fascination with weaponry, from guns to knives to swords to nunchaku to blowguns to sai to law enforcement weapons to, well you get the idea. Probably has something to do with SOF and similar things being my regular reading material.
And from the time I first saw one on film, probably as a kid having to endure another viewing of "West Side Story" with my parents, I have always had a thing for auto knives.
Got this one recently.
http://i.imgur.com/X1J4YbH.jpg
When I was a kid in the 1970s switchblades were nearly impossible to obtain. I was walking into gun shows at age 12 and buying '03 Springfields for cash (this was at a time when gun shows were almost exclusively private sellers and collectors) and the only time somebody made me go find my dad was if I was buying a 1911 or some other handgun.
But despite that, the knife sellers usually had a sign on the table that said something like "No switchblades - Don't ask." Eventually I got ahold of some korean grade piece of crap that had all stamped parts except for the blade itself. It lasted about a week or so. My father brought a couple lever release autos up from his annual hunting trip to Mexico but these were also non spectacular and didn't last very long.
I got my first quality switchblades when I first visited Germany back around 1979 and these were the usual horn handle, stainless blade stamped "rostfrei" (rust free aka stainless steel). On my second trip to Europe when I was in high school during the mid 80s I went completely overboard and probably purchased around 20 auto knives of various lengths and designs. I must not have looked like a problem because NY customs opened and closed my suitcase without much interest and sent me through. Even worse than the knives, I had a pair of nunchaku with me, which actually would have been a felony in NY and I didn't think anything about the fact that we would connect through NY twice, including customs on the way home.
Of course today things are much different and damn lazy spoiled kids don't know how good they have it. They can go on the internet and find places like Blade HQ and order auto knives all day long, from the crap grade stuff to decent, well made reliable knives. Perhaps it's a good thing the opportunity didn't exist when I was in high school as I might have done something stupid like buy $400 worth of custom knives rather than snag a HK91 and 93 when I was still in high school.
But every now and then I treat myself. Got a nice 11" dagger blade swing guard with black horn handles. They can be pricey but you can never go wrong with a classic. The addiction continues.
is that double edged? i have a switch blade, but instead of a blade, it has a comb. Awesome!!
is that double edged? i have a switch blade, but instead of a blade, it has a comb. Awesome!!
Yeah it's a dagger blade. One side is something of a false edge so it doesn't cut a hole out of your pocket.
I enjoy these threads Steyr. I always learn something new.
Kudos
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Moose-Knuckle
06-09-17, 04:20
Figured we could use a non controversial topic.
I don't know man, after your last thread we still have some members that haven't come back . . . :jester:
As for your knife, now you have peaked my curiosity about the ones my father obtained back in the 60's/70's. He's had them stashed away in a cigar box in his dresser since I was in diapers.
A buddy who lives in Oregon but is really from Germany has one of those quality Italian switchblades, it's one foot long in length and the blade is huge.
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Of course today things are much different and damn lazy spoiled kids don't know how good they have it. They can go on the internet and find places like Blade HQ and order auto knives all day long, from the crap grade stuff to decent, well made reliable knives.
Not all kids lol. Illegal in NY and NJ
FromMyColdDeadHand
06-09-17, 08:18
Auto knives are now legal in Colorado. We wanted our 30round magazines back, but we got auto knives. Frankly, I don't see that much advantage compared to a well tuned Benchmark Axis knife with a little practice. Most people's eyes go wide when I pull the knife, bounce it open, cut, fold back up,and put it back in my pocket about as fast as you can read this.
Switch blades do look cool. What are the good brands? Benchmade auto cost as much as a semiauto handgun.
Got this one recently.
Had one that looked similar in the late 50s, early 60s, but I am sure the quality was not the same. I had a classmate on a family trip to Mexico bring it back for me.
Auto knives are now legal in Colorado. We wanted our 30round magazines back, but we got auto knives. Frankly, I don't see that much advantage compared to a well tuned Benchmark Axis knife with a little practice. Most people's eyes go wide when I pull the knife, bounce it open, cut, fold back up,and put it back in my pocket about as fast as you can read this.
Switch blades do look cool. What are the good brands? Benchmade auto cost as much as a semiauto handgun.
Micro tech makes a good OTF they are in the $250-$500+ range. I like my combat trodoon and ultratech by them.
Autos are expensive and the cheap ones don't lock up well, action is usually crap and they don't last long with any type of repeated use.
The Benchmade 3300 infidel is one of my favorites.
I've heard pro tech makes a nice auto in the TR-4 but haven't handled one.
You get what you pay for with autos.
Nice find. Good blades are always cool.
Figured we could use a non controversial topic. Regular members know I collect things, lots of things. And from my early youth I have always had a fascination with weaponry, from guns to knives to swords to nunchaku to blowguns to sai to law enforcement weapons to, well you get the idea. Probably has something to do with SOF and similar things being my regular reading material.
And from the time I first saw one on film, probably as a kid having to endure another viewing of "West Side Story" with my parents, I have always had a thing for auto knives.
Got this one recently.
http://i.imgur.com/X1J4YbH.jpg
When I was a kid in the 1970s switchblades were nearly impossible to obtain. I was walking into gun shows at age 12 and buying '03 Springfields for cash (this was at a time when gun shows were almost exclusively private sellers and collectors) and the only time somebody made me go find my dad was if I was buying a 1911 or some other handgun.
But despite that, the knife sellers usually had a sign on the table that said something like "No switchblades - Don't ask." Eventually I got ahold of some korean grade piece of crap that had all stamped parts except for the blade itself. It lasted about a week or so. My father brought a couple lever release autos up from his annual hunting trip to Mexico but these were also non spectacular and didn't last very long.
I got my first quality switchblades when I first visited Germany back around 1979 and these were the usual horn handle, stainless blade stamped "rostfrei" (rust free aka stainless steel). On my second trip to Europe when I was in high school during the mid 80s I went completely overboard and probably purchased around 20 auto knives of various lengths and designs. I must not have looked like a problem because NY customs opened and closed my suitcase without much interest and sent me through. Even worse than the knives, I had a pair of nunchaku with me, which actually would have been a felony in NY and I didn't think anything about the fact that we would connect through NY twice, including customs on the way home.
Of course today things are much different and damn lazy spoiled kids don't know how good they have it. They can go on the internet and find places like Blade HQ and order auto knives all day long, from the crap grade stuff to decent, well made reliable knives. Perhaps it's a good thing the opportunity didn't exist when I was in high school as I might have done something stupid like buy $400 worth of custom knives rather than snag a HK91 and 93 when I was still in high school.
But every now and then I treat myself. Got a nice 11" dagger blade swing guard with black horn handles. They can be pricey but you can never go wrong with a classic. The addiction continues.
I've always wanted a quality example like that with a bayonet profile blade. Don't know why, just do.
Thanks for sharing!
As for your knife, now you have peaked my curiosity about the ones my father obtained back in the 60's/70's. He's had them stashed away in a cigar box in his dresser since I was in diapers.
Those would probably be pick locks and depending upon what you have could be quite collectible.
Micro tech makes a good OTF they are in the $250-$500+ range. I like my combat trodoon and ultratech by them.
Autos are expensive and the cheap ones don't lock up well, action is usually crap and they don't last long with any type of repeated use.
The Benchmade 3300 infidel is one of my favorites.
I've heard pro tech makes a nice auto in the TR-4 but haven't handled one.
You get what you pay for with autos.
Pro Tech might make the best auto for the money, especially if it's going to be a working knife. The Godfather series is one of my favorites, worth every penny.
Auto knives are now legal in Colorado. We wanted our 30round magazines back, but we got auto knives. Frankly, I don't see that much advantage compared to a well tuned Benchmark Axis knife with a little practice. Most people's eyes go wide when I pull the knife, bounce it open, cut, fold back up,and put it back in my pocket about as fast as you can read this.
Switch blades do look cool. What are the good brands? Benchmade auto cost as much as a semiauto handgun.
Spring assisted, autos and balis really don't have any more real advantage than a folder that can be thumb opened and all are pretty much secondary to a fixed blade. If I'm going to rumble give me a vintage Gerber Mark II and I'm good to go.
Nice thread. I have an old switch blade like the one in the OP, though is it I think more of an Italian made joby the old man bought for me when I was about 10. Yes 10. I think it was the first actual pocket knife I ever had to think about it, or the second one to an old buck knife. Not going to count the swiss army knife I had. Couldn't take it out of the house, but I had it, and I still do in fact. Don't play with it much. Have a couple others, for whatever reason, while I like knifes, auto knives just don't so anything for me, find balisongs to be more interesting personally and am considering investing a nicer one than what I currently own to just have. Don't begrudge anyone wishing to own an auto knife though, to each there own.
As far as auto verse folder, generally speaking to me an auto offers no advantage, I have friends who have carried them, it it an folding auto, or something like the Infidel, ect, and I just keep carrying the same beat up Emerson. The autos can draw a look or make someone hesitate, pull something like a Emerson Commander from your pocket and have the blade come out on draw and people literally back the **** up. Seriously, I have made people back up and almost run when I've pulled that thing, even when it was just to open a box. I think it is the knife almost appearing in hand accompanied by the KACHUCK of the thing engaging. That said, if I was going to be doing any sort of fighting with a blade I'd rather have a gun, or a good fixed blade. The Gerber Steyr mentioned wouldn't be refused. I actually wouldn't mind owning one as is.
1_click_off
06-09-17, 22:19
That blade looks a lot like the one my neighbor had. His had yellow scales though.
I recently moved and came across my Dad's AlMar SERT 1st production run while unpacking. Forgot he had given it to me about 20 years ago. Anybody have any info on them? It is ATS-34 steel. Has a neat black chrome looking finish on it. Think they were discontinued. I carry a SERE all the time and the SERT appears to be much lighter duty.
Nice thread. I have an old switch blade like the one in the OP, though is it I think more of an Italian made joby the old man bought for me when I was about 10. Yes 10. I think it was the first actual pocket knife I ever had to think about it, or the second one to an old buck knife. Not going to count the swiss army knife I had. Couldn't take it out of the house, but I had it, and I still do in fact. Don't play with it much. Have a couple others, for whatever reason, while I like knifes, auto knives just don't so anything for me, find balisongs to be more interesting personally and am considering investing a nicer one than what I currently own to just have. Don't begrudge anyone wishing to own an auto knife though, to each there own.
As far as auto verse folder, generally speaking to me an auto offers no advantage, I have friends who have carried them, it it an folding auto, or something like the Infidel, ect, and I just keep carrying the same beat up Emerson. The autos can draw a look or make someone hesitate, pull something like a Emerson Commander from your pocket and have the blade come out on draw and people literally back the **** up. Seriously, I have made people back up and almost run when I've pulled that thing, even when it was just to open a box. I think it is the knife almost appearing in hand accompanied by the KACHUCK of the thing engaging. That said, if I was going to be doing any sort of fighting with a blade I'd rather have a gun, or a good fixed blade. The Gerber Steyr mentioned wouldn't be refused. I actually wouldn't mind owning one as is.
Like guns, I have different categories for knives. The one in the OP definitely isn't a work knife, it's more like a custom trap gun that is made to look impressive and remind one of days past. I'm a sucker for classic Italians, especially in unusual blade profiles like dagger blades.
If I had to I could nitty gritty just fine with a Protech Godfather, I've definitely bled myself a few times with them. But it wouldn't be my first choice, all folders are inherently weak at the hinge, some more than others. Autos and balisongs can "present" well but tend to be the choice of those who need the "bluff" because they aren't really ready for a knife fight and / or lack the skills and experience. It's the same phenomenon that "intelligently challenged" people believe flash hiders, folding stocks and bayonet lugs make a rifle inherently more deadly.
Anyone who pulls a fixed blade typically moves higher up my threat priority assessment scale than somebody with any kind of folder. People carry folders for all kinds of reasons, fixed blades tend to be fighters. Not that I treat any kind of knife as nothing serious.
That blade looks a lot like the one my neighbor had. His had yellow scales though.
I recently moved and came across my Dad's AlMar SERT 1st production run while unpacking. Forgot he had given it to me about 20 years ago. Anybody have any info on them? It is ATS-34 steel. Has a neat black chrome looking finish on it. Think they were discontinued. I carry a SERE all the time and the SERT appears to be much lighter duty.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Mar_Knives
Nice knife.
pull something like a Emerson Commander from your pocket and have the blade come out on draw and people literally back the **** up. Seriously, I have made people back up and almost run when I've pulled that thing, even when it was just to open a box. I think it is the knife almost appearing in hand accompanied by the KACHUCK of the thing engaging.
You should try it with a Cold Steel Rajah II. Definitely a shock and awe conversation starter! :D
You should try it with a Cold Steel Rajah II. Definitely a shock and awe conversation starter! :D
LOL! Funny story, a friend got stopped once by a cop who asked him what he used the Rajah for, after he pulled it out and the cop almost shit himself. My friend's response, "Gardening."
Moose-Knuckle
06-10-17, 04:28
Anyone who pulls a fixed blade typically moves higher up my threat priority assessment scale than somebody with any kind of folder. People carry folders for all kinds of reasons, fixed blades tend to be fighters. Not that I treat any kind of knife as nothing serious.
I EDC a small fixed blade for threats and a folder for chores.
When I visited Hawaii I knew that I couldn't CCW but found they have pretty liberal knife laws. That trip got me carrying a fixed blade from then on out.
Streyr
I know this is wishful thinking, but one day I'd love to log on and see a thread like this by you, click on it, and there's a picture (or multiple pictures) of your entire collection with a description/backstory for every item. Nice thread, very interesting topic. I've always enjoyed knives, but honestly haven't owned very many. I always include a small folder in my EDC but I've never gone all out on a superb nice knife.
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