Italian Switches

[galvanic1882]

This thread hasn't had anything posted to it for 3 years so i figured this would be a nice way to revive it.

I have been trying to get one of these old Italian Gun switches for a very long time and finally snagged one. It has a faint etch on the front handle VENEZIA in script. Beautiful colors on the handle.

[Madmarco]

Very nice Mike. I've often wondered how the action on these gun knives is. The tortoise-shell covers combined with the MOP looks teriffic. Not something I would collect, but very cool nonetheless!

[edge213]

This thread hasn't had anything posted to it for 3 years so i figured this would be a nice way to revive it.

I have been trying to get one of these old Italian Gun switches for a very long time and finally snagged one. It has a faint etch on the front handle VENEZIA in script. Beautiful colors on the handle.

I'm not usually a fan of things like this, but this one is pretty cool

[wiseguy]

Nice old gun knife Mike… glad to see the thread resurrected, here’s an old Latama knife contract built in Frosolone in the Hayday of Italian switchblade production along with a copy of the purchase order.

[galvanic1882]

Man I love that, very nice thanks for posting it!

[galvanic1882]

Very nice Mike. I've often wondered how the action on these gun knives is. The tortoise-shell covers combined with the MOP looks teriffic. Not something I would collect, but very cool nonetheless!

The action on it is fast and true every time. The handles are so much nicer in person too.

[Miller Bro's]

Here are a couple I have kicking around........

[galvanic1882]

Very nice!!

[Miller Bro's]

This thread hasn't had anything posted to it for 3 years so i figured this would be a nice way to revive it.

I have been trying to get one of these old Italian Gun switches for a very long time and finally snagged one. It has a faint etch on the front handle VENEZIA in script. Beautiful colors on the handle.

That's a beauty, what are the inlaids made of?

[galvanic1882]

Mostly celluloid Dimitri, not sure of the checkered grip though might be an early plastic, you cannot feel the texture it is smooth. The trigger is also celluloid tortoise shell.

[Madmarco]

Very nice Mike. I've often wondered how the action on these gun knives is. The tortoise-shell covers combined with the MOP looks teriffic. Not something I would collect, but very cool nonetheless!

The action on it is fast and true every time. The handles are so much nicer in person too.

Thanks for the additional info. A great addition to your Italians!

[knife7knut]

Here is one you don't see very often:a keris blade with ram's horn handles.A gift from a good friend whose brother brought it back from Germany in the late 60's of early 70's.Stamped,"M.Italy Inox" inside an oval.

[Madmarco]

Beautiful, rare, old picklock Ray, congratulations! The ram's horn on that knife is just stunning!

[galvanic1882]

Great knives guys!!! Latest pickup hard to read the mark but I think it’s Comtellerie CEM around Made in Italy, opens lightning fast and locks up great. Safety works too

[Madmarco]

Great knives guys!!! Latest pickup hard to read the mark but I think it’s Comtellerie CEM around Made in Italy, opens lightning fast and locks up great. Safety works too

Beautiful catch g1882! Solid old picklock in top-notch shape, very nice indeed!

[zed6309]

Lots of beauties here ive only one, completely illegal in the uk sadly , was in tough state when i got it, horn scales was roached, it had blade peak, and blade wouldn't lock in, i totally restored it and scaled it in Stag as my favourite material

[Madmarco]

Lots of beauties here ive only one, completely illegal in the uk sadly , was in tough state when i got it, horn scales was roached, it had blade peak, and blade wouldn't lock in, i totally restored it and scaled it in Stag as my favourite material
ColorPop1621945159708-01.jpeg

I watched your restoration posts for this knife Paul, and the final product is exceptional, nice job. Even though autos are illegal in the U.K., just like here in Canada, they're still a ton-of-fun for quenching one's "click therapy", IF you can get your hands on any.

[zed6309]

Lots of beauties here ive only one, completely illegal in the uk sadly , was in tough state when i got it, horn scales was roached, it had blade peak, and blade wouldn't lock in, i totally restored it and scaled it in Stag as my favourite material
ColorPop1621945159708-01.jpeg

I watched your restoration posts for this knife Paul, and the final product is exceptional, nice job. Even though autos are illegal in the U.K., just like here in Canada, they're still a ton-of-fun for quenching one's "click therapy", IF you can get your hands on any.

Thanks Marco i really took my time on this and got loads of advice from this great forum , just a shame its tucked away

[Madmarco]

Lots of beauties here ive only one, completely illegal in the uk sadly , was in tough state when i got it, horn scales was roached, it had blade peak, and blade wouldn't lock in, i totally restored it and scaled it in Stag as my favourite material
ColorPop1621945159708-01.jpeg

I watched your restoration posts for this knife Paul, and the final product is exceptional, nice job. Even though autos are illegal in the U.K., just like here in Canada, they're still a ton-of-fun for quenching one's "click therapy", IF you can get your hands on any.

Thanks Marco i really took my time on this and got loads of advice from this great forum , just a shame its tucked away

Agreed my friend, nothing more satisfying than having someone ask "anyone got a knife?", and you whip out an auto and crack it open, oooh's and awwwh's galore!

[zed6309]

I watched your restoration posts for this knife Paul, and the final product is exceptional, nice job. Even though autos are illegal in the U.K., just like here in Canada, they're still a ton-of-fun for quenching one's "click therapy", IF you can get your hands on any.

Thanks Marco i really took my time on this and got loads of advice from this great forum , just a shame its tucked away

Agreed my friend, nothing more satisfying than having someone ask "anyone got a knife?", and you whip out an auto and crack it open, oooh's and awwwh's galore!

Marco i pull this out ill get arrested i just play with it at home

[Madmarco]

Thanks Marco i really took my time on this and got loads of advice from this great forum , just a shame its tucked away

Agreed my friend, nothing more satisfying than having someone ask "anyone got a knife?", and you whip out an auto and crack it open, oooh's and awwwh's galore!

Marco i pull this out ill get arrested i just play with it at home

Yep, me too Paul. Even though they can't safely(fear of seizure)leave the house, I still very much enjoy cleaning, oiling, and firing my autos. I can't get enough of the "crack" I hear every time I fire one, cutlery music to the ears! I have 3 new beauties currently on the way, including one all the way from Armenia with a very unique shape. I'll post pic as they arrive!

[zed6309]

Agreed my friend, nothing more satisfying than having someone ask "anyone got a knife?", and you whip out an auto and crack it open, oooh's and awwwh's galore!

Marco i pull this out ill get arrested i just play with it at home

Yep, me too Paul. Even though they can't safely(fear of seizure)leave the house, I still very much enjoy cleaning, oiling, and firing my autos. I can't get enough of the "crack" I hear every time I fire one, cutlery music to the ears! I have 3 new beauties currently on the way, including one all the way from Armenia with a very unique shape. I'll post pic as they arrive!

Illove the sound as well switchblades are a rare thing in the uk, banned in 59 , i had one in the early 80's that i brought back from a holiday in italy, no one had a clue about laws in those days, it had a faux Mop covers, i remember it said Inox and italy on the stamp, long gone sadly but fondly remembered , this one brings ba k those memories

[Madmarco]

Marco i pull this out ill get arrested i just play with it at home

Yep, me too Paul. Even though they can't safely(fear of seizure)leave the house, I still very much enjoy cleaning, oiling, and firing my autos. I can't get enough of the "crack" I hear every time I fire one, cutlery music to the ears! I have 3 new beauties currently on the way, including one all the way from Armenia with a very unique shape. I'll post pic as they arrive!

Illove the sound as well switchblades are a rare thing in the uk, banned in 59 , i had one in the early 80's that i brought back from a holiday in italy, no one had a clue about laws in those days, it had a faux Mop covers, i remember it said Inox and italy on the stamp, long gone sadly but fondly remembered , this one brings ba k those memories

Your model with the MOP covers I'm sure was a beauty, shame it's long gone, but you do have this one now. I too did some minor smuggling way back when, when I brought 3 autos back from my honeymoon in Mexico, 1 cheap side-opener(not a Rizzy), and 2 cheap OTF's, and as cheap as those were I still had a bunch of fun with them til they broke. My obsession with autos pretty much started there, and I've been trying to acquire them ever since. When I use to deal with Roadsideimports.com before they closed their doors, I'd read on his site about all the stupid laws regarding autos around the world, and the U.K. and Canada were in the same boat, but Canada Customs has now declared war on even a manual with a thumb-stud that can be flicked open after starting the blade out with the stud, so when I can get an auto past them by having the blade sent separately I'm one happy camper! Be sure to watch for the new models I post in the near future, as I'm sure you'll like em'!

[zed6309]

Yep, me too Paul. Even though they can't safely(fear of seizure)leave the house, I still very much enjoy cleaning, oiling, and firing my autos. I can't get enough of the "crack" I hear every time I fire one, cutlery music to the ears! I have 3 new beauties currently on the way, including one all the way from Armenia with a very unique shape. I'll post pic as they arrive!

Illove the sound as well switchblades are a rare thing in the uk, banned in 59 , i had one in the early 80's that i brought back from a holiday in italy, no one had a clue about laws in those days, it had a faux Mop covers, i remember it said Inox and italy on the stamp, long gone sadly but fondly remembered , this one brings ba k those memories

Your model with the MOP covers I'm sure was a beauty, shame it's long gone, but you do have this one now. I too did some minor smuggling way back when, when I brought 3 autos back from my honeymoon in Mexico, 1 cheap side-opener(not a Rizzy), and 2 cheap OTF's, and as cheap as those were I still had a bunch of fun with them til they broke. My obsession with autos pretty much started there, and I've been trying to acquire them ever since. When I use to deal with Roadsideimports.com before they closed their doors, I'd read on his site about all the stupid laws regarding autos around the world, and the U.K. and Canada were in the same boat, but Canada Customs has now declared war on even a manual with a thumb-stud that can be flicked open after starting the blade out with the stud, so when I can get an auto past them by having the blade sent separately I'm one happy camper! Be sure to watch for the new models I post in the near future, as I'm sure you'll like em'!

All of this has defantly made collecting hard, was so much easier 20-30yrs ago

[Madmarco]

So true Paul. I wish I'd started collecting 20-30 years ago, but alas, I've only been collecting seriously for a couple of years. Once I started I certainly didn't waste any time though, because my collection is already nearing 250 pieces. Imagine how many it would be had I started sooner! Have a great weekend!