Some of my autos!

[Sharpnshinyknives]

I like the slimness of this last one, very nice indeed.

[Madmarco]

Thanks Mark! I thought you might like that one. It truly is a slim profiled knife, and just feels great in-hand! I can hardly wait for Friday when you send my knives, or at least around then, seeing as it's the weekend. Then I'll have those 2 to look forward to arriving, and then 4 more at the end of the month. Christmas in July, ain't it grand!

[Madmarco]

This is my offering for today guys, and it's the only Hubertus I currently own, although, I'm in negotiations with a company in Germany to establish a long-term relationship with, as they have many very nice knives I'd like to eventually purchase. This knife was 1 of 5 different knives that I bought from my collector friend to the east of me, so again, no Customs to deal with! You should like this one Mark, seeing as it also has a very slim profile. It's called a "slimline", and comes in various sizes, this one being the 7 3/4" model. There's a bit of a history behind this knife, albeit not mine, but still kindda interesting. The gent I bought it from told me that it was purchased in Germany by his girlfriend 35 years ago, as a gift for him, since she knew he EDC'd auto knives. Being totally oblivious to the fact that this type of knife is strictly prohibited where we live, she bought it, dropped it in her purse, and hopped on the plane to return home. Now, had she been searched by Customs, she definitely would have lost it, and likely been charged with smuggling prohibited goods, but, fortunately, she just flew home and presented his gift to him. He told me that when he informed her that these knives are prohibited and she could have gone to jail for smuggling it home, she promptly announced that there would be no more knives as gifts, at least not from foreign countries! Just thought this little story was a bit more interesting than just, "here's the knife, blah, blah, blah"! Anyhow, the knife! It's a Hubertus 7 3/4" Slimline leverlock/SS flat-grind blade, brass bolsters/liners/lever/and pins, and nice Rosewood scales. There is the Hubertus logo over "Hubertus SOLINGEN" and "ROSTFREI GESCHMIEDET" "W-GERMANY" etched on the blade. Fires open hard and fast, and locks-up tight, with just the slightest amount of blade play. This model also appears to have a removable spring, so should it ever break it can likely be replaced without a lot of ta-do! This is a really nice smaller auto that would make for a great EDC, although, for me it's strictly a collectible!

[samb1955]

That's a nice one but keep an eye on the kick spring
I hear that sometimes they work their way out a little and they are prone to breaking.

[Madmarco]

Thanks for that info samb, I wasn't aware of that! My knives actually just sit in my display pouches most of the time, other than to clean and oil them 3-4 times a year, and those are usually the only times I fire them, but I'll definitely watch for what you suggested!

[samb1955]

Guess all you have to do is push it back in but it has been an issue. Hope you don't have any problems with yours!

[Madmarco]

Yes, you've nailed it samb, when you look into the blade channel you can see just how it slips into a slot at the bottom end, so should be an easy fix if problems arise! Thanks for the positive wishes!

[1967redrider]

She's a beauty, Mark! Very interesting story too.

I had a buddy from Austria and once when his mother visited, back in the 1990s, she brought homemade pear schnapps and some Stroh rum that was way more potent than you can but here in the States. I think she just had all 3 bottles in her carry-on bag and no one cared. But today that would probably land one in the iron bar hotel.

[Madmarco]

That's for sure John! It's kindda funny what we can get away with, and not even know we were doing something wrong! Thanks for your comments, they keep me com'in back for more! P.S.-I'd love to see pics of any of your knives!

[Madmarco]

I'm getting closer to the end of my current collection of autos fellas, but here's today's knife! This is also 1 that I received in the 5 knife deal I made with my Canadian counterpart from Ontario. There's no particular story behind this one, just simply that it was owned by the guy I bought it from for 35 years, and when he decided to sell-off his collection, it became available to me! It's an 11" Frank B swivel bolster stiletto/SS bayonet blade, SS bolsters/button/and safety, brass liners and pins, and white pearlex scales. Has "STILETTO" over "ITALY" stamped on the front tang, and "FRANK B" over "ITALY" stamped on the back tang. Even being that old this knife fires fast and hard, and locks-up solid with no blade play. This stiletto feels very slim in your hand, and weighs just the right amount, not too heavy, and not too light. If Goldielocks carried an EDC knife, this would be the one! Sorry, I couldn't resist! lol!

[samb1955]

That's the real deal! How would you compare the quality of your DH Gate stilettos compared to it?

[Madmarco]

That's a very good question Sam! Although my DHG's are Chinese made, they're all still really nice knives. All operate like they're suppose to, and also feel very good in-hand. But, my quality knives all operate flawlessly as well, and, are built by professional knifemakers using better quality materials, so for the long-haul of course I'd prefer them, but, for "click therapy" I like the cheaper models, since if they break it's no big deal, and, I have a chance to repair them myself. The last 2 that I'll post on Friday and Saturday are both built in the US by a true professional from the ground up, and are my absolute favorites, and I would choose them over any Italian, German, or Chinese model 24/7/365! By the same token, my cheaper knives are also all very special to me, due to the hoops I had to jump through to receive them, but, like anything else, you can't beat quality. I've been fascinated with automatic knives since I was 6 years old, but because of the ridiculous restrictions imposed on them by the government, they have been tough to get my hands on, so to have received ANY of them has been a real treat! It's a good thing I don't have to go to work any longer, since I spend all my time searching and researching new and different models, and work would just be in the way! lol!

[Sharpnshinyknives]

That one is very nice. I wonder if it would look better w/out the ears as well. I never thought about those ears before, just took them for granted, but once you see what it looks like w/out them, I wonder why they ever put them on in the first place? Besides the obvious reason of protecting your fingers that is. I think it would ride better in your pocket w/out them as well.

[1967redrider]

That is an awesome auto, Mark! So grinding or removing the guard "ears," does it make it harder to unlock the blade? I know using the guard gives you more leverage, that's why I ask?

[Madmarco]

O.K., your answer first John. The model you are referring to is a "swivel bolster" model, and the white knife is such a model, and one would NEVER want to remove the "ears" because, you need them to pull-down or "swivel" the top front bolster, in order to release the tang pin from the lock-tab, to close the blade, and is located at the top end of the spine, actually being an extension of the spine, shaped usually to a square shape with a hole going right through it for the tang pin to lock into when it reaches the fully open position, thus locking the blade in place. When you "swivel" the bolster it pushes the lock-tab back or to the right, and frees-up the little round pin that is attached to the side of the tang of your knife, so you would then be able to fold the blade closed. If you were to remove the "ears" on a "swivel" model, you would need some sort of tool to "swivel" the bolster for closing the blade, because without the "ears" here's nothing to put your thumb onto to 'swivel' the bolster, and they're usually on there pretty tight, although, you could always treat it as a "picklock" model and "pick" the lock-tab to close it. Prior to , I believe 1962, the knives were designed as "picklocks", because you needed to use your thumb and first finger to "pick" at the lock-tab to pull it to the right, thus freeing up the tang pin for closing. The knife that I did remove the "ears" from is a duel-action OTF(out the front)model, and to close it, you simply pull back on the trigger and the blade retracts back into the body of the knife, and when you want the blade out, you simply push the trigger forward, and the blade flies out, thus the "duel-action", so for that knife the "ears" were strictly for finger-guards. I know this is a bit confusing, so I took some pics to try to show you the process.

This is showing me "swivelling" the bolster "ear".

This is showing the tang pin engaged in the lock-tab hole.

This is showing the tang pin disengaged from the lock-tab hole.

This is me pointing to the tang pin.

This is showing me "picking" the lock-tab if this were a "picklock" model.

This is showing an "earless" OTF model before pushing the grey trigger forward to open the knife.

And finally, this is showing the blade in the open position after pushing the trigger forward to open the knife. So you see, with a "swivel bolster" model the "ears" are essential to close the blade, and on the OTF, "icepick", and "picklock" models they're not! Hope this helps!

[Madmarco]

Now, to your answer Mark! For that particular knife, or any "swivel bolster" model, the "ears" are essential for closing the blade, and for fingerguards. Next to impossible to close the blade without them, although, one could always close it as a "picklock". See my answer I posted to (John) Red Rider, just prior to this one. The "ears" have always been there to protect your fingers, since stilettos where primarily stabbing weapons, not cutting weapons, so when one would stab someone, if the "ears" or fingerguards weren't there, your fingers could slide forward onto the blade and cause injury. Starting in 1962, I believe that's the year, the builders transitioned over to "swivel" models. I think a lot of people think that the "Icepick" look(earless)is pretty cool, and they build models of stilettos called "Icepicks" just for that reason. I too believe that the knife rides much better in your pocket, without having "ears", since there's less edges to catch on. I would love to have that knife as an "icepick", but it would be a little more difficult every time I wanted to close the blade! When I post my last auto on Saturday, you guys will see an example of a true "Icepick" model, although, you've already seen it Mark! Hope this helps!

[Madmarco]

This knife is an identical copy of the Frank B that I posted yesterday, other than the black scales, and, it's totally unmarked! It's one that I purchased in a 5 knife deal with a seller/collector friend of mine. When he sent me pics and descriptions of his knives, he stated that although this knife has no markings, it appeared to have come from the same house as the model with the white pearlex scales, and being unmarked made it a true bad-ass stiletto! It's an 11" swivel bolster stiletto/SS bayonet blade/bolsters/button/and safety, brass liners and pins, and jet-black dark horn scales. It fires hard and fast, and locks-up tight with zero blade play! This knife feels and operates exactly the same as the model I posted yesterday with the white pearlex scales, although, not having any markings whatsoever makes me wonder exactly who built it. It was also purchased 35 years ago, and seeing as it operates so well, I would lean toward it being a Frank B, but, without any markings I doubt I'll ever know for sure. Another really nice Italian auto!

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Thanks for the explanation mark. I like the way you showed how it works. I have no experience with this type of knife, that is helpful.
This last one is my favorite. That has a very sleek look. Really nice.

[1967redrider]

Thank you, Mark.

And that blade on your most recent post looks very nice. It's like they put more emphasis on the blade than on the handle.

[Madmarco]

Thanks for the kind words Mark! I learn more and more everyday about these autos, and if I can help anyone who's not understanding the mechanisms, I'm more than happy to do so, IF I know! And yes, that black knife is also one of my favorites, cuz it feels nice and slim in my hand, and operates flawlessly! With the Italian knives it's many times hit-or-miss, and I feel quite fortunate that the ones I own all seem to be hits! I recently read some information regarding a knife not having any markings, and it stated that some knives that weren't meant for export, or, just meant for domestic use, are sometimes not marked, so that's a very likely explanation why this last knife I posted has no markings. Like I said, more and more everyday!

[Madmarco]

You're welcome John, my pleasure! The blade on that knife is the standard bayonet style, and some builders will modify it to a little bit different style, although, I try to always buy my knives with a dagger blade since I much prefer that style, but for the 5 knives I got from my friend I had no choice since they were pre-owned. That's not to say I don't like them, I just mean that if I have a choice, I will always go with the dagger grind. And it's so true that some knives look like the emphasis was put into the blade, and not the scales, but we must remember, "variety is the spice of life"!

[Madmarco]

Good afternoon guys! This knife is 1 of my top 5 knives, and is the last of my current lever-locks. I got this knife from my seller in the US who's willing to send me the blade separately from the body, in order to accommodate Customs. As it turned out, it was necessary to completely dis-assemble it to get the blade off. I kindda liked that though, since it gave me the opportunity to see the internal workings of the knife, and re-assembly was quite simple. It's an AGA Campolin "Zero" model, and has just recently been joined by it's big brother the "Zero+", which measures 1 1/2" longer, and is on my radar to purchase. This model is an 8 3/4" lever-lock/SS coated black dagger blade with blood groove and false top-edge, SS satin-finished bolsters, SS liners lever and screws, jet-black G-10 scales, and pocket-clip, although, I removed the clip and replaced it with the supplied shield as seen in the pic. I absolutely adore this knife! It snaps to attention with authority when fired, and locks-up tight as if it were a fixed blade knife, and, has no blade play whatsoever. These Zeros operate on 2 removable leaf-springs, so, should 1 or both break, it's a simple matter of prying out the broken pieces and popping in the new ones. Ingenious idea! This knife is rather heavy, which I really like, and can likely be attributed to the SS liners, and almost feels like you're holding a small paring knife since it's so slim. The blade is fired by slipping your thumb under the lever located just below the top front bolster and pressing forward, and is closed in the same manner. This is one of those knives where it's quite easy to slide your thumb under the lever, because they made the lever channel deep enough to do so, not like some that are very difficult to get your thumb under. A very well designed and thought-out automatic knife!

[Madmarco]

Hey guys! I had what you would call a lousy day. It started early with me sending money to the wrong PayPal address, spent hours trying to correct the mistake, and finally did, after dealing with PayPal's ridiculous messaging system. I consider myself quite lucky considering the recipient could have simply kept the money, but fortunately he was a stand-up guy and returned it immediately, WHEW! Then I got a letter from Customs informing me they had seized a knife I had ordered due to it being an auto. No threats of fines or jail, just that I wouldn't be getting the knife. It was the very last cheapo that I had ordered back in March, and Customs had only got to it on May 5th., due to a huge back-log of packages they are facing. And, they are just informing me now, June 26th. I half expected it would be seized, but it was cheap, so I took a shot! Things didn't get a heck of a lot better after that, but I muddled through it. That's why I'm posting later than usual. Now, today's offering! This knife is #2 on my list of favorites, and is one nice auto! It's an Exiled Cutlery 10 3/4" picklock stiletto/SS modified bayonet blade, NS satin finished bolsters, NS button with skull+bones stamp, SS liners, brass pins, screw+barrel pivot for easy adjustments and shipping, no safety, and gorgeous Zebrawood scales! There is a skull atop crossed cutlasses etched on the blade, but otherwise no markings. Weighs-in at a hefty 10 oz.'s. Custom built in the US by Reuben "Chad" Blades. It fires with that ever so satisfying "crack" that I'll never get tired of, and locks-up tight with zero blade-play. Was my favorite knife, until I received the one I'll post tomorrow, but I still really like this one, hope you do too!

[Sharpnshinyknives]

I like that Mark. Zebra wood is one of my favorites. That looks like a great knife. Sorry about the rough day.

[Madmarco]

Thanks buddy! Of course, the picture doesn't do those scales justice, in person they're awesome!