All About Pocket Knives

if you are a fan of switchblades than lets here it......

what have you got? show some pics and start it off! we have one of if not the best auto expert as a regular contributor. welcome to the site.

I posted this pic the other day but here it is again.

James

LT (Rich Langston) usually hangs out in the Knife Lore forum. I will send him a PM so he doesn't miss this thread.
He has a great book out; The Collectors Guide To Switchblade Knives. The book is some of the knives in his collection. You can also get a CD of some of his collection at his knife store here on AAPK. http://allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_s ... re6-y.html

Dale

I can do pics . here is one LT

Personally, I would like to see more posts of switchblades. They are an important part of our American cutlery history that to many people just want to bury. Some of those AO knives can be opened so fast, it just seems a shame to have switchblades be illegal in so much of the country. I don't know a lot about them other than making a couple and it is not hard. Through my son in law in Nevada, I was told I should take them apart, so I did. Even though he is a police officer in Reno, he can't carry one.

Doesn't seem right, I guess it may have something to do with gangs but I'm not a gang member, just an American citizen that likes to carry custom knives and would like to carry a switchblade, a piece of our history as well as my slip joints and AO knives.

This is a good post, I hope to learn a bit here.

hukk is right. they should not be unlawful. the fifties were a kneejerk time politically and laws showed that mentality. LT is fighting the good fight just to allow them to be displayed in a museum. c'mon, show and tell. LT could you lead off with some of your examples and history.

I want a mint YELLOW switchblade...

All very nice.

I love them too. If you look at the new spring assisted knives, they are no different. They just found a way to get around the law. I have a couple of cheapy modern versions and I'm always on the lookout for some vintage versions.

As a native Oregonian, I can carry a switchblade. It is legal in Oregon to own, manufacture, buy, sell, trade, carry & use a switchblade. I love Oregon! We also have Benchmade Knives in Oregon City, probably the biggest manufacturer of switchblades in the USA.

Dale

Pushed the wrong button. Its here now tho. This is a pretty good example of a Presto Military issued Commando.They made this 5" along with a 3"version. EDIT: Dale I have added to this what I think is an early Benchmade, no safety. What do you think?
moss

That was pretty sneaky Moss...you had me looking all over for that picture just now.

Nice exampleS.

Bill

Mossy One, you got me twice...

I love switch blades However I sold or gave away many of

them thru the years. I now only have a few I keep for their sentimental

value.

Sentimental?

I thought only Bill the Butcher would get all warm and fuzzy over his favorite automatics?















Bill...the Wolf (E)

Wish they were legal here in Michigan. You can carry a gun with a CCW permit. But if your caught with a switchblade they will prosecute you! Doesn't make sense to me. I've thought about contacting my state representative to see if maybe legistlation could be intoduced to try and change the states position.

[quote="El Lobo"]Sentimental?

I thought only Bill the Butcher would get all warm and fuzzy over his favorite automatics?

Hi Mitch:
That bottom stilleto was one of the types of the slicer and dicers of choice for the gangs (so called) that the 1958 law banning them was concocted.
moss

Hey Moss; I read once that because the 1950's Marlon Brando

movie, "THE WILD ONE" had him and his gang brandishing push button

stilettos the general public went beserk and demanded that the

Legislators at the time outlaw these Horrible weapons. Thus the

antiquated 1958 Switch Blade Law.

Mossdancer wrote:Pushed the wrong button. Its here now tho. This is a pretty good example of a Presto Military issued Commando. They made this 5" along with a 3"version. EDIT: Dale I have added to this what I think is an early Benchmade, no safety. What do you think?
moss

I think you are right WB, though I couldn't date it. The top knife in Mitch's pic is the same pattern as the first Benchmade. Also the same at the Al Mar automatic that came out before Al's death.

I think your Benchmade is in the second generation when they introduced some new patterns. A friend of mine & I toured the Benchmade plant in conjunction with our jobs in about 1994 or 1995. Les was hiring some veterans in conjunction with a veteran job placement program called SMOCTA (Service Members Occupation Conversion & Training Act). IIRC, Les hired two veterans through this program. He is a very patriotic guy and is very supportive of the military & veterans. Les is just a class act all the way around.

Dale

Mitch;
I'm pretty sure that your info is ace on. The 1955 Movie Blackboard Jungle did not hinder the law one bit either.
moss

Redford,do you have any info on that knife in the picture?I picked this one up a few months ago and I'm wondering who made it,mine has a lock similar to yours and I'm wondering if they are from the same manufacturer.

Nice knife.

here's my benchmade

Mine has Taurus etched on the blade,it seems to be a pretty sturdy knife and holds an edge well.I have another that is made in China or Japan that is made a lot cheaper,that one usually just lays in the drawer.