All About Pocket Knives

This morning I stopped at one of our local antique malls that occasionally has knives. In one of the display cases was a Schrade Presto knife with all metal handles. The knife did not operate, but the pivot was free and the lock seemed to work. This place is a typical tourist trap and the prices are always outrageous. They had $99 on the Presto. The tang stamps were clear, the blade was used, but looked reasonably full, with just a bit of rust near the tang and plenty of patina. The handles were in good shape. If the auto mechanism operated, I would call it an HOK. I didn't get a picture, but after a google search I think it looked exactly like the knife below.

My questions are:

1) What would you estimate it would cost to have one of our AAPK wizards get the knife back into operating condition?

2) What is a reasonable price to pay for this Presto in non-operating condition?

I think it looked just like this pic in pattern, features, color and condition:

TwoFLowers - the one you pictured doesnt look like it has metal handles but if it looks like the one in the pic then I would pick it up for .1K without hesitating.

Well, the one I had in my hand today definitely had metal handles, so perhaps the pic I selected is not correct. The shape was the same and it had the button and the lock in the same locations, and I *think* it did not have a bail or lanyard hole. It also did not have a swing guard.

This might be another picture that is like the one I saw, and this one is definitely metal handles. The more I think about it, the less sure I am about the color:
https://lathams-vintage-knives.myshopif ... al-handles

The metal handled Presto's were painted. The paint wears off with time and use. A search of the switchblade subforum here using keywords "metal Presto" will find some examples, like this one. viewtopic.php?f=86&t=22553&p=291196&hil ... to#p291196

As for repairs on switchblades I'd check with muskrat man and Bill DeShivs. There are probably others as well but those two come to mind as working on switchblades. They might give you a ballpark estimate on cost to repair.

Ken

I finally got a chance to stop back at the antique store, and this time I had my phone and took a couple of pictures. I was completely wrong on my selection of the picture above. (Memory is the second thing to go...) It is definitely a metal handle and it does have a bail. It doesn't operate but the blade does move freely. I have not decided if I want to make an offer on it. $100 is WAY outside my normal knife-buying price range...