I would like some information of this switchblade CORICAMA

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micaela
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Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:04 am

I would like some information of this switchblade CORICAMA

Post by micaela »

Hi, my name is micaela and Im new in this forum. I take a switchblade Coricama and I like obtain some info about this.
The same one this under perfect operation conditions.
Last edited by micaela on Thu Sep 20, 2012 4:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Later model with stainless blade and nickel plated steel button.
All of these that I have seen came from Central America, for what that is worth.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
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Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
micaela
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by micaela »

Know the approx year?
regards
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by Bill DeShivs »

My educated guess is around 1960.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
micaela
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by micaela »

Thanks for the info. You know the approx value?
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FreeTheArmy
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by FreeTheArmy »

Howdy micaela,
You found yourself a nice piece of history. You don't see these very often and when you do, they can go for anywhere between $200 and $600+... it all depends on who wants it, and how bad.
If I's you, I'd send it to Magic Bill D. for a little renovation/restoration, and plant the little gal right on my bookshelf for a few weeks before hiding it in the ol' knife chest. :wink: (maybe sell/trade it in a year or so if it doesn't "fit in"). But then again, some collectors grit their teeth when they see an all original knife (retaining all its original metal and horn and all that) get "cleaned up" a bit. It's the way she goes, I reckon...might be worth more the way she it now, than if you get her cleaned up.
Hard to tell --depends on who wants it.
Thanks for sharing the pics with us, neighbor! I hope you find fulfillment no matter what you choose. 8)
-Free
"Everyone is your neighbor."
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Belmont800
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by Belmont800 »

BEAUTIFUL Knife!
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Panzerfaust
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by Panzerfaust »

micaela wrote:Thanks for the info. You know the approx value?
I once read a knife collecting article by Bruce Voyles and he wrote that when a collector asked what a switchblade was worth, Voyles replied, "About five years in prison." :P
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JimBrown257
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by JimBrown257 »

I once read a knife collecting article by Bruce Voyles and he wrote that when a collector asked what a switchblade was worth, Voyles replied, "About five years in prison."
Could you imagine if someobody went to prison for five years because they had a knife with a spring in it?

The sad thing is it's not too much of a stretch of the imagination. I've noticed that even a lot of knife dealers seem to think those laws make sense. Hopefully it's just a case of them never having considered the absurdity of such laws.Can anyone think of any situation they've ever heard of where you could say "If only his knife didn't open with the push of a button!!"


Anyways, sorry to go off on a tangent. Welcome to the forum, Micaela. That's a great knife. You might want to leave that blade in the condition it's in as opposed to getting it cleaned up. It just looks worn (as opposed to broken) and sometimes that's what collectors like; it makes it look like there's a story behind it.

The only issue I can see is that it looks like it's just starting to peek (the tip of the blade is almost out of the liner when it's closed). Be sure to always store your knife in the open position, if you don't know that already. Also, I notice it's a picklock; could that be a clue as to it's age?

Btw, Micaela, I have to ask what we're all wondering: from what part of the world are you joining us?
micaela
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by micaela »

Hi Jim, Im from Argentina. Thanks for your words.

Regards

Micaela
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JimBrown257
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by JimBrown257 »

Hi Jim, Im from Argentina. Thanks for your words.
That's awesome. I hope you stick around.
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john
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by john »

Hello Micaela,
That is a very beautiful vintage knife. I'm not sure what I would do with it. I might just clean it up myself or send it to Bill DeShivs for a complete make over, but that's up to you. If you plan to sell or trade it you may want to keep it as is or if you plan to keep it maybe you'd like to clean it up or not. Value is in the eye of the beholder. It's difficult to say what it's worth, but if you do a little research on this forum or others you may find a general value for it. If you plan to clean it up yourself, you can find many products that will do the job. A lot of people including me like to use Semichrome (you may need to buy this in the US, but I'm sure there are many products you can find in your area) to polish and to clean the horn and metal. If the scratches on the blade are bothersome to you gentle sanding will remove most of the marks, but be careful no to scratch it up more than it already is. Metal is kind of like wood, but different.
Lastly, please introduce yourself to the member here. We'd like to know a little bit about you like how long have you been collecting and what is your favorite type of knife. I invite you to read as many threads on this forum. You'll find a lot of great information. The members here a awesome people with a lot of knowledge who will share what they know. So, please feel free to make yourself at home.
Welcome to the forum,
John
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Viking45
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by Viking45 »

Cleaning up a vintage knife yourself can be a tricky situation. One wrong move and the value could be hurt dramatically.
Same as firearms,vintage knives are best left in their original condition unless done by a professional.

By the way Welcome to the forum Micaela.
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JimBrown257
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by JimBrown257 »

This would be a great way to find out the market value of that Coricama, however it might be bad form:

Put it on the auction site with a really high hidden reserve price (like $2000). Let people make offers starting at $0 for it and see what they'd be willing to pay. That would be the most accurate way to assess it's value as, regardless of what some book says, what it's worth comes down to what someone will pay. And, hey, maybe someone would give you $2000 for it...however unlikely.

I don't know if that kind of thing is frowned upon, like it may be poor auction site ettiquette. I've seen auctions where I'm sure that's what the seller was doing. Maybe people wouldn't care or maybe they'd even encourage it as they'd like to see what happens too. And people would get to look at a cool blade.

Can anyone with more auctioneering experience verify if this is a good or bad thing to do?
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john
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Re: I would like some information of this switchblade CORICA

Post by john »

Viking45 wrote:Cleaning up a vintage knife yourself can be a tricky situation. One wrong move and the value could be hurt dramatically.
Same as firearms,vintage knives are best left in their original condition unless done by a professional.

By the way Welcome to the forum Micaela.
Hello Viking and Micaela,
Actually Viking's advice is very good advice. I sent my Coricama to Bill for general clean up. I'll be getting it back later this week and I'll post before and after photos. You may not see much of a difference, but I wanted a pro to do the work. Mine is a folder hunting type. Here are a few photos ImageImage
I previewed the reply and in my original photo the blade is not cropped.
John
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