Frank B Italian Stiletto auto!

[Messer]

http://www.bladeplay.com/item--Frank-B- ... lic--13930


Just became legal where I live to carry Switchblades in Tn. USA. so I ordered the above since I heard the Clones were cheap junk and Frank B has a good rep for knives !
Well I heard wrong the 1st one came and the bottom scale was 100% loose since the hole for screw in frame on top never was drilled into the frame support and the top scale had a crack which totally the corner of scale broke after flipping it about 10 X of which the blade would only fully open and lock in place 50% of the time!

So I drilled a hole in mount on frame for the screw which worked but the scale had some major cracks in it also then I put a dap of Blue Loctite in screw mounts but that simply actually ate and melted the mounts on the Scales! WOW!

So I called Blade Play and they said to send back and they will refund the price, but I said I wanted a good one and to please check it out as to quality before sending it which they alledgedly did.

2 weeks later another arrived and it opens 95% of the time but quality seems poor and unlike the picture it looks Cheap did not see any cracks in scales where they screw in but after a playing with it a few day it developed minute cracks where the scales screw in as well as the safety has started to dig into scale when using it.

I am wondering if anybody makes or sells better scales like wood or aluminum for it since these scales are so hollow that if dropped or with much more use they will crack and split?

I have looked all over Net and found 1 place that sells 2 complete scales but for a different knife I see blank scales for sale but I cant do that since they need to be hollowed out inside with a lot of detail.

I thought about using Super Glue inside of scales to strengthen them but these scales are so thin that I am worried the Glue would also eat the Plastic like the Loctite did?

Any thoughts or input is appreciated.
I just noticed there is a similar Frank B all Black with Aluminum Handles which I would love to buy since seems these would be more stable it also uses screws but costs about $70. instead $40 like the above??????????

Thank You!

[Bill DeShivs]

First- stilettos are a terrible carry/user knife.
Second: the "Switch" model you have is the cheapest knife Beltrame makes. Doing any improvement work on them is wasting money.

[Messer]

Thank's, I thought the same, but still hope to find some scales for later on since a knife with no scales is like a car without tires!

I am considering this Model since it has aluminum scales which also screw on, but they are out of it at this time.
http://www.bladeplay.com/item--Frank-B- ... atic--7048

Does anybody have any experience with it????????

Thank You.

[Bill DeShivs]

Again, it's the "Switch" model. These are made with a Zamak (zinc) frame and are not meant to be durable knives.

[TRYKER]

as bill said your expecting a caddy from a vw. better to get a better quality knife and have some one replace the scales with something you prefer.

[Tom19176]

Look on the SharperDeals auction site and you will find many that are priced right and you see the exact knife you will be getting

http://www.sharperdeals.net/

[Messer]

I really wonder about this place!
I simply wanted to have a few questions answered about an Italian knife and where to possible get parts and I had hoped to get some info here, but instead it seems that since I have a cheap knife all I get is more or less ridicule!

I know even expensive Italian blades are really substandard for EDC for that I have bought some expensive US made switchblades of which I do carry, but the Italian Stilettos I do find somewhat intriguing and I had hoped to be able to find a place where 1 could buy some parts but I guess here, I came to the wrong place!

The only place I have found for some parts is Assistedblade.com/Roadside Imports but just from reading the owners Idiotic Comments and Profanity and senseless ramblings of a NutCase I would not buy anything from him even if he had it!

Even though I have a cheap Frank B which seems to now only properly open 3/4 of the time I am just surprised as to how a famous maker can put out such Junk?
However I am still hoping to find a pair of ready made aluminum or wood scales for it!

[Bill DeShivs]

There may be someone here who can help you.
We simply want you to know what you have.

[Razor_54]

We all started with cheap stilettos, but we are not here to ridicule anyone. Just help.
Be patient and someone may have something as Bill mentions.

[Viking45]

You came to the right place for help,it's just that switchblade parts are very specific and even if you could find parts there is no guarantee they would work.
Please don't take our comments as ridicule,we have all been there at one time.

I bought two of these some years back,black bolsters/blades with white scales. They(the seller) were calling them "dominoes".
Gave one to my brother and kept one. My brother said his failed after about three weeks and one night I was getting ready for bed and heard a noise in the computer room. I went to see what it was and realized my knife had fired on it's own and the blade had hit a coffee cup sitting next to it. When I tried to close it,it only held for about 30 seconds and opened again on it's own.
I later sold it for 15 bucks as a part knife.
As a big fan of Frank B's knives I was a little disappointed in this particular knife.

It is a bit of a shock to see these knives are fetching 69 dollars right now. I just chalked my experience up as a lesson learned and there are many Frank B's,AKC,Renzo Beltrame and others that are in this price range and they have genuine horn scales,brass liners etc etc.

However I agree with the other members,putting more money into this knife is not a wise move as it may be temporarily fixed it may fail again and the money lost would only further frustrate.
Just know that you are not alone and some members here have purchased knives in the 300 dollar range only to have large liner gaps,poorly peened pins,blade peek and non functioning safeties.

As collectors we have learned to take the bad with the good and although disappointing it truly is part of the hobby we all love so much.
I highly recommend buying a 9" Frank B with real horn scales and you will see first hand a quality Italian stiletto.

"poorly peened pins" Say that three times real fast.

[barshoo]

Messer, I just want to say that I have "been there" with that particular model of knife. Another common problem with them is that after a good while of use, they can refuse to close, at which point the knife is useless. This model is the ONLY flawed one in the Frank B line of stilettos, although you may not be happy with the all-aluminum knife, as it has a coil spring instead of the stiletto leaf spring. It is not nearly as strong, nor fast as the stilettos. I have been a housewife/knife collector for 14 years, and once I forked out the extra $10-$15 for a quality Frank B, I never turned back! Frank is a legendary stiletto maker, and has been for nearly 55 years. I also wanted to add that these guys here on TB are very eager to help. I hope to see more of you here. Barb

[krakenten]

Have you tried oiling it?

Won't help much with bad scales, but it'll make the knife work a whole lot better.\

I've found that Dri-Slide(ok, guys, go ahead and laugh) will fix it up just fine. My late wife had a switch model, which she used for years, and when it slowed down, a little bit of Dri-Slide got it working again. She loved that knife, she used it to scrape out her dope pipe and open her QVC and Home Shopping Club packages-trust me, it got used plenty hard!

If you get a new one, first give it a good dose of WD-40 to remove the knife factory gunk( Vagrant, please note I did not use the 'm' word. I thought it was long forgotten until I saw a dance routine on U-Tube that illustrated the whole, nasty story, just as it was told to me in high school, long years ago. If I say 'mung' again, it refers to the bean, which I do not like!).
You mighty wash it out with soap and water, then apply the WD-40. You'll be surprised at how much stuff come out! Then dry it. Ought to work with a great slickness. It does when I do it, especially with some Dri-Slide. Dri-Slide persists as a film in the mechanism, great stuff! Aluminum scales are also a very good idea.

Say what you will, the Switch opens hard, and makes a wonderful noise. It won't last forever, but what does?

Or you could get a swing-guard, and solve the whole problem.

[DonC]

Messer:
If you're still out there I sent you a PM.
DonC

[Messer]

Messer:
If you're still out there I sent you a PM.
DonC

Yes, I know but I cant get it to open and I tried all I know!

[DonC]

Try sending me a PM with your email address.
DonC