BOBC
Moderator: The Motley Crew
Forum rules
There are a few things you should know before posting in these forums. If you are a new user, please click here and read carefully. Thanks a lot!
There are a few things you should know before posting in these forums. If you are a new user, please click here and read carefully. Thanks a lot!
- Pima Pants
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:24 am
BOBC
I do not own a "button open, button close" switchblade, but they don't seem very common. Why not? Is it significantly more difficult to manufacture these as opposed to a picklock, lever lock or swivel bolster switchblade? It seems to me that they should be more popular. What are your thoughts?
Re: BOBC
I have a few from the 60's and a couple from the 70's and really like them. Why they don't seem to produce them much anymore is a mystery to me.
"By accepting you as you are, I do not necessarily abandon all hope of your improving"- My Wife (1963-Present)
-
- Posts: 318
- Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 9:27 pm
Re: BOBC
They didn’t design/patent this style until the early 1960s and by about 1967/1968 the market for Italian stilettos has shrunk so much all Italian switchblades were being produced in much smaller numbers than the 1950s. And manual stilettos were probably being made in larger quantities than autos.Pima Pants wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2019 1:58 am I do not own a "button open, button close" switchblade, but they don't seem very common. Why not? Is it significantly more difficult to manufacture these as opposed to a picklock, lever lock or swivel bolster switchblade? It seems to me that they should be more popular. What are your thoughts?
Last edited by Maltese flatguard on Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
- JimBrown257
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:50 am
- Location: Michigan
Re: BOBC
It is weird that Bo/c stilettos aren't more common. I guess the makers just consider the standard swivel bolster stiletto to be the way switchblades are supposed to be.
One other thing about a single sear bo/c (which is the common kind) is that you are limited in size to about 11". Anything bigger than that becomes difficult. Even a tiny bit of warping of the scales or a slightly crooked pin can mean you need to press the button really hard to fire it. Because the sear is so much closer to the pivot, you are having to overcome more force to lift the sear up. This is why the biggest production Bo/c (which I think is the AGA 13", and very few of those were made) has the double sear so the sear holding the knife closed is lower, like on a normal stiletto.
And the reason those double sear Bo/cs aren't more common is that they are just more difficult to make.
One other thing about a single sear bo/c (which is the common kind) is that you are limited in size to about 11". Anything bigger than that becomes difficult. Even a tiny bit of warping of the scales or a slightly crooked pin can mean you need to press the button really hard to fire it. Because the sear is so much closer to the pivot, you are having to overcome more force to lift the sear up. This is why the biggest production Bo/c (which I think is the AGA 13", and very few of those were made) has the double sear so the sear holding the knife closed is lower, like on a normal stiletto.
And the reason those double sear Bo/cs aren't more common is that they are just more difficult to make.
- Pima Pants
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:24 am
Re: BOBC
Thank you, gentlemen, for your knowledgeable answers. I appreciate all of them.
-
- Posts: 4038
- Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:18 pm
- Location: Indiana
Re: BOBC
Is there a locking tab on the bobc knives? Just wondering how the blade locks.
2024 candidate for president
- JimBrown257
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:50 am
- Location: Michigan
Re: BOBC
Yes, the same sear that holds the blade closed also locks the blade open. It's basically the same as your standard lever but instead of a lever pulling the sear up, it has a normal rocker where a button lifts the sear. Levers are much better for this as the prying up action of the lever allows for a much stronger spring holding the sear down.sammy the blade wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2019 11:59 pm Is there a locking tab on the bobc knives? Just wondering how the blade locks.
-
- Posts: 318
- Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 9:27 pm
Re: BOBC
If anyone has ever seen the patent for the BO/BC rocker it’s easy to understand how it works.JimBrown257 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:21 amYes, the same sear that holds the blade closed also locks the blade open. It's basically the same as your standard lever but instead of a lever pulling the sear up, it has a normal rocker where a button lifts the sear. Levers are much better for this as the prying up action of the lever allows for a much stronger spring holding the sear down.sammy the blade wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2019 11:59 pm Is there a locking tab on the bobc knives? Just wondering how the blade locks.
- Bill DeShivs
- Yes.
- Posts: 7368
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
- Location: In de lan o' cotton
- Contact:
Re: BOBC
All of the Schrade-patent American switchblade knives (except one) were button open/button close. They were made by the millions up until 1958.
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.
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.
-
- Posts: 318
- Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 9:27 pm
Re: BOBC
But he was referring to Italian switchblades.Bill DeShivs wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:00 pm All of the Schrade-patent American switchblade knives (except one) were button open/button close. They were made by the millions up until 1958.