What turned everyone on to switchblades?

Post by **tr4252** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 7:28 pm

Blackjack,

"Hey TR; If you find out anything different about Link Wray, please don't let me know."

Wouldn't think of it, you might retaliate by making fun of Alvin York.

Link did record a tune called Switchblade. Or at least that's what I remember it as. It was in the 70's; I think he was trying to make a comeback. Have it on an old reel-to-reel tape somewhere, it's an instrumental, with just the one spoken word. Cool, edgy song, like most of his recordings.

TR

Plastered Bastard · Post by **Plastered Bastard** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 7:44 pm

Jim,

That's funny about how you thought the blade shot off the knife.

I thought, when I saw the sliding safety button, that it was an adjustment for the speed of the blade.

I, too, coveted the non-auto stilettos I saw at the stores. I remember going to the old Sears store (before there were malls) with my family and running off to the hardware department to look at all the cool knives they had. I remember drooling over these candy stripe swinguard lockback stilettos, wondering if they were really secretly switchblades that slipped by the authorities.

Yes, I remember that fateful Google search too, when I first got a computer. It re-ignited my obsession.
For me, switchblades bring back that *wonder and mystery* feeling you had about the world when you were a kid. Also, it's the "forbidden fruit" aspect. No one tells me I can't have something I feel fit to have! ...and that's the 'kid' in you that never leaves.

Plastered Bastard · Post by **Plastered Bastard** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 7:56 pm

TR & BlackJack,

I've got "Rumble! The Best Of Link Wray" on CD...what a great compilation. It's got Rumble, Raw-Hide, Jack The Ripper, The Black Widow, Ace Of Spades, and Switchblade...among other great tunes.

In the cover sleeve it's got a cool little cartoon drawing of a black Italian stiletto next to the ace of spades.

Post by **tr4252** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 8:10 pm

Blackjack & Plastered,
Man, 3 Link Wray fans in one place; most people don't remember who he is, unless they play guitar, or remember those black & white late 50's, early 60's days.
Spent many teenage hours mastering Jack the Ripper, Ace of Spades, etc. on my '59 Fender Duo-Sonic. The guy was a major influence on us would-be/soon to be rockers. The master of sinister rock & roll.
As soon as I hit the "submit" button, I'm looking to see if he is still around. Maybe he's got a website. Moved to Sweden or someplace like that I heard.
TR

Plastered Bastard · Post by **Plastered Bastard** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 8:30 pm

TR,
Yeah man, I'm a big fan of Link Wray...I also love Dick Dale and The Ventures, but Link was always the coolest. There's just something about that surf style guitar rock that goes well with switchblades.
I'm a guitar player too, so I can relate to the many hours you spent trying to master those riffs.
Wow, a '59 Fender Duo-Sonic? *drools* Do you still have it??

Let us know what you find on the where-abouts of Link Wray. I had to get out my CD

I'm listening to "Big City After Dark" right now. You should get this album, it'll bring back a lot of memories.

Post by **tr4252** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 8:54 pm

Plastered,

No, I "traded up" to a Strat in the 60's, then went through a succession of Gretsch, Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson models, before the real world intervened and I realized I could make a better living as a draftsman than as the next Jimi Hendrix. But what a ride!

I've still got my old Rickenbacker 330 12 string, a frankenstein Strat, an LP; and a closet full of old guitars. Then I started building my own.

I looked for Link Wray sites, and found a few; believe it or not, he's still out there, playing and recording. Lives in Denmark from what I could gather. I haven't spent much time searching so far, but will let you know what I find out if you like. I'd like to contact him, but could find no way as yet.

TR

missaman · Post by **missaman** » Sun Aug 10, 2003 9:07 pm

sammy is the a.t.f. looking in your window

Dan-o The Ritalin Kid · Mon Aug 11, 2003 12:31 am

Just simply seeing and playing with one in junior high.

blackjack · Post by **blackjack** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 1:20 am

Hey tr4252 and Plastered Bastard, man you guys got it, I remember hearing a song when I was a kid, I didnt know it then but the song was 'Rumble', something stirred inside of me and I was hooked, I play guitar myself and Ive covered a lot of artists but I steer clear of his stuff, its almost sacred to me, oddly enough you dont see a lot of it in Canada, but its worth the extra effort finding it. Wish he'd come to town.
Take Care
blackjack

John Brown · Post by **John Brown** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 1:39 am

When I was a kid in the early 60sI watched the movie "Twelve Angry Men" with my Grandfather on Television. I'm not sure now if I was even aware that there were such things as switchblades at the time but from that day on I was obsessed. I grew up in a rural area and never saw a switchblade in the flesh. I made one using peices of my erector set and a popsicle stick for a blade. It fired with a rubberband. I don't know if it still exists, it would be cool to find it someday in some old things - who knows. It would be many years until I ever handled a real switchblade in my highschool years.

I never owned one until I traveled to Germany in the mid-seventies. Like you guys, it wasn't until six months ago or so when I punched "switchblades" into Google that this whole new world opened up to me. I can't get enough! All The Best, JB

Shiver · Post by **Shiver** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 2:29 am

Incidently, there were two versions of Twelve Angry Men. Both are pretty cool movies even though the "action" consists almost entirely of dialog, something I usually would not care for. But the switchblade knife is a mojor theme of the case. Unlike the first version, the remake features a large "out the front" that appears to have been made especially for this movie (never seen one like it elsewhere.) If I remember correctly it was oversized with a white handle with a scorpion or dragon design on it. Possibly a kriss blade. If anyone gets a chance, check it out and correct me if I'm wrong. Shiver.

Sam Hotton · Post by **Sam Hotton** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 5:56 am

Knives have been a part of my family forever. My fathers side of the family are Belgian and French, My mothers side are Scotch and Irish. All are and were European, all were highly skilled users of a blade. They were market hunters, at times poachers, farmers and during prohibition they would go off shore in a boat to pick up Canadian whisky and make the run to shore to deliver it. My grandfather was born in 1886, he rode a Harley belt drive of 1914, he carried a Black 9" horn Bayo. I grew up on stories of evading game wardens, whiskey wars, and coast guard encounters. He would do things like cut the strings that held the arms and legs of my aunts baby doll together. When see would pick it up it fell apart. Someone in my family threw that switch away in the early 70s while I was doing the SEA vacation. I was raised by men of backbone, action and great humor. They taught me how to shoot, fight, care for a good knife, drink and to love. I am now teaching my son the same.
Sam

The Falcon · Post by **The Falcon** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 10:50 am

Sam Hotton wrote: They taught me how to shoot, fight, care for a good knife, drink and to love. I am now teaching my son the same.
Sam

Better teach him how to find a good attorney too.

The Falcon

Sam Hotton · Post by **Sam Hotton** » Mon Aug 11, 2003 1:24 pm

Sage advice Falcon. His mother, my wife, is a Paralegal. She has kept me out of jail for the past 28 years.

SAM

switchblade · Post by **switchblade** » Tue Aug 12, 2003 4:24 am

Im back again !!!!!
The first time I seen one it was on TV. The movie was west side story . I do not like singing and dancing in movies but I made an exception for it in this movie and I never wondered why until now . It was after reading a few of the postings (not all because some OF YOU have trouble staying on topic ) . I liked the Idea in the movie of hanging out in a group with friends having fun chasing girls and protecting your side of town from the bad guys with a KNIFE THAT THE BLADE SHOT OUT WITH MIND POWER !!!
Ok at seven years old I wasnt as sharp as I am now. NO JOKES PLEASE.
And I owe my mother the credit of my drive of wanting a switchblade because of the story she told me of my grandfathers blade. She said when the blade came out it was so fast that you could not see it until it was already out BUT YOU HEARD IT !
I have been collecting switches for 18 ?? years and only getting true quality ones for 3 ?? years. Thanks mostly do to this site you guys and gals and the internet .
Switchblade