The Infamous Black Beauty

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eddymunster
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2013 11:12 pm

Re: The Infamous Black Beauty

Post by eddymunster »

TimeOut from what I've gleaned.
Blackbelt1
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Location: Oregon, Wisconsin

Re: The Infamous Black Beauty

Post by Blackbelt1 »

I have copies of the Black Beauty Stiletto ads, both push button, and manual. I remember seeing the ads in magazines Argosy, and Popular Mechanics. By the time I was old enough to try and get one, all switchblades were band in the U.S. I did get several 33 cm. (13 in.) manual models that were listed as Black Beauties in the catalog, of Florida Imports, Jacksonville, Florida. Not the Clay Theater Building in Green Cove Springs, Florida. I was only 16, and they would send me 33 cm. stilettos, with Postal Money Order. No one cared. Then the government cracked down on mail order big stilettos, and you could only get a 5 inch Black Beauty manual. Who would want It? No messy buttons? Buttons are great! All this Black Beauty information is also in the book Switchblades of Italy. Bill DeShivs" explanation is right on the money, the ones I got from Florida Imports, that were called Black Beauties in their catalog did not have that stamp. Some said G.C. Co. Italy. I'm sure many were made by Mauro Mario, where Grand Pa Angelo Campolin was the Production Manger. I had a 9 inch Mauro Mario, mint condition. Just some little tid bit information. Jon Kuemmerlein Blackbelt1
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Bill DeShivs
Yes.
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Re: The Infamous Black Beauty

Post by Bill DeShivs »

I wonder where that "new project" went?
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
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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.
ChadEntwistle
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Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:50 am

Re: The Infamous Black Beauty

Post by ChadEntwistle »

Dreaming about Orangeboy at 3:16am, you must really love him...
Fishtail Picklock
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Joined: Sat May 03, 2003 11:10 pm
Location: Forest Grove, OR

Re: The Infamous Black Beauty

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

I had the Westbury AL-12 from the first page of ads shown. I spent a princely sum of $3.00 for the Japanese specimen. Ah, those were the days!
Fishtail Picklock
Fishtail Picklock
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Joined: Sat May 03, 2003 11:10 pm
Location: Forest Grove, OR

Re: The Infamous Black Beauty

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

The "Black Beauty" autos were banned by the time I understood the fear surrounding automatic knives (I was all of 3 years old). The modern horn scale picklocks were legendary 12 years after the end of WW2. The modern picklocks may not be perfect, but they're close to those of 4 generations ago.
Fishtail Picklock
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