Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

This is a forum for discussion on automatic an switchblade knives.

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!
sammy the blade
Posts: 4023
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:18 pm
Location: Indiana

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by sammy the blade »

That through hole doesn't look round to me. Anyone else notice that?
2024 candidate for president
User avatar
john
Posts: 4524
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:40 am
Location: New England, MA USA

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by john »

I’m guessing at their manufacturing process, maybe they’re drilling the pivot and sear holes through several stacked blades at the same time???
Sammy, it looks oval to me too. What’s up with that?? I hope it’s camera lens distortion.
Your friend on the web's most friendly community on knives and blades,
John

Massachusetts Where Everything is Illegal or Taxed
Tom19176
Posts: 3619
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:23 am

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by Tom19176 »

Yes it is Oval
METALGOD
Posts: 1335
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2004 2:55 pm

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by METALGOD »

dont look drilled at all looks like it was punched out to me
User avatar
Panzerfaust
Posts: 1342
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:23 pm

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by Panzerfaust »

I've not actually seen one but from looking at the pictures, I'm not a fan of the hole or the wider blade.
hearandgone
Posts: 143
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 4:50 am

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by hearandgone »

I think I’ve seen a lot of Asian blades that looked like that.
User avatar
picklocksrock
Posts: 302
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 3:34 pm

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by picklocksrock »

I’m only looking for the old style Frankies now. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but with the new blades with the hole all the way come from China!
“Tough times never last, but tough people do”
-Robert H. Shuller
User avatar
natcherly
Connoisseur dei Coltelli
Posts: 6336
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 3:59 pm
Location: Baghdad by the Bay

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by natcherly »

picklocksrock wrote: Thu Nov 26, 2020 5:50 pm I’m only looking for the old style Frankies now. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but with the new blades with the hole all the way come from China!
Sadly I must agree. In the past, some members of this forum have beaten the "hidden secret" drum that the Italians were using asian parts in their knives. These claims tended to be dismissed in large part because those particular members were argumentative, abusive and generally unpleasant thereby eventually getting banned. Not saying they should be welcomed back, but this issue of non-Italian parts does need further exploration as it affects collector interests.
TazmanTom
Posts: 403
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 3:49 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by TazmanTom »

Might help dating them in the future... odd it would be oval either way.
User avatar
JPD1998
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:32 am
Location: NY and SC

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by JPD1998 »

The newer Frank B's are coming with and without the oval hole. I just got 3 current production knives within the last 6 months. An 11" and 8" in stag with swivel bolsters.... they are not drilled out. The third , a swing guard has the oval hole.

None of my new Frank B knives..... their construction, or the milling of the oval blade holes resembles anything coming out of China. I have plenty of those for comparison.

My only complaint with the current production Italians is not knowing which Italian maker is really producing them. I just got 4 knives from AGA Campolin and one doesn't look like it was made by the same producer. 3 are perfection and 1 is the odd man out ( sloppy build).
User avatar
TRYKER
Posts: 3571
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:02 pm
Location: where everythings illegal

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by TRYKER »

this is speculation on my part, the oval hole will allow for miss placement by small tolerancies of the pin lining up so QC can be off a few thousands.

i hope i explained that correctly.
TRYKER



A man who brags about how smart he is, wouldn't if he was.

"Rose-colored glassses are never made in bifocals. Nobody wants to read the small print in dreams"
User avatar
picklocksrock
Posts: 302
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 3:34 pm

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by picklocksrock »

JPD1998 wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 1:11 pm The newer Frank B's are coming with and without the oval hole. I just got 3 current production knives within the last 6 months. An 11" and 8" in stag with swivel bolsters.... they are not drilled out. The third , a swing guard has the oval hole.

None of my new Frank B knives..... their construction, or the milling of the oval blade holes resembles anything coming out of China. I have plenty of those for comparison.

My only complaint with the current production Italians is not knowing which Italian maker is really producing them. I just got 4 knives from AGA Campolin and one doesn't look like it was made by the same producer. 3 are perfection and 1 is the odd man out ( sloppy build).
I certainly don’t think any of the Frankies come from China! Frank Beltrame are my favorite switchblades and I’m just not a big fan of the different style blades. I own a newer one with the oval hole and the construction and lockup is good! I was just speculating about just the oval hole blades coming from China. But I have no proof of this and I’m certainly not trying to cause any disrespect to Frank B.
“Tough times never last, but tough people do”
-Robert H. Shuller
sammy the blade
Posts: 4023
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:18 pm
Location: Indiana

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by sammy the blade »

Anymore just about everything comes from China, even that nasty virus.
2024 candidate for president
User avatar
natcherly
Connoisseur dei Coltelli
Posts: 6336
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 3:59 pm
Location: Baghdad by the Bay

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by natcherly »

JPD1998 wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 1:11 pm ...My only complaint with the current production Italians is not knowing which Italian maker is really producing them. I just got 4 knives from AGA Campolin and one doesn't look like it was made by the same producer. 3 are perfection and 1 is the odd man out ( sloppy build).
This is a long standing issue. Although there are fewer active makers of these knives nowadays due to the advanced age of many of them leading to retirement or worse, those that are still in business often offer knives they don't actually make. This is to expand their product lines hopefully making them a one-stop shop for wholesale sales. Part of the "Cottage Industry" and "Cooperation" business models followed in Maniago. Sadly, the tang stamp is not a wholly reliable indicator of the actual producer. Frustrating to be sure.
User avatar
Luke_of_Mass
Posts: 444
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:36 am

Re: Frank Beltrame hole in the blade

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

JPD1998 wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 1:11 pm The newer Frank B's are coming with and without the oval hole. I just got 3 current production knives within the last 6 months. An 11" and 8" in stag with swivel bolsters.... they are not drilled out. The third , a swing guard has the oval hole.

None of my new Frank B knives..... their construction, or the milling of the oval blade holes resembles anything coming out of China. I have plenty of those for comparison.

My only complaint with the current production Italians is not knowing which Italian maker is really producing them. I just got 4 knives from AGA Campolin and one doesn't look like it was made by the same producer. 3 are perfection and 1 is the odd man out ( sloppy build).
Could be new old stock from Frank... by the way since when does Frank make 8inch pieces?

Also, QC is a nightmare in Maniago (compared to the night terror that it was 20+ years ago) - I like to think that 3knives got its name because you'd best be buying 3 examples of something to get a specimen you wanna keep. But others are less cynical than I am. I just get rotten luck, apparently.

I think there can be a safe general consensus that all of the knives are assembled in Maniago, but some parts are universal and could just as easily be produced in china or the USA (springs in frank's B-Stealth can be found on knifekits.com)
Knee-deep in the hoopla...
Post Reply