UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
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UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
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[ Please see my previous post for explanatory information ]
Group B includes the following:
1. 11 3/4" manual-open stiletto with nickel-silver bolsters, fully lined guards; synthetic "horn" scales; and ricasso stamps that read 'T.I.C.' over 'ITALY' on the obverse and 'PATS.' over 'PEND.' on the reverse. Locks up rock-solid -- except there is no actual blade lock. The truly bizarre aspect of this knife is the presence of a small sheep's-foot blade which pivots from the back bolster. It is such an utterly incongruous thing to find on a stiletto-style knife..... I keep looking at it and just shaking my head in disbelief. What on earth were they thinking? The nickel-silver bolsters and brass-lined guards lead me to believe that this knife may have been made very soon after the 1958 ban.... quite possibly with materials left over from making real switchblades.
2. 10 3/4" manual-open lock-back stiletto with nickel-silver bolsters, fully lined guards; and horn scales that show chipping at the ends.... possibly from being carried in a pocket with keys, coins, etc. The ricasso stamp reads ' Stainless Steel' in cursive script over 'ITALY'. When open, there is some S2S and U&D blade wobble, but otherwise everything seems okay. The deployment button is spring-loaded and will press down, but of course it doesn't actually do anything. Once again, the nickel-silver bolsters and brass-lined guards make me tthink that this knife may have been made right after the 1958 ban, with materials left over from making switchblades.
3. This is the real "ugly duckling" of the bunch.... a 7 7/16" OAL leverlock that has synthetic deer-foot scales; a blade that will not stay closed; front liners that look like they have been pried apart with a screwdriver; and gobs of solder on the pivot pin and on a bail mend. I only bought it at the last minute because the seller agreed to throw it in with the others for $20 more, and because it has an interesting ricasso stamp: a little humanoid figure with a bow-tie who is holding up a sphere that seems to be taking the place of his head.... the sphere contains the word 'SUPER' both vertically and horizontally.
The scale on the reverse is stamped "PAT. 131428." I doubt if this is worth the money it would cost to fix it up; but I've never seen anything like it and it's certainly worth twenty bucks just as an oddball item in the collection.
If anybody has seen the 'T.I.C.' stamp, or a stiletto knive with a sheep's-foot blade tacked on, I would love to hear about it!
Likewise for the synthetic deer-foot creation that keeps making me laugh just because it's so ridiculous.
Well, there you have it..... between the two Groups, six more knives with some pretty unusual stuff included.
As usual, I don't mind revealing the purchase price: a total of $330 for all six pieces. On the whole, I don't think that I got taken too badly on this deal....
-----------------------------------------------
[ Please see my previous post for explanatory information ]
Group B includes the following:
1. 11 3/4" manual-open stiletto with nickel-silver bolsters, fully lined guards; synthetic "horn" scales; and ricasso stamps that read 'T.I.C.' over 'ITALY' on the obverse and 'PATS.' over 'PEND.' on the reverse. Locks up rock-solid -- except there is no actual blade lock. The truly bizarre aspect of this knife is the presence of a small sheep's-foot blade which pivots from the back bolster. It is such an utterly incongruous thing to find on a stiletto-style knife..... I keep looking at it and just shaking my head in disbelief. What on earth were they thinking? The nickel-silver bolsters and brass-lined guards lead me to believe that this knife may have been made very soon after the 1958 ban.... quite possibly with materials left over from making real switchblades.
2. 10 3/4" manual-open lock-back stiletto with nickel-silver bolsters, fully lined guards; and horn scales that show chipping at the ends.... possibly from being carried in a pocket with keys, coins, etc. The ricasso stamp reads ' Stainless Steel' in cursive script over 'ITALY'. When open, there is some S2S and U&D blade wobble, but otherwise everything seems okay. The deployment button is spring-loaded and will press down, but of course it doesn't actually do anything. Once again, the nickel-silver bolsters and brass-lined guards make me tthink that this knife may have been made right after the 1958 ban, with materials left over from making switchblades.
3. This is the real "ugly duckling" of the bunch.... a 7 7/16" OAL leverlock that has synthetic deer-foot scales; a blade that will not stay closed; front liners that look like they have been pried apart with a screwdriver; and gobs of solder on the pivot pin and on a bail mend. I only bought it at the last minute because the seller agreed to throw it in with the others for $20 more, and because it has an interesting ricasso stamp: a little humanoid figure with a bow-tie who is holding up a sphere that seems to be taking the place of his head.... the sphere contains the word 'SUPER' both vertically and horizontally.
The scale on the reverse is stamped "PAT. 131428." I doubt if this is worth the money it would cost to fix it up; but I've never seen anything like it and it's certainly worth twenty bucks just as an oddball item in the collection.
If anybody has seen the 'T.I.C.' stamp, or a stiletto knive with a sheep's-foot blade tacked on, I would love to hear about it!
Likewise for the synthetic deer-foot creation that keeps making me laugh just because it's so ridiculous.
Well, there you have it..... between the two Groups, six more knives with some pretty unusual stuff included.
As usual, I don't mind revealing the purchase price: a total of $330 for all six pieces. On the whole, I don't think that I got taken too badly on this deal....
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Last edited by button_man on Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
More cool finds!
Your friend on the web's most friendly community on knives and blades,
John
Massachusetts Where Everything is Illegal or Taxed
John
Massachusetts Where Everything is Illegal or Taxed
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
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I ran out of room for photos..... here is the full picture of the faux deer-foot knife,
and a close-up of the pried bolsters at the pivot point -- plus the ricasso marking --
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I ran out of room for photos..... here is the full picture of the faux deer-foot knife,
and a close-up of the pried bolsters at the pivot point -- plus the ricasso marking --
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- natcherly
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
The builder of that knife must have had a headache to think up that ricasso mark!
- Bill DeShivs
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
"Made from leftover switchblade parts" is a misnomer.
The Italians didn't stop making switchblades when the US ban took effect, so it's safer to say these knives used some of the same parts that switchblades used. Nickel silver bolsters were used until the 1970s.
Your deer foot knife is Japanese.
The Italians didn't stop making switchblades when the US ban took effect, so it's safer to say these knives used some of the same parts that switchblades used. Nickel silver bolsters were used until the 1970s.
Your deer foot knife is Japanese.
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.
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
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"You're suffering from Blade Withdrawal, Mr. Natch..... buy two knives, and call me in the morning....."
"You're suffering from Blade Withdrawal, Mr. Natch..... buy two knives, and call me in the morning....."
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
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Thanks Bill..... when did the Italian makers stop lining the guards with brass extending from the liners?
And have you ever seen a stiletto-type knife with a 2nd small blade, like the T.I.C. knife?
(I keep wondering whether there were any real switchblades made with the T.I.C. mark.... )
Thanks Bill..... when did the Italian makers stop lining the guards with brass extending from the liners?
And have you ever seen a stiletto-type knife with a 2nd small blade, like the T.I.C. knife?
(I keep wondering whether there were any real switchblades made with the T.I.C. mark.... )
- Bill DeShivs
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
There is no real answer to your first question, but "generally" in the early-mid 1970s.
I have owned one of the double blade knives. After the 1958 ban makers and importers were trying to "civilize" the stiletto.
I have owned one of the double blade knives. After the 1958 ban makers and importers were trying to "civilize" the stiletto.
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.
Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
. buy two knives, and call me in the morning.....".
I used to work for Bayer, many moons ago...
Jim
I used to work for Bayer, many moons ago...
Jim
Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
Like Bill said I think the sheepsfoot blade was put there for some type of import compliance. The false buttons came in many variations, non spring and spring loaded buttons some even had safeties. The green handled knife is a step bolster that could have predated rizzys,not sure but the scales are uncommon. Nice finds.
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
I have seen that "super" tang stamp on a Bullfighter
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
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mike ~ Is this "bullfighter" the cheap Mexican type leverlock with plastic scales that show a bullfighter on one side,
and a sort of stylized dragon on the other side...? If it's something different, then I'm not sure what sort of knife you mean.
mike ~ Is this "bullfighter" the cheap Mexican type leverlock with plastic scales that show a bullfighter on one side,
and a sort of stylized dragon on the other side...? If it's something different, then I'm not sure what sort of knife you mean.
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Re: UNUSUAL FINDS at the flea -- Group B
yes, exactly what i meantbutton_man wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 9:09 pm .
mike ~ Is this "bullfighter" the cheap Mexican type leverlock with plastic scales that show a bullfighter on one side,
and a sort of stylized dragon on the other side...? If it's something different, then I'm not sure what sort of knife you mean.