Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

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button_man
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Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by button_man »

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Admittedly, these two are not actual switchblades.... but they were purchased along with #1 and (aside from not possessing a spring mechanism) they are classic Italian stilettos and were probably made in the same shops that made the real thing. I'm sliding them in here in hopes that anything that I can learn about these two knives could also apply to switchblades. Since these are first cousins to switchblades, and it's in The Pursuit Of Knowledge and all, I hope this is okay.....? I promise not to make a habit of it.

(Disclosure: the sharpies musta seen me coming, because the seller would not budge from his price of $20 per knife. I was hoping to get all three for fifty bucks, but no such luck. Hoping I didn't get skinned too badly on this deal.....? )

Knife #2 is simply marked 'FOREIGN' on the ricasso..... this is the main reason that I doled out twenty bucks for it.... it just seemed really odd. Does anyone have any actual switchblades with this marking? Does it date the knife to a particular time period? The blade appears to be much more narrow and tapered than a lot of the stuff I've seen from the 1950s.

The blade on knife #3 is even more narrow and tapered than #2. You can see in the photos that the liners and bolsters are sprung all to hell, but I just couldn't pass it up for a measly twenty dollars. The ricasso reads: 'MADE ITALY 6'.

I think that knife #1 might be worth having another spring put in..... but does anyone think these two non-switchblades are worth the expense? Or are they just useful to cannibalize for parts? I would think that just the blades alone would be worth what I paid for them....?


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Foreign__855_open__OBV.jpg
Foreign__855_open__OBV.jpg (599.98 KiB) Viewed 1305 times
Foreign__861_ricasso__OBV.jpg
Foreign__861_ricasso__OBV.jpg (349.75 KiB) Viewed 1305 times

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MadeItaly6_863__open_OBV.jpg
MadeItaly6_863__open_OBV.jpg (375.15 KiB) Viewed 1305 times
MadeItaly6_864__ricasso_OBV.jpg
MadeItaly6_864__ricasso_OBV.jpg (245.31 KiB) Viewed 1305 times
MadeItaly6_867__liners.jpg
MadeItaly6_867__liners.jpg (249.88 KiB) Viewed 1305 times


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sammy the blade
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Re: Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by sammy the blade »

Post pictures or ask about any knife you want, I wouldn't think any member would have an issue with it.
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by Bill DeShivs »

"Foreign" stamp is for Canada, I believe.
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jerryk25
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Re: Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by jerryk25 »

$20 a knife . . .for 11inch stilettos. . . . lucky guy. . . .
11 inch manual picklocks average $70 to $100 for me in Pittsburgh.
They got too rich to collect anymore (for me.)
But, I think I have enough to play with now. . .

Manual picklocks are as old as actual "stamped bolster" 1950's automatics.
They were one of my favorite early collecting categories. I have some pretty sweet ones.
I don't recall seeing a manual flatguard picklock. . . but I'll bet there probably was.
I have a manual picklock Chatellerault. (spelling?)

The stamp "Foriegn" in a oval cartouche, makes it sexy. . . . keep it intact, don't convert it to auto.
I recall seeing the word Foriegn. . .but it was a very shallow / light stamp, no circle cartouche.
and I don't thing it was a manual picklock.. it was on an automatic.
Being a "not a switchblade". . . I don't know where it falls in the guidelines of Federal Gov. import stamp requirements.
(Like when they stopped requiring importers names, and switched to just place of origin.)
I agree with Bill . . but I don't have evidence. . . I don't recall any Canadians posting images (per se) .
The term "Foriegn" may be something from a different importer country, Like say Canada, or England.
The fact that it's a rare stamp "here in America" . . . leads me to believe it may be from a traveller bring-back.

As far as "guessing the date of manufacture" . . . .
Some early 11 inch manual picklocks have a very round factory blade heel, and will gravity flick from closed.
Later, the blade heels started showing a corner, and the knives would no longer gravity flick open.
Finally, with the advent of 1964 lockbacks, the blade heel became very cornered so as to "Ratchet open". . . .
The "Ratchet open" blade heels cannot be swapped into a manual picklock, it pushes the back spring out too far.

The Italy 6 lockback is much common. . . could be mangled into a fun experiment.
Lockbacks with a double tail bolster pin (in my mind) are more collectible. . .
I think because they were "Transitional" and old picklock manual knives parts were being used up. . .
But I could be wrong. . .I'm just speculating here.
But i have fewer double pin bottom bolster knives, and the Italy 6 single pin is more common.
button_man
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Re: Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by button_man »

.

Sammy ~ Well, this IS the 'Switchblades' forum; and I don't want to be guilty of some kind of serious rule violation and get banished to the Newbie Corner where they are only allowed to talk about EdgeCo, Rizzuto, and Nato Military.....

Bill --and-- jerryk ~ Thanks for the very interesting info!

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button_man
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Re: Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by button_man »

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jerryk ~ Okay, I promise I won't convert the 'FOREIGN' -- it was just a passing idea, because it's a really nice knife and would be a cool auto.
But I also have a strong respect for authenticity..... so you don't have to push me too hard to get me to leave it alone.
(BTW, none of the three knives in this purchase are picklocks.... all three of them are lockbacks.)

The cartouche is double-walled..... you can't really see it in the photo, but there are TWO lozenge-shaped enclosures set tightly together.
The lines merge at top and are most clearly separated on the left side.

Foreign__861_ricasso__OBV_c.jpg
Foreign__861_ricasso__OBV_c.jpg (34.72 KiB) Viewed 1246 times

Both the 'FOREIGN' and the 'PATENT' (on my other thread) lock up tight with no wobble, and there is no peek when closed.
They are both very nice knives..... I wish the 'MADE ITALY 6' was just as nice; but you have to take them as you find them.
The seller told me that all these knives had been up in an attic for decades.

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sammy the blade
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Re: Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by sammy the blade »

button_man wrote: Sat Aug 14, 2021 8:49 pm .

Sammy ~ Well, this IS the 'Switchblades' forum; and I don't want to be guilty of some kind of serious rule violation and get banished to the Newbie Corner where they are only allowed to talk about EdgeCo, Rizzuto, and Nato Military.....

Bill --and-- jerryk ~ Thanks for the very interesting info!

.
I'm sure you're not the first one to use the wrong forum but this isn't a capital offence.
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button_man
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Re: Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by button_man »

UPDATE > > > Another collector has informed me that 'FOREIGN' was stamped on knives imported into ENGLAND! Can anyone confirm / deny ?
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Vintage lockbacks -- #2 + #3 of 3

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Possibly both England and Canada.
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