Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
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!
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!
-
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm
Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
Things seem a little slow here just now, so I'll toss out an inquiry, at the risk of discussing knives that probably seem unimportant.... the humble "Super Automatic". I was fortunate enough to pick up the knife depicted here a few months ago for low dough; it is in pristine mint condition, with the original box. I have not seen very many S.A. or "NATO Military" type OTFs that say "Korea" on the ricasso, and I wonder whether this indicates a specific time window of manufacture? I also wonder whether the box provides a similar clue; I'm not certain, but I believe the mangled English on the side dates fairly early during the production of these knives, and disappeared from the box later on. Are these hunches correct....?
- Attachments
-
- ricasso__670_c.jpg (573.42 KiB) Viewed 2859 times
-
- Super_Automatic__665_c.jpg (580.93 KiB) Viewed 2859 times
-
- Super_Automatic__664_c.jpg (698.86 KiB) Viewed 2859 times
-
- Super_Automatic__662_c.jpg (648.83 KiB) Viewed 2859 times
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
The texture of the handles shows it is from the 1980s on. The boxes were the same but the most modern ones said K 108 at the bottom tab. Bell Metal Company in Korea made them, but it was some what rare to see the Korea added to the tang. I saw them in a NYC Import company in the 1990s called Ko American Import.
-
- Posts: 4050
- Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2016 7:18 pm
- Location: Indiana
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
Hard to believe but I've seen people asking over $100 for them, don't know if they got it or not but people are paying up for them.
2024 candidate for president
- JimBrown257
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:50 am
- Location: Michigan
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
I always thought those were 80s knives. I've seen them in a few movies made in the 80s but nothing before that.
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
That’s a nice one you got there, button_man! I have a black one.
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
They were around in the late 60s to 70s with a solid plastic handle not the same texture as the one pictured. They were sold in Europe then. Saw them in stores when I travelled with my parents and my friend had a few in the early 70s.....
-
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
Thanks everyone! The box is indeed marked "K - 108" on both end tabs. Tom, I had no idea that these existed before the 1980s..... it's especially interesting that you saw these first-hand in Europe way back then. Mario, I've been told that black is most common, then red and blue, and green is the hardest to find. I dunno if any other colors were produced....?
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
More weirdness.. On mine, the box is in English and the "instructions" inside are in German and French. Explain that one.
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
Apparently there were white, purple and yellow ones produced. I’ve seen a collector with a white and a purple. Never seen the yellow. It’s apparently the rarest, but it supposedly does exist.button_man wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15, 2021 1:18 pm Thanks everyone! The box is indeed marked "K - 108" on both end tabs. Tom, I had no idea that these existed before the 1980s..... it's especially interesting that you saw these first-hand in Europe way back then. Mario, I've been told that black is most common, then red and blue, and green is the hardest to find. I dunno if any other colors were produced....?
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
That is a cool collectible, cheers!
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
button_man,
No need to be concerned discussing knives "that probably seem unimportant". The title of this forum section is "switchblade knives". and you brought up a discussion about switchblades. There has been considerable interest and information in this thread which confirms the interest in the model. Unfortunately, I have nothing to contribute here as I don't know about the model but clearly others do and we have a good discussion going.
Jim
No need to be concerned discussing knives "that probably seem unimportant". The title of this forum section is "switchblade knives". and you brought up a discussion about switchblades. There has been considerable interest and information in this thread which confirms the interest in the model. Unfortunately, I have nothing to contribute here as I don't know about the model but clearly others do and we have a good discussion going.
Jim
-
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
Mario ~ Wow, I had no idea! Purple and yellow....! Groovy baby!
-
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
Tom19176 says that he saw them in Europe as far back as the late 1960s; and I believe this was before they hit the States.... so maybe the box is in English because Bell Metal was run by people who spoke English.... and the instructions were in German / French because those were the end users at that time. Just a guess....
- Bonzo
- Doofus Emeritus
- Posts: 3419
- Joined: Thu May 23, 2002 8:01 pm
- Location: Klamath Falls, Oregon Left Coast I can still see Mt. Zoomie from my house!
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
Mr. Button Man,
I have had a few of those in the black model. Never spent more than $5 on one. Was on a city bus in Cancun with a beer in one hand and playing with the super-automatic in the other. Try that trick in the states and see what happens...
Best regards,
Bonz
I have had a few of those in the black model. Never spent more than $5 on one. Was on a city bus in Cancun with a beer in one hand and playing with the super-automatic in the other. Try that trick in the states and see what happens...
Best regards,
Bonz
"A little rebellion now & then is a good thing"
Thomas Jefferson
-
- Posts: 650
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm
Re: Identifiers for a "Super Automatic"
Bonz ~ I wouldn't ride a city bus in the U.S. without a flame-thrower and a bullet-proof vest