The NATO OTF is back?

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Mario
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The NATO OTF is back?

Post by Mario »

Check out what I found on Grindworx.

https://www.grindworx.com/item--NATO-OT ... ife--37388

Seems someone decided to bring back the NATO Military OTF! I like the look of this. Very close to the originals, but upgraded with modern hardware. The switch looks a little like the ones on the MAGA OTF stilettos. Wonder if this is from the same company.
Fishtail Picklock
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

Mario wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 5:33 pm Check out what I found on Grindworx.

https://www.grindworx.com/item--NATO-OT ... ife--37388

Seems someone decided to bring back the NATO Military OTF! I like the look of this. Very close to the originals, but upgraded with modern hardware. The switch looks a little like the ones on the MAGA OTF stilettos. Wonder if this is from the same company.
I'd lay you "dollars to doughnuts" that they're the MAGA OTF stilettos that have been reduced in size and "branded" as NATO Military OTF knives.

Would anyone care to wager against me? :roll: (I didn't think so).
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sammy the blade
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by sammy the blade »

That's what it looks like to me.
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jerryk25
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by jerryk25 »

So Grindworx has a reissue of the NATO OTF automatic.

I'm glad. I hated that torsion assisted liner-lock folder (see image later)
I'm happy the traditional is back. . . only if they get rid of the stupid pocket clip on the back.
and maybe put the screws on the bottom side (I know, bottom screws wont work, they hold the thin top liner.)

I lost count, is this the 5th or 6th generation.

I remember the originals, then the top bolster changed just a bit around the ears.
Most people don't notice the 2nd generation difference.

New NATO

and 1st and 2nd generation Super Automatics.
Attachments
NATO-OTF-2021-GX-37388-jr-large.jpg
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jerryk25
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by jerryk25 »

3rd and 4th generation NATO bodies
the ears are different.
They are without thru pins.

they seem to be either ovals or triangular.
I don't know which came prior.
The oval ears have a flat bottom bolster with the plastic blade hole plug.
I think this was a developement made for Edge Co self built kits.

the Triangle ears have the solid bottom. Not a Kit. (at least my sample is "not a kit")

and they got just a bit smaller than the originals

If you look at the bottom photo next to the ruler.
You can see the "Ears and bottom bolster" of the black scaled example actually are just a bit different
than the 2 in the top photo.. . . .But I am hesitant to count this as a 5th generational body.
Or should it be a generation unto itself. . . the body is cast in a unique mold shape.
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Last edited by jerryk25 on Mon Sep 06, 2021 1:45 am, edited 5 times in total.
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jerryk25
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by jerryk25 »

finally, the body lost it's ears in the 5th generation. . . .
or is this the 6th generation. . . .

came in camo or chrome.. . . .
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Last edited by jerryk25 on Mon Sep 06, 2021 1:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
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jerryk25
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by jerryk25 »

To be honest. . .I never saw an ACTUAL NATO ISSUE knife.
I saw a lot of "toy automatics" marked NATO or Super Automatic.
But never anything actually robust enough to be Military Spec.

I recall reading a Military Specification on an auto-retracting knife,
that described the general size. . . But It could have been some
pre-internet prose fabrication, and not actually from legitimate publication.
The description could have fit any number of knives.

For a while, knives had "G3" spec grip texture (was it called G-3 . . . or G6 . . . .? . . I forget)
But that is not what I call a bonified "Generational body change".
Attachments
NATO-600.jpg
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Last edited by jerryk25 on Mon Sep 06, 2021 1:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
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jerryk25
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by jerryk25 »

And People / sellers were always slapping printed text on a knife calling it NATO.
They don't really count.
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jerryk25
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by jerryk25 »

Finally, they became torsion assisted opener folders with a liner lock. . .
which is not even the OTF automatic specification from which the name "NATO" spec was derived.

I really hated these, almost as much as the bad "Joker" assisted opener folder
which was modeled after the Dalton OTF with the big slot in the blade .
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jerryk25
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by jerryk25 »

The weird thing is that the original
NATO automatic deploying knife specification
never described anything more than a simple knife without ears.
that lay flat and was not bulky, was of a certain size.

I remember the patent illustration was of this style knife.
(I'm a professional patent and technical illustrator, I collect images.)
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Tom19176
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by Tom19176 »

Thanks for the detailed info Jerry !! I agree with your time line. The first ones were all made by Bell Metal in Korea. Later on they were made by different makers and countries.

I am sure these are made by the MAGA maker too......
DG Ralph
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by DG Ralph »

Check out the one I have for sale currently, here on TB, if anyone needs one, mint and negotiable :D
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Mario
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by Mario »

Tom19176 wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 10:59 am Thanks for the detailed info Jerry !! I agree with your time line. The first ones were all made by Bell Metal in Korea. Later on they were made by different makers and countries.

I am sure these are made by the MAGA maker too......
I think some of the later models were made in Taiwan.
sammy the blade
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by sammy the blade »

jerryk25 wrote: Mon Sep 06, 2021 1:14 am So Grindworx has a reissue of the NATO OTF automatic.

I'm glad. I hated that torsion assisted liner-lock folder (see image later)
I'm happy the traditional is back. . . only if they get rid of the stupid pocket clip on the back.
and maybe put the screws on the bottom side (I know, bottom screws wont work, they hold the thin top liner.)

I lost count, is this the 5th or 6th generation.

I remember the originals, then the top bolster changed just a bit around the ears.
Most people don't notice the 2nd generation difference.

New NATO

and 1st and 2nd generation Super Automatics.
I like it but it's just to small for me. If it was 8" oal I'd jump on it. I like the pocket clip too!
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Panzerfaust
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Re: The NATO OTF is back?

Post by Panzerfaust »

It looks like it would be good for EDC rotation if you prefer smaller knives for light cutting tasks.
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