The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

My wife and I went on a "junket" today, hitting the antique/junk stores. I found a seller who didn't think too much of his knives. I bought five for $33.00 and convinced him to throw in the Italian made switchblade because it wasn't working. (I cleaned and lubed it and it is perfect) The small four blade is an Interesting Schrade from between 1917 and 1945. The Camillus folder in the bottom right is about WWII era. The others are fairly old American made knives. The Switchblade has some collector interest and would bring $50.00-$100.00 on ebay. I have a soft spot for the old Colonial and Imperial fixed blades, the one in the photo is a Colonial. The Imperial Barlow was priced at $6.00, and is in new, unsharpened condition. I will buy every one of them I can get my hands on at that price.

Nice haul, a couple of years back a friend of mine bought a bunch of knives including a similar switchblade. I walked up on him at the shop one day just as he was starting his sales pitch to my helpers. I confiscated the knife, that's all I need, my idiot helpers getting busted with that thing leaving me with no help at all in the middle of a big project.

Junk Yard Dog wrote:Nice haul, a couple of years back a friend of mine bought a bunch of knives including a similar switchblade. I walked up on him at the shop one day just as he was starting his sales pitch to my helpers. I confiscated the knife, that's all I need, my idiot helpers getting busted with that thing leaving me with no help at all in the middle of a big project.

Switchblades are not illegal to own or carry in Florida. Before the good spring assist knives started hitting the market I carried switchblades as tools. When you are working, It is very good to have a knife in your pocket that you can open when your other hand is busy. Now days, the spring assist knives that you can open with a flick of the wrist are far better a tool than a switchblade. I generally have a Benchmade spring assist in my pocket and it is as quick as any switchblade and is strong and reliable. The stiletto in the photo is no more than a toy.

The Italian style stiletto switchblades would make a lousy weapon, they are well too unreliable when they get filled with pocket lint, they are too delicate to make a good weapon, and they are worthless as a tool. The only use of this type switchblade would be as a stabbing tool. If I were in a knife fight I would want to be able to slash as well as stab.

Colonial, Schrade and Imperial made switchblades for decades before they were demonized and outlawed in the 1950s. Back in the days before OSHA, hand injuries and amputations were much more common than they are today. If a one handed or armed man needed a knife, (and all men need a knife) the switchblade was a necessity. In the 1950s when I was a small child there were a lot of men walking around with one hand or arm. I remember because, to me, they were very scary. My father had a friend that had a hook for a hand and the man terrorized me.

Most of these men were probably WWII or Korea vets, but many were also victims of the local timber industry.

Let's just say I lack faith in my helpers ability to stay out of trouble with a switchblade no matter if it's legal or otherwise.

I bought this from a customer at the gun shop the other day. It is a Fox & Hound with a Damascus blade. I cant resist the Damascus blades.