Super Automatic, Nato Military, Black Magic, and whatnot

[FreeTheArmy]

when i was about 6 or 7, the sheriff came to our school and displayed some of their confiscations. one of these items was a hefty otf switchblade with black textured scales on a shiny metal handle. the blade style was plain and the handle had "black magic" written on the scale, much like "super automatic'' or "nato military", which are not unlike the one i'm speaking of. but my point is, the knife was beefy (not just for my age), and the button took some effort to slide. i was actually surprised at how tough it was to open and how heavy it was... the reason i mention this, where can i find a high quality "super auto" style otf?????????
who made these?
why will no one duplicate these, but with a stern update on the quality? come on microtech, rip off this design.
this style of otf made me at 6 go, "WOW!!! i want one of those!"

anyone???
anyone?

again, not the piranha excalibur, or the DKW sandshark, but their precursors?

[BTB0923]

I second that! I've actually been hoping for a dual action otf that goes a step even further into the "Italian" look with a super slim profile, horn scales, and bolsters shaped much like a traditional stiletto bolsters (reminiscent of the trapdoor otfs). Something that may kind of resemble this...



...but less cheesey looking with even more of the traditional Italian characteristics (better shape to the guards and ditch the ring).

I think the closest "real" knife I've seen made in the past decade or so was the Microtech "Masterpiece" but it was single action. There are some pics of it here...

http://latama.net/NewsMicroTech.html

[Tom19176]

Is that Microtech in production? Never saw that one?

[FreeTheArmy]

as far as i am aware, there were only 12 masterpieces made, but microtech does a ton of custom jobs each year, so if you want one, you just need to cough up some serious cash. it seems to be a souped-up nemesis. but it will be known as the first otf swinguard switchblade. although "swinguard" may be an improper term.

[sicboy13]

I'm with you, Freethearmy... I want a quality OTF that looks like the Super Auto style...but not a super auto... I don't mind the traditional thumb slider type push button...but a trapdoor type button system would be outta sight...

I bought a black scaled super auto and was able to use fine steel wool to buff off the stupid "SUPER AUTOMATIC" that was plastered on the front scale... it looks alot better now... and again, thanks to a little Macgrubering tip from BTB, it hasnt misfired in quite a while...

[FreeTheArmy]

some american company should attempt to make a solid super auto, on the same size scale, but with upgraded material: 154-cm blade, high polished silver t6 casing, black micarta or g-10 scales, heat treated spring and internals.
what company might attempt this???
i just want to request it to everyone. i'm sure it will attract.

and by the way, here are some of the names of these knives:

"SUPER AUTOMATIC"

"SUPER AUTO"

"NATO MILITARY"

"NATO AUTOMATIC"

"NATO AUTO"

"AUTOMATIC NATO"

"BLACK MAGIC"

"BLACK EAGLE"

"DESERT EAGLE"

and if you know of any more, let me know. not that i'm gonna buy any, i'd just like to take an inventory of what the different names and variations to the same switchblade design.
thanks,
free

[whippersnapper]

"NATO GOOD" Just kiddin'

[TMD]

some more names of these knives
Star Automatic
Secret Agent

Ive seen another type of OTF with the slidingbutton on the side of the handle marked Super automatic or Never again.

The black magic I have seen isn´t really an OTF, it looks like one, but instead of firing the blade it retracts the blade cover. More a fixed blade with a automatic sheath. Quite bulky but fun gadget factor. These where availible from US cavalry back in the days.

/ TMD

[FreeTheArmy]

"STAR AUTOMATIC"
"SECRET AGENT"
thanks, partner.

"NEVER AGAIN" i remember that one from the edge co catalogs... not the same design as the "super auto", but close.

and with the statement about the "BLACK MAGIC" -i do remember that US Cavalry knife. but it is not the same one as mentioned above. DESERT EAGLE are terrific handguns, but they are also the names of some low-end otfs from the 80's/early 90's probably printed on the knives by the maker who thought people would connect the two weapons in their mind.
i would be willing to guess that all of these names have been used interchangeably on variations of the same knife design.
If you have an auto collection and notice one having double the weight and a touch more girth, maybe even some pins holding it together, let me know what name is on it, what the tang reads, and the year, if known.
anyone have an early auto otf collection they'd be willing to post? from the 50's through the 90's?

[BTB0923]

I'm still waiting for the rumors that Frank B. is designing a production line of trapdoor otfs to come to fruition. By the way TOP AUTOMATIC is another dual action otf from the 80's/90's. I think Edge Co. sold them.

[FreeTheArmy]

I'm still waiting for the rumors that Frank B. is designing a production line of trapdoor otfs to come to fruition. By the way TOP AUTOMATIC is another dual action otf from the 80's/90's. I think Edge Co. sold them.

right on, brendan:
TOP AUTOMATIC
i read the same rumors about F. Beltrame, but have yet to see anything.... if i'm not mistaken, he posted it himself on another forum and someone copied and pasted it here.
the wife and i will be in Italy this christmas and will be in Maniago the 26th and 27th. Hopefully i'll get to meet the Legend himself. I'm sure i won't be able to keep from asking about the otf.

[X-Punk]

Heres my gem, picked up from a board member a while back. Seller bought it in the late '60's and it sat in its original box (shown) in his drawer ever since. This knife is heavy, solid, and looks brand new. Gunner was lucky enough to score the other one being sold by the same seller. Definitely one of my favorites but only gets taken out for special occasions like this, I've only fired it maybe half a dozen times since buying it.





In comparison with the modern "Nato Military" you can see that the "Auto" is longer with a much nicer blade. it also feels a lot more like a knife than the "toy-like" feel of the "Nato".

[sicboy13]

can we agree never to talk about that knife again just kidding...

[BTB0923]

X-Punk, what does it say on the tang of that knife? I have one that looks exactly like that and it says "CROSS" over "STAINLESS" on the tang. At first I thought they were different knives because the buttons looked different, but now looking at your pic I see the buttons are the same. Here is a pic of mine next to another variation of the dual action otfs I have...



The first one pictured above has "STILETTO" written on the handle, so I guess that's another one to put on the list of super auto variations.

[X-Punk]

BTB0923 it's marked "Stainless Steel" on the tang, yours looks identical to mine from the pic. How old is yours? I wonder how long they kept the style of ours before they began with the named variants of the knife. Sorry Sicboy, can't help myself! Love any excuse to show it off, think I like the box equally as much as the knife.