Johnny's Switchblade From "The Outsiders"

Plastered Bastard · Post by **Plastered Bastard** » Mon Jul 12, 2004 8:54 pm

I'm sure a lot of you have seen this movie where Ralph Macchio's character Johnny carries a switchblade and ends up stabbing the "soc" with it.

As best as I can see, it's an old German leverlock with shell shot puller top bolsters, stag handles, and a plain flat ground non clip-point blade. It appears to me to be made by someone like Hubertus or maybe Robert Klass.
I don't know much about the old German autos and was wondering if anyone here could positively identify this knife. I'd like to keep an eye out for one.

Thanks.

yavcon · Post by **yavcon** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:54 am

"we'll do it for Johnny, man. We'll do it for JOHNNY!!!!"

That was my first exposure to a switchblade. I was a young lad, and had to resort to putting a rusty old broken blade in a switchcomb to satisfy my thirst. It opened as long as I pointed it toward the ground, and stayed open as long as I kept it at one angle. I often thought of bringing this up. I dont remember that it was a shell puller. cool.

orangeboy · Post by **orangeboy** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 2:22 pm

It was an old solingen "springer" shell puller style knife. It had pickbone scales, and, yes it's a lever lock. My favorites switches are the Italian's, but i love that style very much.

I have a few pictures of some if you want PM me and I can send you some pix

Plastered Bastard · Post by **Plastered Bastard** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 5:06 pm

Yavcon,
Yeah, that was a great movie to get introduced to switchblades. There was also a scene at the first of the movie...a fight at a gas station parking lot where a guy pulls out what looks like and Italian stiletto. No close-ups of the knife, though

I too had the switchblade comb to try and satisfy my desire for the real thing. I'd thought about replacing the comb with a real blade but lost the thing before I could. Luckily, I acquired a nice leverlock from a guy just back from Germany that needed drug money. I was in switchblade heaven

That particular knife Johnny had seems to be quite rare these days, unfortunately.

Orangeboy,
Thanks a lot for the identification! I'm with you on liking the Italian stiletto style best, but those old shotgun shell puller autos were so cool looking...and appeared to be heavy and well built. I love that style too.

I'll send you a PM for those pix. Thanks!

Plastered Bastard · Post by **Plastered Bastard** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 5:30 pm

Orangeboy,
I'm not sure if my PM actually got sent. It seems to be stuck in my outbox not showing as 'sent', so I don't know.
Let me know if you got it.

I'd love for these pix to be posted here, if anyone has the capability.

Teddy · Post by **Teddy** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 5:49 pm

If anyone wants pics hosting just email 'em to me.... I've got more webspace than I know what to do with...

Best wishes
Teddy

mypetelvis · Post by **mypetelvis** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 5:59 pm

While not related to the Outsiders, I did have another switchblade sighting in the movies. The movie is called "Orgasmo" and is brought to us by the fine people who make Southpark. At one point a mormon missionary interupts a porno shoot, only to have a stiletto opened in his face. The cool thing was the closeup showed what looked like a 9" with a swedge blade (transitional?). Then the knife is thrown to the ground, making me cringe in horror. I looked for the "no switchblades were harmed during the making of this film" during the credits, but, it wasn't there. Some people have no decency!!

M.P.E.

orangeboy · Post by **orangeboy** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:16 pm

The Hubertus knives are soooo close to being like the old shell puller "springer" style...but of course they don't make them with the "shell puller". What a shame they don't, they would look exactly like the real deal.
Anyone here have some "pull" (no pun intended) with Hubertus to ask if they would produce some...how about Bill DeShivs??? the would be awesome!

Plastered Bastard · Post by **Plastered Bastard** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:33 pm

Teddy,
Thanks for the offer to post the pix! Hopefully one of us will send them to ya. I'm sure a lot of us would like to see them.

mypetelvis wrote:Then the knife is thrown to the ground, making me cringe in horror. I looked for the "no switchblades were harmed during the making of this film" during the credits, but, it wasn't there. Some people have no decency!!

M.P.E.

M.P.E.,

I know how you feel! I cringed watching Morgan Freedman throwing that stag picklock in "Seven"

I haven't heard of the movie Orgasmo. Maybe I'll check it out. Hopefully it was just a new $50 switch with a flat ground blade. But if you did see a swedge, then it might actually be an old transitional, which would be painful to watch

Orangeboy,
Didn't the "Springer" knives have it stamped on the bottom front bolster? I looked for that on the Outsiders knife but only saw a good shot of the 'back' bottom bolster, and it didn't have it.
Man, it *would* be awesome if Hubertus started making the shell puller like that again. I've wished the same thing. I'm sure it would be a GREAT seller!

Bowtown Blade · Post by **Bowtown Blade** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 7:45 pm

i think it would take more than "pull" to get a company to make a certain style knife. you know what talks the most...... money

, i am sure you can get what ever you want for the right price

orangeboy · Post by **orangeboy** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 7:59 pm

only reason I don't spend money on a Hubie is b/c they DON'T make a shell puller model. (And they always put their name on the blade).

orangeboy · Post by **orangeboy** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 8:58 pm

Old Solingen, Germany "Springer" shell puller

Bowtown Blade · Post by **Bowtown Blade** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:36 pm

Orangeboy
nice looking puller.... you can always look for a old hubie, when they tang stamped the blades, not as noticible, or go and look at the pass around knife JAGMAN just got done making, it is amazing, maybe he could make a nice hubie clone puller for you

Plastered Bastard · Post by **Plastered Bastard** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:54 pm

That's it...that's Johnny's knife! And a damn nice one at that.
It's great to finally get a good look at one and have my curiosity satisfied. Now if I can just get my hands on one...at a reasonable price hopefully.

Thanks again, Orangeboy. Awesome pics!

Bonzo · Post by **Bonzo** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:57 pm

Plastered Bastard wrote:That's it...that's Johnny's knife! And a damn nice one at that.
It's great to finally get a good look at one and have my curiosity satisfied. Now if I can just get my hands on one...at a reasonable price hopefully.

Thanks again, Orangeboy. Awesome pics!

Mr. Bastid,

Although I commend Mr. Orangeboy's pics of the beautiful shell puller, thats not Johnny's knife. Close, really close, but I just happened to watch that movie last sunday, and the blade on Johnny's knife definately had a nail nick in it. The blade apeared to have a swedge, but I was more focused on the nail nick than anything else. To me, it looked like a spearpoint blade with a nick. The switch at the opening of the flick, looked more like a swinger than anything else, but then I could be wrong. If anyone has a video of the movie, see if you can freeze the opening of the shell puller, and the gas station scene.

I admire the investigation though.

Best regards,

Bonz