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Tom19176 wrote:The Italian started making this pattern in the 60s correct?
Yes, this is what's believed to be the original Italian design from the 60's. You can see how similar it looks to the one on the SD auction...
Here's a pic of an otf from my collection that's just like the one up for auction, for comparison...
I believe the "super auto" otf up for auction is one of the first generation Asian clones of the Italian knife in the first picture. I suppose that despite what I've been told it could've first been cloned in the 70's rather than the 60's. My main point is that the smooth black scaled otf's like the one in the second pic are an older and more rare "super auto" variation than the Bell metal K-108 models. The K-108's came later. That much we can agree on, right?
Sure we can agree on something like that....lol....I will dig it out when I can, but the old lady who managed/owned KoAmerican Trading in the 90s, sold me an old beat up display model she had of the K 108 she had that she used to cut open boxes. It was Bell Metal ( as per her) and looks exactly like the second one you posted, with the same button and handle material, except it says somthing, I believe Super Automatic. I think as for an Asian maker, there will never be an answer that is a for sure fact. I only believe what I have said based on a dealer 30+ years my senior who use to be the importer of them, and from what I have seen in my years of collecting. Dealers of knives tend to often tell you anything ( I always loved the guy who told me that the German Shell Puller was from the Civil War-a shell puller for guns of that era!), and often collectors believe the hype of what they were told and pass on that info.
I know what you mean about word of mouth twisting facts around, but I own both of the variations so I'm not just going by what people have told me. I know the ones with K-108 written on the box look very similar to the smooth black scaled one pictured above...but the blades are 1/4 inch shorter and the handle material is textured, and like you said they have writing on the scales (either "Super Automatic" or "Nato Military"). If the KoA manager had one with writing on the scales, then it was not an older model. If you can find it and post a picture I'll gladly point out the differences. This is becoming a bit frustrating. I'm not arguing that the Bell company didn't make both models, they may have (althought I personally doubt it, but can't disprove it). I'm simply trying to convey that the models like the one pictured without writing on the scales are not K-108's, they are older. I'm not doubting that your experiences with the KoA dealer were enlightening, but the two models are completely different knives. Like I said, I own both types. I should also mention that I have two of the older variation, and they each have completely different tang stamps.
Last edited by BTB0923 on Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:54 pm, edited 4 times in total.
I mean no disrespect to Tom by arguing with him. He's been collecting a lot longer than I have, and I'm sure he knows a lot more about switchblades as a whole than I do. But I feel very strongly (obviously) that the smooth black scaled "super autos" are older than the K-108's.
You youngsters should all be in bed by now with Peter Falk reading you more of the Princess Bride......Please show me the difference in the two.....I see alittle near the top pins and bolster, but they made a few different versions.....
I'm starting to think this whole argument is really just over semantics. That knife is not the "K-108" model I've been referring to. I think it's also one of the earlier smooth-scaled versions like the black ones. When using the term "K-108" I've been meaning these knives...
Last edited by BTB0923 on Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:14 am, edited 2 times in total.
Perhaps it is in the wording. According to the lady at KOA, the model K 108 was always in use, but the actual product changed slightly a few times over the years. Either way, they were all reported made by Bell Metal....I believe you are correct about the blade lenght. Years ago I sanded the blade down to get rid of the marks on it, never realizing how valueable in maybe some day....lol....
If it was Bell that produced all of them, then they did apparently decide to shorten the blade length at some point. I'll bet that green one you have has a 3.75 inch blade, right?. The two in the last pic I posted have 3.25 inch blades. I'd still bet that the smooth-scaled ones were one of the first variations they made, but I suppose there's no way to tell for sure.
I love that movie.
