Jndiana Stilettos

mr_edge · Post by **mr_edge** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 3:49 pm

I don't know if I'm just being too picky or what, but that's the second knife I've received from Knifeshop that hardly even snaps open. I even emphasized when I ordered to make sure the items were in perfect working order. Last time it was a Mikov. This time it's the 11" Black micarta stiletto from Jndiana. It's pathetically sluggish. The action is smooth, but the spring barely does it's job! Anyone ever bought one of these things? Incidentally. The wood handled 11" Beltrame stiletto I also received, fired like a machine of course.

Greyblade · Post by **Greyblade** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 6:43 pm

The Jndianas swings are poorly built knives at best. The brass liners are too thin and will bend when the scales are installed, or when the blade pivot pin is peened, or in a strong draft. Obviously, this will pull everything out of kilter and hamper operation. They are also not cleaned at the factory or by Knifeshop, so lots of WD-40 and compressed air will probably do wonders. The micarta , like imitation horn (please see other thread) does not warp, but I got a blond horn handled swing from Knifeshop once that has curled at both ends of both scales and pulled the liners with it. Big time gaps betweem liners an spring and scales and liners. It's too late now, but the best advice regarding Jndiana swings is: Don't buy them until they improve. They are examples of Italian knifemaking at its most shoddy. Not surprised about the Beltrame item. Good luck.

Greyblade

mr_edge · Post by **mr_edge** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:47 pm

Thanx Greyblade...it is pretty filthy, so hopefully that will improve things. I just really wanted a swinguard and it is a pretty cool looking knife. But you're right, it doesn't seem too high quality in comparison to the Beltrames I own. Oddly, it runs about $20 more that the beltrame and is half the quality.

Gort · Post by **Gort** » Wed Aug 07, 2002 10:52 pm

I also have had limited success with Jndianas automatic
knives. I do have a couple of swingers that work quite well,
but the quality from this maker is actually poorer than
almost any knife you can purchase from SKM.
Knifeshop is quite good about customer satisfaction though.
Perhaps an email to let them know of your dissatisfaction?

Greyblade wrote:The Jndianas swings are poorly built knives at best. [snip]
Greyblade

Razor_54 · Post by **Razor_54** » Thu Aug 08, 2002 3:27 am

Not to put Knifeshop down, but just received an order from them...Had ordered a Voyager and a Bargeon OTF...The Voyager was pretty dirty, cleaned it up real good, now works fine..nice solid knife, but lacks a little kick in the spring...Now here's the kicker, instead of the French OTF, received an Italian one

...Some one in the shipping must be smoking some good weed.....
Supposedly when i had ordered the Bargeon, it was the last one they had, so i don't think my chances are any good about returning the Italian for the Bargeon....

I'll try and e-mail them and see what happens,,,maybe a discount on my next order would be nice.....

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Thu Aug 08, 2002 9:24 am

I haven't checked lately but I got the last two Bargeon OTFs my French supplier had when I ordered them. Knifeshop had been back ordered for a while so maybe these are on the endangered spicies list.

Post by **jim d,** » Thu Aug 08, 2002 1:16 pm

Geryblade,

I remember you posting about those Jndiana swings last year. Based on your post, I avoided them. Someone once mentioned that all of the Italian swings were made by them. Do you know if that is true, or if SKM actually makes the ones that they and Tiny sell?

By the way, I am writing this from my Company's headquarters in South (sort of) Jersey.

Jim

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Thu Aug 08, 2002 7:31 pm

Last Sunday I sold the best Indiana I had an 11" Swing with white Micarta
Scales. It was prefect, after I sold it I remembered KS and AB/SKM had no more of these.

the spotlight kid · Post by **the spotlight kid** » Thu Aug 08, 2002 7:48 pm

I have two white micarta and one snakewood jndiana swings and they are all perfect.They make such a sweet CLICK when they're fired!

Cheers the spotlight kid

Blade Runner · Post by **Blade Runner** » Thu Aug 08, 2002 9:17 pm

I have two 11" dark horn Jndianna swing guards, purchased at the same time and presumably from the same production run. One is near perfect, the other has multiple flaws. From everything I've heard, I count myself lucky to have gotten one that was close to perfect.

Razor_54,
Keep trying to get a Bargeon OTF, you'll like it. Best lock-up in an OTF I've seen, though I don't have any expensive American ones. I see them on BA fairly often.

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Fri Aug 09, 2002 11:08 am

The 11" have been o.k. for me, nothing special but o.k. The Medici has been all over the place as far as quality goes. I have one that the guard is tighter then on the Guardian I have in stock.

Greyblade · Post by **Greyblade** » Fri Aug 09, 2002 2:09 pm

jim,

Tiny, AB, SKM, Beltrame, and Knifeshop just sell what Jndiana makes. The swings that were available about a year ago or so were better than what's being sold today, but not great. I have several that I bought last year in dark horn, stag, and black micarta. All work well and are resonably straight and tight. The blond horn one that I keep whining about was also from last year. This year, I ordered a white micarta bayo swing from SKM. It came with the blade point out about 1/16" out above the handle, "proud" as they say. I complained and they sent me a replacement. Unfortunately, it had a plain blade and a chunck broken out of the front scale. Complained again, and they sent me a dark horn bayo that is OK, but not great. I've had it with the swings until one is available that is at least as good as the stilettos.

Where in South Jersey were you? My office is in Marlton.

Greyblade

Post by **jim d,** » Fri Aug 09, 2002 2:56 pm

Greyblade,

Thanks for confirming my suspicion about the swing guards.

I was near Princeton (hence my reference of South "sort of" Jersey. I pass pretty close to Marlton going to and from the airport. In fact, I think I was in Marlton a few years ago. It is interesting that people from southern New Jersey seem to always use the term "South Jersey" when describing their home, as though it is a separate state.

Jim

Greyblade · Post by **Greyblade** » Fri Aug 09, 2002 3:17 pm

jim,

You're right about folks in South Jersey not wanting to be associated with the likes of Newark, Bayonne, Perth Amboy, etc. up north. In fact there has been talk off and on over the past 10 years about dividing the state in two parts, north and south. Nothing serious has come of it, though. The more radicalized residents have also been plotting to cut a fire break a mile wide just north of Princeton, and setting the north side ablaze. With all the volatile chemicals that have been soaking the ground for so many years, everything in the north should go up fast. Then we'll turn it into a park. Remember - New Jersey is the Garden State.

Send me an e-mail next time you're coming to the area.

Greyblade

Razor_54 · Post by **Razor_54** » Sat Aug 10, 2002 3:24 am

Just got a reply back from Knifeshop, willing to replace the Italian otf. But instead of shipping knifes back and forth, i will keep it and at the same time order a couple of the french bargeon OTF's, which they currently have on hand.
Still no luck with the Russian lever lock.....