Calling all Florinox Owners (Question)

[bigfatross]

Hi Gang,
I just picked up a 6 inch french florinox switch. The knife has a coil spring opens fast however the knife does not lock open, another words you do not have to press the button to close, you just close blade like a regular (no lock) pocket knife.

One of my sources thinks some of them were made that way due to the laws in the area they were being sold. So you will see them in both locking and nonlocking versions.

I would like to know if you own one, if your knife locks open or is like mine and closes like a (no lock) pocket knife.

Thanks in advance
Ross

[whippersnapper]

My 6 incher locks open but my 7.5" doesn't....

IMG_0178.JPG (163.02 KiB) Viewed 6616 times

[john]

Hi BFR,
Sorry I can't help, but it appears some do and some don't.

Hi Terry,
Cool knives!

John

[Furcs]

Mine, about 6 1/2" oal with a 2" blade, doesn't lock. Love the knife.

[Viking45]

Always regret not buying a few French autos.

[bigfatross]

My 6 incher locks open but my 7.5" doesn't....

IMG_0178.JPG

Hey whippersnapper the bottom knife looks like a "Bargon".
HEY, by the way does any one know about the "locking and nonlocking" knife laws (if there were any)?.
Thanks

[whippersnapper]

Hey whippersnapper the bottom knife looks like a "Bargon".

I think you are probably right. I don't know much about the French knives.

[Sunny]

Comparing four Florinox knives, two 7 1/2 inch (19 cm) and two 6 1/2 inch (16 1/2 cm), only one of the four examples locks open. It is the Pradel model at the bottom of the picture. As you can see from the pictures the open/close button comes back up and locks the blade and is different from the rest. Note the well used example on top of the picture. It is the only example with a false top edge.

Each example has a different tang/blade stamp.

And bigfatross is correct, whippersnapper’s six-inch knife is an unmarked Bargeon. There are five different variations of that knife including the earliest model that has no visible sear hole.




The open/close button is different on the Pradel example from the rest

[bigfatross]

Hey Sunny,
NICE set of Frenches you got there! Thanks for taking the time for the photos and the info on them.
I'm having a hard time finding info on the French knife companies (Bargon,Florinox,Saut Ouvert,Laguiolel,Le Superoto) that made these knifes.
I think Laguiolel is still making pocket knifes but no more autos.

The Bargon, Florinox, Saut Ouvert all have a lot of similarity and I THINK they may have been made by the same company(Arbalete G. David)???
If you have any info let me know. Any Idea how old your knifes are and what years they were made?

I bought my Florinox on a whim just to see what kind of knife it was. I like it, nice little well made fast sharp knife.
Thanks Again
Ross

[h1942]

Mine, about 6 1/2" oal with a 2" blade, doesn't lock. Love the knife.

I have one that does not lock open Hank

[john]

Hi Sunny,
We cool I like your quartet a lot.
John

[DonC]

Good looking foursome. The only Frenchie I have is an all metal Bargeron 9 BO/BC and it's a very solid knife.
DonC

[JimBrown257]

I've seen some laws that ban locking knives. I feel that one is the most hilariously counter-productive of all the nonsensical knife laws.

[lance]

That's a great post by sunny,I have several frenchie's,nothing like sunny..but all of my florinox,don't lock open there slip joints.