Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

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natcherly
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by natcherly »

It is sad that the ATS-34 was not also available in a larger sized knife. A 28 cm (11") with that blade would have been the bomb!
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by john »

Vlad wrote:
john wrote:I've only ever had a spring snap on me once. It was on a 4" close SKM stiletto. You really shouldn't have any issues.
Now , that's sad :( how did it happen and what model was it ?

Hello Vlad,
It was very sad. I open my knife and it opened as usual. When I closed it I heard a sound I had never heard before but I knew exactly what that sound meant. The knife below is its twin.
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

Is SKM / MABer Colltelerie actually out of business or is the website itself just down temporarily?

Honestly I think the quality of SKM is comparably poor and wish Armando Beltrame would at least make a website for his higher end "AB" line... :(
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natcherly
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by natcherly »

Luke_of_Mass wrote:Is SKM / MABer Colltelerie actually out of business or is the website itself just down temporarily?

Honestly I think the quality of SKM is comparably poor and wish Armando Beltrame would at least make a website for his higher end "AB" line... :(
SKM did not and does not make knives. They were a marketing operation.

Making auto knives in Italy is hard enough, selling them in that country, even by mail order to customers in other countries, is more difficult. This is due in large part to current Italian law and the general hassle of maintaining a web store. Witness the move of the Campolin's retail operation to Austria, a country where The Knife Shop has been in business for years. Austria is very switch friendly. I suspect makers simply find it easier to wholesale.

My fear is that there just isn't the money in making these knives anymore. The competition from China, much of it unfair to say the least, is deadly. We may be seeing the end of times for true Italian made auto knives. :cry:
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arthas
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by arthas »

Hello!

SKM / AB Coltellerie / MABer are different names for the same company (owned by Armando Beltrame), but they have different meanings.

The knives were all branded, in different variations of the logo, as AB. I'm unsure how the current production is being branded: the company is not out of business, but the production is somewhat limited compared to the past.

SKM (Switchblade Knife Makers) is the name of the a site which sells (sold?) mostly AB products (as it was owned by AB), but also products made by other knifemakers in Maniago (it was 90% switchblade knives, anyway).

MABer is just the legal company name.

Cheers,
Michele.
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

arthas wrote:Hello!

SKM / AB Coltellerie / MABer are different names for the same company (owned by Armando Beltrame), but they have different meanings.

The knives were all branded, in different variations of the logo, as AB. I'm unsure how the current production is being branded: the company is not out of business, but the production is somewhat limited compared to the past..
Ah okay, thanks! The ones branded "SKM" sold through bladeplay and other US outlets are of sub-par quality compared to the ones stamped "AB ITALY" - I knew both were owned by Armando, but assumed that they were split into a high-end line and a lower-end line, similar to that of AKC producing cheaper, lower quality pieces for AGA Campolin, who reserves their best pieces for their main brand.
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arthas
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by arthas »

Hello!
Luke_of_Mass wrote:Ah okay, thanks! The ones branded "SKM" sold through bladeplay and other US outlets are of sub-par quality compared to the ones stamped "AB ITALY" - I knew both were owned by Armando, but assumed that they were split into a high-end line and a lower-end line
Likely, even though I don't know for sure.
Anyway, with the SKM web site closed, the only knives coming out from AB at present seems those branded SKM (available through dealers).

Michele.
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by Vlad »

Hey , quick question . I didn't want to start a new thread for this. Is Frank Beltrame still making picklock stilettos ?
I want to get one for my father on his birthday. I have one which l purchased in 2012 with an 11 inch bayonet blade. But l am having difficulty locating them now. They are shown on both the Frank Beltrame and Frank Beltrame . US websites. But is Frank still making them ?
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by arthas »

Hello!

I'm unsure. 3knives.com, which has a great selection from Maniago, only lists AGA Campolin picklocks. You may, however, directly write to Frank Beltrame to be sure.

Cheers,
Michele.
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

Vlad wrote:Hey , quick question . I didn't want to start a new thread for this. Is Frank Beltrame still making picklock stilettos ?
I want to get one for my father on his birthday. I have one which l purchased in 2012 with an 11 inch bayonet blade. But l am having difficulty locating them now. They are shown on both the Frank Beltrame and Frank Beltrame . US websites. But is Frank still making them ?
You should contact Frank's daughter Sara (info@frankbeltrame.com) she handles all of Frank's sales and, although she can take a while to get back to you, this is your best bet for getting a brand new one through him at the best selection possible.

Alternatively, quite a few new Walt's Latama Picklocks have just become available at latama.net (these are produced by Frank) ... However, they are considerably more expensive than typical picklocks Frank makes for his own line and their price reflects this deviation. Walt's Latamas get snapped up pretty fast and sometimes over a year goes by before another new batch is released so if you're into these jump on them quick.

A reputable dealer I like to do business with, Folgore Knives aka METALGOD aka Bernie has a couple limited edition 8'' picklocks by Frank Beltrame available at bladeauction.net
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by METALGOD »

Luke_of_Mass wrote:
Vlad wrote:Hey , quick question . I didn't want to start a new thread for this. Is Frank Beltrame still making picklock stilettos ?
I want to get one for my father on his birthday. I have one which l purchased in 2012 with an 11 inch bayonet blade. But l am having difficulty locating them now. They are shown on both the Frank Beltrame and Frank Beltrame . US websites. But is Frank still making them ?
You should contact Frank's daughter Sara (info@frankbeltrame.com) she handles all of Frank's sales and, although she can take a while to get back to you, this is your best bet for getting a brand new one through him at the best selection possible.

Alternatively, quite a few new Walt's Latama Picklocks have just become available at latama.net (these are produced by Frank) ... However, they are considerably more expensive than typical picklocks Frank makes for his own line and their price reflects this deviation. Walt's Latamas get snapped up pretty fast and sometimes over a year goes by before another new batch is released so if you're into these jump on them quick.

A reputable dealer I like to do business with, Folgore Knives aka METALGOD aka Bernie has a couple limited edition 8'' picklocks by Frank Beltrame available at bladeauction.net

Hi Luke just a heads up im pretty sure the new 11" Latama stilettos that walt just got in are swivel bolster stilettos not picklocks . Frank does still make picklocks in 11" , i own the rights to Franks 9" picklocks and havent made any since 2013 . also the reason why walts stilettos sell out so quickly is wholesale buyers buy them up like PVK , bladeplay etc... i think PVK still has both sizes 11" and 9" walter made few years ago but be ready for sticker shock lol
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by omega »

Luke_of_Mass wrote:
Ah okay, thanks! The ones branded "SKM" sold through bladeplay and other US outlets are of sub-par quality compared to the ones stamped "AB ITALY" - I knew both were owned by Armando, but assumed that they were split into a high-end line and a lower-end line, similar to that of AKC producing cheaper, lower quality pieces for AGA Campolin, who reserves their best pieces for their main brand.
Perhaps I can muddy the waters further:

Back in the day (2000-2006 or so), SKM's site sold TWO lines. The first being a line of "Cheap Switchblades" (they actually called them that) and a line of AB branded knives that were priced higher.

I'm not aware of any real spec differences between the lines. The el cheapos were generically stamped "Stainless Italy." The AB line were stamped "AB Italy" - the logo most of us are familiar with. Exceptions: The ATS-34 flatgrind knives were always of the AB-stamped variety. The damascus knives that were sold in wood presentation boxes were also AB-stamped exclusively. I recall both lines using AISI 420 steel.

There were 3-4 Bladeauction.com sellers that bought the cheapo line for resale, as well as a certain Mr Tiny (RIP). Most everybody else bought/resold the AB-stamped product.
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

METALGOD wrote:Hi Luke just a heads up im pretty sure the new 11" Latama stilettos that walt just got in are swivel bolster stilettos not picklocks . Frank does still make picklocks in 11" , i own the rights to Franks 9" picklocks and havent made any since 2013 . also the reason why walts stilettos sell out so quickly is wholesale buyers buy them up like PVK , bladeplay etc... i think PVK still has both sizes 11" and 9" walter made few years ago but be ready for sticker shock lol
Wow I guess they are ... honestly I'm not so sure I'd put modern swivel bolsters on what's apparently an homage to the pre-ban latamas of yesteryear, but hey-ho :roll:

Anyway, that's very interesting... I didn't even know you could buy rights to stuff like that... Frank is outright selling rights to sizes and types of his knives? And what exactly does this mean? Would you actually straight up sue him for producing another 9'' pick without your consent? And if this is the case... when will you order some 9-inch picklocks for us to buy? :P
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by JulesVane »

Hi Luke. Maybe Bernie still has these...
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=24948
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=24947
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: Armando Beltrame 9 inch ATS-34 Stiletto

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

JulesVane wrote:Hi Luke. Maybe Bernie still has these...
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=24948
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=24947
I've seen these exact same knives at bladebid and bladeauction listed by Bernie, both listings said 8'' and, although there's nothing to compare them to in the picture... they kinda look like 8-inchers. Perhaps he made a mistake when he listed them here... so I'm not entirely sure what size they really are. Not that I wouldn't want them - I've never seen an 8-inch piece by Frank before. For that matter, I've never seen a modern picklock under 11 inches, so either way they're very intriguing to me and I'd buy them in a heartbeat if I had the cash. But total financial ruin has sort of caused me to avoid this site for a few months :P
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