Any input about the B-stealth?

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Fishtail Picklock
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

I just went to Frank Beltrame's website and looked at their price list. Even if they charged 20 U.S. Dollars for shipping, it would still be a big advantage over 3 Knives. Their prices are outrageous (but we all knew that, didn't we)?
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

Great to see the B-Stealth getting some love! I carry mine proudly everyday ... had to replace the belt clip after a workplace mishap, and had to replace the spring after about 18 months of rapidfiring... but hey it's better than a fidget spinner! :lol:

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gravknife wrote:I would love a B-stealth but I can't understand why they are 105 euros on 3knives yet only 41dollars on the FrankB webpage.
Is it the new handle design that rises the price ?
Also are the older normal styles still available for 41 dollars to buy now?
That sounds reasonable

Can someone clarify and let me know

gravknife
Well, for the 105 price on 3knives, I don't think it has anything to do with the new handle design, rather Angelo wants to turn a hefty profit (no doubt he got them from Frank for little more than 32 Euro...)

Frank sells them for 65 USD / 52-53 Euro plus shipping, ultimately pushing the price on a single unit to a level similar to that on 3knives, although I'm not sure how much 3knives would charge for shipping, in any case I think it's safe to say that the most economical way to acquire this knife is from Frank himself or someone reselling them here or on sharperdeals (60 USD has been the trend at both places, on the rare occasion that one pops up...)

The 41 number you stumbled across is the wholesale price, so you'd have to order a few for them to give you that rate. The exact number I never quite figured out, but I ordered 7 last year and that's the price they gave me. Gouged me on shipping for the replacement parts to be honest.

I bought out the very last of Frank's stock of the old-style (criss-cross handles) over a year ago, no telling if they will make more but I assume they would if they got a big enough order for them ... furthermore they have gone full-teflon in recent years, satin-finish blades are no longer being produced, even the replacement pocket clips are all black. I think it's a shame because I'm not a fan of teflon-coated cutlery, but, hey-ho :roll:

For those of you who want an old-style B-stealth, hell any B-stealth for that matter, I'd recommend contacting Sara to see what they've got nowadays and what they'll let them go for. If they still haven't made more of the old-style and you really want one, shoot me a PM. Price would be a few bucks more than Frank charged me, but less than half what you'd pay at 3knives and much cheaper shipping than either if you're stateside.
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by Bill DeShivs »

I seriously doubt that Mr. Beltrame actually makes these. I suspect they are actually made for him by MCM cutlery in Maniago, or are possibly made "offshore."
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JulesVane
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by JulesVane »

This doesn't appear to be advertised or marked as the B-Stealth, but looks similar... http://www.pvk.vegas/product-p/fbtbk.htm
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Fishtail Picklock
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

That's the B-Stealth all right. These are great working/carry/SD knives.
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by sammy the blade »

$100 is a little high for one in my opinion.
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omega
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by omega »

I remember my B-stealth fondly. It was confiscated 2 months before the laws changed in Kansas.

I had a "coronary event" and collapsed in the hallway of my apartment building. Ambulance to hospital, where a rent-a-cop passed a hand-held magnotometer over me (while still strapped to a gurney) and then demanded my knife. Hell yes, TAKE IT! Get me the F*ck to the E.R...

Two hours later the bitch appeared at bedside and handed me a summons to appear to "Illegal weapon." Ending up costing me $1K to dispose of the offense without a record or jail time.

Lots has changed since then and KnifeRights,org is to be credited for those changes. Now days, they simply would have "stored" it for you to retrieve on the way out.
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

Bill DeShivs wrote:I seriously doubt that Mr. Beltrame actually makes these. I suspect they are actually made for him by MCM cutlery in Maniago, or are possibly made "offshore."
I can't imagine he has the capacity to machine all the parts for these knives, but he most certainly makes the blades and handles, evidenced by their presence in various stages of completion strewn about his shop in photo albums from people who visited him. Whether the screws and their nuts or the springs are imported from somewhere else or not it's hard to say as the quality isn't bad enough to assume far-east origin and they are standard sizes, same with the coil spring.

As far as assembly, this takes place at his shop as well, again evidenced by photo documentation of major parts of these knives found all over his shop along with that of the B-Naked; can't tell for sure who puts these together. His son Ivano is in charge of machine setup and maintenance and has been shown to do final adjustments on Frank's swing guards. Something clearly machined such as this might be right up his alley.
omega wrote:I remember my B-stealth fondly. It was confiscated 2 months before the laws changed in Kansas.

I had a "coronary event" and collapsed in the hallway of my apartment building. Ambulance to hospital, where a rent-a-cop passed a hand-held magnotometer over me (while still strapped to a gurney) and then demanded my knife. Hell yes, TAKE IT! Get me the F*ck to the E.R...

Two hours later the bitch appeared at bedside and handed me a summons to appear to "Illegal weapon." Ending up costing me $1K to dispose of the offense without a record or jail time.

Lots has changed since then and KnifeRights,org is to be credited for those changes. Now days, they simply would have "stored" it for you to retrieve on the way out.
That's a really sad story man sorry to hear that :( hope you get yourself another sometime these are really good working autos and they've also come a long way since the rubber-coated ones with Bayo blades that came out over a decade ago. These days they have a hollow grind and take a mean edge that lasts quite long.
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Fishtail Picklock
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

I am jealous, Luke! Love that "standard" blade. I'd be willing to bet that sucker can take and hold a mean edge!
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Re: Any input about the B-stealth?

Post by sammy the blade »

Mine has a bayonet blade and it is very sharp!
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