EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

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rithvich
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 10:55 pm

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by rithvich »

I couldn't find the fishtail knife that I was thinking of but did come across quite a few photo's of knives made in Scarperia that showed a fairly similar blade grind. Not saying your knife was made there just think it may be a good place to start your search. There is a cutlery museum in Scarperia, they might be some help if you reached out to them.
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Oldreb
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2016 2:02 am
Location: South Carolina

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

rithvich wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 4:05 am I couldn't find the fishtail knife that I was thinking of but did come across quite a few photo's of knives made in Scarperia that showed a fairly similar blade grind. Not saying your knife was made there just think it may be a good place to start your search. There is a cutlery museum in Scarperia, they might be some help if you reached out to them.
Thanks for your time and effort in looking up this photo! I agree, the blade shape does show a similarity. I enlarged your picture on my computer, but it became badly distorted. Does the knife in your picture have a flat grind or something else? I could not tell by enlarging the picture. I will start doing more research tomorrow and see what I can come up with. Do you mind if I share your picture ? Are you in a position to be able to reveal the name of the book your knife is pictured in ? Thanks, Wayne
boombotz111
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Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 3:06 am

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by boombotz111 »

Wayne, I was thinking about a conversation we had a couple of years ago and I remembered that you wanted to take your collecting to another level meaning knives from the 19th century. Well it looks like you’ve certainly went in the right direction, what an outstanding piece of spring steel history. When I first looked at it I thought it might be a Sicilian fighting knife, I think it’s because of that blade that I thought that. I’ll let smarter people than I debate where they think it was made but that’s what popped into my head when I saw it. And wherever it was made congratulations Wayne I think it’s an incredible piece.

Salvatore
USMC 🇺🇸
button_man
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Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:08 pm

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by button_man »

I have heard the blade type described as a "leaf" style but I have no idea if this was a descriptive
term coined by one person, or whether it is widespread throughout the cutlery world.....
rithvich
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 10:55 pm

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by rithvich »

Wayne, the book is called 'Coltelli d'Italia' and the pics are all pretty low res. There are two really fun parts to knives like this, finding them and then researching their story, you have a knife here that will be bringing you joy for a long time)
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thom
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by thom »

That is really cool, great find.
Thom
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Oldreb
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Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2016 2:02 am
Location: South Carolina

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

boombotz111 wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:50 am Wayne, I was thinking about a conversation we had a couple of years ago and I remembered that you wanted to take your collecting to another level meaning knives from the 19th century. Well it looks like you’ve certainly went in the right direction, what an outstanding piece of spring steel history. When I first looked at it I thought it might be a Sicilian fighting knife, I think it’s because of that blade that I thought that. I’ll let smarter people than I debate where they think it was made but that’s what popped into my head when I saw it. And wherever it was made congratulations Wayne I think it’s an incredible piece.

Salvatore
USMC 🇺🇸
Sal, thanks for your comments and thoughts about the knife. Right now, I tend to think a skilled cutler combined a blade style and a handle style from two different locales in Italy and at the same time uniquely modified the locking and firing mechanics. I can find no examples of the blade style and the handle style together anywhere in my searches so far. It will be interesting to see what might turn up later on !! I hope to see you at the Gator Show in late January !!

Wayne
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Oldreb
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Location: South Carolina

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

button_man, thom and rithvich, I appreciate your comments, reference information and insights !! Thanks !!

Wayne
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HLangston
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Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 10:53 pm
Location: Midwest

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by HLangston »

With a knife like that, you no longer have a collection.

You have a museum.

Thanks for sharing it.
Herb
Knfcollector
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Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:22 pm

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Knfcollector »

Simply stunning Wayne. I’m in awe.
PNWman
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Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:23 pm

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by PNWman »

Thanks for posting. I’m at the beginning stages of learning Italian switchblade history and this has been inspiring.
DG Ralph
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:16 am

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by DG Ralph »

This is a great collection addition. Congrats! What I find really interesting is the use of screws instead of pins that long ago. We're seeing more and more screws these days. Whatever was old is new again.
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Jackalope
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Jackalope »

Wayne,
Very special knife you have.
By the way, I am loving your book!
Thanks, Jeff
hearandgone
Posts: 143
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 4:50 am

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by hearandgone »

Jackalope wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 9:23 pm Wayne,
Very special knife you have.
By the way, I am loving your book!
Thanks, Jeff
Has Wayne put out a book?
Fishtail Picklock
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Location: Forest Grove, OR

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

What a wonderfully historic piece. That's a "safe queen" of course, and should be in a museum.

Thanks for sharing.
Fishtail Picklock
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