11" Frank B Picklock

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texans123
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11" Frank B Picklock

Post by texans123 »

Hi Gents -
Here is a Frank B - Italy I brought off Francesco Beltrame's website some years back. It was cool to exchange emails with his daughter Sara. Nice French Tip horn and a tight knife with a really good kick on opening.
Cheers -
Texans
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JulesVane
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by JulesVane »

Oh, that's a beauty! Wish they were more available. Certainly not a common sight to see Frank B picklocks.
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"By accepting you as you are, I do not necessarily abandon all hope of your improving"- My Wife (1963-Present)
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texans123
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by texans123 »

JulesVane wrote:Oh, that's a beauty! Wish they were more available. Certainly not a common sight to see Frank B picklocks.
Thanks! I bought this and a Buffalo horn around the same time, about 2002-03 if I remember correctly, so had these awhile. I'll add some pics of the other one.
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texans123
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by texans123 »

Here is the Buffalo horn with a nice red-dot safety.
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JulesVane
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by JulesVane »

Very nice! I've attempted to visit the Frank Beltrame website. I've found it rather confusing actually. Lots of really nice pictures, but hard to find anything for sale. I believe I wrote and got a reply from Sara telling me to go to the Latama website for sales. I realize Frank makes the Walt's, but I've never seen Frank B picklocks and Humpbacks (etc.) on Walt's site. Not exactly sure why she sent me there. Yours are beautiful.
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"By accepting you as you are, I do not necessarily abandon all hope of your improving"- My Wife (1963-Present)
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texans123
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by texans123 »

Just looked at two different Beltrame sites and see what you mention here. Way back when I sent an email and bought the French Tip example they asked me what scales I wanted etc. Liked it so much I then requested a 2nd one with the Buffalo horn. Remember the Customs description on the package was "metal cooking utensils" LOL. I have a Humpback and think I bought it at Myswitchblade.com.
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JulesVane
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by JulesVane »

After seeing yours, I figured I'd give an inquiry to Sara just for the heck of it. Probably the 2nd or 3rd contact in as many years. She was very nice with a speedy response that arrived this morning: "No we have no picklocks and no plans on making any. Sorry. Sara Beltrame". I should consider me lucky to have acquired one back in 2006-2009, but the past owner didn't hold it in quite a high regard as I do. They must have tried to cut something with it, leaving the blade with scratches. (probably could be buffed out?). Flat button/Stag:
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"By accepting you as you are, I do not necessarily abandon all hope of your improving"- My Wife (1963-Present)
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texans123
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by texans123 »

Really nice looking Stag picklock with flat button. Sorry to hear the news from Sara, for sure. So are they currently just producing Walt's and their other models? The "no plans to" comment regarding picklocks is rather final, unfortunately.
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JulesVane
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by JulesVane »

Sure did sound final texans. As far as his site itself, I've only made inquires about "special" pieces availability (ie humpbacks & picklocks). I could very well be wrong, but I get the impression that I couldn't even order a common 9" Frank B swivel bolster from the site. I'm fairly certain I would be directed to the many outlets that sell the brand. I'm sure I've read others stating they buy from Frank directly. Not sure how that works. Maybe bulk to stores and sellers? Or, maybe my inquiries have just been too specific on items no longer available? Either way, I don't feel the need to "bug" them any further lol. You've got a couple of beauties, I'd hold on tight lol.
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texans123
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by texans123 »

Sounds like dealers and auction sites will be the place to find these Frank B blades. Well, part of collecting is the "thrill of the chase" lol. I collected most of my items years back, and only picked up a few more recently when I stumbled onto the Walt's knives etc. Good luck in the hunt JV and you'll find one in due time. :D
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texans123
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by texans123 »

Jules - while we are at it, here is the Beltrame coil-spring Humpback I picked up back in 2012.
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

JulesVane wrote:I could very well be wrong, but I get the impression that I couldn't even order a common 9" Frank B swivel bolster from the site. I'm fairly certain I would be directed to the many outlets that sell the brand. I'm sure I've read others stating they buy from Frank directly. Not sure how that works. Maybe bulk to stores and sellers? Or, maybe my inquiries have just been too specific on items no longer available? Either way, I don't feel the need to "bug" them any further lol. You've got a couple of beauties, I'd hold on tight lol.
It looks like they will sell what they have but won't make special orders unless there's a huge profit for them and it's planned well in advance. I think they will direct normal people to places like 3knives because the whole process of handling non-bulk orders (especially for like, 1 knife) seems less than appealing to them and they are far more interested in selling huge orders to resellers, sort of makes sense, but if I was making borderline-useless knives for a living, I'd jump at any sale opportunity that presented itself. It's kinda sad but it actually looks like they even hike up the price of postage and single pieces to deter people from making small orders. But for guys like me who order replacement springs and pocket clips for obscure pieces like the B-Naked and B-Stealth however, it can't be helped... lol
Knee-deep in the hoopla...
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natcherly
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by natcherly »

Luke has made some of the major points as to why Frank B does not sell to individuals unless they order a whole run! About 15 years ago when I was in my early days of collecting "modern" knives, I bought directly from Frank, AB and of course SKM. Frank's website was and still is a Frankenstein creation stitched together from an old site incorporated into a newer one; a short cut as the old site featured some of the less expensive items. I guess it was judged not worth spending the $$ to upgrade. At that time, the Campolin's also had a website, but individuals were not catered to.

The current business model is to sell wholesale to entities such as 3Knives (owned by the Campolin's I'm betting) and let them deal with the headache of individual sales. I also believe some additional legal restrictions were put in place by the Italian government making it even less attractive for makers to sell their own products directly to non dealers. That would help explain why these retailers seem to gravitate to Austria rather than Italy. Books will be written...
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DonC
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by DonC »

Picked up one of Frank's TSF pick locks a while back. Made around 2000 and instrumental in the re-introduction of pick locks to a market that was very heavily into swivel bolsters.
DonC
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ILikeStilettos
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Re: 11" Frank B Picklock

Post by ILikeStilettos »

texans123 wrote:Jules - while we are at it, here is the Beltrame coil-spring Humpback I picked up back in 2012.
I'm not a fan of humpbacks, but I am a fan of ram scales. That is a stunning knife. Are you sure that it is coil fired rather than leaf spring fired? Most coil fired knives have a big solid front bolster because that is where the coil is. Alternatively you can have a long coil running along the inside of the back spring (a screen door spring).

If it is coil fired, could you publish some pictures of the inside of the blade well? Thanks, much, and again, beautiful knife.
Dave Sause
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