My First Latama

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Corvus
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My First Latama

Post by Corvus »

28cm in pretty decent shape. Patent number on the reverse side, D-stamped. Most protuberant release button I've ever seen. The horn is thicker and much more rounded than any of my (mostly Mauro Mario made) oldies. Not sure why it has a steel pin at the bottom bolster - the kickspring sure looks original. I assume that the 'o' on the tang below the stamp is a maker's assembly mark?

I read on one of the vintage stiletto boards, maybe this one, that the Latama group only offered Kris blades during roughly a one-year period. Any idea when that might have been? '51/'52 or thereabouts? The patent reproduced in Switchblades of Italy is faintly stamped 1951.

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JulesVane
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Re: My First Latama

Post by JulesVane »

It's a beautiful piece Rick! Fantastic!
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thom
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Re: My First Latama

Post by thom »

WOW. I want one.
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JimBrown257
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Re: My First Latama

Post by JimBrown257 »

Great knife. I would guess that steel pin is a replacement. And it does seem like kris blade Latama are pretty rare.

How thick is it? I got two 13" Coricamas recently that are incredibly thick. At the top and bottom bolsters they are 2cm thick (like from front bolster surface to back bolster surface). The scale is about 2.3cm at the thickest point. I have to imagine they are the thickest vintage picklocks out there.

One other thing about that kris Latama? Does it have a dovetail spring? If you can't tell, if you post a shot looking into the bottom of the handle I can tell you. If it does, that probably means it should have a brass pivot.
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Corvus
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Re: My First Latama

Post by Corvus »

Thanks for the comments.

Here are a couple of channel pics I have on hand (the reflection of the surrounding bushes is a big help :|) I can snap another tomorrow if they don't provide enough info:

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The color, finish and old (looking) dark rust on the kickspring match that of the rest of the knife, but then, there is that steel pin...

The blade/spring on this knife isn't any thicker than my 28cm Rosco, but the horn sure is.

Bolster thickness is 1.6cm and the handle thickness at its widest point is 2cm, so your Coricamas are much more portly.
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JimBrown257
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Re: My First Latama

Post by JimBrown257 »

That is a normal slip-in spring.
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JulesVane
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Re: My First Latama

Post by JulesVane »

JimBrown257 wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2019 1:50 am
One other thing about that kris Latama? Does it have a dovetail spring? If you can't tell, if you post a shot looking into the bottom of the handle I can tell you. If it does, that probably means it should have a brass pivot.
Brass pivot pin, or brass bottom bolster pin?
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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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Corvus
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Re: My First Latama

Post by Corvus »

JimBrown257 wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:46 am That is a normal slip-in spring.
Thanks, Jim. How do you tell without having the knife apart? I assume that a dovetailed spring would be more or less flush with the mating part, with a small gap between them, rather than stepped like mine?
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: My First Latama

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Some were made with steel rear pins. The button on that knife appears to be a replacement, so the steel pin may not be original.
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Re: My First Latama

Post by Maltese flatguard »

The button looks fine to me. As do all the other pins .
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Re: My First Latama

Post by Maltese flatguard »

Corvus wrote: Mon Jun 03, 2019 11:33 pm 28cm in pretty decent shape. Patent number on the reverse side, D-stamped. Most protuberant release button I've ever seen. The horn is thicker and much more rounded than any of my (mostly Mauro Mario made) oldies. Not sure why it has a steel pin at the bottom bolster - the kickspring sure looks original. I assume that the 'o' on the tang below the stamp is a maker's assembly mark?

I read on one of the vintage stiletto boards, maybe this one, that the Latama group only offered Kris blades during roughly a one-year period. Any idea when that might have been? '51/'52 or thereabouts? The patent reproduced in Switchblades of Italy is faintly stamped 1951.

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Do you have the Latama Legend book? Yes the Latama kris blades were only produced from roughly November of 1950 through about September 1951. That was newly discovered information in the book.

If it says in Switchblades of Italy that the Kris blade was Patented in 1951 that information is all wrong.
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: My First Latama

Post by Bill DeShivs »

I disagree about the button. It appears to be turned from solid stock, rather than punched in a die.
I know because this is generally the way that I make buttons.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
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Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
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Re: My First Latama

Post by Maltese flatguard »

Bill DeShivs wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2019 8:14 pm I disagree about the button. It appears to be turned from solid stock, rather than punched in a die.
I know because this is generally the way that I make buttons.
You can see that from a bad internet low rez pic? I would be careful to make judgements which may ruin the value of others property without actually handling the knife.
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Corvus
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Re: My First Latama

Post by Corvus »

If the button was turned, the cylindrical sides were then filed into subtle irregular facets for reasons unknown. I've tried to capture them, but the results are sketchy. There's also a small dent on the top of the button. I'd think that a knock against a hard surface would scratch, rather than dent, solid bar stock, but I'll leave the interpretation to the experts. FWIW, when I tap on the button with various objects it *sounds* hollow, but who the heck knows.

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Re: My First Latama

Post by Maltese flatguard »

Yes you can clearly see the dent on the hollow button. The other marks on the side you’re seeing are from when the nickel silver was punched into the die forming the shape of the button.

Definitely not turned down from solid stock and a very nice all original knife.
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