Some K-12s

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jerryk25
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by jerryk25 »

THESE ARE EBAY IMAGES LIFTED FROM INTERNET

K12s came in 7 inch versions . . .
they were plain handles, and both Tiger and Panther. . . .
The scale colors varied also.
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jerryk25
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by jerryk25 »

JACKALOPE has/had a rare tang stamp " ROSCO" in the diamond box.
It has a pink pearloid scales. . . or maybe they are faded red. . .but they're faded pretty evenly.

The "ROSCO" tang stamp really impresses me. . . I have a CSC canal street cutlery,
but I wonder how many different tang stamps there are. . . .
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jerryk25
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by jerryk25 »

a RED . . . . . . . O.M.O.R.

I once had this knife, here's a photo of it on my keyboard when I bought the 2 Sheepfoot folders.
Shown also are the two eBay auction images. . . .

But I wasn't collecting different scale colors. . .I just want black or white.
and I traded it away. . .or gave it to someone. . . .I can't recall . . .
I'm getting old . . . .I forget a lot of things.
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jerryk25
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by jerryk25 »

When a person collects, it's very easy to fall into the trap where you collect everything that fascinates your own eye.
Then. . .the collection becomes eclectic. . . .scatterbrained. . . . .
K12s are like that. . . .They too easily morph into swing-guards.

Some are pretty cool. . . . . stag / pickbone. . .not really a K12.
Some start to have the bullfighter or dragon scales.

I decided to not indulge in those.

There is a K12 type knife that has a bottle opener bottom bolster.
I impulsively want to obtain one.
But when I see one for sale. . .I never pull the trigger. . . . ..I don't really need one.
Too many times I spend too much for a rare bird,
get it. . . .polish it. . . .wrap it up . . .box it. . . and forget I bought it. . .
Having a thing is not the same as wanting a thing. . . .
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jerryk25
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by jerryk25 »

And AUTOMATIC CONVERSIONS

( these photos are property of others were saved/reposted by me as a tribute to the craftsmanship )
( in the past arguments have flared because of the manner they were advertised for sale, which is NOT the topic here.)

K12s were never really solid. . . I used to walk railroad tracks and stick knives into the RR wooden Ties. .
I quickly learned to only use a soft metal Japan clone Sykes Fairbaine commando knife, because K12s would get beat to death.

That being said. . . . .
I have converted about Eight or Ten K12s in my life and traded them away for other knives.
And I learned how to fit in a very flat large Bobby pin, that would gently but surely kick it open.
I never hardened my own springs . . . But I was pretty good at improvising.
If I made too robust a kickspring, no amount of wrangling could stop the thin steel liners from warping,
and the button sear would fail, or something would bend / break. . .
There is a level of manufacture that is never considered as "Robust". . .
in other words. . . . open an oil can with it and kiss it goodbye.
I don't have a single home made conversion left . . .but I have a box of carcasses . . . .R.I.P.

When I saw these for sale on a different Website . . .I fell in love. . .
I salute the craftsman who did this, whoever you are. . .
It's like finding out your old high school girlfriend became a movie star after you've moved on. . .

I'm sorry I never sent away for any. . .
Some have the original back lock. . . . others have a new style back lock. . . .
the manufacturer must have gone thru a learning curve doing the modifications. . .
Anyways. . . .

Boy they are pretty. . .
Makes you wonder why no-one actually makes them. . .
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Last edited by jerryk25 on Sat Aug 14, 2021 4:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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jerryk25
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by jerryk25 »

Once again . . these photos are not my property . . .
but I posted them as a tribute . . .
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frank2104
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by frank2104 »

Thank you Jerry for this post.the ads and pictures are fascinating. Never saw the panther or lion in the k 12 pattern. And I don't know how many colors they made.I think just like the 007s nostalgia kicks in and aesthecially I always loved these knives.the humpback swingaurd thing I guess.Thats why it looks so good in an auto.Intresting company Westbury sales,you saw the ad and mailed them 4 bucks and waited a long time if I remember. Thanks again for pictures
Tom19176
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by Tom19176 »

Jerry when I get a chance I will post the tang stamp on that larger one you're asking about.

Was there interest in the old 007 s too?
frank2104
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by frank2104 »

007s were another 70s carry knife.available loose in a cardboard box for 5$.another knife that has gotten popular
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jerryk25
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by jerryk25 »

You mean the big wooden handled folder with the leather lanyard ?
It didn't fit in my jeans pocket, I bought one, got another in a lot (group) of knives once.
But I was never particularly enamored with the design.

When I hear Oh Oh Seven . . . . .007 means "James Bond" more than a "knife type" . . .
My Dad had a Barlow Collection, Nice bone handled Russels and such. . ,
So I had tin handled Barlow plastic shell wraps to destroy.
In the mid 60's when everyone got a buck knife. . .
I already saw a Lil' Grizzly Auto of my Dad's, and I bought a double Blade Kabar (newer, not Ka-Bar)
So I was carrying stilettos, or a Sykes Fairbaine Commando at the barns at the horse track.
(Everyone had Randalls and Westerns and Kabars . . so it wasn't a big deal.)

What I collect is one thing. . .What I carried is another thing.
At my home desk. . .I aleways had a few "soup of the day" new toys laying about.
But what I carried was always considered a "Trader" or semi-disposable.

Here is a sort of Chronological evolution of what I carried . . . .
I mangled a lot, I put walnut wood on everything and was carving little Marijuana leaves where the button would be.
I could trade those walnut flick knives faster than I could make them.
(all those horsemen scraping out horse hooves.)
Then at the Chem Plant, in safety gear, I learned the value of "Easy open, flat and thin, with a lanyard."
Always tied off, even my sharpie pen was on a lanyard.
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boombotz111
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by boombotz111 »

JERRY, what a blast from the past, I remember Westbury sales company and what I remember most about Westbury is back in the 70s going to concerts at Westbury music fair with the revolving stage. Some really cool knives and some really great old adds, Ahh the good all days… hope you are doing well JERRY.
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bigfatross
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by bigfatross »

WOW this brings back memories, in the mid to late 70’s seeing a advertisement for a stiletto for $1.00! Don’t ask me why, but I remember the company was Midwest Knife Company in Chicago (I could be wrong, it was over 40 years ago).

When you received the knife that seamed to take 10 months to arrive, only to be bummed out because it was only 3 inches long (5 inches in the open position). BUT… you also got a flyer/catalog with more knives to choose from for only a few bucks more. A - GREAT marketing ploy that worked very well on my friends and I .

They were all made in Japan probably from the same company that made the Rizzy’s.VERY inexpensive, but was not bad quality for the price you paid for them.The only problem was as kids / teenagers we were ALWAYS throwing them at Telephone posts.Or trying your luck to see if you could get it to stick in a tree or the ground.

When the knife bounced off of a tree and hit the concrete sidewalk, and a few pieces of the black scale flew off the knife, you just picked it back up and WHIPPED it harder with more of a wrist snap at the tree. AND YES sometimes it stuck! Prompting your Buddies to WHIP there knives as hard as they could, only to grenade there knife.You had two choices after a while, “send in” for 1 or 2 more knives OR snag Dad’s black electrical tape and make it looked like it still had the black scales, and to tighten every thing else on the knife that was loose.

We did do a lot of stupid things with those knives, like foot mumbletypeg and flipping them in the air trying to catch the knife. In the Winter months it was not uncommon to find a few knife holes in your, or your friends heavy jacket. Yes, Telephone posts, Trees,Wooden creates were not the only targets.Luckily no one ever got hurt. GOD that was fun times! Now days all thees kids have are cell phones, how boring.
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jerryk25
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by jerryk25 »

boombotz. . .nice to see you on the net. . .
I'm slowing down a lot. . . .I sleep a lot. . . .doctors a lot.
I'm reposting old stuff 'cause I'm drawing so badly lately.
I expect to have some new stuff for vagabund in a few weeks.

bigfatross. . . .
One cent sale knives . . .I call them. . . .Johnson Smith, Midwest, Viking, etc. . .
Soon as I dig out the correct archival CD. . I'll post some old photos of the little 5 inchers . .
I guess a lot of people here on talkblade never saw my early posts elsewhere.
I hope I'm not gonna bore anyone rehashing old posts.
I lost my photobucket link . . .so I have to find my original files.
frank2104
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by frank2104 »

Another thing about Westbury sales was you had to get to the mail before your parents got home.jerry your edc spike is another one of my favorites, gutted a deer once with mine.Hey boombotz howudoin?
Tom19176
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Re: Some K-12s

Post by Tom19176 »

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Jerry I will have to open a few drawers now that you started this topic!
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