Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

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Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by Username »

I found this a while ago, not sure when it was made. Looks a bit like something from the 60s based on my preliminary research, although I'm hardly an expert. Any ideas?
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JulesVane
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by JulesVane »

Hi. It looks like you attempted to post 4 pictures, but my laptop only shows the 1st one of the backside. Can you give us the length opened? I'm sure you tried to post pics of the tang stamp and it's possibly only my PC that I can't see the other 3 pics on. From the one pic I see, it looks like a modern 9" AKC Swinguard with stag scales. IMO, if it's shorter than 9", the "older" it could be.
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sammy the blade
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by sammy the blade »

My phone only shows the first one too.
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natcherly
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by natcherly »

The links to the last three pictures are bad. What shows on the post are what comes up when the links are copied and pasted to the address line on a browser. Perhaps Username, a first for me :shock: , can reset those links.

One wonders what Username used for a Password :mrgreen:
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by Username »

Just so you know, I chose Username as a username because I thought it clever. I have an actual secure password.
See if these images work:
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by Username »

The length, opened, is about 8". The blade is about 3 1/4".
If you still can't see the pictures, here's a link to a shared google pictures album.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CEauNKhFPoQZ27cU9
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JulesVane
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by JulesVane »

...That's better. My non-expert opinion would agree with you being produced in the '60's in Maniago Italy. I tried zooming in on the link photo of the rear tang looking for PATENT stamp. It's a very nice little swinger and a fine addition to any collection IMO.
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gravknife
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by gravknife »

Welcome Username

Don't worry it's always hard to post photographs here at first..

It looks to me like their is a 4 under the slanted Rostfrei...is this correct?

I agree with Chris that It's a nice early 60s swinguard .It was built in the cottage industry in Maniago Italy and is a very nice knife with great stag scales.

Thanks for sharing it here

gravknife
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Your knife was made in Maniago, Italy-for sale in Germany. The handle is the 9" model, with the blade of the 8" model.
These short-blade models were built to comply with German law at the time. I would think the knife dates from the early 1970s.
I bought knives of this type from Germany in the early 1970s.
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JimBrown257
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by JimBrown257 »

That's not the Kissing Crane stamp under the Rostfrei...is it? It looks like it could be but it also looks like it might not be. I don't think I've seen a swinger with that stamp.
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by Username »

gravknife wrote:Welcome Username

Don't worry it's always hard to post photographs here at first..

It looks to me like their is a 4 under the slanted Rostfrei...is this correct?

I agree with Chris that It's a nice early 60s swinguard .It was built in the cottage industry in Maniago Italy and is a very nice knife with great stag scales.

Thanks for sharing it here

gravknife
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that it's a 4
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natcherly
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by natcherly »

I dug through my collection and found one just like this except mine does not have a "4" under the script "Rostfrei". Maybe the blade could be a 0.25 inch longer which would make it 3.75" vs the 3.5" it actually is as measured from the top of the bolster, not the top of the swing guard. Interesting that a mere 1/4" would get the Germans' knickers in a twist.
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JimBrown257
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by JimBrown257 »

I just checked out my vintage swingers. None of the German blade ones have any numbers but one of my regular 11"s has Inox with a 1 under it. Maybe those numbers mean something. Everyone check your vintage swingers and report back!
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by gravknife »

Username,Jim

I to would like to know the meaning of the numbers stamped on knives aswell.

My recent Herbertz has a 2 and I have seen other numbers on transitional knives when reading here.

I wonder if its some kind of assembly mark used in MAniago for different blade types ?

It would be good to find out as I can't find anything on here or Google that explains the numbers.
Anyone any ideas ?

gravknife
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Re: Can someone identify the year of this Rostfrei switchblade?

Post by Username »

natcherly wrote:I dug through my collection and found one just like this except mine does not have a "4" under the script "Rostfrei". Maybe the blade could be a 0.25 inch longer which would make it 3.75" vs the 3.5" it actually is as measured from the top of the bolster, not the top of the swing guard. Interesting that a mere 1/4" would get the Germans' knickers in a twist.
I just measured the blade - including the blade under the guard it is almost exactly 3.75"
Edit: that might not be quite accurate, because I probably included some of the blade in the handle.
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