Automatic Knives

boykinlp

boykinlp

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I have a growing collection of automatic knives. Most are definitely made for looking and not self defense. The German made Leverlock has a shellpuller design for 12 and 16 gauge shells. The three Italian Swingblades are beautiful and made for stabbing and not cutting. The made in Italy AKC Bill Deshivs Leverletto is quality made with Sambar Stag handles. Here's a list of what I currently own with crappy pictures:
Larry
  1. Boker Kalashnikov Tanto Automatic Knife With A 3.25" Plain Black Blade.
  2. Hubertus/Otter Springer Leverlock Shellpuller Patronenzieher Knife Johnny Cade Big Horn Edition Size 11cm. It was made famous being used in the 1983 movie "The Outsiders". This "limited edition" leverlock knife has beautiful Genuine Brazilian Rams Horn handles with a spear point blade. This large size 11 Shellpuller knife is about 7 5/8 inches long in the open postion. The top solid nickel silver bolster is stamped Cal. 12 on one side and Cal. 16 on the other side. The blade is etched with Hubertus along with the Hubertus logo and Germany. The blade is also etched with the Head of a Big Horn Sheep and has acorns and oak leaves etched and it also says Big Horn Edition and Stainless Solingen.
  3. Frank Beltrame 11" Italian Stiletto boasts a Swinguard style with beautiful Red Heart wood handles and a polished finished 5" dagger style blade with plain edge.
  4. Frank Beltrame 11" Italian Stiletto boasts a Swinguard style with genuine Abalone on micarta backing handles and a polished finished 5" bayonet style blade with plain edge.
  5. Frank Beltrame 11" Italian Stiletto boasts a Swinguard style with beautiful Snakewood handles and a polished finished 5" bayonet style blade with plain edge.
  6. AKC Bill Deshivs Leverletto Automatic Knife. This stiletto knife has beautiful stag handles that are second to none, and is made by AKC in Italy. The overall length is 7.625", the polished stainless steel bayonet blade length is 3.25", and the blade thickness is .120". It has a full flat grind. The blade has "Leverletto by Bill DeShivs" engraved on it, and the ricasso is marked AKC ITALY.
  7. Buck 110 Automatic Lockback Knife With Ebony Handles And A 3.75" Satin 420 Steel Clip Point Blade.
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I have only had persona; experience with one automatic knife - and it was not a good one! I received it as a birthday gift and carried it (legally) for a while. One day while waiting to be seated at a restaurant my wife turned to me and asked why I had blood dripping from the top of my leg - I looked down and was shocked. The knife had partially opened and the very sharp pointy tip of the knife had cut through my pocket and stabbed me. Just a small puncture wound but a wound never the less. The safety on the knife had broken allowing it to deploy. I called the company, they apologized and mailed me out a replacement part which I installed.

Fast forward a few months later the safety broke once again and when I reached into my pocket to pull out the knife it cut me again! That was that and I got rid of it! I am sure there are many that are designed and built better than the one I had, but quite honestly I have no issues with opening my Spydeco Delica with my thumb. Maybe not quite as fast - but fast enough for me. Since I look at a pocket knife as a tool and not a weapon, speed is way down on the list of priorities for me. I would not own another one, but will admit the design of some of the better ones intrigues me.
 
I've carried a drop point Boker Kalashnikov for years - both the "normal" size and occasionally the "mini".
They open FAST, hold an edge very well, and are handy.
I gave one to my son several years ago and he's declared it the "best knife I ever gave him!" LOL!

WYT-P
Skyhunter
 
chief38 said:
I have only had persona; experience with one automatic knife - and it was not a good one! I received it as a birthday gift and carried it (legally) for a while. One day while waiting to be seated at a restaurant my wife turned to me and asked why I had blood dripping from the top of my leg - I looked down and was shocked. The knife had partially opened and the very sharp pointy tip of the knife had cut through my pocket and stabbed me. Just a small puncture wound but a wound never the less. The safety on the knife had broken allowing it to deploy. I called the company, they apologized and mailed me out a replacement part which I installed.
Click to expand...
If that had been me that knife wouldn't have made it out of the restaurant. The mental imagery is too scary!
 
I have carried autos, on and off, for over 3 decades. I have used them to repair a vehicle, open packages, skin a deer, eat a steak, cut bait, and just whittle on a willow branch. Sure, I could have used a regular knife for all those chores, even a cheap Opinel would do. But that's the point, a good one will do everything a knife should do, but with a secure one handed opening and locking. notice I said a good one. Those cheap gun show stilettos look cool, but they're better used as letter openers. I had mostly Benchmade autos but not too long ago I picked up a Kershaw auto. Very nice knife that carried well and never went off in my pocket. Most recently I bought a Benchmade off the forum here. A discontinued model, NIB with papers and all, it will be a knife version of a safe queen. It will be the first auto I didn't use the hell out of. Definitely an area where "buy once, cry once" applies.
 
the concept of automatics is great.. mostly the execution is mediocre unless you spend money, like most things... I adore my levereletto.. but wouldn't carry it.. carried a cheap one I got from a friend in high school.. brought it home from Mexico... lol... still works.. they all just sit in a locked box.. carry a Leek...
 
I have several Boker auto opening knives that I bought a few years back when they first became legal to carry in Texas. They work fine and I have no complaints about them. But I prefer an assisted opening knife like the Kershaw Ken Onion Blur. To me, it is faster to deploy than the auto knives. The tab on the blade is easier to locate than the push buttons on the Bokers and really fast to flip open. Also, no chance of it ever accidentally popping open.
 
I am certainly not a fighting knife expert and do not sit there and practice opening and closing a folding knife for hours on end. I view a knife as a tool for cutting rope, boxes, paper, thin plastic, zip-ties, etc. - and have a gun for self defense so that is what I routinely practice with. That said, even I can open my Spydercp Delica pretty darn quick. I believe that even if one was to use a knife against an attacker, I don't believe the slightly faster action of an automatic knife would make a hill of beans worth of difference. After being cut twice with my own knife, auto opening knives fell out of favor with me.

From time tot time I also still carry an American made vintage Marbles Safety Axe folding 3 blade Stockman with Sambar Stag slabs that requires two hands to open and is slow. When I do use it younger people really know my age - lol!!
 
I have 2 push button automatic knives, one is a WW2 used for paratroopers, the other is a bright orange handle automatic knife used for paratroopers in Vietnam.
I carry a SOG Flash II (spring loaded) - push with your thumb.
 
An OTF is not something to cheap out on, buy quality.
I strongly prefer D/A. Microtech UTX-85's are my fav.

The classic side opening switchblades are beautiful to see.
 
robvious said:
the concept of automatics is great.. mostly the execution is mediocre unless you spend money, like most things... I adore my levereletto.. but wouldn't carry it.. carried a cheap one I got from a friend in high school.. brought it home from Mexico... lol... still works.. they all just sit in a locked box.. carry a Leek...
Click to expand...
robvious, my Italian and German knives are strictly for collecting, not carrying. I love the looks and being able to have something that I saw in movies as a kid. I wanted an authentic Bill DeShivs Leverletto. When I saw mine for sale, I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fake. I contacted Bill and he affirmed it was one of his originals, and a "great deal" to boot!👍

I know many folks probably think that I'm crazy spending money on automatic knives that will not be carried, but to me, it's the same as what I do with some of my guns. The Boker and Buck can definitely be carried, although the Buck 110 is heavy, and be used for any tasks imaginable. The different handle materials is kinda like different woods for gun grips. I love their looks on the Italian autos. There are a few more that I want.
Larry
 
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