Blackjack Archangel

G

guitarguy1

Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
96
So, I have a knife that I can't find any info on. It is tagged as a Blackjack Archangel but all of the markings, the blade length and the handle material are wrong for the Archangel. I'm just looking for help on ID and info/history, thank you to anyone willing and able to help.

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Edit: Images
 
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Really can't comment without seeing the photos.
If you have pics uploaded to a photo sharing site, copy the pic
and use the 3rd icon from the right on top to place the image in your post.
Not sure why you say Kraton is the wrong handle material though.
 
Circa 1991, Steel: AUS-8A, RC 58, Handle cocobolo wood, and an adaptation of a chute design by the custom maker Howard Hichmough; also available with a Kraton and limited Stag handles.
Well thats what Jerry Younkins Field Knife Evaluations says published in 1991. Interestingly he thought they would be a collectors piece for the future! He thought it a very good cutting knife.

Blackjack was making good knives at the time... the rest is history...
 
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Well thats the history of Blackjack. My interest is too sketchy other than the company expanded when it acquired Becker and EK???? and then ran out of cash. I don't know the rest other than the name goes on... a bit like Al Mar.

Cold steel, Blackjack, Al Mar, Benchmade, plus a few others (I'll have upset someone for not mentioning them), plus the custom boys, reinvigorated the knife market in the 80's and early 90's...to what we have today...
 
GREENJACKET said:
Well thats the history of Blackjack. My interest is too sketchy other than the company expanded when it acquired Becker and EK???? and then ran out of cash. I don't know the rest other than the name goes on... a bit like Al Mar.

Cold steel, Blackjack, Al Mar, Benchmade, plus a few others (I'll have upset someone for not mentioning them), plus the custom boys, reinvigorated the knife market in the 80's and early 90's...to what we have today...
Click to expand...

add SOG, even Buck had a hand in it with the Buckmaster, and Gerber had some quality knives during that period, its weird how things have changed over the years.....
 
That is one of the later made BJ Spectors, that instead of having "Spector" on it had "Archangel" on it. The Archangel was a clip point blade. These knives were made by the Kinryu factory in Seki about 1990-1992 for Mike Stewart who got involved with Kinryu when he bought up the remaining parts and components left behind by Phil Hoffmam's failed "Condor" brand. Kinryu made all of BJ's fixed blades, and Seizo Imai made the folders.
However there has been speculation that the Spector may have been made by G.Sakai under subcontract as they were making the Al Mar Phatom, but this has never been confirmed. Nice vintage Seki knife.
 
Forgot Chris Reeve, he was certainly one of the thrusting young new "semi factory" makers at the time. Thats 25 years ago; we are not quite so young any more!!

KenHash is correct the original Archangel was a clip point. Probably makes it more interesting. A good knife has value, not sure if any premium to a collector or not.
It seems to me that even after 25 years a good few examples still are available for collectors from those days. It was an interesting time in the knife building world at the time. I'm never quite sure how firm the market is for collecting. The market is so flooded now that I wouldn't know where to start, nor if really be worth the investment; but then I've moved on. Collect knives because you like them, not for any monetary gain... probably now all a loss maker.

Anyhow, interesting find.
 
I really appreciate the info, I'm sure I can track down some more info/value on the knife now that I know what I'm looking at.

GreenJacket, I'm certainly more of a flipper, my fixed blades are truck/rucksack sort of knives for skinning/gutting.
 
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