BlackJack Collectors club

T

Tom Carey

Joined
Oct 10, 1998
Messages
811
I posted something about this earlier in the year. Since then I have met several new BlackJack collectors. How many would be interested in belonging to a collectors club? I have several ideas about what to offer members. I will not go into great detail just yet. One thing that is at the top of my list is to start an archive of photo's and information of unusual BlackJacks which I feel would be very useful to collector's. Also I feel the archive should be made available on the net. To do this we would need someone to construct and maintain the site. There has also been some talk about a news letter. So my question is, who is interested?

Regards,

Tom Carey
 
Tom,

I'd be happy to help. I could send pics of the Black Jacks I've got to anyone who could scan them in.

Zog
 
Tom,

Count me in. Sorry I don't have any web space to offer for hosting the club, but I'll be glad to help in any way I can in order to make this happen.

Dave R
 
Oh, and since I have one of just about every catalogued BKJ ever made (and some never made), we can get some neat scans..
 
I'd love to see a book on the history of Blackjack with a photo collection, interviews with the owners, a timeline marking dates of milestones and company events, etc. Let's see, who do we know with writing experience, an enviable collection of Blackjacks, and firsthand knowledge of some of the history?
I think you have a good idea, Tom, I'll participate and help any way I can.

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Bill
"There's nothing friendlier than a wet dog"
"The more people I meet the more I like my dogs"
 
Hi all! I've always wonder much about Blackjack's knives and have heard much about it. Can anyone of you collectors send me some sample pics? Existing and rare ones will do (with some write up too?) Thanks.

[This message has been edited by keninshiro (edited 17 September 1999).]
 
Up here in Michigan there is one private dealer with a custom store. He has various Black Jacks for sale. The ones that I'm interested in are the folders. I'm not familar with this line of knives. I can't find anywhere on the net where they are sold, or anyone selling them. The folders he had were a kind of drop point wee hawk style blade, with stainless bolsters and various handle materials. Some were stag, micarta, Ivory, turtle, and others. These were custom done with filework and scrimshaw on the bolsters. Nice stuff! Anyhow, anyone who can fill me in on this line of knives would help. Give me any info you have. Thanks everyone. Sorry I'm in the dark about BlackJack, but I'm a serious knife collector and just haven't experienced the BlackJack craze!
 
Thanks Geobar. But the I didn't see the folder that I'm talking about. Maybe it was an new/older model!?. Is the company bankrupt? If you or anyone else reading this post has pics of BJacks folders and can scan; please do so. Thanks again. -RW
 
Here is a link to a page out of the 1994 catalog that has the folder I believe you are talking about.
http://gbknives.webprovider.com/gbkpic/bjfldr.JPG

I will leave the pic out for a few days. Per an article in May 1999 Knife World, Blackjack made knives until 1997. There was notice of a sale in 1998 "for the benefit of the secured creditors..." so looks like they went bankrupt. The sale never happened. Enjoy the pic!!
 
If the folder that you are inquiring about had a recurved blade/edge, it may have been one of the variations of the mamba that sold so well. I recall seeing the mambas set up with stainless bolsters and a variety of handle materials.

They were nice knives, and I thing that they were produced toward the end of the company's history.

Thomas Zinn
 
Blackjack began in 1988-89 with some fixed blades and a line of Japanese made folders.

The FM-1 (folding mamba 1) was their first folding knife.

It was a large 4" bladed recurve, AUS-8 blade satin finished. Solid nickel silver liners, micarta inlays and stainless covers.

They were nice.
BJK added a stiletto blade shortly thereafter.

The FM-2 is the knife most people have seen.
smaller blade 3.25", smaller handle. Nickel silver bolsters and liners with micarta, kraton, stag, cocobolo or the rare tortoise or pearl celluloid scales.

These are super nice knives and getting very desireable.

The Yukon skinner was a variant with a leaf shaped skinner blade. kinda funny looking if you ask me.

Lightweight versions of the Mamba2 and Yukon were also made.

A keychain Mamba was also made.

In the big scheme of things, BJK never imported that many knives. Only a few hundred celluloid were made, cocobolo and stag being the next rarest.

I will buy Folding Mamba's of any variation if anyone has them for sale.

They are the best of the pre-pocket clip, screwed together knives out there.

Email me direct if you have any questions.


Kraton

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"The most effective armor is to keep out of range"-Italian proverb
 
WOW! I like it already! Is anyone willing to let go their EK#3 Half grind, warrior or EK#4 Stiletto OR EK#5 Warrior? (Brown Wood handles please) Please let me know, thanks.
 
Would this club also involve the knives made by the companies that BlackJack bought out, such as Condor, Ek, Cripple Creek, etc?
 
Thanks Geobar. You nailed it that time. If any one can tell me how to get a hold of one of the large model folding mambas, post it or email me. Thanks again everyone!!
 
Sorry for not adding to the thread. I spent most of the weekend at the knife show in Chicago. I have been told there is software available to aid in putting together a news letter and also realize that many BlackJack collectors do not use the net. Has anyone here had any expierence with putting together a news letter? Also I would like to put together a list for my reference as to who is interested in putting together a club. If you are interested in helping to get things off the ground or in joining a club please email me. Also I am interested in any suggestions you may have. I would also like to add I found some very rare pieces that a dealer has stashed. There are a few prototype's with factory documentation and there is even a damascus bladed Mamba. I have asked the dealer to put together a list of what he has and prices. If anyone is interested in some high end pieces please let me know. One thing that got my attention is a 1-7 trench knife. The person told me it has a knuckle guard on it. He says it was the only one made and he has documentation on it.

Regards,

Tom Carey
 
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