I have a question on a knife

tctech197 said:
Hi can anyone help with info on knife I have a blackjack Applegate fairbairn a2 steel dagger # 03141 can anyone help me out??
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There used to be a Blackjack Info Pages site, but looks like can only get to it through the wayback machine now:

BlackJack Info Pages

BlackJack Info Pages (BlackJack Info Pages): Inforamtion about BlackJack brand knives
web.archive.org

I have #681, and also have one of each of the Ek versions with cocobolo and buffalo horn handles that were made with leftover blades/guards.
 
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LuckyC said:
I have one of those. Has the brass lanyard tube cracked the handle on yours?
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I lucked out, mine isn't cracked. Crazy how common that was. A while back there was a guy selling replacement handles on ebay.
 
jlauffer said:
I have #681, and also have one of each of the Ek versions with cocobolo and buffalo horn handles that were made with leftover blades/guards.
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The coffin handled versions were made up for Bill Adams of Atlanta Cutlery. He bought some of the old Blackjack / Ek stuff when it was auctioned.

Yep, that handle cracking problem plagues tons of them. Apparently the polymer mix was off just a bit, and then the molds for handles were too small, and then Col Applegate didn't like Stewart or the Blackjack version, so it never got fixed. The making of the commercial Applegate designs was apparently always rough going. Applegate thought the Al Mar versions were too flashy, the Blackjack version too off, and the Boker version just ok.

I've also heard that the Smatchet was taken on by Boker to help make him happy, but it was a slow seller.
 
Here's something that might interest people, someone put up the old Paladin Press / Rex Applegate tape -

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He discusses knife design at 37 minutes in, but the whole video is good.
 
jlauffer said:
I lucked out, mine isn't cracked. Crazy how common that was. A while back there was a guy selling replacement handles on ebay.
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I'd like to put a replacement handle on mine some day; micarta or maybe wood. Mine has A2 etched on the blade also. I always thought they were 440; were some of the blades made with A2 or is that some kind of model number?

Edit: OK, I just clicked on the link you provided and learned the answer. I know that Mike Stewart likes A2. Thanks.
 
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