Photos Manual Stilettos

[boy&hisdogs]

Where I live (California) I can own in private but not carry in public an auto knife. I want a stiletto but do my best to avoid safe queens, so manual it is then. I know I'm not the only one having to work within these limitations, so let's see your non-automatic stiletto knives!


One fine day at the flea market a few years ago I came across a "flea market special" spring assisted stiletto that, besides being a liner lock, really looked the part. It has a nice rounded shape to it just like your standard Frank B. or AKC, not the usual flat slab construction that most flea market knives have.

But, the looks are pretty much all it has going for it. The blade fires very sluggishly and doesn't always lock up right, and even when it does lock up it has so much side to side play that it could dance like Elvis. I keep telling myself that one day I'll use it as a pattern and make a good, solid lockback but I'm not quite there yet skill-wise and would like to buy a decent quality factory knife in the meantime.

I found one that's about as close to perfect as could be, but sadly it was a limited edition that has long since sold out. But appearantly not long enough ago that people are willing to sell them yet. The only pictures I can find have a retailer logo though, I'm not sure if I can post them here. For some reason I can't find the list of approved/supporting vendors so pictures TBD.

Anyway, it's an 11" lockback made by AGA Campoline. It's fully CA legal, from a name brand, one of my favorite cover materials (dark horn), reasonable steel (420) and at a price anyone could afford.

I'm looking for a sub $50, dagger or bayonet blade manual stiletto if anyone has any recommendations. I know Kissing Crane makes a decent one but it's a FFG clip point, and asymmetrical blades look weird on these knives.

 

[mrknife]

you know, i put one in the traveling give away box and no one has yet claimed it

 

[brownshoe]

Kissing Crane has had manual stilletos made in Italy but sold with Germany on the blade for years. They are now made in China. I have no experience with the newer ones, but the older ones were an OK knife. OJ Simpson supposedly used a large one.

 

[3-1-1]

You mean those "pick lock" ones?

 

[HeathH]

It looks like Mr. Knife beat me to the punch!
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/round-14-of-mr-knifes-neverending-box-o-knives-gaw.1526746/
there is a Falcon brand Stiletto Lockback that is pretty well made! Looks like the street price is about $25, and I felt like overall the quality was higher than the price would indicate. If you haven't already, sign up for that GAW and maybe get to check it out for free

Or you could just buy one, but where's the fun in that?

 

[brownshoe]

You mean those "pick lock" ones?

Yes. I think you mean the lock that works with a hole in the lock bar that a round tab on the blade fits into.

I carried one every day for a few years. It's been my car knife for awhile. It's got a stainless blade but carbon steel spring. Steel is soft but takes a good edge and lots of abuse. Bent the tip and bent it back, still works fine, a little weird sharpening it though with the bent tip.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

Or you could just buy one, but where's the fun in that?

Great minds think alike!

While I appreciate everyone's suggestions, I found the most round-about, handwork-intensive method I possibly could. I was just browsing the internet and found a few autos that also have a nail nick! Once I saw that, I saw my destiny unfold in front of me.

I don't know how I got so lucky but this fits my weird, tiny niche perfectly. I ordered myself one of those "Milano" switchblades that everyone says are halfway decent for the money and are a good place to start collecting autos. If it's on the internet it must be true, right?

Once I get this bad boy in my hands I'll probably spend a few days annoying the heck out of my girlfriend with non-stop CLACK sounds then take it apart and remove the kick spring and give it some less-ugly covers. I've taken apart many pocket knives in my time, and have even managed to put some of them back together. Joking aside, this is well within my skill level and local laws so why not? It'll be the most authentic manual stiletto around! I've never had a swivel bolster knife before so I'd like to see how that goes.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

It's here!

And... it's both better and worse than I expected in different ways. Keep in mind that this is a $15 switchblade, made in china and bought to be taken apart, half of it thrown away, and re-made into something slightly better but still essentially a toy and not a serious edc/working knife.

The Good:
Lockup is pretty good for what it is. The blade has almost zero up and down play and very little side to side, far less than other "gimmick" knives I've handled.
The kick spring seems to be just about right. Strong enough to feel like a proper switchblade, but not like it's going to jump out of my hand.
Nothing seems loose
Safety works great

The Bad:
The scales are made from that hollow, creaky, dollar store plastic and you can both feel and hear it.
The firing mechanism is also very stiff and creaky, adding to the "cheap" feel.

Luckily it's good where it matters and bad where I'm going to be replacing anyway. And of course, it has that all important nail nick. You can't hardly get to it with the big blocky covers that come on the knife, but I was going to replace those anyway.