Queen Button Lock identification

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stokensmoke

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Aug 28, 2024
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I have two Queen button lock knives that I think are both 5175s. One has very rounded edges and the other has more squared off edges. Otherwise, they look the same. Is this maybe something that changed over time or are they different models? If it is an age thing, which is older?
 
Thanks. That helps. Looks like I have two 5175s, one older than the other. They are both mint, so I can’t really tell anything from condition. If I am understanding the article correctly the more rounded one would be older, since more processing was needed. The desire was to reduce costs in the later (squared off) version by reducing processing.
 
stokensmoke said:
Thanks. That helps. Looks like I have two 5175s, one older than the other. They are both mint, so I can’t really tell anything from condition. If I am understanding the article correctly the more rounded one would be older, since more processing was needed. The desire was to reduce costs in the later (squared off) version by reducing processing.
Click to expand...

The article speculates that the 5170/5175's with the rounded bolsters and handles are the older ones, early 1980's, and the 5170's with squared edges are thought to be from 1986. They don't specifically say that the 5175"s with squared edges are from 1986, but it stands to reason that they were made the same way, at the same time, for the same reasons as the 5175's since it was the same series.
 
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Yes, I read it as they start out nicely rounded and finished off, then they omitted the rounding to save costs. Then the final cost cutting measure was to omit the fancy bolsters entirely, and move to a standard folding hunter and Copperhead frame that was retro-fitted to fit the lock work.
 
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