Spyderco Sage

Hi Rob,

We probably won't make it in golden. As mentioned, the current maker in Taiwan is doing a very good job, both in engineering and execution, so we'll continue to work with them.. Loyalty carries weight with Spyderco.

I'm currently trying to plan Blackie Collin's "Bolt Action" lock for the next model, but we're having trouble finding one. I have one in a box somewhere :o but have not had luck finding it. (anybody have one they'd like to loan to us for a while?).

If not, then we go with the Al Mar/Harvey McBurnette mid front lock.

sal
 
Sal,
I can send you one- an inferior one from meyerco, but if you spinewack the thing the lock gets loose. Your best bet would to get a gerber with the lock done correctly.

bob7
 
Thanx Bob, You are right. It is the Gerber that I'm seeking. I think they called it a Parrabellum".

I appreciate the offer.

If I can't find the Gerber, I'd like to try the Meryerco. We're going to re-engineer the model anyway. We have to fit it to the Sage.

sal
 
Sal, how about a first run Bolt Action? I'll dig mine out and get it in the mail tomorrow.

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Is there a schematic? (Curious about how this works - is there a patentee name I can use to search online?)
 
Blackie Collins designed it, and as far as I know, Gerber implemented it first. I don't know who got the patent, as this one was before and the only other knife I have with that lock doesn't say.
 
I have to say that looks very nice and I'm interested to see it in a Spyderco.

Yab's, is it a nice lock in use, tight lockup, easy to disengage etc?
 
It has a tiny bit of vertical play, but I carried it for a work knife when I was in the mobile home service business years ago, and it got used pretty hard. Easy to operate with either hand for me (I use my middle finger to pull the bolt back and my index finger to push the blade down when using it left-handed). It's still a pretty solid piece even after all these years (I bought it back in the mid-80's IIRC). Now that I've thought about it a while, it may have been called the Parabellum, but I couldn't swear to it.
 
It has a tiny bit of vertical play, but I carried it for a work knife when I was in the mobile home service business years ago, and it got used pretty hard. Easy to operate with either hand for me (I use my middle finger to pull the bolt back and my index finger to push the blade down when using it left-handed). It's still a pretty solid piece even after all these years (I bought it back in the mid-80's IIRC). Now that I've thought about it a while, it may have been called the Parabellum, but I couldn't swear to it.
Found this, so yours may (or may not) have been called something else.

The mid lock Sage is still THE Sage I'm most anxious to see, but this lock does look interesting and somewhat more lefty friendly than Walker, Reeve, or compression locks.

Paul
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You're right as usual, Paul. I thought mine was just called the Bolt Action, but I haven't seen the box in twenty years.

By the way, Paul, although this particular model was right-handed, it could easily be made ambidextrous by adding a slide to the other side.
 
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I have a Parabellum, same lock, but bigger knife. From the good old days of Gerber. I think you could wack the back of it all day and it wouldn't let loose.
Patent number on my knife is 4451982 if that helps.

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The only issue I have with the "bolt action" lock is the blade stop is the plastic of the handle. On the one I used hard, the blade developed a bit of wobble as the self adjustment was used up.

On my lightly used versions, the lock-up has stayed tight.

Great to see some other maker looking at this lock, as I've felt is has not been used to its potential due to cost considerations - the full injection molded handle makes the knives light in weight though and the rivet pivot kept costs down.

I believe the patent has expired on the lock design, though I know Spyderco will give credit were credit is due.
 
That would be great Yab. We would probably need it for a couple of months. Then we could send it back to you.

When the model first came out, Pete (Gerber) was very concerned about the potential flickability of the model. He promoted the model with "one hand closing". (He used a picture of closing the knife against a tree).

This was a great invention by Blackie Collins and was years ahead in innovation. We'll give credit to Blackie for the invention and to Peter Gerber for having the foresight to produce it.

The plastic top of the handle was necessary to "capture" the "bolt". I'm not sure how we're going to do it yet, but we'll make it right.

sal
 
I had one of these on a Gerber folding fillet knife when I was a kid, I do not remember the name. It will be pretty exciting to see this lock revisited -and improved, I am sure- by Sal & Eric. It is a much rarer lock than the midlock and deserved a Sage tribute.
 
It's on its way. I threw another knife in the box as well, I think the model was Chameleon. It has a smaller bolt with slides on both sides and a two piece ring pivot so it can be disassembled. It may prove useful.

As far as "flickability", my Bolt Action doesn't have any. Even with the bolt held back, the blade doesn't swing free, even after years of use. Two hand open, one hand close.
 
I have anothe that you can chage the blades out, but not sure what the model is???

You can PM me Sal if you need this one to take a look inside.
 
I'm really looking forward to this one too, although all my enjoyment will likely have to be vicarious. Will the previous Sages be disco'ed? Hope not...
 
Sal I have one of the later variations of the ambidextrous Bolt action lock Gerbers. Its yours if you want it and I wouldn't care if it needed to be "sacrificed" for the cause. I sent you a message via the spydie forum.

Yab are you sure that's your knife. It hardly looks used.:D

-Nick
aka araneae
 
Yeah, that one is from way back in the day, when Gerber ran their steel harder than Buck. It held up pretty good.
 
Hi Firefox,

I'd like to see it. I'd be happy to send it back to you. We'd like to make the Sage Blackie Collins Bolt Action model ambi. We've got a a few lefties in the group that we try to accomodate whenever possible.

sal
 
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