The Hattori Fighter under the "Hattori" brand is a quite well known and sought-after knife
among collectors. It was made in two sizes; the FT-200 was the larger with an OAL of 14.25" with a 7.63" blade and the smaller FT-100 with an OAL of 11" and a blade length of 6". Both with a polished solid silver nickel hilt. The handles were offered in Cocobolo, Black Ebony and, White Dupont Corian for the smaller model. Oddly, the larger FT-200 was described as being MVS-8 stainless steel while the smaller FT-100 was Aus8. The larger model appears to have been last produced in 2010 whereas the smaller one seems to have been in production until quite recently albeit in limited numbers. In either case, it is basically impossible to find either of them new in stores, unless Hattori decides to do another run. Typical of Hattori's products, the fit and finish is superb and the knife is a true collection piece. When I first encountered this fighter I had assumed that it was a variant of a Loveless Fighter. However it turns out that it actually has French origins. The design was initially created for a project in 1988 to produce a limited number of Commemorative for the 200th Anniversary of the French Revolution. The handle perhaps gives the strongest hint of this history.
The most well known version in the U.S. however may be the Junglee "Hattori Fighter".
The original knives were made by Mr Ichiro Hattori and have "Seki Japan" on the ricasso.
Junglee Knives started in 1985, as the brand name for a group of tooling and machinery companies owned by Mr Shiraz Balolia, who had also acquired the old Gutman name. The unique combination wood/synthetic handle is said to have been designed and patented by S.Balolia himself, who actually holds a great many patents on various designs and machinery. It was available in two sizes, the larger called the "Hattori Fighter" with an OAL of 13.25" and a 7.75" blade, and the smaller "Baby Hattori Fighter" with an OAL of 11" and a 6" blade, both with a nickel hilt. These knives were introduced to the U.S. market in the mid-late l1990s and the Taiwan Non-Hattori versions lasted until at least 2008.
Apart from the unique handle, the Junglee Fighters differ from all other Fighter versions in that they had a serrated section on the spine. When manufactured by Hattori , MVS-8 Stainless was used. Back when Junglee Knives had it's own website they explained MVS-8 as "an alloy comprised of .85% Carbon, 14% Chromium, .5% Manganese, .5%. Silicon, 2.5% Molybdenum, .15% Vanadium with a hardness between 57-61RC". The Junglees originally made by Hattori were MVS-8, at least the larger model, and switched to "440 stainless" when production was later shifted to Taiwan around 2005/2006. No one seems to be sure which "440" it really was, many suggesting and perhaps hoping that it is 440C. But in those days "440" could mean alot of things.(Back then SOG used "440A" to mean Aus6A, and Browning used "440" to mean Aus8A). Amongst collectors, the original Hattori/Seki made Junglee Fighters are considered much more valuable than the Taiwan made ones, although even the latter ones have also become somewhat rare in recent years.
among collectors. It was made in two sizes; the FT-200 was the larger with an OAL of 14.25" with a 7.63" blade and the smaller FT-100 with an OAL of 11" and a blade length of 6". Both with a polished solid silver nickel hilt. The handles were offered in Cocobolo, Black Ebony and, White Dupont Corian for the smaller model. Oddly, the larger FT-200 was described as being MVS-8 stainless steel while the smaller FT-100 was Aus8. The larger model appears to have been last produced in 2010 whereas the smaller one seems to have been in production until quite recently albeit in limited numbers. In either case, it is basically impossible to find either of them new in stores, unless Hattori decides to do another run. Typical of Hattori's products, the fit and finish is superb and the knife is a true collection piece. When I first encountered this fighter I had assumed that it was a variant of a Loveless Fighter. However it turns out that it actually has French origins. The design was initially created for a project in 1988 to produce a limited number of Commemorative for the 200th Anniversary of the French Revolution. The handle perhaps gives the strongest hint of this history.
The most well known version in the U.S. however may be the Junglee "Hattori Fighter".
The original knives were made by Mr Ichiro Hattori and have "Seki Japan" on the ricasso.
Junglee Knives started in 1985, as the brand name for a group of tooling and machinery companies owned by Mr Shiraz Balolia, who had also acquired the old Gutman name. The unique combination wood/synthetic handle is said to have been designed and patented by S.Balolia himself, who actually holds a great many patents on various designs and machinery. It was available in two sizes, the larger called the "Hattori Fighter" with an OAL of 13.25" and a 7.75" blade, and the smaller "Baby Hattori Fighter" with an OAL of 11" and a 6" blade, both with a nickel hilt. These knives were introduced to the U.S. market in the mid-late l1990s and the Taiwan Non-Hattori versions lasted until at least 2008.
Apart from the unique handle, the Junglee Fighters differ from all other Fighter versions in that they had a serrated section on the spine. When manufactured by Hattori , MVS-8 Stainless was used. Back when Junglee Knives had it's own website they explained MVS-8 as "an alloy comprised of .85% Carbon, 14% Chromium, .5% Manganese, .5%. Silicon, 2.5% Molybdenum, .15% Vanadium with a hardness between 57-61RC". The Junglees originally made by Hattori were MVS-8, at least the larger model, and switched to "440 stainless" when production was later shifted to Taiwan around 2005/2006. No one seems to be sure which "440" it really was, many suggesting and perhaps hoping that it is 440C. But in those days "440" could mean alot of things.(Back then SOG used "440A" to mean Aus6A, and Browning used "440" to mean Aus8A). Amongst collectors, the original Hattori/Seki made Junglee Fighters are considered much more valuable than the Taiwan made ones, although even the latter ones have also become somewhat rare in recent years.
Last edited:
