My Review:9
A couple of years ago I bought a knife made in Italy, an automatic. This particular one does not have a button to eject the blade. Rather, it is a style known as a “scale release” knife.
On a folding knife (one that does not have a fixed blade) there are usually two sides to the handle, known as scales. Typically the blade folds down in between those scales. A scale release knife is an automatic (or switchblade) knife that allows you to release the blade by sliding the two scales in opposite directions. See the video below for a demonstration:
My close friend and mentor Earl had a knife like this, and I always thought it was the bee’s knees. His was given to him by a friend, and I only got to play with it about once a week. Eventually, with much painstaking research, I finally figured out where I could get one for myself. A company called: AB Coltellerie. (UPDATE: There is an newer website up, owned by the same group: http://www.skmknives.com/ - it stands for Switchblade Knife Makers)
Here are the dimensions:
- Handle: Silver Satin Anodized Aluminum
- Blade length: 3″½
- Length of closed knife: 4″
- Bolsters: None
AB Coltellerie is an Italian knife company located in Maniago, Italy. They are willing to ship to the United States, but be aware that switchblade knives are illegal to buy and sell in most states. I love this knife, though I do wish there had been an option to have a pocket clip on it. Not having a pocket clip makes it difficult to conveniently carry around.
The quality of craftsmanship and materials is impeccable. The aluminum is finley machined and the knife feels solid and comfortable in the hand. The curve of the blade is nicely elegant for a drop point blade. The spring behind the blade is powerful, and after 3 years of semi-regular use there is no discernible change or decline in its strength. I expect to get a lifetime of good service out of the knife.
Truthfully it is probably not a good knife for everyday carry. But it is a fun knife to use, and it has such a neat and unusual mechanism for opening. Those factors, plus the high quality and beauty of the knife make it a very solid 9 for me.
Hi Dave—Just caught your Raptor video, congratulations ! I’m interested in buying one like yours, but I’m having no luck. Any suggestions you can pass along ?
Thanks—Mike
Hey Mike,
You know, I found them to be pretty responsive. I would send them an email and tell them you’re interested in making a purchase. If I remember right, I used their web form. They will ship the package and they may list the package as “barbecue tools” or something like that. But I think if you send them an email you should hear back in 24-28 hours.
Good luck man, and thanks for reading.