Switchblades in movies

B

Bladeswitch

New Member
Hope I am posting this in the right place please forgive me if I am not (This is my first post) I collect switchblades that I have seen in movies. I have to say up until 10 years ago this was a daunting task! Regulations on automatic knives have loosened up in my area of the country and there are now laws regulating the collecting of these what they call curios antique knives. My two holy grails are the knives form the James Dean movie Rebel Without a Cause ( I have seen more fakes then I care to mention) and The other is a knife from the movie Eye of The Needle Starring Donald Sutherland, This knife has been a discussion and myth in the automatic knife collecting community. If anyone has any information please contact me on this forum. Also I would like to donate my knowledge of these knives to the forum, if anyone needs to know what knife was used in what movie where to find it and values please feel free to contact me if I don't have the knowledge I have a wealth of collecting fanatics in the knife world that can help us. Thank you all for your time and attention to my first post . PS I am also a giant H.P. Lovecraft fan and am currently working on what I would call a relic box I plan to post it as soon as I am finished.
 
Great thread.

I've also been looking for one in particular: Ace's (Kiefer Sutherland) switchblade from the end scene in Stand By Me.

I'd love to find this:

ace_switchblade.jpg

-Ss
 
I have been totally influenced by television and films on the 1970s with regard to switchblade knives. The high tech autos of today are far superior to any of their predecessors, but I will always be partial to the traditional Italian stilettos that were replete on early 70's American television. As a 10 year old, I watched episodes of Barretta, SWAT, Streets of San Francisco, and then later, episodes of Starsky and Hutch and Charlies Angles, just to catch a fleeting glimpse of a switchblade knife. Looking forward to seeing where this thread goes.

Rick
 
I own three one in mint condition one Korean version and one in not so good shape this knife has a lot of history. It is stamped Rizzuto Estiletto Milano this knife was not made anywhere near Italy it was made by the Japanese in the late 60's up to the mid 70's and many variations it was guaranteed to break it was for tourist and mostly brought back from Mexico when Americans wanted forbidden fruit. They are now commanding a premium price with switchblade collectors because most of them were thrown away because they were made very cheaply and very low quality, the one in the movie is a Korean clone also rare (I own one) and thy were actually made of better quality parts (not much better) but more of these have survived, If I come by one or want to get rid of any of mine for a more minty model I'll pm you.
 
Bladeswitch said:
I own three one in mint condition one Korean version and one in not so good shape this knife has a lot of history. It is stamped Rizzuto Estiletto Milano this knife was not made anywhere near Italy it was made by the Japanese in the late 60's up to the mid 70's and many variations it was guaranteed to break it was for tourist and mostly brought back from Mexico when Americans wanted forbidden fruit. They are now commanding a premium price with switchblade collectors because most of them were thrown away because they were made very cheaply and very low quality, the one in the movie is a Korean clone also rare (I own one) and thy were actually made of better quality parts (not much better) but more of these have survived, If I come by one or want to get rid of any of mine for a more minty model I'll pm you.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, bladeswitch.

Would you be able to post pics of yours?

-Ss
 
I'll post some pics tomorrow, to reply to Rick (Doppelganger01) Look up switchblades in movies on youtube you will be in for a hell of a show!
 
I've always loved the classic film "12 Angry Men". A key prop is a switch blade knife. Not really what I collect but it would make a neat piece to add to your collection.
 
The knife in "12 Angry Men" is also a holy grail knife in the switchblade collecting world no one has come up with one from that time period with a dragon on the handles and our sources who are some of the very very very old makers that are still alive told us no dragons! So these knives might have been decorated by the prop master of that movie, one of the great collecting mysteries.
 
I just watched the "switchblade in films" series on YouTube that covered the time period from 1920 to 2009. It was very interesting. So many different types of switchblades used in film over the years. My eye was caught by one of the OTFs from "The Cross and the Switchblade" (early 70's). There seams to be a cover that swings open, hinged at one of the finger guards, when the blade springs out. Do you happen to know anything about this design feature? Was it possibly there to keep pocket lent out of the mechanism? Just curious. I had not noticed this element before on an OTF.

Rick
 
Rick you picked out an extremely rare knife not many were made it was a Chinese 70's what we call in the collecting world as a nato military otf but the one you spotted has a dust cover these covers were put on these knives to copy paratrooper otf gravity knives from WW2, There is also a very beautiful rare Italian version that sells between $700 and $1200. These knives are works of art from the 60's. I have seen the one you are talking about and it went for around $475. The more strange the mechanism add rare the price goes up good spot though glad you enjoyed the show.
 
Bladeswitch said:
Rick you picked out an extremely rare knife not many were made it was a Chinese 70's what we call in the collecting world as a nato military otf but the one you spotted has a dust cover these covers were put on these knives to copy paratrooper otf gravity knives from WW2, There is also a very beautiful rare Italian version that sells between $700 and $1200. These knives are works of art from the 60's. I have seen the one you are talking about and it went for around $475. The more strange the mechanism add rare the price goes up good spot though glad you enjoyed the show.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Bladeswitch!

Rick
 
Cool thread, looking forward to what it brings.

I'm down to 2 Benchmade AFO's and a Micro-Tech Ultra DE
 
Bladeswitch, Welcome to the forum. I've collected switchblades since the 70's (not an easy task back then) My 'Holy Grail' is the 'Eye of the Needle' OTF. I've only seen one or 2 replicas that were VERY good. I'll try to find my pics and post them here.
Ed
PS: Rick! Didn't know you were a knife guy.....hmmm....is there a Bladerunner theamed Switchblade with Amber handles in our future? Think about that!!!
 
Thanks for the pic! It looks like the one they used is the very bottom knife in your photo, with the textured grip.

Soooooo....any ideas where I can find one?? :$

-Ss
 
ed-209 said:
Bladeswitch, Welcome to the forum. I've collected switchblades since the 70's (not an easy task back then) My 'Holy Grail' is the 'Eye of the Needle' OTF. I've only seen one or 2 replicas that were VERY good. I'll try to find my pics and post them here.
Ed
PS: Rick! Didn't know you were a knife guy.....hmmm....is there a Bladerunner theamed Switchblade with Amber handles in our future? Think about that!!!
Click to expand...

Guilty pleasure #3, I admit. Would really like to see more on "the needle". I am intrigued by it now. I must see the movie.

Regarding the Stand By Me knife, I never realized it until now, but I have one of those Korean versions. Funny story how I got it. I bought it in New York City, of all places, at a tourist trap shop. The lady who ran the place had no idea what she had, and I'm sure, no idea that it was illegal to sell. I lived in New York City from the late 80's to the early 2010's. As a kid when I would watch my 70's Crime Dramas for my switchblade fix every week, I developed this notion that the only place switchblades could be acquired were on the streets of L.A., or the back alleys of New York. This notion soon faded as I grew older and realized they were pretty much illegal every where, especially on the streets of L.A. and NYC. That's why I find it so funny that I actually acquired one on the streets of New York, some 30 years later. Thanks for posting the pic of it. I learn something new each day in this thread.
 
Doppelganger01 said:
I developed this notion that the only place switchblades could be acquired were on the streets of L.A., or the back alleys of New York. This notion soon faded as I grew older and realized they were pretty much illegal every where, especially on the streets of L.A. and NYC.
Click to expand...

New York and California are notorious for their restrictions on knives and guns. However switchblades are legal in many other states... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switchblade . Of course, some states have restrictions on them, even if it is legal to own them in said state.
 
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