All About Pocket Knives

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 4:31 pm**

Hi folks, I saw this knife at the Shenandoah show but waffled and didn't buy it and it got sold to a friend. Last week my friend offered it to me for the same price, nice to have such a good friend. It is the really rare "medium" Grizzly, rarer than the big Grizz or the "baby" Grizz. Works as it should, pretty full blade with lots of original finish under the blade patina. Did my happy dance when the postman came! Sorry the photos are so dark, not much sunlight here today.

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 5:51 pm**

Gene it looks like you picked up a really nice knife. Love the overall look of it!

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:12 pm**

Beautiful knife!

What is the mark on the bolster on the pile side?

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 6:27 pm**

Rarity aside, it is a real beauty, Gene. Good job!

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 7:20 pm**

Congrats Gene, that's a special one

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 7:57 pm**

Thanks for the compliments guys! Beaver, these have a cross hatch on the back bolster to let you know where to hold your finger when pushing the button with your thumb. If you have never fired one of these it is a pain in the backside unless you hold it just right and even then it is somewhat awkward. The big steel bar on the back of the knife is the spring for the button release which is also the open lock and if you grip it normally you put pressure on the spring and your thumb on the button fights your finger on the back. The cross hatch is a little pocket worn, but the bade has little use.

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:14 pm**

Here's a photo of the spine of the knife showing the release mechanism. You can see how if your fingers are in the normal position on the back of the knife that you can't depress the button since your thumb is fighting against your fingers unless you are holding the cross hatched part of the back front bolster. Unique design but does take getting used to open or close. The steel in the center is the kick spring as the photo is with the blade closed.

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:16 pm**

Very nice indeed!!!!!

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:25 pm**

Thanks John! here are two more photos, one with the blade open so you can see the kick spring is now in the well and the other photo is with the blade partially closed so you can see the button/spring bar and how if you hold the knife normally with fingers on the spring bar it won't release.

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 8:59 pm**

Gunsil wrote: ↑Thu Jul 08, 2021 7:57 pm Thanks for the compliments guys! Beaver, these have a cross hatch on the back bolster to let you know where to hold your finger when pushing the button with your thumb. If you have never fired one of these it is a pain in the backside unless you hold it just right and even then it is somewhat awkward. The big steel bar on the back of the knife is the spring for the button release which is also the open lock and if you grip it normally you put pressure on the spring and your thumb on the button fights your finger on the back. The cross hatch is a little pocket worn, but the bade has little use.

Thanks for the explanation Gene.

That's a very unique design and once again a Very beautiful knife!

Posted: **Thu Jul 08, 2021 10:25 pm**

Very nice, Gene.

I think it was offered for sale by the same guy I bought the Ulster dogleg from as I think I remember him talking about selling one. He also had a Schrade switch with some blade wobble but not much blade loss at a price I thought was reasonable.

Posted: **Fri Jul 09, 2021 12:10 am**

Yes John, my friend from MA who was right next to me on my left brought it to the show and sold it to another friend next to him on the left. I got it from the second guy to my left after a couple phone conversations. God willin' and the river don't rise all three of us will be there in April, they both have done that show for a number of years. Hopefully we will all meet again there.

Tim, you're quite welcome, I hope the photos helped you understand the mechanism.

Posted: **Fri Jul 09, 2021 3:03 am**

Great looking KABAR Gene and a cool old mechanism.

Posted: **Fri Jul 09, 2021 1:02 pm**

Relatively recently, Schatt & Morgan released their Express line of autos, they basically function the same as these old Ka-Bars. An AAPK member happens to have a selection of the S&M Express knives, for anyone interested.

Posted: **Fri Jul 09, 2021 4:24 pm**

I have seen those and they are junk in my opinion. A dealer friend of mine in PA ordered ten when they first came out, he sent eight back because the quality control was so poor. I guess some turned out OK but a lot of them had various problems.

Posted: **Fri Jul 09, 2021 6:02 pm**

Gunsil wrote: ↑Fri Jul 09, 2021 4:24 pm I have seen those and they are junk in my opinion. A dealer friend of mine in PA ordered ten when they first came out, he sent eight back because the quality control was so poor. I guess some turned out OK but a lot of them had various problems.

Good to know, Gene. The S&M repros aren't cheap.

Posted: **Tue Jul 20, 2021 1:20 am**

Awesome score!

Posted: **Tue Jul 20, 2021 1:40 am**

Good score Gene.A dealer setup next to me at the Blade show bought a baby Grizz this year.

Posted: **Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:22 pm**

Gunsil,

My understanding was that the attached was the rarest KaBar switch. Thoughts ????

Posted: **Fri Dec 17, 2021 6:41 pm**

That one is really cool too.

Posted: **Sat Dec 18, 2021 3:44 am**

Both are outstanding ! i tried for years to complete that yellow celluloid group but never could, thanks for sharing those Gents.

Posted: **Wed Dec 22, 2021 2:45 pm**

Byamb1 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:22 pm Gunsil,

My understanding was that the attached was the rarest KaBar switch. Thoughts ????

The pictured knife may be the a very rare KA-BAR switch but it is not the rarest KA-BAR switch. That honor goes to a Korn's patent switch made by KA-BAR and there is another switch made by Union Cut marked Keenwel Mfg that is rarer. I'd love to have the pictured one though!!

Posted: **Mon Dec 27, 2021 4:05 pm**

Gunsil wrote: ↑Wed Dec 22, 2021 2:45 pm
Byamb1 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 3:22 pm Gunsil,

My understanding was that the attached was the rarest KaBar switch. Thoughts ????
The pictured knife may be the a very rare KA-BAR switch but it is not the rarest KA-BAR switch. That honor goes to a Korn's patent switch made by KA-BAR and there is another switch made by Union Cut marked Keenwel Mfg that is rarer. I'd love to have the pictured one though!!

Do you have a picture of that Korn’s made for Kabar? The Keenwell I’ve seen.

Posted: **Tue Dec 28, 2021 11:11 pm**

I'll try to dig out some photos, a friend owns it. It was not made for KA-BAR, it was made by KA-BAR. The knife has been closely measured and it is not the same dimensions as the other Korns switches. It also has stag handles that match other KA-BAR knives.

Posted: **Tue Dec 28, 2021 11:35 pm**

Here are a few photos of the KA-BAR Korns. Sweeeet knife!!

All About Pocket Knives

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