All About Pocket Knives

I have not been here forever like some of you but it does not take long to notice people who REALLY make a difference. Not being an expert on switchblades,I routinely have questions. I like most of you,know come to realize if nobody knows the answer Bill does! I want to personally and on behalf of the rest of us thank Bill for all he does for us and the hobby. Thankyou Bill! I hope somebody else says something!:)

Aw, shucks!

A well-deserved kudos!

Agreed, Bill has worked on a few knives for me and he is the best, most courteous and knowledgeable I have seen!!!!

Totally agree.

Bill has a lot of experience and knows what he is writing about.

Can't beat his posts.

Bob

Very nice to notice and call out a great AAPK member like Bill. Thank you Bill.

Hail DiShives.

.... Mickey has worked on a few knives for me,.. he is usually backed up with work, but well worth the wait... I have been lucky with timing and have had two week returns,... !!! ... here is a recent one he helped with a little TLC... !!!!

tenntuxedo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 20, 2023 2:59 pm .... Mickey has worked on a few knives for me,.. he is usually backed up with work, but well worth the wait... I have been lucky with timing and have had two week returns,... !!! ... here is a recent one he helped with a little TLC... !!!!

Cool knife. What’s the blade stamp???

He does outstanding repair work on more than switchblades. An honest, knowledgeable and proficient knife repairman, no matter what type of knife.

Ken

Great to have Bill as a member here!!!

I'd like to throw my hat in the ring and join ya'll in thanking Bill for all he does for this hobby!
He is a proficient knife builder, collector, enthusiast, accumulator, expert repairman and restorer, and all round fountain of knowledge of any and all knives.
Prior to joining AAPK I was involved with another similar individual who makes and sells knives, but whenever the subject of Bill D. came up he would belittle Bill and generally put him down as a fake who really doesn't have his facts straight, does mediocre work, and is basically dishonest.
Never having had any interactions with Mr. DeShivs along with me being a wimpy "people pleaser" I jumped on the bandwagon and found myself having bitter feelings against someone I'd never even been introduced to!
It wasn't until I landed here and had interaction with Bill, as well as discovering certain attributes about the fella I mentioned above who was spreading his BS wherever he could get an audience, did I learn the truth, and that truth was the exact opposite of what I'd been led to believe.
When I first had dealings here with Bill my attitude toward him was cold and hostile, but then certain things happened to quickly make me realize who the real phoney is, and it certainly wasn't Bill.
I offered Bill an apology that he promptly accepted being the gentleman that he is.
Now don't get me wrong, Bill and I don't go skipping down the path holding hands singing "We are the World", but we're not rude to each other either, our relationship is friendly and professional and is limited to posts and replies on this forum, but I can tell you with total honesty, if I have a question or simply need information about a knife, Bill is the first person I will approach for answers, and he ALWAYS comes through!
Thank you Bill, for who you are and what you do!

Bill is one the the good go-to guys.

If AAPK had an All-Star game, Bill would be a starter. AAPK is blessed to have Bill walk our halls and share his knowledge and experiences. Thank you!

I'll say publicly what I often say to myself- I consider Mr. DeShivs to be the most valuable source of information on the subject of Italian switchblades that I have ever seen. I am often impressed by the extent of his knowledge.

I'm sure there are other people who know a lot about the world of Italian switchblades, some people write books on the subject, but I don't see them taking the time to answer peoples questions online. I'm on three knife forums that Mr. DeShivs is also on, and he takes the time to answer questions on all three, and not just on the subject of switchblades, but also on general knife repair, knife care, and modification. And for all I know he might be on other forums as well.

Much of what I know about Italian switchblades, perhaps most of what I know, I learned from Mr. DeShivs. And I continue to learn from him. When I'm researching some Italian switchblade-related matter (which I do often), I always look to see what if anything Mr. DeShivs has to say on the matter, and I consider him the final word. And if he doesn't know, then I figure no one online knows.

Two of the things that distinguish Mr. DeShivs from just about anyone else who talks about switchblades online are his credentials. Not only is he the authorized US repairman for several brands of switchblades, but he has actually designed a switchblade for Angelo Campolin, a knife that has been in production for years (Leverletto). How many people can say that they have designed a switchblade, approved by one of the grandfathers of Italian switchblades, that is sold all over the world.

Of course Mr. DeShivs is only human, and anyone can be wrong, or forget something, but I believe that betting on Mr. DeShivs to be right on any switchblade related subject is always a good bet to make.

I don't always agree with Mr. DeShivs on everything, on some occasions I have publicly disagreed with him, but I defer to him on any switchblade related matter.

The best way to learn and gain knowledge in life is to first recognize that someone else knows more than you do. And I recognized long ago that Mr. DeShivs knows more about switchblades than I will ever know.

Thank you all very much! I'm very humbled.

I was taught early on that your reputation and honesty are extremely important. I was involved in the jewelry business early on. There are some in this business that are apparently desperate enough to forgo their reputation for money. There are others who are jealous and want notoriety.

I don't consider myself a scholar on knives, but I have seen an awful lot of them-inside and out. There are others who are more interested in the production details than I. I do try to help when I can.

And, it's DeShivs, Charley.

jw517 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 20, 2023 3:58 am I have not been here forever like some of you but it does not take long to notice people who REALLY make a difference. Not being an expert on switchblades,I routinely have questions. I like most of you,know come to realize if nobody knows the answer Bill does! I want to personally and on behalf of the rest of us thank Bill for all he does for us and the hobby. Thankyou Bill! I hope somebody else says something!:)

Great topic, Smitty, thanks for thinking of it!

Ya,Bill deserves recognition.

Madmarco wrote: ↑Wed Sep 20, 2023 5:58 pm
I found myself having bitter feelings against someone I'd never even been introduced to

Best advice in the hobby right there…

It was said more out of regret than anything, NYW, but I get your drift too!
I'm glad I could enlighten you, my friend!