Abner Fitzwillies Blog

In 1972 Smith & Wesson began to examine the knife market and President William Gunn of Smith & Wesson met with and discussed designs with Blackie Collins, a gifted maker and designer of kniv…

The Jungle Bolo's Blade Length is: 9.00″, the Jungle Clip Blade Length is 9.69". Both are made of 1095 Spring Steel with a Rockwell Hardness 57-59 HRC.I remember first seeing thes…

Per the wholesaler, the full story is interesting. "Carl Schlieper actually bypassed the importer in the late 1970's and sold the knife to Bianchi Leathers before the design was introduced under…

The Parker Vietnam Boot knife Sets according to a Bulletin put out by “Cutlery World” were actually a manufacture’s error. The Screaming Eagle, Delta Force and 101st Airbourne were all units of the U.…

SOG Seal Team 2000 knife; Seki, JapanAfter one of the most extensive testing and evaluation programs in 1992 ever undertaken by the US Government that included knives from almost every major cutlery m…

Many people don’t realize the connection between Schrade knives and Imperial knives. Schrade Cut Co. was bought out by Albert Baer in 1946 and joined by his brother Henry Baer. They also owned Imperia…

1986 Bianchi Model M1400 Nighthawk II Knife; “The World Standard” From the brochure included with the knife, Much more than an exquisitely design hand-crafted cutting instrument, the Night…

1999 Marbles Sport 99 (R.W. Loveless) KnivesR.W. Loveless approved Marble Sport 99 knives were produced in the Mike Stewart Era at Marbles 1997-2001. The knives was produced in Gladstone, MI in 1999…

The Bianchi Nighthawk Story;The Bianchi Nighthawk knives were manufactured by Carl Schlieper a German hardware manufacturing business established in Remscheid, Germany in the 18th century.1793. Carl…

Kershaw 4070 Series Bowie KnivesModel 4070 a 6" Bowie #1754In 1992 – 1996 Kershaw produced a series of 3 Bowie Knives;#4070 a 6" Bowie (pictured above), #4071 a 7 1/2" Bowie (pictured below)…

I attended the Oregon Knife Collectors Association show in Eugene, Oregon in 2014 and met Jim Meyers of Utility Tool and Knife. After talking with him I bought several knives to sell as well as this r…

In 1968 Browning worked with a gifted young knife designer Gil Hibben (long before Rambo fame) to design a series of knives produced in the USA, Germany and Seki Japan called the Sportsman Series. The…

In the 1980's Smith & Wesson introduced the Sportsman Series of Knives which included 2 extremely well engineered lock back, Stainless Steel folders named the Maverick. "The Maverick was not onl…

Jet Aer G 96 Boot & Belt Knife Model 7003 – Seki, Japan Jet-Aer Corp. of Patterson, NJ started selling knives in 1973 till the mid-80s taking classic knife designs manufactured by companies…

The Smith & Wesson Texas Ranger Bowie Knife designed by Blackie CollinsIn 1972 Smith & Wesson was approached by the Texas Ranger Commission to build a commemorative revolver in honor of their 150th…

While this blog shows the replacing of a leather handle on a Cattaraugus 225Q, the principles are the same in most  leather washer handled knives. First you need to search out a site that produce…

Valor Corporation of Miami Florida existed from the late 1960s until the early 1990s. In it’s time, it was a prominent seller of low cost firearms, ammunition, firearms related accessories and a large…

In the 1970’s Browning produced a series of knives considered to be among the finest knives Browning ever offered.In 1968, Browning introduced a line of cutlery in the form of 3 fixed-blade hunting…

S&W Survival series.In 1972 Smith and Wesson worked with well known and innovative knife designer Blackie Collins to introduce the company into the knife business. This program was announced in 197…

Over half a century ago the United States Air Force was America's primary nuclear deterrent. This was accomplished by its long range bomber aircraft operated by the Strategic Air Command, the B-36, th…