doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT --- Galazan knives

Stan: Glad you found something you liked. Did you read the Campolin history and see one of the original knives? These recent products are very faithful to those originals.

Not yet, Lloyd. I was actually so wowed by the selection that I overlooked the history. I will go back and read that.

While searching I came across another Italian switchblade manufacturer that also builds stilettos that are very faithful to the old original Sicilian automatics. Frank Beltrame is the name, and they are also made in Maniago, Italy. They have one that has all blackened metal with imitation ivory scales. I've kinda taken a shine to it, too.

I haven't gotten these pics emailed to my account yet.............too poor a cell signal, here, but hopefully I'll get it done today and post them this evenin'.

SRH

My one nice knife: Don Hansen III auto, his own Damascus, mother of pearl, mastodon ivory scales.

That one's a little different Owen. The production folders are nice, but that fellow knows his way around the knife shop.

Ebony wood scales, polished stainless bayonet style 5" blade, AGA Campolin brand, Maniago, Italy, Maltese Cross model, lockback style.............








This one will bring peace out of confusion.

SRH

Very nice Stan. I had a Frank Beltrame for a little bit. Pretty respectable but...not quite as nice as the Campolins IMHO. Not quite as substantial.

Yes, I noticed that the Frank B. model I was looking at weighed two ounces less than the Campolin, for the same length and style knife. Costs about a third less, too. I carried mine all day yesterday just to see how it sits in the pocket.

The release button on mine is pretty hard to depress to release the blade. I'm thinking a drop of Eezox in there might slick it up a bit more ............is yours that way?

SRH

Mine needed lubed a bit too. The brass in the hinge was so tight it wouldn't always fully open (I used a little Rem-oil, I'm sure there are better options for that?). The Frank B. knives may be comparable in the more-expensive models, but in the $120-150 range the Campolins have better materials and seem to receive more attention to detail. Mind you, these are opinions formed by handling exactly two knives.

A few years ago after a "Baby Frame" build I made the Christmas list.
A whole box of Galazan goodies including these knives.

Those are nice, Bob. Is the quality as good as it appears to be?

I shot a round of sporting clays this afternoon and on the second station I pulled out my Campolin switchblade and used it to cut the scotch tape on the box of shells I needed to open. It certainly got the attention of some of my squad members. One of them commented later in the round "Be careful what you say to him.......remember that knife". We rib each other mercilessly while shooting, so it was all in fun.

SRH