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While researching fighting rings, I stumbled across the "Apache" street gangs of Paris. During the Belle Époque (later 19th century) they used many "tools of the trade" (as pictured below) when ambushing their prey, the wealthy Parisians of the period.... a well to do man or woman would be well advised to carry a sword cane, a long/sharp hatpin, or perhaps a small and concealable pistol to defend themselves should they find one of these fellows in a back alley off of the boulevard... pronounced "Ah- PASH", these "Apaches" were so named after the antagonists of a James Fennimore Cooper novel of the period... they had impressive sets of combination gun/knives, brass knuckles, and of course some knuckledusters, which I will post in the ring forum. Here is a period poster advising the well to do of the gang members favorite tools of the trade (btw- if any one can find me this poster of the period... I will buy it!!) courtesy of englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com, its entitled "How they Kill You" ...

IMG_6752.JPG (48.47 KB, 190 downloads)
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Also for a bit of an eye opener- google "danse Apache" and see what comes up- this was a popular tandem dance inspired by the "Apache" of the Parisian back alleys...

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Mike,,,that IS one cool poster.. I'd love one too,,bet they are super hard to find and expensive!

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just saw a pretty cool old advert for a TOTT:

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and this.. Don't know what to say about this,,other than,,,every guy should have one! grin wink

zzzzl_fullxfull.388181130_ndrm.jpg (207.23 KB, 138 downloads)
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New definition of multi tool right there

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Someone buggered up a valuable knife if that grip is real.

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they look to new to be authentic....


Anyone reading,,, I'm looking for these type for my collection.. Anyone with that would want to move them send me a email...,G.

zz272.jpg (108.23 KB, 112 downloads)
zzDSCN3172b.jpg (71.81 KB, 112 downloads)
Last edited by Gaspare; 11/13/2017 11:31 PM.
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and of course would love to have these,,,and, the NYC type shown previously...

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about 18 years ago ahh maybe like 17 it was y2k time.yahoo had a old school forum called the "brass knuckles collector club or forum" yahoo shut down the bulletin board type forums.far as i know. i stopped getting email updates but not sure when at.least 10 years ago for sure i bet even longer. some guys on that forum would cast runs of them and sell them. when i collected WWI stuff i scored a set of cast iron knucks on a buy along with some civil war encampment items from a family or rather the kid who was cashing out. knucks seem to sell fast.
Bret Van Sant

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hope this works im bad at resizing

rsz_20171114_143333.jpg (120.29 KB, 139 downloads)
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sorry for the sucky pic the skylight really makes it extra bright. those are the cast iron knucks

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great shot! Those were cast from a old pair. They came out nice..

They reproduce the real old/espensive ones.. A collector told me that the originals fit the hand good,,and the copies and copies of copies usually are small and forget them fitting even a med large size hand..

Now something like these would be cool too!

zztumblr_n93fruJA7P1rwjpnyo1_500.jpg (29.54 KB, 126 downloads)
zzOWDR-Knuckle-Duster-Gun-04.jpg (73.65 KB, 126 downloads)
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Gaspare,

Cool until you hit some dude and the pistol part went off by itself.

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169AB727-5FE6-4E87-A07C-7C34401FAE77.jpeg (112.45 KB, 105 downloads)

Looking for PP mag # 981029
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Looking for PP mag # 981029
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Nice switchblades
6 inch blade thats not for shaving

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Zoot suits were made for pocketing things like this
Might call it an assassins knife
But it is known as a filero
Its a shank thats intended as an easy conceal
But 12 inch blade very very sharp
A close contact quick strike under the solar plexus or rib cage pierces the heart
Instant death
Very traditional blade with bone or longhorn grip plates
Stylistically engraved with in this case a saying in Spanish
Soy chiquito pero cabron
Means Im small but Im a MFer or the like
A hole etc
Lovely engraving of a grape vine around the words too

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Mike,,,,that will do some damage for sure.. I'd say taking that out would make someone pay up right quick!!


Steven C. Wow!! yeah that top one is more like a short sword! I see a switch blade occasionally but they are Asian junk.
U.S. and Italian mades are usually pretty good quality.. That stag handle looks really nice!
Thanks for showing........

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Last edited by Steven C; 11/19/2017 11:38 PM.

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Here is a switchblade by Rufin Johnson in the USA. It is called Scorpion. One of the most serious knives I have ever seen.

261 Sticker (3).JPG (43 KB, 204 downloads)
261 Sticker (1).JPG (48.91 KB, 204 downloads)
261 Sticker (2).JPG (44.06 KB, 204 downloads)
261 Sticker.JPG (48.67 KB, 204 downloads)
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Here is the Polish knock off. A little shorter.

262 Polish (1).JPG (50.79 KB, 203 downloads)
262 Polish (2).JPG (42.88 KB, 203 downloads)
262 Polish (3).JPG (44.31 KB, 204 downloads)
262 Polish (4).JPG (49.85 KB, 202 downloads)
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nice old knuckes back there!!


Jim,,WOW,,,going to have to check one of those out!! wink

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Just a FYI


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Looking for PP mag # 981029
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I actually had two of the Polish at one time but gave one to a friend. These are knives that you have to train with just to open them without either cutting yourself or having the knife jump out of your hand.

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Hope you get straightened out soon Steve..

Jim, can they go 'off' in your pocket??

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No, the spring is too strong for that. At least I never had that problem and I carried it for about 5 years in one pocket or another. It is long. To open it you have to hold it very firmly along the length and when you hit the button it wants to jump out of your hand. Therefore the nickname "sticker" as it was prone to jump out of your hand and stick someone. It would also pinch your hand if you held it wrong. But after a few tries it was quite simple and effective.

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Nice stuff posted guys

Being able to post looks hit and miss sometimes. Well see how it goes

Last edited by Steven C; 12/14/2017 07:52 PM.

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-

some mean looking Knucks shown here,,,,,Ouch! crazy sleep

Oh yeah,, Jim W.,,,on the US Scorpion,,, How was the lock [or was there] once it was open?

Weapons.JPG (108.35 KB, 122 downloads)
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If you look at the last photo, in the bottom right hand of both knives you see a little nob sticking out. When the knife is open, It is locked in place by that long piece the nob is attached to and to release the blade you pull up the nob. this is one of the tightest and efficient switch blades I have seen.

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Jim,, I clearly see on your knife,,,and the spelling .. Yet when I do any search anywhere,,they spell it with 2 Fs!!! I put in the spelling on your knife and the model [ Scorpion ] and I get nothing..

Maybe its a knife of bygone years.. A collectors item.. Made no more, and those that have them are very lucky indeed to have them.!

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I bought this in Warsaw at the open market sometime around 1996. So the item had been in Poland for some time. After all, no one brings in an item like this to Poland to sell for minimal amounts at the open market. I always assumed it was from around WWII. However, with the spelling of Rufin Jonson instead of Ruffin Johnson, I am wondering if this is some type of Russian production using a fake maker. Still, it is the only one I have ever seen.

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Cool advert.. Can't get it any bigger/clearer.. Like that fist piece at top!

Last edited by Gaspare; 08/11/2018 05:00 AM.
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,, My old case got lost in the packing about a year or 2 ago.. just found it a few days ago unpacking! Everything the same , fine.. in the front covered box there is a nice throwing star,, a old straight razor etc.

Last edited by Gaspare; 11/24/2018 03:55 AM.
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Wow, was just checking.... These type pieces are going for a all time high.. Like antique brass knuckles , also have been at their highest ever prices..

You know the prices are up when something simple like this is bringing in close to $100.!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZbj.jpg (114.47 KB, 112 downloads)
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Originally Posted by Mike (aka Byzanti)
Also for a bit of an eye opener- google "danse Apache" and see what comes up- this was a popular tandem dance inspired by the "Apache" of the Parisian back alleys...


Just to bring this back up, found some great images of these gangsters showing off their tattoos in French prisons..

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I would bet some of these men based on the nature of their tattoos were members of the French military?s penal battalions, called bat d?af.

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from a 1935 catalog: [sorry poor images]

Considering the maker I thought the switchblade was expensive,,,but then I saw , its for a dozen!!

the .25 is nice, small, perfect for behind the ear shots.... The tiny 'jeweled' .22 piece even comes with pearl grips if wanted,for the price of a couple drinks back then!

BJ4.jpg (48.63 KB, 61 downloads)
BJ3.jpg (74.33 KB, 61 downloads)
BJ2.jpg (40.91 KB, 61 downloads)
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my current riker, have a few more pieces in different displays:

Always looking for similar pieces,will buy or trade for nazi items:

DSCN5300.JPG (102.22 KB, 41 downloads)
Last edited by Gaspare; 04/13/2023 02:40 AM.
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