All of these were acquired during my Navy days, 1980-1984. The Buck 110 is the knife I carried daily when deployed on a ship. It's big, and heavy, and quality-made to last a man's lifetime, as was the black leather sheath it rides in. I spent a half hour buffing the brass clean (it's been in the attic over 15 years) and oiling the sheath. Spyderco pretty much killed the market for a folding belt knife like the Buck 110.
The Western boot knife is probably the best designed and executed of all of the 1970's-1980's era boot knives. It has a quality leather sheath with a belt clip made of tempered steel, rather than the usual thin crappy clip made of sheet steel. It has a blade of 440 stainless and handle scales of dymondwood, so the chance of it surviving 100 years is a distinct possibility, and 1000 years not out of the question. It's not brittle like the Gerber boot knife, and is lighter and less brutal than the A. G. Russell Sting.
The Hubertus Springer (switchblade) was purchased in Hamburg, Germany, while I was on liberty from the USS Nassau, and smuggled onboard inside my boot. It's made of good materials, although fit and finish leave something to be desired. The blade is stainless, the handle scales are red deer antler, and the bolsters are nickel silver. The spring still works, the blade opens with authority and locks into position. This is a quality knife that happens to be a switchblade, rather than a crap switchblade of the type sold to tourists.
It's nice to get reacquainted with them.
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