Sport, Military and Collectible Knives | Coltelleria Collini

KNIFE WITHDRAWN FROM PRIVATE COLLECTION
* Origin: Iconic knife from 1981, withdrawn from a private collection, previously purchased
* Condition: Overall in good condition, mechanically perfect, shows some signs of wear on the nickel silver handle and micarta inserts; the blade shows signs of mechanical friction on the back due to opening and closing in the handle
* Available on the market: Not available, craftsman no longer in business
* Sharpness: Factory sharp
* Marks on blade: Small marks due to age and friction when opening and closing the blade
* Marks on handle: Several signs of wear visible on the nickel silver handle and micarta inserts
* Box: -
* Sheath: -
* Manuals, Certificates, and Warranties: 1981 warranty certificate from Coltelleria G. Lorenzi in Via Montenapoleone, Milan
* Checked and certified by our in-house laboratory

In the 1980s, Jimmy Lile developed an elegant folding knife with a button lock mechanism, known as the “Lile Lock.” This patented system consists of a front button on the handle that unlocks the blade when opening and locks it in the cutting position, ensuring safety and ease of use. The monolithic nickel-silver guides support the D2 steel blade, while the micarta inserts on the scales give the knife a refined look.

This is a generously sized knife, produced in limited quantities between the 1970s and 1980s. The numbered examples bearing engravings such as the patent number 4148140 are now highly sought-after collector's items of great economic value.

This folding model represents a perfect balance between functionality and collectible design: compact and easy to handle, with a reliable lock, high-quality materials, and meticulous details, embodying Lile's attention to craftsmanship even in a context other than the famous survival knife.

Intended use: Collectible / Sports

Type of production: Entirely handmade
Country of production: Arkansas / USA
Blade: D2 steel
Blade treatment: Satin finish
Handle: Nickel Silver handle with Red Micarta inserts and stainless steel rear spacer
Blade length: 90mm.
Blade thickness: 4.5 mm.
Closed length: 124 mm
Total length: 212 mm.
Weight: 198 g.
Closure: Lile Lock (Button Lock)
Packaging: supplied with a 1981 warranty certificate from the historic “Coltelleria G. Lorenzi” in Via Montenapoleone, Milan
Notes: extremely rare knife from 1981, previously purchased, withdrawn from a private collection, serial number 447 engraved on the blade and patent number “U.S. Patent No. 4148140” engraved on the back of the button lock.

KNIFE WITHDRAWN FROM PRIVATE COLLECTION
* Type: previously purchased
* Condition: overall in very good condition
* Commercially available handcrafted version no longer commercially available.
* Sharpening: factory sharpened, never resharpened
* Marks on blade: none
* Marks on handle: a few tiny little marks on carbon
* Box: present
* Scabbard: -
* Manuals, Certificates and Warranties: -
* Checked and Certified by our in-house laboratory

Intended Use: Utility / Collection

Production type: MidTech
Country of Manufacture: USA (Wampum, Pennsylvania)
Blade: CPM-CruWear 63/64HRC steel
Blade treatment: Stonewashed
Handle: 5mm thick Carbon Fiber with stainless steel top folder
Blade length: 95mm.
Blade thickness: 4.5mm.
Total length: 220mm.
Weight: 174g.
Closure: Shark-Lock
Clip: stainless steel
Packaging: cardboard box with Demko logos
Notes: previously purchased knife from private collection - rare semi-crafted version (MidTech) personally made by the knife maker in his own workshops in Wampum, discontinued and no longer commercially available

KNIFE WITHDRAWN FROM PRIVATE COLLECTION
* Type: Previously purchased, presumably from the late 1970s/early 1980s.
* Condition: In very good condition
* Commercially available: Rudy Ruana passed away in 1986, Ruana knives are still in production and orderable on their site with waiting lists, but in different configurations from this one.
* Sharpening: Factory original, improvable, with some cosmetic abrasion.
* Marks on blade: Small horizontal marks due to insertion and removal from scabbard.
* Marks on handle: A few small marks on the aluminum handle.
* Packaging: -
* Scabbard: Leather, handcrafted, original, with a few small marks given by age.
* Manuals, Certificates and Warranties: - -
* Checked and Certified by our in-house laboratory



Intended use: hunting / light hiking

Type of production: handcrafted
Country of production: USA
Blade: made of undeclared high carbon steel (presumably 1095 or 5160), hammer-forged, ground, individually oil-hardened and heat-treated using a zone tempering method that makes the back and tang of the blade softer than the cutting edge
Blade finish: satin-finished
Handle: cast aluminum directly on tang with beveled and riveted elk horn inserts. The tang runs inside the full length of the handle, and the cast aluminum produces a strong handle that is impossible to break.
Blade length: 125mm.
Blade thickness: 4.5mm.
Total length: 235mm.
Weight: 190g.
Sheath: handcrafted, leather, for vertical carrying on the belt
Packaging: -
Notes: Specimen presumably late 1970s/early 1980s in excellent condition - previously purchased knife from a private collection

Company History.
In 1938, Rudy Ruana began making knives in a small store in Montana. Members of his family continue to this day to handcraft Ruana knives in the same store. In 1964 Ruana's son-in-law, Vic Hangas, left a job with a telephone company and put his artistic talents to good use, joining Ruana in the business. Hangas' son Mark began working in the business in 1976. In 1983, Ruana retired at the age of 80 and sold the business to the Hangas family. In 1984 Mike Hangas joined his brother and father and the company was incorporated. Rudy Ruana died in April 1986. He was honored with posthumous induction into the American Bladesmith Society's Hall of Fame in 1997 and Blade magazine's Cutlery Hall of Fame in 2002.

Ruana knives are still handmade in the small Montana store where Rudy Ruana began forging blades more than 80 years ago. In an era of outsourcing and diminishing Made in America products, Ruana knives are still handmade in the United States, with a focus on quality rather than quantity. Although some things have changed over the years, still using the same methods and much of the same equipment used by Rudy Ruana.

KNIFE WITHDRAWN FROM PRIVATE COLLECTION
* Type: Previously purchased, presumably from the late 1970s/early 1980s.
* Condition: In very good condition
* Commercially available On order, with waiting list.
* Sharpening: Factory original, can be improved.
* Marks on blade: Small horizontal marks due to insertion and removal from scabbard.
* Marks on handle: A few small marks on aluminum tang.
* Packaging: -
* Scabbard: Leather, handcrafted, original.
* Manuals, Certificates and Warranties: - -
* Checked and Certified by our in-house laboratory



Intended use: hunting / fishing / light hiking

Type of production: handcrafted
Country of production: USA
Blade: O1 steel
Blade finish: satin finish
Handle: leather rings, brass guard, duralumin pommel
Blade length: 115mm.
Blade thickness: 3.8mm.
Total length: 230mm.
Weight: 130g.
Scabbard: handmade, leather, for vertical carrying on belt
Packaging: -
Notes: Specimen presumably late 1970s/early 1980s in excellent condition - previously purchased knife from a private collection

History of the Model
The Model 7 was designed as a scaled-down version of the Model 3 Hunter.

Almost immediately, the idea of a scaled-down version of the new Hunter dawned on Bo Randall as an ideal knife for his fellow anglers. An avid fisherman since his youth, Bo regarded this new knife as a labor of love and immediately set to work on the project. At first he tried 4- and 4.5-inch blades, but then opted for the 4 1/2-inch one. Bo wanted the right handle for cleaning brook trout and similar sized fish, so he reduced the size of the handle of the new Hunter and changed its shape. Naturally, he called this model the "Fisherman," and some early prototypes with 4-inch blades were delivered to some dealers during the latter part of September 1945.