Help with identification of a knife

[mikekal]

Hi everyone,
I am not sure if this question is appropriate for this forum, (please forgive me if I am in the wrong area).

I recently ran across a knife I have never seen. I have attached a few photos.

The handle is 5 1/4 inches (13.35 cm) long, and 1 inch 2.54 cm) wide.
The blade is 4 inches (10.16 cm) long.

The blade is marked:

ANTON WINGEN JR.
SOLIGEN-GERMANY
DGBM
ROSTREI

I believe the blade is supposed to be spring activated; however, the blade will only come out by depressing the spring and swinging the knife downward. The blade locks when fully extended.

Any help in identifying this knife would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Mike.

[irsto]

Hi Mike
Its a gravity knife made 50´s - 60´s.
Gravity knives
R

[rbminis]

Hi Mike
Its a gravity knife made 50´s - 60´s.
Gravity knives
R

I agree.
Ralph.

[Wagriff]

And one that's been sadly sharpened by,apparently, a bench grinder...

[Eric Zentner]

DBGM stands for Deutsches Bundes Gebrauchsmuster DGBM? I agree with above.

Eric

[Eric Zentner]

Mike it has no spring as would think of it but more of a leaf spring. Here is a link of one I tried to describe for action as no spring pushes out or returns the blade but gravity alone. As gravity can be a bitch it can also be your friend............https://www.google.com/url?q=https:/...zO3lzq2JorMIPw

Eric

[Wagriff]

It is not a Switchblade, who's blade is shot out with a cocked Spring assist and released by a lever or button. The knife you have is a Gravity knife, who's lever unlocks the blade and allows it to flip out with a motion of the wrist and gravity itself. Either way-a Switchblade and a Gravity Blade- there are Many archaic but still lustily enforced laws about either owning or carrying them in your pocket, and you would do best to check online for what laws apply in your particular community. I would Not suggest going in to your local Police station and personally Asking them, however.....

[mikekal]

Thank you all for the information you have provided.

Eric,
Great post and photos on how these knives work.

Wagriff,
Sage advice regarding carrying this, (which I did the day I picked it up). I will keep it indoors until I learn more about the law.

Mike.

[Wagriff]

Hello Mike, I just noticed that you reside in the wonderful state of Michigan. You should know, that Michigan has some of the most backwardass laws regarding knives of almost any state. A good place to start checking would be to read over Michigan State Code 750.226a. http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/mi.txt It reads pretty much to say that you can neither own nor carry any knife of these sorts and especially so if it's blade is 4 inches or more. It goes on to give the possible penalties and fines (a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years or by a fine of not more than 2,500 dollars.) It does, however,generously state that people are exempt from these laws if the knife ,tool or arrowhead is made of stone manufactured by chonchoidal fracturing) which I assume means an ancient flint knapped arrowhead....lol

So, in any case, be Careful and I wouldn't suggest talking about it much more on an open to the public forum! Good luck!