Amefa Corner!

[EMZ]

Newbridge... That's direct to Curragh! It was in a Newbridge pub that I spoke with the army bloke. really a small world.
On a sunday morning my colleague from Germany and I went by taxi from Curragh to Newbridge and somewhere in a main street we decided to go to Dublin by bus. You see, there was totally nothing to do in Newbridge on a sunday morning. It lasted more than half an hour before the bus came. But we were waiting on the wrong side of the road, so when the bus finally came, we missed it! Bloody tourists... We had many tears of laughter.

Anyway, the KL84 was the last edition of Amefa. Unfortunately I have no spare KL84, so I can't help you when you want another one. Sorry!

[Don Pablo]

Newbridge... That's direct to Curragh! It was in a Newbridge pub that I spoke with the army bloke. really a small world.
On a sunday morning my colleague from Germany and I went by taxi from Curragh to Newbridge and somewhere in a main street we decided to go to Dublin by bus. You see, there was totally nothing to do in Newbridge on a sunday morning. It lasted more than half an hour before the bus came. But we were waiting on the wrong side of the road, so when the bus finally came, we missed it! Bloody tourists... We had many tears of laughter.

Look who I found in one of my bags. 

Needs a clean, and a nice photo in the sun. 
Oh, and it seems to have the X's too, but the Amefa and X's engraving(I think that it is engraved, not stamped.  ) are kind of not very sharp, so its hard to be sure.

[Barry Rowland]

 

[Don Pablo]

I got my hands on some alox parts to play with (thanks mags!  ), and I've compared them to my 1974 Amefa.
They came from modern pioneers, and they are so much more elegant and polished than the bits and pieces on the Amefa that it's not funny! 
True, the modern parts are thinner... But it doesn't seem to make them any less robust.
The way that they are polished to a shine, with rounded edges, is soooo nice... 

I'm spoiled! 

I realise that I am comparing apples to oranges... Old parts to new parts...
Can anyone with a vintage (70's) Victorinox alox, SI, or Soldier compare it to an Amefa DAK of a similar age?
I'd like to know how 70's Victorinox alox compares to 70's Amefa in terms of fit and finish, and tool thickness. 

[Lynn LeFey]

I guess I get to join the club now.

I just won this off of ebay. Broken tip on the blade, but otherwise seems in pretty good shape, and modding blade tips turns out to be pretty easy.

This isn't my pic. It's from the ebay listing. I don't have this in-hand yet, but looking forward to comparing this to the Pioneer, and Marbles copy of the U.S.  Mil-K knife.

[Don Pablo]

I can’t wait!

[Mactire404]

I guess I get to join the club now.

I just won this off of ebay. Broken tip on the blade, but otherwise seems in pretty good shape, and modding blade tips turns out to be pretty easy.

This isn't my pic. It's from the ebay listing. I don't have this in-hand yet, but looking forward to comparing this to the Pioneer, and Marbles copy of the U.S.  Mil-K knife.

Great find! But doesn't the tip stick out of the DAK when you reprofile the edge?

[ThePeacent]

I guess I get to join the club now.

I just won this off of ebay. Broken tip on the blade, but otherwise seems in pretty good shape, and modding blade tips turns out to be pretty easy.

This isn't my pic. It's from the ebay listing. I don't have this in-hand yet, but looking forward to comparing this to the Pioneer, and Marbles copy of the U.S.  Mil-K knife.

Great find! But doesn't the tip stick out of the DAK when you reprofile the edge?

not if you drop the point enough, ala sheepsfoot or wharncliffe,  at least that's what I did to 2 SAKs similar to that one 

[Mactire404]

not if you drop the point enough, ala sheepsfoot or wharncliffe,  at least that's what I did to 2 SAKs similar to that one 

Ah right! Didn't think of that 

[Marc_in_NS]

I think it’s time to derail this thread...


What do you get when you spell Amefa backwards?

[Marc_in_NS]

Wagon...off the rails

[Lynn LeFey]

not if you drop the point enough, ala sheepsfoot or wharncliffe,  at least that's what I did to 2 SAKs similar to that one 

I got the knife in the mail today and...

Here's before/after photos of what I did.





I decided to retain as much of the factory edge as I could, so I made it a clip point. I guess it's kind of literally a clip point, since I 'clipped' the blade off. Dremel, not clippers, but same idea. The tip is VERY well recessed into the tool, with no fear of accidental stabbery... at least when closed.

I am VERY impressed with this tool. It feels solid as a rock, the layers are made of thicker stock than my modern Vic  Poineer and Farmer. It was pretty grungy when I got it, but I gave it a scrub, and got most of the gunk out. There's a bit of rust-pitting on the can opener, and a tiny spot on the flathead. The very tip of the awl's sharp edge is messed up, but these are all very minor issues. I paid $20 for it and feel it was well worth it, considering what these things were going for at the gun and knife show i went to in December.

The 'walk and talk' of the tool is incredible. The thicker layers means thicker back springs. Retention is stronger than the Vic 93mm knives I have but not the absolute ridiculous nail breaking strength of the Mil-K U.S. knife.


I wouldn't put this in the same class as Victorinox, but at least in the same league. The lower polish on the tools kind of made me feel like this is what would happen if Leatherman made a Soldier knife. Very very good, just not the same level of fit and finish as Vic.

[Don Pablo]

That clip point looks very good. 

[Ron Who]

That clip point looks very good. 

Yes it does. 

But 20 bucks! I tried to give away my Amefa KL81 DAK    but no luck sofar  .

[Mactire404]

...I decided to retain as much of the factory edge as I could, so I made it a clip point...

...I am VERY impressed with this tool. It feels solid as a rock...
The 'walk and talk' of the tool is incredible. The thicker layers means thicker back springs...

...I wouldn't put this in the same class as Victorinox, but at least in the same league...

I was equally impressed. Or more surprised maybe. I spoke a guy at a military dump shop about them when I was looking for my '84 DAK and he said they were rubbish and not worth my time and effort.
But given a good clean and oil treatment these things are a charm. The snap on those springs is very convincing.

I wonder how they would look when they have a better finish. And let's make that a test!
I'm going to get another Amefa DAK, disassemble it, finish it like Victorinox intended and put it back together. Imagine these things with a shine!

[magentus]

Here's Rons '81 DAK, which happens to be a BY DAK for El Corkscrew and will be winging its merry way across the pond at some point in the near future.

[Mactire404]

Here's Rons '81 DAK, which happens to be a BY DAK for El Corkscrew and will be winging its merry way across the pond at some point in the near future.

Ah, a flying Dutchman!

[Don Pablo]

 

[Ron Who]

Here's Rons '81 DAK, which happens to be a BY DAK for El Corkscrew and will be winging its merry way across the pond at some point in the near future.

I think Dan will know how to appreciate it more than I do. 

[Ray S]

Read this thread with a bit of interest. Until recently I had no idea that an Amefa knife was a military issue item. I have had one in my SAK drawer for many years and had no idea what country it was from. Someone posted a picture of one on another site(AAPK I think)and that is how I found out about them.
Here is a picture of the one I own.

[magentus]

Nice one Ray  Have you tested that funky can opener?

[Ray S]

Nice one Ray  Have you tested that funky can opener?

Thank you sir! No I haven't tested this particular one but I have used them before. I found the easiest way to use them is to place the blade at 90 degrees to the handle had hit the handle with your hand to pierce the can and then open it all the way and use it as normal.That way it doesn't fold back on your hand when you try to puncture the can with the blade fully opened.

[Don Pablo]

Very nice one, Ray! 
Appears to be in good condition. 

[Mactire404]

 
I really started to love Amefa. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster though. I hated them at start. Used to see them at fleamarkets all beaten up. Must be poor quality right?

Then i wanted a Victorinox birthday say and what fo you know, Ministry of Defene decided upon Amefa that very last year!

But when I got is and gave it some oil and pkayed with it, wow, what amazing knives!



Sadly, the '75 had to go. I needed money for a bag.

[EMZ]

My first government issue Amefa came in 1978 when I joined the military. I can't remember the exact KL-year, but it was probably 76 or 77.
It was surely not a bad knife, in fact it was a good knife and did what it had to do, that is slicing bread or meat, opening tin cans and bottles, (un)tightening screws and punching holes. We used the tools mainly for cleaning weaponry. Many soldiers -especially draftees- used the knives to break up monotony, which many time resulted in a broken tool...

Young men who were involuntary put on a uniform in order to get ready for an atomic war that would never happen, didn't take to much care for their equipment. Giving them the best pocket knife available is something like "casting your pearls before swine". So the Amefa did a good job, as did the Victorinox later on.

[EMZ]

Sadly, the '75 had to go. I needed money for a bag.

[mrcgofga]

Another pic.
(Image removed from quote.)

Anyone else got pics?

My birth year 74. I was looking at getting one of these but no can opener on this model. Was wondering if the bottle opener was effective enough to double as a can opener as well.

[Jim the Brave]

I guess I get to join the club now.

I just won this off of ebay. Broken tip on the blade, but otherwise seems in pretty good shape, and modding blade tips turns out to be pretty easy.

This isn't my pic. It's from the ebay listing. I don't have this in-hand yet, but looking forward to comparing this to the Pioneer, and Marbles copy of the U.S.  Mil-K knife.

I guess it's too late to tell you, that wasn't a broken blade tip--that's the small screwdriver... 

[Don Pablo]

My birth year 74. I was looking at getting one of these but no can opener on this model. Was wondering if the bottle opener was effective enough to double as a can opener as well.

Unfortunately I think not, not at least without the bottle opener making a terrible mangled mess of the can.
Good luck with your search.

I guess it's too late to tell you, that wasn't a broken blade tip--that's the small screwdriver...