The Model 5 Page

Specs:

Blade Length: 5.5" Weight: 8 oz.

Blade Thickness: .215" (7/32") Sheath: Leather

Overall Length: 10" Blade Steel: 0170-6, 1095, 52-100

Rc: 57-59

The Standard handle materials were:

Classic (Leather), Dymar, Chestnut, Sambar Stag, and Micarta.

   As you can see in the specs listed above there are three different types of steels listed. That is because over the years the steel type that was used did change. Though factory literature always stated that the steel type was 0170-6 this was not always true. Sometime around 1993 the company was forced to switch to 1095 since 0170-6 (which really is just a modified version of 1095) was no longer available. This is due to the fact that Sharon Steel which was the company that made 0170-6 ceased operations sometime in 1992.  In the final few years once again the steel type switched to 52-100. According to Mike Stewart this final change started in about 1994. By the time the company ceased operations 52-100 was used in all of the classic models with the exception of the TrailGuide and Chukker.

    It seems appropriate to start this page with a very early example of a model 5 knife.  The earliest of the Randall inspired BlackJack knives were actually made by the now defunct Western cutlery company. I know they made the first 1-7s and I believe that they also made the first of the Model 5s as well. In fact I feel that this particular example is one that they made due to the fact that the Western made knives hand more of a taper to the handles as this one does and the top and bottom portion of the guards were not proportioned the same as those of the Effingham made examples.  There was no thong hole on the Western made knives or the first of the Effingham made knives. Another thing I have noticed are that the butt caps on the Western knives, are not as rounded as the later knives that were made in house.

    Below is a typical example of the Model 5 with Micarta handle. Popularity wise these ranked 3rd with Leather being the most popular material followed by Stag. The Micarta handled knives were more popular than the wood and Dymar handled knives.

photos courtesy of  Steve Copeland

photos courtesy of  Steve Copeland

    Here is a nice example of a standard  model 5 with Silverwood handle. Silverwood is fairly rare on all the BlackJack models. It was not very popular when the company was still in business but is a personal favorite of mine. I guess its just one of those love it or hate it type of things.

Below is the section of the 1995 brochure that the factory put out that shows the Model 5.

    Here is an example in Dymar from the current incarnation of the BlackJack company which is now based in WV. The company that actually makes these knives is headed up by the former owner of the original company. Thus these have the same flair as the original models.

photos courtesy of Jack Gault

    This one just goes to show you that when someone tells you that BlackJack never made any of those there is a real good chance they are wrong. From what I can piece together there were no more than 25 of these made in each handle materials that was used. I have not been able to discover just how many different handle materials were used Thus far I have seen them in leather, and Silverwood.  I started trying to find one of these in the last year that BlackJack was still in business. It only took 5 years to find the first one which went to good friend.  I was able to find the leather handled example which is show below, 6 months after I found the first one which is the Silverwood variation shown below. I am fairly sure that Micarta is another material that was used. This is based on the fact that Micarta was used on the equally rare Skinner Subhilt variation. If anyone knows of any other verifications please email the site by using the link shown at the bottom of this page. 

photo courtesy of  Tom Carey

photos courtesy of  Tom Carey

photo courtesy of  Tom Carey

photo courtesy of  Tom Carey