JIMMY_MAC
02-19-2009, 09:33 PM
The twenty - fifth Dalton of the Week is the Assassin. The first information on the Assassin, along with a scan, was released on September 23, 2003. The ASSASSIN is huge at 13.25" overall length. There is a pocket clip and this model is not serialized. The ASSASSIN has a lot of nice little details that we haven't seen before. Besides the sculpted handles and the scallops on the front bolster, the button is dome-headed and the button cutout is "ringed". The very first prototype of the Assassin did not have the blade that we are now familiar with. The full dagger grind went almost to the bolster on this prototype, but the upper edge was not sharp. Here is a scan of that first prototype, which was not released to the public:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/assassinp1.jpg
The following day, and before we had a chance to post the above picture above on the forum, Mr. D. changed the blade to a double edged design that was sharpened on both sides. "DALTON" and "ASSASSIN" were engraved onto the front of the blade, and "USA" was engraved on the back of the blade. He also added an unsharpened area near the bolster so it could be closed with some degree of safety. The difference you will see between this one and the final production version is that the unsharpened area is not scalloped on both sides. As far as I know, this piece was not released to the public. It is also possible that it was modified to the final design - so it may no longer exist.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/assassinp2.jpg
The first production Assassins had black handles. This blade is also sharp on both sides - so be very, very careful when handling and closing this knife ! The scalloped part of the blade behind the sharp edges is there to help close the knife and the blade sits completely within the handle when closed, so it can't cut you. With three notable exceptions, all of the Proto marked Assassins came from this batch. Proto markings were generally on the back side of the blade.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/assassin2.jpg
The next variant of the Assassin had red handles with veins of silver and blue. Two of them had Proto markings.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/redass1.jpg
The following variant was a small run (33 pieces) of the red handles (with veins of silver and blue) and full satin blades. One of these had a Proto marking.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/redass2.jpg
Finally, a small run (28 pieces) of damascus bladed Assassins was built. They were made in both the solid black and red/silver/blue handles, and four damascus patterns were used. Most of these used Swedish Damasteel in the Infinity and TNT patterns (25 pieces). One was made with Stamascus San Mai. Two other pieces were made with another Stamascus pattern. The damascus Assassins were delivered to the dealers just before Thanksgiving of 2003. They were the last of the Assassins made. Here is a scan of the four damascus patterns that were used:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/assassinblades.jpg
This is the San Mai damascus Assassin:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/dam1small.jpg
Dimensions of the production Assassins:
OAL: 13 - 1/4"
Blade length: 6"
Length of sharpened portion of the blade: 4 - 5/8"
Handle Length/Length closed: 7 - 1/4"
Blade Thickness: 0.125"
Handle Thickness: 0.497" (excluding clip and pivot)
The total run of Assassins was 392 pieces. 264 pieces had black handles and 128 pieces had red handles with veins of silver and blue. These numbers are the total number of handle sets made. Following are the Assassin variants and quantities that I am aware of.
Black handled Prototype with unsharpened upper edge (1)
Black handled Prototype with unscalloped area (1?)
Black handled with Proto markings (estimate less than 20)
Black handled without Proto markings (unknown - 264 total black handled pieces)
Red handled (silver and blue veins) with Proto markings and beadblast blades (2)
Red handled (silver and blue veins) with Proto marking and satin blade (1)
Red handled (silver and blue veins) without Proto marking and with satin blade (32)
Red handled (silver and blue veins) without Proto marking with beadblast blade (less than 93)
Black handled with San Mai damascus blade (1)
Black or red handled with the other Stamascus pattern (2)
Black or red handled with Damasteel Infinity or TNT patterns (25)
Many thanks to the Daltons for providing the details and the numbers for this DOTW!!
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/assassinp1.jpg
The following day, and before we had a chance to post the above picture above on the forum, Mr. D. changed the blade to a double edged design that was sharpened on both sides. "DALTON" and "ASSASSIN" were engraved onto the front of the blade, and "USA" was engraved on the back of the blade. He also added an unsharpened area near the bolster so it could be closed with some degree of safety. The difference you will see between this one and the final production version is that the unsharpened area is not scalloped on both sides. As far as I know, this piece was not released to the public. It is also possible that it was modified to the final design - so it may no longer exist.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/assassinp2.jpg
The first production Assassins had black handles. This blade is also sharp on both sides - so be very, very careful when handling and closing this knife ! The scalloped part of the blade behind the sharp edges is there to help close the knife and the blade sits completely within the handle when closed, so it can't cut you. With three notable exceptions, all of the Proto marked Assassins came from this batch. Proto markings were generally on the back side of the blade.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/assassin2.jpg
The next variant of the Assassin had red handles with veins of silver and blue. Two of them had Proto markings.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/redass1.jpg
The following variant was a small run (33 pieces) of the red handles (with veins of silver and blue) and full satin blades. One of these had a Proto marking.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/redass2.jpg
Finally, a small run (28 pieces) of damascus bladed Assassins was built. They were made in both the solid black and red/silver/blue handles, and four damascus patterns were used. Most of these used Swedish Damasteel in the Infinity and TNT patterns (25 pieces). One was made with Stamascus San Mai. Two other pieces were made with another Stamascus pattern. The damascus Assassins were delivered to the dealers just before Thanksgiving of 2003. They were the last of the Assassins made. Here is a scan of the four damascus patterns that were used:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/assassinblades.jpg
This is the San Mai damascus Assassin:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/km4yk/dam1small.jpg
Dimensions of the production Assassins:
OAL: 13 - 1/4"
Blade length: 6"
Length of sharpened portion of the blade: 4 - 5/8"
Handle Length/Length closed: 7 - 1/4"
Blade Thickness: 0.125"
Handle Thickness: 0.497" (excluding clip and pivot)
The total run of Assassins was 392 pieces. 264 pieces had black handles and 128 pieces had red handles with veins of silver and blue. These numbers are the total number of handle sets made. Following are the Assassin variants and quantities that I am aware of.
Black handled Prototype with unsharpened upper edge (1)
Black handled Prototype with unscalloped area (1?)
Black handled with Proto markings (estimate less than 20)
Black handled without Proto markings (unknown - 264 total black handled pieces)
Red handled (silver and blue veins) with Proto markings and beadblast blades (2)
Red handled (silver and blue veins) with Proto marking and satin blade (1)
Red handled (silver and blue veins) without Proto marking and with satin blade (32)
Red handled (silver and blue veins) without Proto marking with beadblast blade (less than 93)
Black handled with San Mai damascus blade (1)
Black or red handled with the other Stamascus pattern (2)
Black or red handled with Damasteel Infinity or TNT patterns (25)
Many thanks to the Daltons for providing the details and the numbers for this DOTW!!