I’m a new Elite member on several self-appointed missions - one of which is to be an advocate of the .41 Special as a viable revolver cartridge to fill a niche here, and another - for any knife-nuts out there - to have some maker re-design and offer modern versions of Barry Wood’s “tri-fold” knife from the '60s, which was essentially a 3-piece folder that converted to a fixed-blade, using no springs or locking device. I recently saw an original $60 Colt/Wood model offered online for $600, which is ridiculous. For the curious, look for Elmer Keith’s bio on his development of the .41 magnum - one of the biggest firearms flops in history. I 'd also like to ask for some help - after blowing over a $100 for holsters for my PK380, does anyone make a cordura iwb holster for it with a thumb-break or safety snap-strap - WITHOUT the pouch for an extra magazine? I despise leather and Kydex, but I’m getting sick headaches from shopping. Thanks & adios.
Welcome to the family and we are happy to have you here, be blessed.
Welcome to the family brother! You may want to change the title of this thread. The USCCA is a public forum. Any visitors can see that.
I have never seen that Barry wood design, but I am a fan of long range friction folders. If you find one, or get one made with an extended Tang, your palm makes it a fixed blade when open. My grandpa had a .41 revolver when I was a kid. Unfortunately, it developed a crack in the frame behind the cylinder, and I didn’t see the pistol when I visited after that 
I haven’t seen a .41 since since 1990 a very nice Ruger BH. Nothing wrong with the round but I think that would be a resurrection from the dead. LOL 
Welcome. Why do you want to resurrect the .41? Are there no current blades that would suffice…or are you just a weirdo like the rest of us?
Look up “Barry Wood Knives” online - you’ll see at least three videos - one from a collector, & two on copies made by Bali-Song/Pacific - now Benchmade - from the '70s - if you have U-Tube. Look closely at the “locking” device inside the butt on the Piranha" video. Also look for one on the Wood/Colt folder - one of two collaborations Wood formed. The other was with Bob Loveless, but didn’t last a year. Keith’s two cartridges were based on the .41 Colt, but Remington opted for the magnum version, which they & S & W tried to market to law enforcement.
That is a very interesting design! I might have to try to make that 
Keith offered Remington the Special and the magnum at the time, but S&W and Remington opted to collaborate on the magnum- they tried to market these to police departments with officers used to carrying .38s and .357s., with disastrous results. I think the .41 Special would have optimum ballistics versus the .38 & the .44 Specials, especially with heavy bullet loads (180/200-grains), and might create a brief resurgence in revolver shooting. If you have UTube and look up “Barry Wood Knives”, you’ll see at least three videos on this design - look closely at the one on the Bali-Song/Pacific “Piranha” for the “locking” device - you NEVER have to touch the blade to open/close it - you can’t - making it the SAFEST design I’ve ever seen. One of the shapes I’ve envisioned for it is based on Rough Ryder’s “Cub” mini-lockback. I’m as serious about these two projects as an effing heart attack. Form follows function. Adios.
I’ve contacted Lynn Thompson @ Cold Steel & United Cutlery so far - look up “Barry Wood Knives” online & watch the videos - especially on the “Piranha” with blue translucent scales - you never have to touch the blade to open/close it. SAFE! Form follows function. Adios
Not in the Special - all we heard about back then was about how the magnum was the ultimate stopper. I think that the Special would have optimum ballistics with heavy bullet loads (180-200 grains) versus heavies in the .38/.45. This is the “niche” I wrote about - it might create a resurgence in revolver shooting, if only brief. Adios.
Thanks - now that I’m 70, & a cranky, creaky old fart, I’d like to see at least one of my ideas appear before I assume room temperature. Vamos, amigos!
Interesting knife design.
I"ve envisioned this in three versions, and have contacted Lynn Thompson @ Cold Steel & United Cutlery to consider it - this is the safest folding design I’ve ever seen.
Yes, it is an interesting design. I do not like it, though, as it requires both hands to open and it is much slower to open than a finger flipper. That design could never be an EDC for me. How strong is the locking device? I can’t tell how well it locks in the video. My carry knives have liner locks that have very positive locks, slip all the way behind the back end of the blade. Both use ball bearings, making them very smooth and quick to open, and no play.
I agree. Notable and cool, but I think that it would have survived if it were truly better. Single hand open and close is a requirement for me.
I picked this long-forgotten design because of its inherent simplicity - it’s easy to keep clean, & you never have to touch the blade, making it a very safe design. I’ve seen a Wood/Colt offered online for $600 - for a knife made in the '60s or '70s that retailed for $60 then - ridiculous! The “locking” mechanism is a ball-bearing or a pin or a combo of both that provide more of a detente. All three pieces revolve around a sturdy, central 1/4" pin - a very strongly-constructed design. Adios.
These were made in the '60s& '70s - our $$ had much more buying power, but $50+ for ANY knife was considered a waste of $$ except to aficianados. I chose this design for its simplicity, & for its safety. The cheap copies made like the “Piranha” were interesting, but novelties @ the time. This deserves another serious look, given the modern steels and grip materials we have today. Adios.