Finally!! The Portable Hand!

Discuss Spyderco's products and history.
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The CoPilot
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#21

Post by The CoPilot »

I'll add this image to this thread that I ran across in my Spyderco digital files. This is an advertisement from "Popular Science" from 1977 for Sal's "Portable Hand":
1977 Popular Science Spyderco Portable Hand.jpg
><> The most important blood trail leads to the Cross <><
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Woodpuppy
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#22

Post by Woodpuppy »

Wow, 6% sales tax in 1977!
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FeistyKat
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#23

Post by FeistyKat »

Woodpuppy wrote:
Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:01 am
Wow, 6% sales tax in 1977!
Yes, it's amazing it's not much higher now.

75 cent shipping, though. Wow!
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Bloke
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#24

Post by Bloke »

FeistyKat wrote:
Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:04 am
Yes, it's amazing
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#25

Post by mb1 »

Bloke wrote:
Fri Jul 03, 2020 4:07 am
FeistyKat wrote:
Fri Jul 03, 2020 3:04 am
Yes, it's amazing
Image
:D Bloke, I rarely reply and there’s no “like” feature on this forum. So just wanted to say I appreciate your injection of humor. :spyder:

Super cool find on this piece of Glesser history! :spyder: :spyder: :spyder:
- Mark

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Belzaem
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#26

Post by Belzaem »

Donut wrote:
Mon Apr 27, 2020 8:25 pm
Maybe for the forum knife, do a sprint run of the portable hand. :P
Yes! So people can put back together their Manix and not post on this forum about their lost bearing balls or springs! :D
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sal
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#27

Post by sal »

Hi Belzaem,

Welcome to our forum.

sal
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#28

Post by N. Brian Huegel »

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sal
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#29

Post by sal »

Hi Brian,

The advantage of the Portable hand was that you could clip it to the work, like inside of a television. The instructions that came with the unit has a lot of uses.

I remember drawing that add in the Bread truck.

sal
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#30

Post by The CoPilot »

Sal:

Do you recall who made the components that went into the Portable Hand? Did you do all of the assembly yourself? Any estimates on how many Portable Hands were sold over the years?
Last edited by The CoPilot on Sat Jul 04, 2020 7:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
><> The most important blood trail leads to the Cross <><
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sal
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#31

Post by sal »

Hi CoPilot,

The center base was stamped in Southern California and sent to us. The drill rod, we cut and welded. The ball bearings, cir-clips and alligator clips were shipped in to Colorado and we carried them with us. We carried the welding tanks and the fixtures. We took the photos and printed the instructions in Indianapolis. Manufactured "on-the-road".

I guess we made a thousand or so. Eric's wants to build them again for a run. I would make some changes though.

sal
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#32

Post by The CoPilot »

Thank you,Sal.

I love hearing about the early Spyderco products and how things got started.

A new run of the Portable Hand would be great! Perhaps a 50th Anniversary edition in 2026?!
><> The most important blood trail leads to the Cross <><
C09 CoPilots My Specialty
Integrity is Being Good Even if No One is WatchingTM
Looking for: C04 Executive plain edge, C09 CoPilot plain edge with brass liners and a G-2 marked blade
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Woodpuppy
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#33

Post by Woodpuppy »

I’d be in for a portable hand! So useful...
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sal
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#34

Post by sal »

Eric's call.

sal
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#35

Post by Burton Knut »

I’m in...this thread just got another follower!
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The CoPilot
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#36

Post by The CoPilot »

Found this mention of the Portable Hand on page 23 of the old "black cover" instruction booklet for the Triangle Sharpmaker. Thought I would post it here on this thread.
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Page 23  from early Sharpmaker instructions.jpg
><> The most important blood trail leads to the Cross <><
C09 CoPilots My Specialty
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Looking for: C04 Executive plain edge, C09 CoPilot plain edge with brass liners and a G-2 marked blade
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#37

Post by DutchBlades »

Here's another reference to the portable hand for y'all :)

Image
A tiger has claws.
A wolf has teeth.
An eagle has talons.
We, have Spyderco.


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Candyman
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#38

Post by Candyman »

Couldn’t find one for years and now they are multiplying!! :) The new one I got is in pristine condition!
Image
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#39

Post by The CoPilot »

Candyman wrote:
Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:03 am
Couldn’t find one for years and now they are multiplying!! :) The new one I got is in pristine condition!
Nice! Does this second one have a story with it?

More pics, please!
><> The most important blood trail leads to the Cross <><
C09 CoPilots My Specialty
Integrity is Being Good Even if No One is WatchingTM
Looking for: C04 Executive plain edge, C09 CoPilot plain edge with brass liners and a G-2 marked blade
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Candyman
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Re: Finally!! The Portable Hand!

#40

Post by Candyman »

The CoPilot wrote:
Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:53 am
Candyman wrote:
Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:03 am
Couldn’t find one for years and now they are multiplying!! :) The new one I got is in pristine condition!
Nice! Does this second one have a story with it?

More pics, please!
I’ll definitely get more pics when I get home. Here was the response I got back from the guy I bought it from.

“I bought a bunch of old tools from a guy and it was in with them. I didn't think it was anything Special till i researched it. I got a new Snap on 3/4" drive socket set with them also from the 30s. Glad your happy with it. “

So cool to see people accidentally stumble across items like these and have no idea what they are at first.

Rich
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