Some Schrades

[mitch_mckee]

Recent purchases from Ebay. The 15OT was made about 1964!

[ea42]

Nice finds Mitch, and welcome!!

Eric

[AussieBosun]

Welcome Mitch , nice pick ups on the old timers , i fear this could be the start of your "schradaholism".....

[thawk]

Welcome Mitch. Are you stalking a 165OT by chance?

[mitch_mckee]

Welcome Mitch. Are you stalking a 165OT by chance?

Thanks for the welcome, all. I have posted in the forum a few years ago but nothing recently.

I guess that I've always owned a Schrade or two but I did decide to get a collection started. I'll post some pics of my Schrade Waldon 147 & 148 at some point. Then there are the folders, featuring a scrimshaw from 1978 that I actually bought that year.

I am indeed looking for a bargain on a 165OT. So far the selection on Ebay has been ruff, ruff.

[Codger_64]

Keep watching Mitch. Some nice ones come through there occasionally. Of course they are cheaper without the box and bling. Here is one I recently acquired.

[mitch_mckee]

Keep watching Mitch. Some nice ones come through there occasionally. Of course they are cheaper without the box and bling. Here is one I recently acquired.

Mighty fine!

[mitch_mckee]

BTW. I've been using your research to get the mfg. dates on my Schrades. I do appreciate the effort that went into all of that.

[Codger_64]

BTW. I've been using your research to get the mfg. dates on my Schrades. I do appreciate the effort that went into all of that.

While I may get the credit for collating, writing and posting the research, I assure you that it has been a group effort. I am glad that I have been able to add to the resources here. Don't forget to check the collector's archive site built and maintained by Larry Vickery (lrv).

http://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/

[mitch_mckee]

While I may get the credit for collating, writing and posting the research, I assure you that it has been a group effort. I am glad that I have been able to add to the resources here. Don't forget to check the collector's archive site built and maintained by Larry Vickery (lrv).

http://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/

Been there, spent a good two hours browsing the old catalogs looking for my antiques.

[mitch_mckee]

Mr. Codger, Yoda of the Schrade Jedi, I made a w.a.g. concerning my 15OT being made about 1964. Serial number 52449, Came with the sheath with the six eyelets with the leather wrap. MarkedSchrade-Walden N.Y. U.S.A. on the starboard side. 15OT Pat. Pending and the serial number on the port side.

I guessed made in 1964 or 1965. Am I close?

[Codger_64]

Mr. Codger, Yoda of the Schrade Jedi, I made a w.a.g. concerning my 15OT being made about 1964. Serial number 52449, Came with the sheath with the six eyelets with the leather wrap. MarkedSchrade-Walden N.Y. U.S.A. on the starboard side. 15OT Pat. Pending and the serial number on the port side.

I guessed made in 1964 or 1965. Am I close?

Yes. The design patent issued November 9th, 1965. They would have likely stopped the pat. pend mark about then. If your sheath is the first design (composit leather, fiber and aluminum insert, laced edge, waffle imprint), it is likely to be an early one. The sheaths were changed shortly after introduction because of durability problems.




Eyelets were soon added to protect the laces from the blade.

[mitch_mckee]

Mine came with the eyelets. Smooth leather.

[Codger_64]

I've not done a comprehensive survey of 15OT serial numbers. Quite possibly, your sheath was a replacement bought by the original owner, or mated with the knife by a subsequent owner/collector. If I go strictly by the production records to apply serials, your knife would have been produced in 1970. The 15OT was a slow seller in the beginning, selling 6,000 pieces or less per year for the first four years (1964-1967). Not until 1968 did they sell more than 10,000 pieces in a single year. The sales built slowly after that until 1972 when 26,036 pieces sold. That was a total of 62,195 from 1964 through 1970.

[mitch_mckee]

Odd paradox. The "Pat. Pend." hints that it was made about 1964-1965 but the serial number might indicate late 1960's. Unless the factory made 60k of them in 1965-5 and sold them by serial number I can't think of a reason.

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

Unless the factory made 60k of them in 1965-5 and sold them by serial number I can't think of a reason.

Sounds like a good working hypothesis to me. I can't comment on this period but boy could Schrade crank out a lot of knives by the late '70s, early '80s if LB7 production numbers are any indication. Sixty thousand in two years? I have no idea but I'd be interested in finding out as well.