140OT Old Timer Trail Boss with Laminated Wood Handles Mint.

L

Larry303

Joined
Jul 28, 2005
Messages
2,209
G'Day I just purchased #300057522624 which came off the display board.Its a 140OT Trail Boss and has laminated wood handles and it is stated its a sample knife.Questions: Is this likely to be a full tang knife,and is it likely to be a genuine 1 of 1,given the other Trail Boss's I have ,have TPR Safe-T-Grip handles.
Robert Clemente states first date of production 1995 and many different handle materials were researched before deciding on Green TPR.Given catalog price$43.95 in 2003 and I paid $66, I reckon this could be a reasonable deal. Anyone else seen one? Hoo Roo
 
Larry, I've not seen a sample order for that knife. It would take the appearance here of the one who ordered it, or the one who made it to answer the questions about your knife.

Since the closing and auction in October of 2004, we who watch Schradebay have been treated to the viewing and speculation as to the history of many odd knives. Quite a few of us own an example of one pattern or another that was made as a one-off sample (erroniously called a prototype). I have the 165OT mate to that knife, and have seen 153, 152, 15, and a lot more patterns rendered with the dark laminated handles, both hidden and exposed tangs.

If I had to speculate...I'd say the likely scenario went something like this:

Mgmt: "I have a meeting set up here next month with the buyers from (fill in the blank, possibly Ducks Unlimited, Sears, etc.)We need two sets of rigid blade samples made up with laminated wood handles. One set light wood, oak or maple, and one set darker wood. Put the coined oval shield in a few just to show how it would look for each color. Use some of the older patterns and some of the latest, a good mix. They are known to order their annual hallmark knives from our discontinued lines."

Thus a knife roll containing a spectrum of blade shapes and styles with laminated wood handles was created and shown to several buyers over the years.

Michael... speculating...:foot:
 
.....nothing premature about your speculation mate! Thanks for the info, I find the hidden tang interesting and am looking forward to receiving it. Would you like to go swapsies my 140OT for your 165OT?
The same vendor sent me half dozen excellent photos of 2OT and 3OT set he was considering selling...now they are a set of knives! Beautiful boxed set.
Should I get him to send some photos to Larry Vickery for the Schrade site?
He is also in Tennessee. Hoo Roo.
 
Larry303
I'll take any pictures... That 3OT is a beauty. I have a great copy of the 2OT
on my site.
Thanks

Larry
 
G'Day Larry, The owner has authorised the use of the photos on our forum and in your site.I have this authority in writing and you make contact him if you wish. I will supply his email address if you wish to contact me. He lives in Tennessee in the good ole' USA. Hoo Roo mate.
 
Larry303 said:
...Would you like to go swapsies my 140OT for your 165OT?...
Click to expand...

Nah.. I guess not. The 165 pattern is one of my favorites, and I still need several to make the collection complete. Like the Ducks Unlimited issue, and the U.S. Tobacco Copenhagen issue.

I'd bet the blade and construction on the wood handled 140OT is the same as on the production knife, the tang being the same slip fit retained by the brass ferrule in the thong hole. I've considered making a stabilized wood handle like that for one of my blanks.

By the way, the 147OT I won for cheap from eBay arrived, and after a brief intro to my tool shop, it resides in the kitchen taking up where the broken knife left off. I removed the last 3 inches of the blade and reprofiled the tip.

A 147OTO landed on my doorstep today from Australia too. Roo hoo mate! And a Murrey Christmas to you too! Murrey, by the way, was the kangaroo with the orange nose that led Santa's sleigh through Australian skies. Orange like the handle on this 147OT fillet knife. Now I have to do a bit of checking to when those were made. So far, I've only looked at 1994. They shipped fifty each of the 147OTO, 141OTO, and 142OTO that year. And still had 250 of each in inventory at year end..



Michael
 
Great to hear! I trust you showed the respect to the parcel by opening only with your Schrade 897UH! Remember tell your knives to be tolerant as it only speaks "dinkum true blue Aussie mate!How ya' goin mate." Hoo Roo
 
Better than that. It was opened with my new/old circa 1959 Ulster Craftsman #9470 4" bone handled serpentine stockman with the long match strike nick that looks like croc teeth.



Michael
 
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