165OT Shikari Research

[Codger_64]

For quite some time… since 2005 in fact… I have tracked a standard Schrade Walden 165OT with an sfo (special factory order) shield "Shikari" (which is Hindi for "Great Hunter", loosely translated). It's only other special feature is the golden-yellowish "pigskin" color and textured sheath with a luggage/purse fastener on the stone pouch. Noteworthy is that the Uncle Henry 165UH and it's stone pouch sheath (snap fastened) were not being produced as these were being made. Production on the 165UH began in 1969. The special order customer, Norm Thompson (thanks to Bladeforums member Joel), has finally been identified thru old magazine ads even though the box, papers and production quantity have eluded us.

Eric’s example:

The first ad, chronologically, was from Outdoor Life Magazine’s November, 1966 edition. The second one was from the Outdoor Life February, 1967 edition.

This four month ad spread is all we know about the longevity of the seller’s, Norm Thompson, ordering and marketing of the Shikari 165’s at this time (other than the interesting detail of the Norm Thompson offering’s price of $27.50 postpaid, as compared to the Schrade Walden catalog price for the standard production knife of $20.00, the Belknap price of $22.00, and Alexander Sales Corp price of $17.50).

The exact quantity produced is only vaguely known by the serial number spread observed to date of #523 - #7087, all within the 1966-68 timeframe. Since they at least appear to be serialized pieces from the regular production run (only custom shielded), the serial numbers were likely randomly chosen from the production line and therefore not consecutive or inclusive. Production pieces with the regular shields and sheaths have been observed within the span of serials seen on the Shikaris.

All of the Shikaris are Schrade Waldens with the tangstamps on the left side of the blade (SCHRADE over WALDEN over 165). Also, all have relatively low serial numbers. There are regular production Old Timers mingled in with those numbers, so, as mentioned, there was likely not a dedicated number series just for these Shikari shielded knives.

The Shikari sheaths were unique in that they had luggage spring-button type fasteners on the stone pockets, and were pigskin textured golden yellow leather. Since only eight have been sighted and recorded so far, the jury is still out on the complete story behind these knives (excepting the important evidence provided by Joel on dates!), but it is safe to say they were likely all made during 1966-67.

Here is the regular production 165OT from that period.

Some time after the first 19-20,000 production knives were made, the tang stamps changed to blade right, then serializing ceased, then the name changed from Schrade Walden to Schrade. #20735 is the highest number I've seen serialized so far though they may have gone higher.

Shikari Serials recorded to date:

#00160 (Walden L, Shikari shield)
#00266 (Walden L, Shikari shield)
#00523 (Walden L, Shikari shield)
#00953 (Walden L, Shikari shield)*
#01018 (Walden L, Shikari shield)
#01714 (Walden L, Shikari shield)
#02200 (Walden L, Shikari shield)*
#02265 (Walden L, Shikari shield)
#02267 (Walden L, Shikari shield)
#02607 (Walden L, Shikari shield)
#02953 (Walden L, Shikari Shield)
#07087 (Walden L, Shikari Shield)




The two with asterisks (#00953 & #02200) are in my collection and evidently are a 1966 and a 1967 production. These are all of the Shikaris I've noted in the past three years or so. And evidently all were made early on (1966-67). There were 1,237 165OT made in 1966 (#0001 - #01237), and were 4,165 165OT made in 1967 (#01238 - #05402). I believe the year-end production figures included sfo pieces for Thompson and others (possibly Hoffritz with an etch). I also have the regular Old Timer Woodsman 165 knives from 1967 (#04533), 1968 (#09469, #13134, #16239) and 1969 (#18685).

Michael

 

[6.0stroker]

I look at these knives in amazment not so much the product its self, although beautiful, but the research and history you have invested in them and moreover so graciously allow us all to view and more importanly, IMHO, learn from. Thanks,Shawn

 

[Codger_64]

Shawn, I'm glad you appreciate the knives and the research I do. But as you can see from just this one subject posting, the research is never a solo effort. I did not create the knives or the history behind them. I did not personally save the records used from destruction and see to it that they were placed in the hands of someone who would use them to educate people for other than monetary gain. I certainly have had a lot of help sifting, digitizing and preserving them. And as you can see, I get a great amount of help from other forum members who are willing to spend a bit of their own knife funds on old magazines, catalogs and photography in order to add to the collective body of Schrade knowledge that can be found on this forum and the Collectors of Schrades archive website. No, I just pull the pieces together and write it for the pleasure of writing it, and to help others answer their questions about Imperial Schrade, the associated companies, the knives, and the people behind them. For the price of a basic membership here, you have open access to the largest encyclopedia of Schrade knives ever produced. I am happy to play a small part in all of this.

Michael

 

[DaveinNY]

Inspired by Joel's post I started going through some old NRA magazines and found a couple of interesting facts. It looks like Shikari was a house brand of Norm Thompson. His early Shikari hunting knife shows in American Rifleman 1963, but made by a Lee Olsen, same basic design as the Schrade. He even had a Shikari clothing line as a 1964 magazine ad features a wide brim safari hat with that name. In another issue dated 1965 I found an ad that states that the K-77 was first introduced by Norm Thompson. It does not say when it was intruduced, only that thousands are now in use. Could the K-77 have been another Thompson house brand? Someday I will have to get me one of those scanner gadets.

 

[ea42]

Awesome research Codger, Joel, and Dave, you guys are quite the sleuths! It's amazing how many companies SFO'd Schrades in one form or the other. I recently saw a Schrade-Walden sterling gentleman's knife on Ebay that was sold by Tiffany. Even had a Tiffany etch on the handles and came in a classic blue Tiffany box. Now I wish I'd have tried for it!

Eric

 

[Codger_64]

Founded in 1949 by Norm Thompson Sr., Norm Thompson started out selling hand-tied fishing flies and other goods to sportsmen and later added items such as hand-knit sweaters, accessories, gourmet foods, and gifts. By the 1990s the company was well respected in the mail order community for its commitment to the environment and advocacy of printing on recycled paper. The business had been run by Peter Alport, the son-in-law of founder Norm Thompson Sr., since the early 1950s. Alport sold the business in 1973 to Parker Pens. Longtime Norm Thompson employee John Emrick, with some friends and family, bought the company back in 1981. Though he tried “semiretirement” in the 1990s, Emrick basically ran Norm Thompson until it was acquired by Golden Gate Capital in March (2006).


It seems that they tried to shift their market like Abercrombie & Fitch, Eddie Baur and others, going from a genuine outfitter for genuine outdoorsmen to fitting yuppies with upscale "outdoors fashions" and missed the mark. Or the market.