1973 Schrade-Walden 171UH?

K

ky40601

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Mar 19, 2008
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Believe I read that there's two models of the S-W 171UH. Those prior to 1973 and the 1973 model. I believe this latest acquisition is the 1973 model.

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Jackie
 
Correct. Arnold, who recently left us, was our resident 171 collector and pretty well had the production pinned down. He concentrated on the ones with the bird's head pommel.

171UH Uncle Henry Pro Hunter
History Research

The Schrade Uncle Henry 171UH Pro Hunter is a classic, though fairly rare pattern, and one of the larger Schrade fixed blade knives. The 171UH was first introduced in the 1971 catalog and was produced for thirteen years, being discontinued after the 1983 catalog year. It was manufactured for an additional two years in 1990 thru 1991 before being discontinued again.

During the first production run, it was made with the SCHRADE-WALDEN tang stamp for two and a half years before the name changed to Schrade Cutlery and the tang stamp SCHRADE. This tang stamp was used for the remainder of the first run, and also during the brief two year reintroduction. In the 1971 catalog it was referred to as the "BIG PRO HUNTER" (The name later changed to "PRO HUNTER"), and sold for $25.00. It remained $25.00 through 1972, and in the Schrade Walden catalog in early '73, then was listed at $26.50 in the midyear Schrade Cutlery catalog. 1974-'76 the price was $30.00, then $40.00 for 1977 thru 1979. In 1980 it listed for $42.95, $44.95 in 1981, and finally $49.95 in 1982-'83. It sold for $79.95 in 1990 when reintroduced and the final price in 1991 was still $79.95. Limited editions and commemorative of this knife were produced.

The first 171UH's when introduced in 1971 had an aluminum or nickle silver birds head pommel. Not long after the introduction, the birds head pommel was dropped and it had the squared brass pommel. The 1990-'91 issues had a blade etch "Schrade" over "Super Sharp". Some were serialized on the front of the pile side guard. Serial numbers I have seen so far were #13843 - #95259, though this is by no means a complete survey of the numbers issued. This pattern is a hidden tang Staglon handled knife with a brass pommel cap on the later issues, having a mounting screw much like the 153UH Golden Spike. I have not disassembled a 171UH, but on the 153UH the screw threads into a cylindrical bushing in the tang.

The handle design, both shape and texture, is very similar to the earlier '49er series.

The blade is 5 ½" long, early knives being 1095HC high carbon steel, and later ones being “rust resistant high carbon steel” (same as Schrade+), sabre ground clip point, nearly 1 ½" wide and thick of spine making a very sturdy knife. None of the pre-1974 knives have the “Schrade+” stamp, and I have not seen later ones with it.

There are no known predecessors or descendants of this particular pattern, and unlike most Uncle Henry knives, it does not have an Old Timer counterpart. The one piece brass guard curves toward the rear at it's lower end. The complete knife weighs 12.6 ounces, the sheath another 5 ½ ounces making the full carry weight over a pound. It is 10 ½" total length without the sheath.

All of the first issues, and most of the second came with a flat stitched stone pocket sheath with sharpening stone. Brass snaps were most commonly used for the securing strap and stone pockets, but one sheath has been seen using nickle silver instead. No rivets were used around the stitching. Some of the last came with a simple flat stitched sheath with no stone pocket. The ones I have seen have no rivets finishing the stitching at the sheath throat, and use nickle silver snaps. They also have the handle retainer strap with the cover snap on the left side, and the male portion on the right. This same strap orientation has been used on all of the 171UH stone pocket sheaths I have examined. The sheaths of both types have had the strap simply fed through two vertical slots die stamped in the belt hanger and not retained with a rivet, so it is possible that an owner might change the orientation themselves. This unattached condition resulted in strap loss on some sheaths, as well as some straps being fed through the slots incorrectly.

Since I recently acquired the #02432 Birds head pommel Pro Hunter from a fellow forum member (they were breeding in his collection and threatened to take over), I will be in touch with Sheathmaker for a custom/classic sheath for this knife. Yas, I think basketweave to match the 165 and 15OT sheaths he has made for me.

Did you know that the name "Pro Hunter" not only was used on this 171UH, but also the PH series, and was the first advertised name for the 165UH Prospector circa 1968? I think there was an Imperial knife with this name as well, possibly a folder.
Click to expand...
 
i have just received my first SCHRADE/U.S.A. 171UH, serial# 93498 with the Schrade/Super-Sharp etch making it '90-'91 vintage. there is a Phillips screw in the brass pommel. it comes with sheath with stone pocket and stone.
the steel looks like non stainless to me as it has a patina and some surface pitting, but from above Codger info this is not possible.
the handle is "fat", i.e. large girth. larger than any other Schrade FB that i have seen(own), and is a bit too big to fit comfortably in my hand for any extended work(like fully dressing out a deer). i assume this large handle size is to match the beefy blade, but i wonder if it kept sales down, many finding the handle too large for comfort ?
it's 0230 hrs and the full moon is not quite enough for pics. but i will try to take/post pics later. roland
 
rprocter said:
...the steel looks like non stainless to me as it has a patina and some surface pitting, but from above Codger info this is not possible...
roland
Click to expand...

I never said "always" or "never"! Have we not learned that about Schrade knives (and blade steels) yet? ;) ALL of the second issue may not have had the etch. The Super Sharp slogan was an on-again-off-again use by Schrade over the years. I have not been able yet to make rhyme or reason of it's use or non-use. I apologize if I gave the wrong impression above. As a rule of thumb, if it has the "+" after "SCHRADE", it is stainless. If not, it could be stainless or carbon. Most of the first production was carbon, as with the 153UH and the 165UH.

Michael
 
Larry,

Beautiful knife. I have to get me one of them. Love them Schrade-Walden's.

Jackie
 
Michael what i understood you to say was that the "Super-Sharp" etch was only on the knives of the 90 - 91 re-issue and that the switch to stainless in the 171 occured earlier, sometime during the 73 - 83 (Schrade ones, not SW) period. did i get that right ? pics coming. roland
 
here is my 171UH. last pic shows Schrade/Super-Sharp etch as it is: very faint. (i didn't see it at first). if there is anything here to suggest it is not from the 90-91 re-issue, please speak up. thanks, roland
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Michael,

Thanks for the information.

I was going through the catalogs over at Larry's Web Site and it has 171UH listed in the 1970 catalog as "Pro Hunter".

Forgot to add, that on the Schrade-Walden 171UH I have in an indented square on the guard it has serial number 20062 on one side and scripted "Uncle Henry" on the other.

Jackie
 
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Roland, I don't think there is any doubt that your knife is 1095HC carbon steel. Here is the flyer announcing the second production in 1989:
25fkfsw.jpg


I don't see detail differences between your knife and the example in the flier, but I only have two of these. One is the serial #02432 which has the bird's head pommel and the other is the later square pommel serial #71511 and the UH signature stamped into the guard face right. It also has the Uncle Henry signature stamped into the face of guard right. Due to condition, I have no way of knowing if either originally had the blade etch. One, the older, has a deep patina. The newer has been buffed to remove pitting.

Michael
 
Thanks Codger. the flyer does state "Carbon Cutlery Steel" which usually means non-stainless, but there is 1 difference between my knife and 1989 flyer.
Blade etch on flyer is above Sabre grind line and on my 171 is below the grind line.
is this significant ? or did blade etch locations vary within a production run ?
i.e. manufacturing specifications did not state etch could only be placed in a specific spot ?
with serial# 93498, and #95259 being the highest you have seen, should put my knife as one of the later ones. roland
 
I personally don't see any significance to the exact position of the etch on the photo (which was probably a pre-production photo sample, or even an example left over from the first production) and yours. Again, use of the etch was an on and off thing from what I have seen. It could have been used in the later years of first production as well as some of the second production run. I have a mint new in the box unmolested 160OT which does not have the etch, and it was produced at the same time as the second production 171UH's.

I do not, as stated above, have enough authenticated examples to state for sure production detail changes on this pattern. Were all...or any... of the second production serialized? I don't know. The member who specialized in this pattern, my friend Arnold Rogers, is no longer with us. Research his posts to review what he learned from his examples and shared here.
 
reviewing the old 171UH posts reveals: SW with bird's head pommel had the Schrade/Super-Sharp blade etch (i.e. etch was not limited to later production only); and the production numbers show 122,391 made by end of 1983.(ref. Codger post)
if all were given a serial # then mine (93498) would be from this first run, not the '90-'91 re-issue.
does anyone have a 171UH WITHOUT a serial # ? i.e. were all serialized, even the 90-91 re-issue ?
and thanks to Jackie for starting this thread same day my 171 arrived. hope you are o.k. with my semi hijack here. roland
 
rprocter,

You didn't hijack this thread. This is what keeps a forum going. You added to it. It must been descant because mine arrived a day prior.

I have a pre-1973 Schrade-Walden 171UH with the birds head pommel and blade etching en route. Can't make out the etching in the seller's pictures but will post picture as soon as it arrive.

Love this kind of stuff. A wealth of information from good people.

Jackie
 
Great knife up top Jackie, that one I need to complete my collection, a S-W second style edition. I had been thinking about why some of the 171's have a much lower or higher cut swedge than others, some are shallow cut others are much more pronounced.
maybe the shallow cut swedges were from the re-issue later down the line. This maybe another who knows!

Russell

171uhsheathyh7.jpg


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Russell,

Thanks. You know I came close not getting it because I thought it was a modified, cut-down bird's head pommel. Good thing I did a little research over in Larry's site and noticed that there were two different 171UH's pommels. Almost past it up.

Now, your collection is out of this world. They're just fantastic and such excellent pictures. Really, like that earlier Schrade-Walden.

I noticed the difference in the blades, too.

Jackie
 
Arnold and I had long discussions on the why's and wherefore's of the differences in the grinds on this pattern. The best we could come up with is that before the process was automated, it was entirely up to the cutler as to how long and deep the grind would be, within certain guidelines. You will note my recent measurements on the 165OT's in my collection. Same thing.

Wow! Those are some nicew knives guys! :thumbup:

Michael
 
Thanks Jackie, I did follow the BH 171 that you are waiting to arrive, looks a nice knife from the pictures. look forward to seeing your picture when it gets to you.

Russell
 
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