55 Pattern

[thawk]

Since mshambone asked about the 855, I figured it would be a good thread topic. I believe Ulster originated the 55 pattern. Schrade Walden began making them in 1964, as far as I can tell. There are some Schrade, Imperial and Ulster versions of the pattern. The Schrade 855 is a delrin only production model to my knowledge.

Probably my favorite 855 is one with Old Timer handes, showing the early PAT PENDING Razor Blade Etch. Also in the picture is a jigged delrin, and a peachseed delrin, with the one having a different blade configuration.

Schrade made them with stainless blades, and generally engraved Stainless on the shield. It is a great sized junior stockman size if you want to travel light. Anyone got some other ones to show? They are a popular tube knife on Ebay, and usually command a pretty high bid for the size.

Let's see some 55's.

 

[mshambone]

Thanks for posting this thawk. My knife looks like the one on the bottom right. The stamp on the clip blade looks like the one on the top though. Nice looking knives you have there. Thanks for the info.

 

[Todd A]

I only have two 55's.

 

[Larry303]

Tip for the night!..dont open a sharp 895 with 2 others already open in your hand...photos not sharp as blood kept dripping on the camera!
Here is the Schrade Walden Stainless 825 with the fancy bolsters and Pat Pending.
Cell Schrade Walden 895 together with 'ordinary' Schrade 895. Hoo Roo

 

[Larry303]

more photos..

 

[thawk]

I've nicked myself a few times when I've been taking pictures, and the Razor Blade Schrades are still sharp after 30 or 40 years. I appreciate the heads up Larry. Posing knife pictures after drinking, or before the coffee kicks in can end up bloody. Epecially with little three bladers like these.

Great morning for taking pictures in the shade. Brisk but sunny here in Kansas today

Three Ulsters, all marked "55"

All similar, a Van Camp, another Ulster 55, and an Imperial

Peachseed Delrins: Keen Kutter (Schrade Commemorative), Imperial Diamond Edge jack, and a Craftsman jack

Old Timer Variations: Imperial Stamp, Ulster 58OT, Schrade Walden 855

Interestingly enough, the Schrade, Imperial, Craftsman, all launched the different Razor Blade knives around the same time, in the mid 60's.

 

[thawk]

A couple of Craftsman. The Old Wranger in the hinged style box is the latest 55 I have added to my collection. The Super Stainless etch is barely visible.

Craftsman 9553

I imagine this 9553 is a pre Uncle Henry handle. It has a different tint and texture, though very similar.

Schrade Walden 855 but with a Craftsman shield.

 

[thawk]

A couple of Imperial Razor Blade with treebark delrin. Thick scales. One of the nicer knives Imperial made during the 60's. These would be the Al-53 RB, and AL-54RB. I love this old advertisement too. Shown with the same plastic gift box as the Craftsman in the earlier thread.

 

[waynorth]

Thawk, you have a nice, and extensive collection of these stockmen! Are they all exactly the same length?

 

[waynorth]

Here's an Schrade Walden 855 stainless, an Ulster 58OT, and an Ulster 55G.
The last knife is a no-stamp KeenKutter - etch only. I think it belongs?? Any thoughts on that one?

 

[thawk]

Thawk, you have a nice, and extensive collection of these stockmen! Are they all exactly the same length?

Yes. They are all 3 1/4" I actually have about twice as many. Remember my old avatar sig, "Exhibits obsessive behavior". When I first started collecting Schrades, I liked the 58OT, and found the pattern became extinct. Then I noticed the same knives from the cousin companies were very easy to win for $15 - $20 bucks, and went on a spree for a year or so.

Yes Charlie, and I love the Ulster and the Keen Kutter (one to covet). They are tougher to find with bone handles.

 

[waynorth]

'I actually have about twice as many. Remember my old avatar sig, "Exhibits obsessive behavior". '[quote; thawk]
I hear ya brother!!

 

[Rusty1]

Superb thread all, some awesome examples of the 55 patterns thawk and Charlie.

Russell

 

[orvet]

I didn’t see this thread before I responded in the Latest Schrade thread.
Here is a repost to keep the info in the 55 thread:

The 855RB is listed as a 3-1/4" stockman pattern; clip, spey blades & pen blades; nickel silver bolsters & shield; RB suffix for Razor Blade Stainless.
I see it first listed in 1964 and last listed in 1979, when the MSRP was $13.50.
In 1977 through 1979 it is pictured in the Line catalog as having a clip, sheepfoot & spey blades. Apparently they changed the pattern in the later years as the one example I have is a Schrade (not Schrade-Walden) and it has the sheepfoot blade. NOTE: the RB is part of Schrade's numbering system, but I have yet to see an example where the RB was included with the number on the tang stamp.

The 855RB was part of the Razor Blade Stainless series of knives, which later included the Sampler Knives and even one fixed blade, the 147RB with a Staglon handle.

Here is a scan of my 855 with the sheepfoot blade.




Dale

 

[orvet]

Comparing them side-by-side I would have to say the Ulster 58OT is built on the same frame as the 855. The 3-1/4" frame is a very unusual size for Schrade. The 855 is the only Schrade I find with a length of 3-1/4" in the traditional slipjoint patterns.

There several Schrades that are 3-5/16" - 24OTX, 33OT, 34OT, 36OT, 44OT 50OT (Ulster), they are just 1/16" longer than the 855. Apparently Schrade opted to go with the 3-5/16" frame as it is noticeably bigger overall, especially in the width.

The 3-1/4" frame was much more popular with Ulster. making at least 4 patterns on that frame that I can verify from my collection: 50OT, 58OT, 55 Ulster & the 50 Ulster.
Here are the 3-1/4" Ulsters from my collection:



You never know what you will find when you start collecting Ulsters/Schrades!

Dale


PS- The 855 was called the “Ranchers Sunday Dress” knife in the 1978 & 1979 Line catalogs.

 

[DaveT63]

The 3-1/4" frame was much more popular with Ulster. making at least 4 patterns on that frame that I can verify from my collection: 50OT, 58OT, 55 Ulster & the 50 Ulster.
Here are the 3-1/4" Ulsters from my collection:




Dale

Dale,
I've got one of those Ulster 50's with the deer head (the pile side tang stamp says 50D), that is missing a bolster (pivot end pile side). Can that be repaired? If so, do you have the parts to do so? And if so, can I include them with the other knives I'm sending this week?

Thanks,

DAve

 

[Larry303]

There was recent discussion regarding the RB marking on boxes designating Razor Blade and Y = Yellow etc and thought I would show several older boxes/tubes and the way USA Schrade marked them with the 825RB paperwork. There is a ""ring in"" ..can you spot it its the Crappppppp Taylor box clone second down from right marked Schrade Walden SWA880Y..dont get caught..I know he does it out of respect for the name and not to catch the unwary..yeh right pal!!...pull the other one it plays Waltzing Matilda!
Fair dinkum after I took the photos the genuine USA boxes knocked the fake and rolled it out...it yelled something in Mandarin!......Hoo Roo

 

[orvet]

There is one sense in which a guy could almost consider the Taylor made SWA880Y(and others of that series) to be legitimate; they were made by Camillus just as many of the knives from Imperial Schrade Corp. were made by Camillus.

In that sense I personally consider them to be legitimate Schrades, just as legitimate as an 8OT made by Camillus for Imperial Schrade.

Just my 2¢,
Dale

 

[Larry303]

My point is you have to buy the product and open the tube and find the small print to find made by Taylor.Nowhere on the outside will it tell you it is not a genuine SCHRADE WALDEN and never will be.Why does it exist at all it didnt help Camillus?If Taylor was proud of his Schrade Walden clone why not declare it on the outside...but then a hapless buyer who thinks they may be getting a Schrade Walden from the actual production period wouldnt be duped into buying this for their Schrade Walden collection would they? Ebay sellers mightn't be able to misdescribe what they're actually selling if it was on the outside paperwork...my 2cents worth.

 

[Larry303]

......which reminds me is anyone a proud member of The Schrade Cutlery Collectors Society yet....?