861 Question

P

paulaustralia

Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
68
Gday everyone , can anyone tell me , they stopped prouction of the 861 in 73. this would be close to the change over from Walden. If i have a view case schrade/walden 861 with a tang stamp,
SCHRADE
N.Y. USA
861
Is this the wrong case/knife combo or after the change over would they have been producing non walden tangs and using up old schrade/walden boxes?.

ultimately if this is in the wrong box it is still a SCHRADE 861 not a schrade/walden 861

thanks for any help
Paul
 
Paul, I haven't checked production records on that particular pattern to see how many were produced and when. However, it would not be uncommon for Schrade to ship a knife such as yours in the older packaging until that stock was depleated. Name changes, as with production changes, were not like turning a switch off and on. Stock on hand of both knives and packaging would generally continue to be shipped until it was gone. Also, merchants had no good reason to be cautious in placing a knife in the correct box when handing it to the customer, and may not have even noticed the difference during the change. Another possibility is that a previous owner put the knife in a slightly earlier package when he sold his knife.

The tang stamp using "NY", we recognize as being used directly after the change (Schrade Walden Cutlery Corp. was consolidated with Ulster Knife Co., Inc. on September 26th, 1958 and this corporate consolidation was amended on September 17th, 1973 changing the name to Schrade Cutlery Corp., still a division of Imperial Knife Associated Companies). How long after the change? We are not certain. Months, a year... unknown at this point, but not too long. Other patterns have been noted to be in Schrade Cutlery Corp boxes with the Walden stamping. I wouldn't let it bother me in the least since the difference is inconsequential, and very possible the knife you have was made with that stamping for even fewer years than any other. It was indeed listed in the revised Schrade Cutlery 1973 catalog.

Michael
 
2 days ago i ebayed (new verb: "to win an item on ebay") a S/W 861 in unused condition for $21.05. v. little bidding here, but 61OT's usually attract more activity and higher winnig bids. i wonder if non collectors now associate the name "Schrade Walden" with the new made in China knives, so don't bid ?
am i correct that the 861 is the forerunner of the 61OT ? i have 3 61OTs, one customized by Herman Williams.
this is one of my favorite Schrade patterns, attractive shape and at 4", lots of knife to use.
would like to know dates of manufacture (is there a Schrade Cut. Co. equivalent ?), and if these were made in the pre-Delrin era, i.e. an 861 with jigged bone ? thanks, roland
 
Roland, the precursor to the 861 was the 8613 Cut. Co., which was pretty much identical to the 861. It first shows up in the 1936 supplementary cat., a scant 10 yrs before the changeover to SW. It was available in jigged bone (8613), mottled horn cell (8614Y), and marine pearl pyralin (8614M). This same knife was also available, in the same colors, with a punch blade instead of the spey blade.
The 861 (Schrade Walden) was available in the very common delrin as well as peachseed bone, yellow composite, and marine pearl cell.

Eric

PS- Sorry Thawk, must have been researching while you were posting:o
 
Quite OK Eric. I enjoyed your research more than my own actually. Now I want one in Marine Pearl. I've always wanted one in Peachseed.
 
I've never figured out how they stretched the peachpit to be large enouigh to use as a knife handle :D
Knice research all.
TTYL
Larry
 
Thanks Hal & Eric. now my interest is really pumped. so now i'm in the hunt for a peachseed bone S/W 861, and it's variants (esp. with a punch blade) and the 8631 as well. Schrade hunting is even more fun when looking for a specific knife. NEVER boring with Schrade's vast variety. roland
 
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