Aftermarket finished Sharpfingers

Codger_64

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I hadn't really noticed the current flood of recently finished Sharpfinger blades on the market until today. Amazing. If you pay attention to the packaging (almost always the last stock of ISC boxes), the handle materials (Almost all use a wood and finish that I am not aware was ever used by ISC) and rivets used, the difference is pretty apparent. Genuine paperwork and blade sleeves are almost always absent. The tang stamps also vary widely as one might expect from a stock bin of blades. "LTD" and "SC502" are seen, pre-2001 regular grinds and post-2001 hollow grinds. And the stories given to explain them vary widely. A few are offered with genuine photocopies of genuine certificates of authenticity from whoever.

I recall these being mentioned here recently along with the info that some seller jumped the shark and let it slip that the unfinished blades had been exported for assembly and reimported to be sold. Confusing matters is the fact that there are a few authentic knives (likely purchased in the first year or two after the '04 closure) for sale that look quite similar. Has anyone here bought one of these recently assembled knives?
 
I haven't yet, but have been tempted. I am also interested in hearing feedback on them. The walnut handled ones look nice.

I was also very tempted by a 167UH that I suspect was in the same situation. The claim was that it was genuine Schrade USA, but it had ebony wood handles and brass bolsters, and I don't ever recall seeing that combination, or brass bolsters on that knife, ever, for that matter. It looked to be very nicely done, but I just couldn't bring myself to get off the $50 for the BIN.
 
Since I live close to the mega knife store in TN that assembled them from old blades, I looked over some of them and bought one. If nothing else they would make a good user to save your pristine sharpfinger. As I said in another post, the handles appear to be made of pakaa wood as explained by the host of the TV show because they don't have access to delrin as was on the orginal sharpfinger and ph-2's. The knife is sharp and while sort of a frankenschrade as the handles are put on in China, it would spare your collectibles and still be a Schrade blade.In a sense though, this is no different than a custom knifemaker putting stag or exotic hardwood on your sharpfinger blade just not as pretty with the pakaa wood.These knives are appearing on auction sites and being described so that most would think they came from the old factory. I have also seen them on another forum that has stores by members. All at much inflated prices from what they were purchased.
 
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Since I live close to the mega knife store in TN that assembled them from old blades, I looked over some of them and bought one. If nothing else they would make a good user to save your pristine sharpfinger. As I said in another post, the handles appear to be made of pakaa wood as explained by the host of the TV show because they don't have access to delrin as was on the orginal sharpfinger and ph-2's. The knife is sharp and while sort of a frankenschrade as the handles are put on in China, it would spare your collectibles and still be a Schrade blade.In a sense though, this is no different than a custom knifemaker putting stag or exotic hardwood on your sharpfinger blade just not as pretty with the pakaa wood.These knives are appearing on auction sites and being described so that most would think they came from the old factory. I have also seen them on another forum that has stores by members. All at much inflated prices from what they were purchased.

Prices. One would think that they would be priced at or below the current crop of imported Taylor brand knives, being "frankenknives". But that is just my own perception of value I suppose. A merchant likes to buy low and sell high to maximize profits. I have no problem with that. Just with the misrepresentation of them as ISC products. And that would be the fault of some of the end sellers.

At best, they would be decent users because of their blades. But my concern is the number of gullible new would-be Schrade collectors who might scarf them up thinking they had a prize. This will become even more acute years down the road when many of the assemblies reappear on the market, after many of us who know their origin are gone. ISC did make some Sharpfingers with wood (fibron) and even laminated wood handles. The DU and 100th issues come to mind.
 
I went to the SMKW website to look at them. MRSP there is $19.99. SMKW item number is SC152DPW. I am guessing that the "PW" part of their item number is Pakka Wood. They are up front about their heritage:
In 2004, SMKW purchased over 1 million Work-in-Progress blades, along with finished goods, from the Schrade factory in Ellenville, New York. The blades of the knives in this ad are some of the last remaining from the original buyout. To offer them at special collector's pricing, we had the knives finished offshore. The blades may be tarnised due to storage but are still rare and highly sought after. Tang stamps may vary.

Sellers on eBay vary:
Made in Schrade® Ellenville New York factory before the factory closed in 2004 - each knife is 100% American made!

IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO FIND OUT, BUT IT DID NOT MATTER WHAT YR. THE KNIFE WAS MADE AT SCHRADE THAT DETERMINED WHETHER OR NOT IT HAD STAINLESS OR CARBON STEEL BLADES. THEY WOULD JUST USE ONE MATERIAL UNTIL IT RAN OUT, AND THEN START USING THE OTHER. HANDLE IS THE LIGHTER COLORED WALNUT, AND I HAVE ADDED A LANYARD OF LEATHER SADDLE LACING TO THIS ONE. IT HAS BEEN CLEANED BY THE FACTORY AFTER SITTING SO LONG.

This is one of the few remaining Blades and Sheaf that Schrade USA produced before closing, Parkswood Handle Assembled in China.
 
Codger
If you recall last year SMKW did the same thing with The Trail Boss 140OT and it's stable mates. They had the rubber handles put on blades by I think Bear and Sons. At least these were Schrade handles and blades. Believe me there is no way a collector could tell the difference from the those and the ones produced by the old Schrade factory. The only givaway was the Trail Boss had a different sheath than the originals. The rest including the fish fillet knife did have the the Schrade type square nylon sheaths. Some gut hook models and fish fillet knives came with a factory box. They also did the same with the Schrade xt28. The sheath on this one looks exactly like the factory orginal except it does not have schrade embroidered on it. You still see all these knives on auction sites.
 
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No, I really hadn't seen that since I had completed my collection of the Safe-T-Grip series years ago. And I came to understand just what would show up on a search for "SCHRADE" on the SMKW website, so I haven't looked at it in several years until now. All the more reason for me to buy fewer Schrades, particularly ones that I cannot be absolutely certain are original and genuine as having been made pre-2004 in Ellenville. Or in Camillus. Or in Providence.
 
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