An Early Sharpfinger

Codger_64

Codger_64

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Here is an item I rarely see, and I thought some of you would like to see it. This is a NIB early 152OT Sharpfinger with all components intact. Since the box is not dated, nor is the insert, only the knife patterns shown on the insert (besides the tang and sheath type) give a decent clue as to the approximate production year.

Thongs, blade covers, and inserts are the first things usually tossed, along with the box, so finding all of these things together after about thirty years is understandably uncommon. I can just imagine what it will be like in another thirty years.





Anyone want to try a guess on the manufacture date? Yes, I know it is impossible to be exact, but within a year or two?

Codger
 


Here is a second one with the box, insert, and blade cover not shown. A bit harder to date.

Codger
 
I'd say 73 -74 on the first, 76-77 on the second.The snaps and sheaths are different.Toby
 
On the first knife, the insert patterns are
8OT
34OT
1O8OT
94OT
33OT
77OT
194OT
61OT
125OT
25OT
154OT
165OT
15OT
HONESTEEL
 
Look at the intro dates on all those knives and see if you can see a pattern. It will give you an idea of the earliest date that insert would appear, even if, as has been suggested, the same inserts may have been used for a couple of years.

There were five new patterns introduced in 1976:
61OT Slim Premium Stock
77OT Small Game Muskrat
94OT Trapper
154OT Drop Point Hunter
194OT Gunstock Trapper
None were introduced in 1977, so the same insert might well have been used those two years, and possibly in late 1975 as well, since there were no new patterns introduced in 1975. The box inserts were a cheap way to directly advertise and announce new models to a buying public, and I doubt they would have passed up the opportunity to show the next new patterns in 1978:
13OT Trailblazer DP fixed blade
14OT Timberline CP fixed blade
144UH Guide's Choice (cat in '79)
858OT Lumberjack
51OT Big Timer LB

My own best guess is a manufacture date between late '75 and mid '77. All advertising I have seen published in that time period (aside from catalogs) shows the pointed tab on the sheaths. The 1980 forward catalogs show the rounded tab on the choil strap sheaths (Except from '83-'84 when the SAS17 tubular sheath is shown). Another hint at the '70's time frame is that the thongs disappear from illustrations in about 1982. So I guess the second sheath to be circa '80-'82.

None of this is hard and fast, since we have learned that Schrade did as they darn well pleased. Production may have used old inserts at some point, and may well have used an old stock of sheaths. Sometimes, they used different sheath designs at the same time for production and special editions It would indeed help to know when the boxes changed from woodgrain to the tan and black ones. All we can do is make educated guesses based on what we can see of the chronology of all the changes.

Your guesses may not have been as far off as you thought, Toby!

Codger

Here is an ad from 1975:
 
Well, I posted this 24 hours ago ( bait for a megaladon?) and no one has refuted, agreed, disagreed, added, questioned, or foo-foo'd. Wasamata, no one owns any Sharp Fingers out there? What do you want, a trivia question? Hokay, here it is. In what year was the name Sharp Finger trademarked, and is it still a valid trademark?:confused:

Codger
 
The 152 I have that I feel I can date is a GDOT that has a 1975 date on the handle.The strap is pointed and it has the large snap.I'll try to send you a picture.Toby
 
Since we seem to be in deep sheath lately,I have noticed a difference in the height of the front pieces between the small snap models and the large snap models.I have 3 of each so its a fair sample.Not a sharkfinger,a sharpfinger.Toby
 
Here's the 1975 GDOT 152OT Toby sent me a picture of....


There is also a difference in where the tool lines end on the right (left in the photos), and strap width. But the snap size and tab shape changes I have not found a correlation for. Both large and small snaps are found on both of these sheaths. Whether these were ECO's (engineering change orders) or just the byproduct of different vendors is hard to say. At least until we can see the factory records. There we might find a shift from one supplier to another, or even the production moved inhouse. Speaking of snaps, none of my sharpie sheaths have the Schrade name stamp on the snap (yet).

Anyone have different examples to show?

Codger
 
I do have one with the Schrade stamp on the snap.I believe its one of the factory seconds from the sell out since the strap is to short.Maybe a way to spot these before you waste your money on junk.I think you said in an earlier thread you had some of these.Check their straps.Toby
 
My short straps fit now, and the sheaths are properly finished. I sent them to Sheathmeker Paul in Tejas for finishing!
Codger
 
Something I just found on the bad sheath.The brads are much larger on the bad sheath.On the good sheaths the brads are 3/16 and convex,on the bad sheath they are 5/16 and flat.Just trying to keep everyone from buying something that won't work.Toby
 
If you bought it from seller Richard in Texas, let him know and he'll make it good.

Codger
 
Codger_64 said:
What do you want, a trivia question? Hokay, here it is. In what year was the name Sharp Finger trademarked, and is it still a valid trademark?:confused:
Codger
Click to expand...

USPTO said:
#73021047 Issued April 15th, 1975 SHARP FINGER mark (appl. March 9,1974)
First Use Date: February 25th,1974
2005-April 26th, 2005 - Second renewal 10 year
TAYLOR CUTLERY LLC
Click to expand...

I guess I get to keep my duct tape.;)

Codger
 
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