Belknap Inc. Old Timer?

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pwrstrk1

Joined
Nov 5, 2006
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I purchased this a while back and finally had time to sit and study it more thoroughly. I bought it simply because I had never heard of one. The tang stamp reads (in very small letters) John Primble over Belknap Inc. over USA. The pattern number stamp reads 933 . The shield of course reads Old Timer . I have heard of John Primble before and I thought I heard somebody say Belknap was a chain mercentile store at one time or another. I could be wrong about that part. I haven't Googled Belknap yet. It doesn't say Schrade on it anywhere that I can see. Here is a pic but you can't read the small writting in it.
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[/URL][/IMG] Does anybody have a little history on this knife just for point of interests' sake?
 
Here is a poor copy from a 1970 Belknap Hardware catalog.


It says:
Handle-Meerschaum Plastic
Blades- Three: bladed clip, sheepfoot, pen.
Lining- Brass
Bolsters- Solid Nickel Silver
Length- 2 3/4 inches

The price was $6.00

There were two other John Primble Old Timers listed on the same page, a 4 inch #935 (or 936 - it is a bad copy) & a 3 1/4 inch #934. All were stockman patterns.

I hope this helps,
Dale

PS- the copy of the catalog is courtesy of Larry, Michael.....I think.
 
Nice picture Michael!! I need all the big letters I can get these days in a pic like this. Do you mind if I save that? I would like to put it with the knife on display. Matthew
 
Man you are a plethera of Schrade knife information! How long you been doing this? I am trying my level best to scarf up old books,catalogs,pamphlets ,fliers.....Whatever I can find. I have been at it for about 10 months now and what I have you can fit into one folder with room to spare. Thanks for your help..AGAIN!! I owe you brother. You don't by chance drive a Powerstroke Ford Diesel truck do you? I make my living at a Ford garage working on Powerstrokes. Hence the handle pwrstrk1. I can give you some help there. Matthew
 
Sure, send me a truck. I need a new one. Mine has 289,000 miles and is nineteen years old. Which catalog do you need?:D
 
When I win the lottery buddy she's all yours!!. Till then all I can do from this distance is give advice. You have my email addy,give me a buzz when you need help. Matthew
 
pwrstrk1 said:
When I win the lottery buddy she's all yours!!. Till then all I can do from this distance is give advice. You have my email addy,give me a buzz when you need help. Matthew
Click to expand...

powerstroke,
Apparently,Codger has so much Schrade info that he forgot who sent him 90-odd full-page scans from the 1950,1955,and 1970 Belknap catalogs.:jerkit:
Here's a better copy of the 933 ad:


70belk93


The 933 doesn't appear in my '50 and '55 catalogs which is not surprising since Robert Clemente's book shows it as first appearing in the Schrade 1964 catalog.

Here's a picture of one in my possession:
pr933bet


The box is reportedly the original but the lid is not hinged.

The tang info is the same as your knife:
933tang


933obv


Codger couldn't trade the catalog for a truck,anyway,as it's sitting on the shelf with my other Belknaps.:D


b70cov



I wouldn't trade my 99.5 Powerstroke for a 2006 or a 2007,as I think the 7.3 is a better engine than the new one.
I do have some questions about whether the new ultra-low sulfur fuel is affecting the seals on trucks of my vintage.
Since our trip to Orvet's country in late summer,I've been noticing a whiff of diesel when the tank is full and I'm on a steep grade.:thumbdn:

Ron
 
Ron, you are correct that I can't remember where it all came from! I owe you a bucket of sulpher additive for your truck! Cake, or powder?
 
The Belknap knives seem to be direct duplicates of Old Timer models. For example, the 935 Primble is an 8OT, and the 933 Primble is a 108OT (isn't it?).

So what is the Primble/Belknap 934? That's one of many gaps in my collection...

And does anyone know of more Primble Old Timer models besides those three?

-Bob
 
Bob W said:
The Belknap knives seem to be direct duplicates of Old Timer models. For example, the 935 Primble is an 8OT, and the 933 Primble is a 108OT (isn't it?).
Yes,the 933 is the 108ot.
So what is the Primble/Belknap 934? That's one of many gaps in my collection...

Michael will likely have the definitive answer on that but the fact that the 934 has a pen blade instead of a spey blade should be the tipoff.The 934 is listed as 3 and 1/4". In the same Belknap catalog,under the Schrade-Walden pocketknives,there is an 834 listed with a clip,sheepsfoot,and pen blade.Supposedly,it was 3 and 5/16" long.
And does anyone know of more Primble Old Timer models besides those three?

-Bob
Click to expand...

1970 is the latest Belknap catalog that I have,but there may have been later Primbles that used the Old Timer shield.
I think Michael (or others on this forum) have later Belknaps and other info,so he/they will likely answer that question.




Ron
 
Belknap was a huge buyer of Schrades at one time. They were a "mega-jobber" supplying hardware stores all across the nation. Schrade, Ulster, Imperial and a half dozen othe cutleries provided them with private branded knives (Primble, Blue Grass, etc.), "hybrid" knives such as standard patterns with special blades and stamps, and also regular production patterns. The hardware business was evolving in the sixties-seventies-eighties just like the retail business. Belknap purchases fell off big time. In 1986, they folded.


A complete listing of the Schrade/Ulster/Imperial SFO's would be a massive undertaking, one which I am not prepared to attempt at this time.

Michael
 
Here's an old eBay auction for a Primble Old Timer 934, with photos still intact.

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache...086+john+primble+934&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2

Trouble is, it isn't obvious what Old Timer model this is. Could be a 61OT? I'll have to dig out my Schrades and find an Old Timer to match these photos and the 3-1/4" length.

The 934 is listed as 3 and 1/4". In the same Belknap catalog,under the Schrade-Walden pocketknives,there is an 834 listed with a clip,sheepsfoot,and pen blade.Supposedly,it was 3 and 5/16" long.
Click to expand...
Aside from the difference in length, there is no 834OT. I doubt that Schrade would have made an Old Timer for Belknap that didn't exist in their own lineup. Anything's possible though.

-Bob
 
Based on the photos of the Schrade 834 and the Belknap 934, I'd say they are not the same. The Schrade 834 has more squared-off bolsters, like the 34OT and 8OT. Additionally, the catalog lengths listed don't match.

Still trying to find a match in my Old Timer stash...

-Bob

ps: The 61OT is the correct shape, but it's 4" closed.
 
AHA!! The Belknap 934 Old Timer is none other than...



... the Ulster 58OT!!

:)
-Bob
 
Here are the Belknap numbers I found in the 1970 records:

1970 Schrade Belknap
902S - 708
908S - 272
910S - 233
916S - 895
923S - 293
923Y - 293Y
932Y - 835Y
7007S - 225
539OS - 808
935S - 80OT
933SB - 108OT
1970 Ulster Belknap
702 - S-50
707 - S-81
707NP - 81P
708 - S-89
708NP - 89P
711 - 68
713Y - 90Y
728S - 183
731S -56
537OS - 55
5371NP - 99JP
5371S - 99
5722 - 10
934S - 58OT
 
Hmm... only three Old Timers on the list, the same three we already know about. Of course it's possible that there were others from other years.

Thanks,
-Bob
 
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