Buying Schrades in plastic shell packages

KeithAM

KeithAM

Joined
Dec 15, 2003
Messages
3,154
I've won a couple of Sharpfingers on FleaBay, and they were in plastic shell packs. The Copyright on the cardboard insert was printed in the U.S., and has a copyright of 1995. I'm thinking that by buying in this form I've avoided "end of days" product that may have the wrong steel, etc. Am I right, or would they have thrown an end of days knife into such a package?

I just won an 8OT from FleaBay, also in a plastic shell package. As with all of these packages, the blades are all partially opened. In general, do you find knives that have been packaged like this have tired springs from being part-open for a long period of time?

All of these knives will be users.
 
Interesting question. From what I have seen, there were at least three different clampack designs, and then the ones where they gave you a freebie in the clampack (stone, cloth, another small knife). They used those quite a while. I believe the last ones were the blue packs with the flag and "Schrade Tough" logo. Mine like that don't have a copyright, but say "Product made in USA Card printed in China ". How long might they have used each design? Dunno. But, you can say for sure those knives were made after the copyright date. I have one of the last-of-days Sharpfingers and there is nothing wrong with it. If you like stainless. I have another (1095 carbon) Sharpfinger I use in my hunting.

I have not noted a problem with the open blade display in the clampack.

Codger
 
Thanks Codger! Although I know Schrade+ is supposed to be good for stainless, I really like 1095. The Sharpmakers both come with a small Arkansas stone, as you note, and a green background card. I'll test the Sharpmakers (a little vinegar on the tang?) to conform that they are indeed carbon steel, and post the result.

The 8OT is in a pack with one of the blue printed cards.
 
If we should live so long, the stainless Sharpfingers may turn out to be more rare. This pattern first appeared in the 1974 catalogs, so they made them for twenty years or more before they started slipping the stainless ones out there. Those were made for ten or less, probably less. There is nothing wrong with the 400 series stainless Schrade+ steel. It just is not the carbon steel most OT buyers had come to expect. And it does store better, one of the reasons they switched.

Codger

PS- As a sidenote to collectables, the packaging may, in years to come, become more rare to collectors than the knives themselves. Clampacks, by design, are the most disposable of disposable packaging (after plastic bags with header cards, of course). And since the majority of Schrade buyers historically were Schrade users, packaging, even the nicer gift boxes, was routinely tossed, along with the cardboard blade sleeves, sheath bag, paperwork, etc. The price difference between a mint knife and one with all the accoutrements is significant.
 
Schrade sold allot of knives in clampacks going back to the early 90's. Those were all certianly 1095 (except for the ones marked schrade+, such as the cave bear, etc.).

(Keith, sorry I have not gotten back to you, been very busy, moving, ministry, etc., we'll have to get together soon).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top