Can anyone give me info on an Old Timer I bought?

[FirstFreedom]

It's a standard large folding knife, clip point, lock back, basic knife. About 3.5" blade. Real nice. Got at gun show, so have no idea of age. The only markings, other than "Old Timer" on the handle, are these on the blade base:

-"Schrade +"
-"U.S.A. 70T"

Can anyone tell me please:

1. What's the blade steel used in this knife?
2. Is the scale material plastic, or some sort of bone/antler/horn?
3. Can you tell when it was made or what range of years, by what I've given you?

Thanks!

P.S. Couldn't find it in the FAQ either - it's a +, so it's either 440A or 420HC, but which? Significant difference there.

 

[lrv]

From Robert Clemente's book

Old Timer 7OT Cave Bear
A. Specifications:
1. 5" closed length, wt. 8.2oz., sheath wt. 2.2oz.
2. Unbreakable brown sawcut Delrin handles
3. Schrade+ Stainless Steel blade
4. Brass linings, brass bolsters and shield
5. Schrade’s Lockblade rear
locking system
6. Large Clip blade, length 3 3/4”

B. Statistics and Current Status:
1. Currently in production
2. First date of production 1991, by the catalogs

C. Catalog History Notes:
1. Predecessor is the LB7 Bear Paw introduced in 1979
2. The 7OT is an Old Timer version of the LB7
3. The 6OT was first made in 1995, and is similar to the 7OT, but without end bolsters at the rear and a hole for lanyard
4. From 1991 until 1995, High Carbon Steel was used in making the blade, 1996, the factory began using Schrade+ Stainless Steel

E. Special Editions, Side Stories, Notes:
1. This model was the first OT large clip blade model
2. The second large clip blade in the OT line was the 6OT
3. The 7OT is a heavier knife because of the brass bolsters on the rear of the body
4. A third large clip blade model was produced from 1995 to 1997, the 9OT Golden Claw, large clip blade with guthook at the tip of the clip blade
5. When the LB7 came into the line in 1979, it was not labeled as “new”, which could mean that it may have been made earlier than 1979, but not listed in the catalogs prior to 1979
--------------------
7OT

 

[Upstream]

The last suggested retail price for the Cave Bear w/sheath was $56.95.
Hope that helps.
Rick

 

[FirstFreedom]

That helps a lot. Yes, it's the large 70T Cave Bear. Thanks...

But, can anyone tell whether this is 420 or 440A blade steel? Apparently, Shrade+ steel can be either of the two. It is not a 1991-1995 make, so it wouldn't be a high-carbon steel. But is there any way to tell the year made, which could tell me which version of "Schrade +" steel was being used at the time? Wasn't it around 2003 that they switched from 440A to 420?