Chasing patterns - Schrade Sharpfinger

[Codger_64]

Michael, did Schrade only make the Uncle Henrys in Delrin handles? While this is all I've ever seen, I haven't payed very close attention to them over the years.

The "Uncle Henry" 152UH was only made in Delrin Staglon handles, but many other materials were used over the years for limited and special editions including jigged bone, stag and various wood like the 100th Anniversary edition in my picture above, "152BEM" was birdseye maple. Most of these were much more highly figured than my example but the production was interrupted by the factory closing and very few made it to market.

There were a variety of other Delrin colors as well. This example of the 154OT pattern was produced for U.S. Tobacco, SKOAL.

 

[Codger_64]

Here is one that is unexciting to the uninitiated but which was a "grail knife" for my collection. For many years I thought I had identified and acquired the earliest production example. It had the right box logo, the right sheath and the right tang marking. But always I was haunted by the first ad listing for the pattern in early 1973.

Gift boxed? That was almost always a heavy slip top box, not the newer fold down box. I'd never seen one. So did they plan it and then nix the idea for cost considerations? Well last year I finally found one complete, though the knife had been blemished over the previous 41 years.

 

[link2derek]

Nice collection - well done!

 

[Codger_64]

Thanks! But not done by a long shot. There were hundreds if not thousands of special editions. They were the feature knife for Sturgis several years after made noteable by Sonny Barger on the cover of his book, "Dead in Five Heartbeats", to the point that even Harley Davidson had one made for their dealers to sell. And NRA was always a good customer for SFOs as "event enhancement" items.

 

[Codger_64]

These knives fascinate me. Being in Europe I've never come across one but they really do look like an extension of the hand. Useful!

I'll have to start looking out for one, or are there other contemporary makers offering them?

Thanks, Will

There was an attempt to make some especially for Europe, but for some reason the marketing fell through, only 25 were shipped, and these knives were salted into the regular U.S. production in regular boxes. They were/are stainless however. And have a special tang stamp, 512OT with most receiving a 440A blade etch.

If you are willing to import, they can be found on U.S. and AU eBay among other places. Oddly enough, the predecessor was made in Germany for U.S. import prior to WWI.

 

[navin74]

Hi Nathan! Your tale of woe is not unusual at all. And new ones are still out there if you have the patience to watch and wait for one in the right condition at the right price. As I have mentioned, they can often be bought for less than their last MSRP, adjusted for inflation. Be aware however that there are modern copie with nostalgia markings. There are enough subtile differences to tell them apart though, particularly if you have a used example in hand to compare.

The modern copies you are talking about, are they the imported? Regarding your grail sharpfinger, what special tang stamps does it have? Thank you again for the information.
Nathan

 

[Codger_64]

The first tang stamp was continued unchanged for some years. The first sheath had a pointed tab on the choil strap and was used the first three or so years. The real tell was the earliest box type as mentioned and the accompanying paper which still has some Schrade Walden marked products inside. 1972-1973 was the transition between the Schrade-Walden company name and Schrade Cutlery Corporation.

Yes, most modern production of the pattern is imported and stainless. But if you want the old fashioned carbon steel, you will find them in the boxes I have pictured. Or plastic clampacks with the cards inside mimicing the box designs.

 

[Codger_64]

Hardware stores had always been major outlets for Schrade knives, hunting knives in particular. Cotter (True Value) decided to have some knives made for them using their own trademark, Master Mechanic. At first, it went all the way with a "Master Mechanic" stamped shield and special MM153 tangstamp but this only lasted a year or two. Then the custom features were reduced to a blade etch for one year before the idea was abandoned.

 

[morgaj1]

Codger, I love your passion for the Sharpfinger. I have my dad's old one from the 70's. He had that and an Old Timer Stockman with a broken tip from the main blade. I remember growing up thinking that those Old Timers were cheap knives, because they were in cases in the hardware store next to the Pakistan knives. Now, I'm old enough to know better. For hunting, I try to carry different knives, but always come back to pop's Sharpfinger. Great knife!

By the way, as I have been collecting, I see several with the Schrade + steel. How do you think it compares to their carbon steel?

 

[trevytrev]

Awesome Collection Codger! I've always thought the Uncle Henry's are gorgeous! I have a 154 OT mint in the brown wood grain cardboard box laying around here somewhere, I should snap a pic and through it in here you you to give some info on. Congrats on a beautiful collection:thumbup:

 

[Codger_64]

Codger, I love your passion for the Sharpfinger. I have my dad's old one from the 70's. He had that and an Old Timer Stockman with a broken tip from the main blade. I remember growing up thinking that those Old Timers were cheap knives, because they were in cases in the hardware store next to the Pakistan knives. Now, I'm old enough to know better. For hunting, I try to carry different knives, but always come back to pop's Sharpfinger. Great knife!

By the way, as I have been collecting, I see several with the Schrade + steel. How do you think it compares to their carbon steel?

I have bot but when It comes to using, I prefer the old carbon steel myself. An exception is my pocket knife. I work with salt and chloring so I use a stainless UH stockman for that.

 

[Codger_64]

Awesome Collection Codger! I've always thought the Uncle Henry's are gorgeous! I have a 154 OT mint in the brown wood grain cardboard box laying around here somewhere, I should snap a pic and through it in here you you to give some info on. Congrats on a beautiful collection:thumbup:

The 154OT is one of the lwer production offspring, only made 1976-88. If you can show the box logos and papers it will help narrow down the production date. That pattern did not change much in that time period. It was replaced by the 158OT guthook from 1988 to 2004.

 

[black mamba]

Codg, this was my 50th year of hunting, and the 152 Sharpfinger has cleaned more game for me than any other pattern. From ducks and quail to deer, it can and does do it all very well.

Beautiful collection.

 

[W.M.B.]

I picked up a well used one at a flea market maybe 2 years ago for I believe 5 bucks. The sheath and knife showed enough wear that Idid not hesitate to just sharpen it up and use it. I wish I hunted more, cause people round here look at you funnyif you wear a fixed blade for any other reason. Its actually smaller than my w folding sheathknives, but still seems less socially acceptable. Pretty silly, I guess. I really like this knife, though.

 

[Will Power]

There was an attempt to make some especially for Europe, but for some reason the marketing fell through, only 25 were shipped, and these knives were salted into the regular U.S. production in regular boxes. They were/are stainless however. And have a special tang stamp, 512OT with most receiving a 440A blade etch.

If you are willing to import, they can be found on U.S. and AU eBay among other places. Oddly enough, the predecessor was made in Germany for U.S. import prior to WWI.

Thanks for the info! That German Fishing Knife is a really interesting oddball item! And a lot of very fascinating examples you show, impressive collection.

I need to look out for a carbon one that's not too pricey but decent. Not as a collector item but as a carry

Regards, Will

 

[Codger_64]

Codg, this was my 50th year of hunting, and the 152 Sharpfinger has cleaned more game for me than any other pattern. From ducks and quail to deer, it can and does do it all very well.

Beautiful collection.

At one time I belonged to a hunting club with 100 members and 50,000 acres of land, and I was the club butcher. I processed thirty or more deer a year using my favorite combo of the Sharpfinger and the 165OT Woodsman trailing point. In the years since I have typically butchered three to five deer a year. And as you say, a variety of small game and fish. I am yet to find a better knife for all of this than the Sharpfinger and Woodsman. Even though I own another thirty or so patterns.

I picked up a well used one at a flea market maybe 2 years ago for I believe 5 bucks. The sheath and knife showed enough wear that Idid not hesitate to just sharpen it up and use it. I wish I hunted more, cause people round here look at you funnyif you wear a fixed blade for any other reason. Its actually smaller than my w folding sheathknives, but still seems less socially acceptable. Pretty silly, I guess. I really like this knife, though.

Times have changed. Back in the 70's when I got my first one it drew no attention to wear one on the belt anywhere. I still can here and no one gives mych notice but then I live in a small town in a pretty rural county. I have found though that with the right pants, the bottom of the sheath tucks nicely into a back pocket at least semi-concealing it while still hung from the belt. And FYI, we have several Kydex benders here on the forum who will be more than happy to make you a pancake holster for it for perfect, unontrusive pocket carry.

Thanks for the info! That German Fishing Knife is a really interesting oddball item! And a lot of very fascinating examples you show, impressive collection.

I need to look out for a carbon one that's not too pricey but decent. Not as a collector item but as a carry

Regards, Will

The German fishing knife is neat. It is an adaptation of a Webster Marbles design from circa 1902.

Marbles reproduced them a few years back and they can still be found, though so can the A.W. Wadsworth and W.H. Morley branded Kastor knives.

I still consider the Henry Baer/Dave Swinden designed Sharpfinger to be a superior design. Used carbon steel Sharpfingers abound and often sell for the same price as the cheaper modern made knives at Wal-Mart. The best fishing is at that place by the bay.

 

[dpowers311]

That was one of my first hunting knives. I never really "bonded" with it. The knife did it's job well.

 

[Codger_64]

That was one of my first hunting knives. I never really "bonded" with it. The knife did it's job well.

I know what you mean. I had the same experience with the Sharpfinger's siblings, the 154OT and the 158OT. They had the exact same handle but just didn't "feel right" in the blade.

 

[WIL TERRY]

THIS IS FASCINATING THREAD !!! My first Sharpfinger was bought brand new from CLELANDS GUN SHOP in Swanton OH for the then current retail price of $10.00. If memory serves this was when they first came into the marketplace. The second thing I noticed was it stained if you looked at it crooked so i just blued it with OXPHOBLUE and that was the end of the staining/and/or rust problem. My wife at that time liked to cook fried chicken but did NOT like buying cutup chicken pieces. She would buy whole chickens and I would dismantle 'em with the Sharpfinger. Having worked in my Daddy's butcher shop in years past this was no big deal but I'll be damned if i could teach her to do it. Still use that same Sharpfinger in the kitchen now and then but THAT wife is long gone. NOW, the current one likes my sharp knives but can knock the edge off a BUCK knife cutting crisp toast. I HARDLY EXAGERATE !! I do not know how she does it so she has her own knives to mess up [ DO NOT TOUCH MINE WOMAN !! ] and I still use my hunting knives in the kitchen WITH EVERY PLEASURE AND SUCCESS.
Some time back I was digging in my stash for something else and found a Schrade Sharpfinger " GRAND DAD'S SHARP FINGER Limited Edition.[ I just went and grabbed it... ] The blade is marked SCHRADE G.D.O.T. USA. The sheath is a very dark brown and is the original style sheath. The warranty card is still in the presentation box and has a serial number, 4189.

 

[Codger_64]

GDOT is a beautiful knife, IMHO. Mine is serial #5931 and came with the black sheath. Both colors are correct.

It was the first use of the pattern as an anniversary issue, 1975. Brass furniture, bowling ball black Delrin. And a very nice presentation box.