Did the Schrade 498 have a name?

[screened porch]

I bought this ages ago at the flea market, thinking it was the Golden Spike I'd coveted as a kid. Apparently not. I couldn't find a name for it in FAQs; does anyone know if it had one?

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

The series of knives it belonged to had a name. They were the "49ers" but the various knives did not have individual names as far as I know. Your knife is a 498S. "S" indicates the fake stag versus a 498L indicating a stacked leather handle. Here are a couple links to vintage paperwork about them:

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/49ers/pages/49ers.htm

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/49ers/pages/49ers1.htm

 

[Samjoe01]

I had a similar affection for the 153.now I have one for the 498!

 

[screened porch]

Thanks, Dave. Interesting links. I don't see the cutler's mark or year of manufacture on mine, but that pioneer he-man spirit jumps right out of the butt-cap.
Sam, I think I'm cured of the Golden Spike fever. I've been looking at pics of them and I like my blade's shape better.

 

[thawk]

It's a carbon steel blade too, like the early Golden Spikes were.

 

[screened porch]

It's a carbon steel blade too, like the early Golden Spikes were.

That's what the white stuff is about. There wasn't room in the sheath for a bit of aluminum flashing to keep the steel off the leather, so I filled it with silicone caulk.

 

[winchester73]

I bought one off ebay a year or two ago that wasn't in the shape the seller advertized and luckily he took some off the price. Like yours it had a silver machine screw in the butt cap that screws into the rat tail tang. Also luckily I found a flush fit brass screw at a local hardware store to replace it. The blade was dull and chipped along the cutting edge with a little rust on the side of the blade. I took it to the basement of SMKW and they got the chips out ,sharpened it and buffed the rust out for not much $ and now looks like new. It must be common with that sheath. The sheath was cut through and useless. I sent the sheath to Fred Lovelady and he made a sheath that looks like the original but much sturdier with leather welts in between the two pieces of leather to protect the sheath.

 

[screened porch]

I hadn't worried about the screw color, but a brass one filed down would dress up the knife. I'll have to see about that.
A welt on the back of the sheathe makes a lot of sense with a raised point like this. I'll have to see about that too, if this one gives out. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[winchester73]

Trivial but the original had a brass phillips head screw. I found a brass one at the hardware store that was a slotted screw that fit flush. I'm sure you could too if you want.

 

[screened porch]

Maybe even a phillips-head in brass. I've got to go to the good HW store anyway for some furnace cement.

 

[tongueriver]

Trivial but the original had a brass phillips head screw. I found a brass one at the hardware store that was a slotted screw that fit flush. I'm sure you could too if you want.

I examined several 49r knives and they ALL had "silver" colored screws. I wouldn't be monkeying with what aint broke.

 

[colekmiller11]

Scrteened porch- I have to ask, was the t an accident?

 

[screened porch]

I examined several 49r knives and they ALL had "silver" colored screws. I wouldn't be monkeying with what aint broke.

I was wondering. It seems a strange choice on their part, but it would be strange also if our two knives had lost the screw and kept the rest of the handle.