Does anybody have a Kershaw trooper ?

A

almtiba

Joined
Aug 29, 2003
Messages
468
Hello !

I have the knife mentioned above, but never payed much attention to it.
It was bought in a little shop in Carmel / CA. I don't remember the exact date, but it was the day of the big LA earthquake.

I recall I saw the knife on a window display and got nuts about it. My father, than, bought it to me as a birthday present. :D :D :D

I never used this knive. It was too beautifull and too perfect to be used.

Today, putting some order to my closet, I saw the knife and decided to make a serch about her thru the net...

Wow !!! That's a expensive knife ! Every site I found put her as a "collection piece".

Well, that's it.

Just would like to hear your opinions about her.

Regards,

Andre Tiba - Brazil
 
The Trooper is a very nice, well made small dagger. It is quite pricey, as you noted.
 
I have one that I purchased way back around '78 or '79 at a cutlery chain store at a mall. I remember it came in a hard plastic box with a metal latch (long since lost). The box was foam lined and had a small, thin piece of metal in it. I remember puzzling for years what that was / was for. Anyway, it was an expensive impulse buy. It road for maybe 10 - 15 years under the front seat of whatever it was I was then driving ('73 Nova, 7? Rabbit, '78 Kawasaki (okay, under the battery cover), 8? Lynx to name a few - I've always had classy rides.) It also accompanied me on more than a few backpacking trips. It was affectionately known to me and my then girlfriend / now wife as "the b*tch" and was certain to save us from any and all threats by man and beast. It was never called to action. I pulled it out a couple months ago. The leather sheath is a bit loose but still servicable; the clip has some light rust. The handle (unknown wood) is now just plain black. The blade was pretty well scratched up and the edges themselves were badly sharpened by me over the years; I dremmelled out the worst of the damage and then had it professionally resharpened (I don't know the steel, but it ain't worth writing home about). So "the b*tch" lives again. It's not going for any more rides, but it's worth a lot of memories.
 
Hi, Loodieboy,

I have some info for you:

The steel is AUS8A;
The handle is Ebony Hardwood;
The tiny piece of metal you described is a Plate for you to engrave something - you can note the presentation case has the exact place for you to glue it.

And it's the only knife made by Kershaw to have been serial numbered since it started production.

Regards,

Andre Tiba - Brazil
 
DANG! Mystery finally solved. My case is long gone, but what a bonehead, I can't believe I never figured that out.

And I wonder, was AUS8A around in '78 / '79? The reason I dissed the steel, and the reason I had my blade professionally sharpened, was because my edge kept, well, it almost seemed to flake as though the steel was layered or laminated.

Ebony certainly explains the black handle, musta' been that way from the get-go.

I'll check my serial number tonight; my only recollection is that it was pretty high, even back then.
 
Okay, Andre, here's how it reads:

Ricasso: Kershaw Oregon USA (flip side) 1007 Japan

Guard: Ser. No. 15483


Clip: Kershaw Lake Oswego, OR 97034 U.S.A

That's a pretty high serial number given the age of the knife. Also, I don't know much about steels, but I wonder if 1007 is the grade. Anyway, there it is.

- Rob M.
 
Hi again, Rob,

1007 is the model number.

There's no mark on the knife whatsoever telling the steel, I just know it's AUS8A because of the literature...

Mine is serial # 20691, and I have the certificate telling it was manufactured on 1993.

The marks on the clip are the address.

Take care,

Andre Tiba - Brazil
 
almtiba said:
Hi, Loodieboy,


And it's the only knife made by Kershaw to have been serial numbered since it started production.

Andre Tiba - Brazil
Click to expand...

Hi Guys
Just checked up on my Trooper, bought in Christchurch, NZ about 1985 ; it has no serial number just the name TROOPER, and makers mark. Any ideas??
Phil
 
Boy this is strange. I was just looking at mine the other day for the first time in years. My ser,# is 5483, made in Jan. 1981. They are a sweet looking knife and it seems as atractive today as it did in 1981 when I got it. :cool:
 
Archangel: Very weird. I just ran downstairs to double check my serial number, definitely 15483.

But now there's no way I got mine as early as the late 70's. I'm a complete maroon. I'll have to contact Kershaw to find when it was made. Then I'll quit sniffing airplane glue.

- Rob M.
 
fullplate said:
Hi Guys
Just checked up on my Trooper, bought in Christchurch, NZ about 1985 ; it has no serial number just the name TROOPER, and makers mark. Any ideas??
Phil
Click to expand...

Mine has no serial number also,it just says Kershaw by Kai Japan on one side and on the other TROOPER.It has blood grove on both sides
Its strange and I don't think are fakes ,the handle is dark ebony
 
I also had lost the display case for mine, but when I called Kershaw they just sent me a new case( that was about 2 years ago). I have serial no. 6177 and purchased it in the early 80's. Mine too has been sharpened very poorly by me on my dads grinder.
 
Hi Guys.. very new to searching on info for knives. .. bought a untouched/unused Kershaw Trooper.. with these engraving on the blade "Kershaw by Kai Japan - Trooper" in a grey box with blue inner and sheath ... im a bit puzzled as to there being no serial number after reading it was one of the few knives to boast a serial number heritage from the day of its conception.. do I own a fake? What would it's value be if it were a "fake".. thank you in advance for any assistance and input
 
Bumping an old topic, to add that I have been informed that USA Troopers were serialed, but not necessarily those that were destined for other markets like Oz or South Africa. Some of those may have ended up in USA, but perfectly legit for them to have no serial.
 
One other detail, early Troopers did not have the blood groove, but production issues required the addition of the blood groove to aid grinding. I sold a surprising number of Troopers when I managed a knife store in the NW. There was nothing on the market to compare. Sold a number to Gerber employees...
 
Just bought one today, should be with me tomorrow will post serial number then, back in 1980s loved th look but could not justify buying one, if i remember correctly also they made a slightly smaller one called ' agent' you don't see many come up pre owned in uk, hope my fond memories correct
 
GaryOwen said:
Just bought one today, should be with me tomorrow will post serial number then, back in 1980s loved th look but could not justify buying one, if i remember correctly also they made a slightly smaller one called ' agent' you don't see many come up pre owned in uk, hope my fond memories correct
Click to expand...
Both great knives. I bought my Trooper back in '82 from the South African Kershaw distributer in Johannesburg.
I have my Agent right next to me on the bed as I type this. One of my favourite edc pieces. Enjoy your Trooper.:)
 
Steven65 said:
Both great knives. I bought my Trooper back in '82 from the South African Kershaw distributer in Johannesburg.
I have my Agent right next to me on the bed as I type this. One of my favourite edc pieces. Enjoy your Trooper.:)
Click to expand...
Sorry late reply, no serial number, plastic handle and fuller. So guessing a later one,be happy to hear of anyone who can give me pointers to year of production and now to find the agent model
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top