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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Elusive Schrades
- Thread starter waynorth
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That was a bit time score Hal! Congratulations on that find!
Chuck
Chuck
waynorth
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There were some beautiful old Jack knives at the Spirit of Steel show!
Just ask Mark!!
One of these was even made during the brief period that Schrade was experimenting with Stainless steel! The other, a nice Holyoke premium knife. Two beauties, doubly so because they are HJs! (But I would say that, wouldn't I!!??) Schrade made a beautiful punch; good looking, and very strong and effective.
I must say I'm a bit envious!
Just ask Mark!!
One of these was even made during the brief period that Schrade was experimenting with Stainless steel! The other, a nice Holyoke premium knife. Two beauties, doubly so because they are HJs! (But I would say that, wouldn't I!!??) Schrade made a beautiful punch; good looking, and very strong and effective.
I must say I'm a bit envious!
I think the same purpose as the choil on the blade - that edge of the punch is meant to be sharpened (the "bevel" is on the back I think) in order to cut clean holes of various sizes in leather.
waynorth
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Exactly!
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Corey - When I first saw that knife, and it was sitting on my own kitchen table before it was mine, I thought of you and the Holy Grail thread.
[Posted on the Old Knives thread already - but hey, it belongs here too. I figure one in this condition has to be pretty elusive.]
A totally spiffy Schrade Cut Co WWI era Signal Corps knife -- as far as I can tell, this is about as close to how it came out of the factory as you're likely to find. It's 3 5/8" long closed with a 2 5/8" blade and a 2 1/2" screwdriver blade -- blade has a crocus polish on the mark side and a very fine glaze finish on the pile side; screwdriver blade looks to have a very fine glaze finish both sides - clearly etched "TO RELEASE PUSH CENTER LOCK TO LEFT" -- brass center liner lock locks perfectly - absolutely no slack. Cocobolo scales.
-- Dwight
A totally spiffy Schrade Cut Co WWI era Signal Corps knife -- as far as I can tell, this is about as close to how it came out of the factory as you're likely to find. It's 3 5/8" long closed with a 2 5/8" blade and a 2 1/2" screwdriver blade -- blade has a crocus polish on the mark side and a very fine glaze finish on the pile side; screwdriver blade looks to have a very fine glaze finish both sides - clearly etched "TO RELEASE PUSH CENTER LOCK TO LEFT" -- brass center liner lock locks perfectly - absolutely no slack. Cocobolo scales.
-- Dwight
Wow, just wow! I love this knife - great pattern and great bone, and that classy reverse etch really sets it off.
-- Dwight
-- Dwight
Here is a nice example of a purpose-built knife with Schrade DNA.
Mark wrote:
"Charlie, I was perusing your Elusive Schrades thread again this morning and one comment and photo reminded me of this knife I have had for some time.
No doubt Schrade made the knives for Langbien who sold them to Hoe, who made printing presses."
Thanks Mark! I wonder if Langbein did that nice reverse etch??
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Is that a punch next to the coping blade? Never seen anything like that before!
Chuck
Chuck
As I understand, it's a typesetters tool for the old printing presses (I've seen a picture of a Joseph Rodgers typesetters knife that has a similar "blade").
-- Dwight
-- Dwight
waynorth
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Dwight, I love that Signal Corp knife! A nice example!!
And the color on that typesetter's peachseed bone is something special!
Here's a variation on a knife we've seen previously in this thread. The others have cap bolsters on bone, but this is a barehead. I like calling this a radio knife, because Barry has one (cell and barehead) advertising a Zenith Radio establishment, and it reminds me of fooling around with crystal radios!
Posts #71, 75, 231, 232, and 235 will show you the other ones in this thread!!
And the color on that typesetter's peachseed bone is something special!
Here's a variation on a knife we've seen previously in this thread. The others have cap bolsters on bone, but this is a barehead. I like calling this a radio knife, because Barry has one (cell and barehead) advertising a Zenith Radio establishment, and it reminds me of fooling around with crystal radios!
Posts #71, 75, 231, 232, and 235 will show you the other ones in this thread!!
Last edited:
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WOW! Some of the knives I see in this thread make me realize just how insignificant my little collection of Schrade knives is.
I simply "LOVE" finding threads like this one.
-Bruce
Charlie, do these knives arrive looking just as in the pics ? Meaning, if a knife is stored properly, can it still look that perfect after 75 or so years ? Or, will there always be some drying of the bone and a little superficial oxidation of the blades.
I have very little experience with 'mint' vintage knives so i'm still learning what i'm looking for in a 'mint' uncleaned knife.
roland
I have very little experience with 'mint' vintage knives so i'm still learning what i'm looking for in a 'mint' uncleaned knife.
roland
waynorth
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After ten years or so, there is no such thing as a mint knife, Roland.
All carbon steel will oxidize slightly. If a heavy storage grease is applied, and cleaned off 10 or 100 years later, the factory finish will be affected, however slightly. These knives have all seen a little cleaning with simichrome or the like, by somebody I am sure.
And applications of preservative wax or silicone are likely also.
Our favorite curmudgeon was right!
BRL says, about the best it gets is "excellent unsharpened"!
We bandy MINT about, and will continue to do so, but it is a misnomer in the strictest sense of the word.
Lightly oiling the bone, and a thin film on the metal, renewed once a year or so, is the best IMO. Too much "light" cleaning and rubbing makes a knife less and less "mint".
Museums preserve patina, but use white cotton gloves when handling. If a knife is worth preserving for posterity, take a lesson!
All carbon steel will oxidize slightly. If a heavy storage grease is applied, and cleaned off 10 or 100 years later, the factory finish will be affected, however slightly. These knives have all seen a little cleaning with simichrome or the like, by somebody I am sure.
And applications of preservative wax or silicone are likely also.
Our favorite curmudgeon was right!
BRL says, about the best it gets is "excellent unsharpened"!
We bandy MINT about, and will continue to do so, but it is a misnomer in the strictest sense of the word.
Lightly oiling the bone, and a thin film on the metal, renewed once a year or so, is the best IMO. Too much "light" cleaning and rubbing makes a knife less and less "mint".
Museums preserve patina, but use white cotton gloves when handling. If a knife is worth preserving for posterity, take a lesson!
You also need to be aware of how the old knives' blades were actually finished. Typically, the nicer grade had a main blade with a crocus polished mark side and a glaze finished pile side - other blades on the knife would be glaze finished both sides. Fancier knives/patterns would have crocus polish on all sides (the Sunday go to meeting sorta knives). More work/utilitarian patterns would be glaze finished all blades. They used hard wheels for both kinds of finishing -- the crocus finish is similar to the Sheffield "black polish" - though all examples I've seen of American crocus vs Sheffield black polish, the Sheffield is finer still. The hard wheels and the old techniques produce a very different finish and appearance than you get with any buffed finish - even using hard buffs. The old hard wheels also left the swedges and grind lines distinct and sharp - if you see rounding, blurring, blending of these lines, the knife has been buffed.
It's good to collect books with the old advertisements/catalogs in them - they typically state how the blades are finished. The old catalog cuts are also usually quite accurate when it comes to details about the patterns - exact blade profiles and swedging, pin placement, etc.
It's good to collect books with the old advertisements/catalogs in them - they typically state how the blades are finished. The old catalog cuts are also usually quite accurate when it comes to details about the patterns - exact blade profiles and swedging, pin placement, etc.
tongueriver
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The ones which have been "cleaned to mint" are certainly the most desirable of all... say.... Are they really made in mints? Second best is one which has been "Bretted." (Who would have dreamed that every company would create every knife with a Cattaraugus swedge?). :grumpy: I guess we all live and learn. Thanks to the folks who are giving us some good info here on what to look for.
:grumpy: I guess we all live and learn. Thanks to the folks who are giving us some good info here on what to look for.I was thinking that too when I saw the knife. Im surprised you remembered. So if you happen upon another...
