Elusive Schrades

[bladecollectorr]

I figure you can't see too many of these bone 80th Anniversary knives. This one is serial #072. I cleaned it up today.

 

[Un-Chained]

B bladecollectorr
Such completely perfect collections…
your handle serves you quite well my friend….
Gus

 

[Un-Chained]

and worth a double post even!!

 

[bladecollectorr]

B bladecollectorr
Such completely perfect collections…
your handle serves you quite well my friend….
Gus

Thanks Gus! I've always stayed focused on Schrade. Too late to change now!

 

[bladecollectorr]

At the 1986 National Sales Meeting a scrimshawed, micarta SC507 with basket-weave sheath was handed out as a commemorative to the sales reps. Other Schrade VIPs got one too. This one belonged to salesman Gary Iwert, who I bought it from.

It commemorates the move to Schrade's bigger Ellenville factory. The genuine scrimshaw was hand-done by Frank Giorgianni. I think there were about 50 of these knives produced.

As we all know, that factory was the final home for Imperial Schrade Corp. The building was removed a few years back. I grabbed this sad photo from Google Earth showing the building after it had sat empty for many years. All good things come to an end.

 

[waynorth]

Apparently Albert Baer had these Manicure-penknives made as gifts! The artwork is signed by Shaw-Liebowitz!! With a Gold-overlay, Bear!!

 

[ea42]

Charlie that's an amazing example!! Those came about because there was a stash of old Schrade Cut Co skeletons in storage that sat around for decades and no one knew what to do with them. For those who don't know; a skeleton is a knife that's been completely assembled but with just the liners, no covers. The liners are countersunk so that the hammered pins can be sanded flush with the liners. A gold plated (or sterling silver) fancy cover was then snapped over this assembly and sometimes a matching shackle was then added. Here's an example of this type of construction with the gold plated cover:



Unfortunately the dies and blanking tools for those gold covers were long gone, and there weren't enough of these "lost" skeletons to make it worthwhile to manufacture new ones.
It was at this time (1980) that Schrade contacted Shaw-Leibowitz to see if they could come up with one of their classic castings to match, and the project was born. It's really cool how after all those years they made use of those historic pieces rather than dump them. As far as I know they were sold through a retailer. If I recall correctly I think it might have been one of the mail order concerns at the time but I can't recall who. If I find it I'll post it here. Here's a little behind the scenes info from a Sept 12, 1980 inner office memo (see item #5):



Eric

 

[Un-Chained]

ea42
Awesome history there Eric!!
Thank you for this share

 

[bladecollectorr]

Might as well show the "Fox & Grapes", Shaw-Leibowitz knives close to that interesting memo. Thanks for posting that, Eric.

It wasn't the right time for me to grab them but a real nice set was auctioned off a while back. I saved the pics of matched set #55. Boxes look original as well. Gold, sterling and bronze versions. Fair use!

 

[Un-Chained]

Talk about a trifecta B bladecollectorr
That Fox looks awesome from here!

 

[waynorth]

Charlie that's an amazing example!! Those came about because there was a stash of old Schrade Cut Co skeletons in storage that sat around for decades and no one knew what to do with them. For those who don't know; a skeleton is a knife that's been completely assembled but with just the liners, no covers. The liners are countersunk so that the hammered pins can be sanded flush with the liners. A gold plated (or sterling silver) fancy cover was then snapped over this assembly and sometimes a matching shackle was then added. Here's an example of this type of construction with the gold plated cover:

View attachment 1584174

Unfortunately the dies and blanking tools for those gold covers were long gone, and there weren't enough of these "lost" skeletons to make it worthwhile to manufacture new ones.
It was at this time (1980) that Schrade contacted Shaw-Leibowitz to see if they could come up with one of their classic castings to match, and the project was born. It's really cool how after all those years they made use of those historic pieces rather than dump them. As far as I know they were sold through a retailer. If I recall correctly I think it might have been one of the mail order concerns at the time but I can't recall who. If I find it I'll post it here. Here's a little behind the scenes info from a Sept 12, 1980 inner office memo (see item #5):

View attachment 1584175

Eric

Thanks for filling in that story, Eric!!

 

[bladecollectorr]

Here are two more outstanding Shaw-Leibowitz knives (that do not belong to me). I harvested these pics online for reference as well.

Both are RL2 Schrade-Loveless knives with ivory delrin handles. The Whaler knife was done in this gold 50-piece edition and, I think, a simpler edition as well without the gold. It has genuine scrimshaw.

The bear knife came from Henry Baer's personal collection and was likely a one-off.

 

[ea42]

Might as well show the "Fox & Grapes", Shaw-Leibowitz knives close to that interesting memo. Thanks for posting that, Eric.

It wasn't the right time for me to grab them but a real nice set was auctioned off a while back. I saved the pics of matched set #55. Boxes look original as well. Gold, sterling and bronze versions. Fair use!

Just to add some confusion to the mix (and clarity at the same time); these knives posted by Bladecollectorr are not from the same batch as the one Charlie posted or the ones I mentioned in my post above. These three knives were from a completely different order that was put in either earlier or later, I don't recall which, and consisted of new stock parts from the Schrade 778 senators with stainless blades. The two knives from Charlie's batch (coffin and senator) were done with old Schrade Cut Co parts in far fewer numbers. They were both tang stamped "Schrade Cut Co" and had far better grinds and swedges as you can see in the photos. Unfortunately I haven't got a picture of the Cut Co version of the Fox and Grapes for you to compare.

Eric

 

[bladecollectorr]

Just to add some confusion to the mix (and clarity at the same time); these knives posted by Bladecollectorr are not from the same batch as the one Charlie posted or the ones I mentioned in my post above. These three knives were from a completely different order that was put in either earlier or later, I don't recall which, and consisted of new stock parts from the Schrade 778 senators with stainless blades. The two knives from Charlie's batch (coffin and senator) were done with old Schrade Cut Co parts in far fewer numbers. They were both tang stamped "Schrade Cut Co" and had far better grinds and swedges as you can see in the photos. Unfortunately I haven't got a picture of the Cut Co version of the Fox and Grapes for you to compare.

Eric

Thanks for clearing that up. I knew these were indeed 778s, with a newer stamp but I figured the Cut Co examples would be very similar. Same covers on different skeletons, if I'm understanding things correctly.

 

[bladecollectorr]

Two more uncommon Harry Gant commemoratives from the 1990s.

"HG7LTD - Harry Gant LB-7 pattern, Special gold filled etch, LTD. tangstamp, brass bolsters, antiqued coined N/S shield, Oak box with glazed tile lid, Ship 9/15/92 - 200 pcs." (note that my example is #256 so the total produced is incorrect)

"HGLTD94 - LB-7 pattern, "Harry Gant Last Ride" gold filled etch, LTD. tangstamp, serialized N/S bolsters, green Fibron handle, coined N/S shield, laser engraved cherry box, Ship 6/30/94 - 200 pcs." (note that the etch is actually worded "The Bandit's Last Ride")

 

[waynorth]

I figured the Cut Co examples would be very similar.

Tried to message you bladecollectorr, but no luck!!

 

[bladecollectorr]

Tried to message you bladecollectorr, but no luck!!

I can be reached at woodsman@tuta.io. Cheers!

 

[pistonsandgears]

Fishermans Special

 

[Un-Chained]

pistonsandgears
Slim & Sweet

 

[Âchillepattada]

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