Elusive Schrades

Duncan, I see nothing on your knife to indicate age other than that it is not tang stamped with the "SCHRADE+" mark which was more likely later in production. If the paper is original to the knife, it is most definately early to mid 1980's as that cutler trademark was not seen until then (circa 1983 when Baer acquired the outstanding Imperial shares). The 4 1/2 " hidden tang blade is sabre ground .165 1095HC carbon steel before mid 1995, then afterward .135 440A stainless Schrade+ steel hollow ground. I'm not certain when serializing stopped, but the earlier ones were serialized on the face of the guard opposite the UH signature.

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Two treasures, Duncan. Elusive indeed, to have never been slid into their Sheaths!! They definitely fit the thread, IMO. Beauties!!
 
Thank you Michael. Charlie. as always - interesting facts for me the beginner.

I too couldn't see a thing about the dating with the stamping. - I didn't base my buying on that information - I have owned enough of these in the past.
I must admit with Camillus and Schrade with their Staglon - it is appealing - it worked! I do very much like these knives - just imagine if we could get these in Peach seed!!!!!!! Now THAT would be a good score!

A question guys...
Ducks Unlimited, the "series" or brand as you may say - is it ( meant to be ) more desired than the other?
I see more Golden Spikes ( 153 UH's ) than the D U that I have - in either the Old Timer series and less in the DU series.


Robin, you are so right my friend, wouldn't it be great seeing this thread "live" as if to be around a table - and these very posts were guys presenting the knives for view...good to dream I guess!
 
The Ducks Unlimited knives were special factory orders by that sportsman's organization. I suppose one could group them and call them a series, but they weren't a factory series in that sense. Depending on the pattern and year, and added features over a production equivilant, they could have added value. Some were shown in the catalogs, some had date etches so they can be pinned down as to the production date. Of course they are knives with crossover interest, duck hunters and DU members, so there is some competition for them besides just knife collectors. Many were what was called "event enhancement" items intended to be sold or auctioned at Ducks Unlimited meetings for fund raising. Some of these appear in boxed sets and run the gamut from expensive Aurum etched and gold filled bowies to the cheap Lightweights and about every pattern inbetween. I have a 152DU and an 897UHDU around here somewhere. Oh... and I had a Canadian DU 15UH knife too, very fancy. I even had Paul Long make me a hornback alligator inlaid sheath for it.

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Here is one relatively elusive Schrade. Baer used Sears as a marketing test bed for patterns and variations for years. Sears liked it because it gave them a head start on marketing new patterns, and older patterns with embelishments not available from Schrade dealers. Some years back I happened upon a camp utility pattern in an old Sears catalog. And I went looking for it. It took a while but I found one and it was pristine. Then shortly thereafter I found another that was going cheap. Self I says, the seller doesn't know what he has. He doesn't show or even mention the unique feature. So I nabbed it. But in this case, I was the one "gotten", not the seller. It arrived and was as pristine ans I had imagined through blurry photos. But the pocket blade flopped open when I picked it up. A broken backspring. So one is a parts knife that, when I get around to it, I may have a new spring made for. Few old Schrades are worth going to that much trouble to repair. But I had done my research and low and behold, this knife was made only for Sears and only in 1967. And in a very small quantity, far less than many so-called limited editions.

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Campbellclanman said:
wouldn't it be great seeing this thread "live" as if to be around a table - and these very posts were guys presenting the knives for view...good to dream I guess!
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In that spirit, my contribution. Not elusive, very common in fact. What makes this one different is I bought this knife for my Dad back when my son was born, he became a Grand Dad. Loved his old Case so much this one stayed in the original packaging it's entire life. The foam is starting to deteriorate.

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The "Grand Dad's Old Timer" series was one of their earliest commemorative series. 1974 was their 70th (observed) anniversary. My memory fails me but I believe there were four patterns in the series, all with the black Delrin and brass furniture and in special gift boxes. Here is my Sharpfinger from the series.

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ETA: A picture of the set of four from Bob W over in the Schrade collectors forum:

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GDOT 1 Large Stockman =19,833
GDOT 2 Small Stockman =15,215
GDB Barlow =12,000
GDOT Sharpfinger = 9,216 (This is why you see less of the Sharpfingers and more of the others)
 
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Wow- Michael thank you for the incredible amount of time put into answering my question.
Just amazing AND educational - as per usual. I'm sure many of us here enjoy benefiting from your knowledge.
Michael- just in case these were the fixed blades I mentioned to you earlier.
Chief! Good to see you my friend -great grandad knife- thank you for putting it up for us to have a gander at!

It would have been SO EASY to pass that Elusive Baers camp knife on without just knowing what you had- good hunting!
 
You're certainly welcome Duncan. You might note that Sears number and search for them on occasion. You would not believe how well that saw blade works for being mounted on a camp utility knife.

Charlie, the Sharpfinger was a pattern that got overlooked by the thieves. I was amazed to see that I still had it and it's companion, the boxed SGS-1 gift set.

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garddogg56 said:
Someone want to remind me How Schrade went out of business?:mad:
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A perfect storm. No one cause. A dozen or more coming together all at once. Same for the sister company Camillus. A perfect storm. In hind sight and knowing most of the factors involved, it is surprising that they did not close sooner.

Speaking of elusive Schrades, I still need quite a few Sharpfingers to complete my collection. Here are the unboxed ones and some clones in the background. The boxed ones didn't make the family photo this time.

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What stunning knives, and I just cannot express how GUTTED I am to hear about the theft, I am not going to go on about it - this is a family oriented forum, but I wish I could help you out with rebuilding your fine collection, The problem is they are Elusive - and I just don't have them!!
 
It took me well over a decade of searching and scraping funds to buy all those 165's and the other knives stolen, somewhere around 300 total. I'll never replace them. Some were more than elusive, truely rare like the Shikari in the foreground, the first SFO of the pattern made only in 1966-67 with the even more rare original pig-skin sheath. But I have to be philosophical about it. Jake was here and they didn't harm him or me when I interrupted their rummaging, they just made a hasty exit out the back door with all they could carry. Including the funds I had put back to survive until spring.

Life goes on. :)
 
Ouch! I didn't hear about the theft - every collector's nightmare!!
Sorry about that Mike!
I am glad you guys are physically O.K. I hope you have some good luck to balance out that disaster!
 
waynorth said:
Ouch! I didn't hear about the theft - every collector's nightmare!!
Sorry about that Mike!
I am glad you guys are physically O.K. I hope you have some good luck to balance out that disaster!
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I'll second that, Mike. Sorry to hear this.
 
Luck? The best kind and much of it originating with the good members of Bladeforums. I've been sent various knives out of the blue, often with no return address. Some of the best up-and-coming makers here have created special custom knives for me. I've received a keyboard to replace the one busted by the thieves in their haste to steal my desktop after copping my laptop and cameras. And a camera from another member. And even some help making up some of the cash they made off with. But mosty, most importantly, knowing I had REAL WORLD friends here from around the world who really, actually cared. Stuff is just that, stuff. Even prized knives, and the sweat it took to earn and buy them. Stuff. Friends... that's what matters. :thumbup:

Now, enough of the old news, on with the knife show!
 
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