For a few dollars more?

Codger_64

Codger_64

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I recently purchased an LB7 for $27 from my local pusher...er...knife and collectable dealer (he has a few more for the same price) in the gray box. I thought that was a decent price for a mint complete example. But I just paid $38 for another one with low serial numbers mint in the white box with gold printing. I still have several box types, and several engineering changes to buy before I can make much headway on my research on them. What is the consensus here, did I pay too much for this one? Is this the most I should be willing to pay for one of the production knives? Note I am trying to get only mint complete ones for the documentation, and no SFOs or limited editions. This buying lockbacks is new to me and I don't have an abundance of funds to spend on researching these. I have other patterns to fry...er...buy!:)

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Codger
 
Inasmuch as this is(or may be) a valid "expense", I don't think you paid too much. And, since "Uncle Sam" is helping you gather these gems, the more you have the better IMHO. ;)
 
I got a writer's grant that I'm not aware of??? :eek:

Nah, the dollars and cents I pay for these come out of the Codger family budget right after my work expenses and such. Then food, shelter, clothes with what is left over. The important stuff comes first, you know! Maybe the four year investment will pay off some day and I can deduct expenses. Uncle Sugar is already not amused that my expenses run so high on my construction work.:rolleyes:

Codger
 
My friend I think it was you who explained to me when I first came to this forum that there is no such thing as to much for a knife if it's what you want.Arnold PS want my china knife back
 
Beautiful examples Codger. I've been monitoring these prices, and those are pretty good for the quality.

Brian
 
Brian, the problem is that I've not been watching the prices of this pattern. My collector interest is more with the fixed blades, but I have to examine the LB series just now to find examples of all the changes. I appreciate knowing I've not overpaid for these. Do the later ones in the bluestripe and the diamondplate boxes seem to be priced more or less?

Codger
 
Codger, nice to see that you're considering writing more about the LB series. There doesn't seem to be as much interest in these great knives compared to other Schrades, maybe because they existed in the shadow of the Buck 110's and their variants, maybe they were too big to carry often, maybe they were too expensive, maybe whatever.

You have a daunting task ahead of you cataloging all the engineering changes let alone the packaging changes. Serial numbers, no serial numbers, 4 pins, 3 pins, centered rocker pin, forward rocker pin, steel hinge pin, colored hinge pin, different blades, different grinds, Uncle Henry tang stamp, no Uncle Henry tang stamp, different handle materials, it goes on and on.

I can also share with you that a given style of sheath or package is not always reliable in dating the knife contained therein. I have too many contradictory examples to figure out any rhyme or reason in dating the knife, sheath, and package as coming from the same time frame. Schrade must have had a supply of old knives that they would throw into newer packaging, and sometimes, newer knives that they would put into older packaging.

Your research may make these little nuances important in the history of these knives. Take a look over in the Buck Forum sometime. Those guys get rabid over every single little difference they can find in the manufacture of Buck 110's.

Good luck in your work!
 
Thanks Redshanks. One problem I've already run into is that quite a few of the changes are internal, and not detectable without disassembly. Blade bushings are one example. Another is the question of incorporating the butt piece (spacer) into the pile side bolster scale, and as you mentioned, the movement of pin locations. Some of these changes were proposed as improvements, some were carried out in production. The prints themselves were revised from the 1978 original in 1980, 85, 86, 92, 93 that I am aware of. This does not include the actual process changes, material changes, and tangstamp changes, nor the packaging and sheaths. Best reference on the sheaths is the research I did a while back on accessory sheath designs. But it was based almost entirely upon the catalog listings, not sheath production or shipping records.

I am already seeing hints for dating the main variations of the tang stamps, and a correlation between the serial number sequence and cover pin changes. It would help immensely if everyone with a serialized LB7 would give me details.

Tangstamp
# of cover pins
Serial #
Packaging and papers if known

Codger
 
The Scrims are the subject of their own chapter, and for another time. Yes, split or solid butt piece would help as well. I don't need these details on the Chitaylor LB7s though. I'll leave exploring the production details of those to the Chinese knife collectors.

Codger
 
I have three out of seven that are numbered.#1 is #D25654.Tang stamped Schrade+
USA LB7.4 pins
#2 is X33734 stamped Uncle Henry
Schrade+
LB7 USA It has 3 pins.
#3 is AV62834 stamped Uncle Henry
Schrade+
LB7 USA It has 3 pins
All have solid spacer.
 
Thanks Arnold. I added them in. Actual production and shipping began in 1977 with 17,693 LB7s shipped.
 
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