Help my mother with a Uncle Henry 153 UH ?

[ceduran@hotmail.com]

My mother used to sell knives at the swap meet years ago, and recently she gave me one of the knives she had left over from those days. It is a Uncle Henry golden spike, serial # 113145.
It is new in box (with an outer cardboard sleeve), with the leather sheath, sharpening stone, and paperwork inside.
It's in pretty good shape, there's a little corrision on the brass tang. I told my mother I'd try and sell it for her, but i have no idea as to the value or age. Can anyone help me out a bit here ? Any info would be greatly app. !

Thanks,
Chris
ceduran@hotmail.com


P: Forgive my screen name, I just wasn't paying attention during the signup process here and got stuck with it...

 

[Codger_64]

Chris, recent research has allowed us to better estimate production on these knives, however we don't have the factory production records, so that serial number alone does not tell us much. A picture or scan of the knife, box, and paperwork will get us pretty close to dating it. You can e-mail a picture to me (address in my profile) and I will post it for you if you can't figure out how. We know the knives were first made circa 1974, and the first few years were serialized, then not. Also the first years had carbon steel blades, then stainless, also the first stamps were Schrade, then Schrade+. From what you have told us so far, I can only say that it was made between 1974 and 2004.


As for the current value.....do an ebay search "Schrade 153UH", then click the box Completed listings. It will show what the latest ones sold for. Also beware of the ones with the red spacers...chinee junk!

Codger

 

[hogdog]

Hi Chris..Codger ..There are several 153 "new production " CHIRADES on Ebay with black and white spacers on the handles you need to ket in on the box, language....or just make it a habit to ask if ,they don't show the tang stamp. I think the red and white was the" first run " Taylors from China. They probably spotted the USA knifes were moving well on Ebay and tried to sneak in with the new spacers. THX Michael

 

[Codger_64]

This is a composite of the pictures Chris sent of the knife in question, the 153UH.

First, the box is the leather grain gold embossed gift box commonly seen in the late seventies to mid eighties (maybe even later).

The insert paper matches some I have showing a key date knife, the LB7 introduced in 1979.

The loss replacement paper has the name "Schrade Cutlery Corp.", which was most used from 1974-1984.

Since the sheath changed little over production, there is little it can tell us.

The knife has the tangstamp SCHRADE over U.S.A. 153UH. Note there is no "+". The first few years, the 153UH was made in 1095 Carbon steel, not Schrade+ stainless, which mark began to be used circa 1974 on their stainless knives.

The blade bears the faint etch SCHRADE over SUPER SHARP. I still don't have enough documentation to know when it was and wasn't used over the span of production, but I have seen it both early and late, so at this time, it really doesn't tell us much about the production date.

The knife also has the serial # 113145. This is a relatively high number. We still don't know what was the highest, or when they quit serializing, but it indicates to me that this is one of the latest knives to be made of carbon steel.

My estimation of the date of production is 1978-1985. No promises, but that is what the knife and paperwork say to me.

This is a complete, relatively early knife, all of the accessories appear to be in mint shape, and the knife appears to be in excellent condition, though not mint from what I can tell in the photos. Twentyfive year old carbon blades, even if never used and seldom handled, rarely appear without patina spots, particularly if stored in the acid sheath. The poly or fiber blade sleeve is the only thing I see missing. A good knife that should bring a good price from a collector desiring this pattern and vintage. Sorry, but I do not follow the sales prices on these Golden Spikes, so I cannot give you a good price range for it's value. Maybe with the pics and info, someone else here can.

Codger