Hourin’s Notes on the Walden Fixed Blade Knives

[Codger_64]

While going through a filing cabinet recently, I came across a small engineer’s notebook I had overlooked. The brown leather cover is imprinted with the name...

A. B. Hourin
Schrade Walden Cutlery
Walden, N.Y.

Most of the notes date from the mid 1950's and talk about formulas for etches, marking inks, and list descriptions, dies and processes for quite a few knives. Of interest here are the pages describing the Walden fixed blades, often an enigma of handle and blade combinations particularly the smaller “bird and trout” patterns, as we tend to call them these days.

I've always liked the old classic leather washer handled fixed blade hunting knives, and I have owned several over the years before I settled down with the sawcut Delrin Old Timers as my hunting knives. I never really paid too much attention to the patterns of those blades, or understood their role in the ancestry of the more modern Uncle Henry and Old Timer knives, until fairly recently. Information on them is not easy to find, as it seems they just don't have the pizazz of the fancier plastic and brass knives, and are seldom seen with glistening blades, partly because they were made to be used by an earlier generation of outdoorsmen who did just that, then handed them down to sons and grandsons.

Many companies made them, so I would be hesitant to say that Schrade made them first, or that George Schrade numbered them among his patented inventions. I do know that George Schrade Knife Company of Providence, RI. was one of the earlier makers of a complete line of them, and that Schrade Cutlery Company, and then Schrade-Walden and Imperial, and finally Schrade Cutlery did as well. Many of the blade patterns of the early George Schrade knives were carried over to Schrade Walden, and eventually added to and modernized with different guards, handle materials, and eventually, new patterns.

The George Schrade Knife Company produced the line of knives under the tang name "Stagbrand", and "Schradebrand". At this time, they did not have stamped model numbers or names, but were listed in their literature as "#1", "#2", etc. There were five knives in the leather handled hunting knife line with blade sizes from the tiny flatground #1 "bird and trout" pattern 3 1/4", up to the 5" heavy guage saber ground #5. All had matching flat nickle silver guards and pinned aluminum birds head pommels. Spacers of alternating colors white, red and black were added fore and aft of the laqured stacked leather washer grip. I am not sure when the stamps changed from Stagbrand to Schradebrand (or visa versa), but each of the knives in the series may be seen with either stamp. Three plastic faux stag handled knives were made with these blade patterns as well, the material referred to as “Styrene”.



Schrade Walden continued the same patterns and expanded them, using identical handles and spacers. One must see the tangstamps in order to tell the difference unless you memorize the different spacer color sequences. Schrade Walden did number, and eventually name the patterns, most likely at the insistance of Henry Baer, who joined his brother Albert as the owners of Schrade Walden Cutlery Corp. in 1946, formerly Schrade Cutlery Company, and it became a division of Imperial Knife Associated Companies Group, which included Ulster and Imperial.

The early fifties and sixties saw an expansion of patterns, handle materials and names added. Innovative " Everlast Edge" Tungsten Carbide blades, "Wonda-Edge" serrated blades, “StrataWood”and "Wonda-Wood" handles appeared on several patterns, and eventually “Genuine Unbreakable Staglon”.

The patterns offered in the mid fifties were the 137, 138, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, and 148. As previously mentioned, I am going to concentrate on the smaller bladed knives here.

The #140, as a whimsical decoration, used a bear's head shape pommel (seen in 1953,’54), a play on the owner's names, Baer. It had an overall length of 8 1/4", and a stainless hollow ground blade of 4 inches. It had a grooved "Stratawood" handle, aluminum alloy guard, and black and white spacers. The pattern without the bear's head is listed in 1955-‘57. It is not listed in 1959.



Hourin’s Notes:

#140
4 ½" Fixed Blade Hunter with Bear’s Head
__________________________________

13 Ga. SS Hollow Ground Blade
Aluminum Guards .091" x 1 7/16" x .96"
Fibre Washers

Grooved Strata Wood Handles
with 3 Black and 2 White Fibre Washers on ea. end

#140 Sheath - Gold Embossed
imprinted in Gold: “S-W”
11/30/56

#140A - SR9534
__________________________________
Same as above except Grooved
Strata Wood Handle with 3 Red
& 2 White Fibre Washers on ea. end

The 141 Tall Tale (or 141L) first appeared in the 1957 catalog, and remained in 1959 were I first see it illustrated with the birdshead pommel. In the1961 catalog, it acquired the bear head pommel, and the name “tall tale”. It is described there as 8 ½" overall length, 4 1/4" sabre ground carbon steel blade, and a leather washered handle with decorative discs on each end. The retail price is given in 1962 of $3.95, and it is illustrated with the bear head pommel for the last time in 1965. In the 1966 catalog, the birdshead aluminum pommel returned, and the listed price is $4.75. The 141L is last seen listed in the 1973 Schrade Walden catalog priced at $6.00. By midyear, it was no longer listed, it’s place having been taken by the short-lived 41OT Maverick (1971-73).



Hourin’s Notes:

#141L
4 1/4" Fixed Blade Hunter with
Plain Aluminum Butt
__________________________________

13 Ga. Saber Ground Blade

Aluminum Guard

Handle: 16 Leather Wash. P. Kn.
4 Thick Bl. Plas. Wash
4 Thin Fibre Washers
2 Thick Brown Washers

The #142 Mighty Mite (or 142L) is first listed in 1961 with an overall length of 6 1/4" , a plain ground carbon steel 3 1/4" blade, and leather washered handle with decorative discs on each end, an aluminum birdshead pommel. Priced in 1962 at $2.95, it is gone by the 1963 catalog. Hourin had no notes on this one.



The #143 is listed in 1955 and in 1957, but not described or illustrated.

Hourin’s Notes:

#143
3 ½ " Fixed Blade Hunter with
Plain Aluminum Butt
__________________________________

13 Ga. SS Hollow Ground Blades
Used .095" x 2 1/4" SS

Aluminum Guards

Fibre Lock Washers

Handles: 2 Toned Stratawood
Not Grooved with
6 Black & 4 White Fibre
Washers per knife


143L (For Sears Ass’t)
13 Ga. Carbon Saber Ground Blade

Handles: 15 Leather Washers p. Kn.
4 Thick Bl. Plas.
4 Thin White Washers
2 Thick Brown

The #145 was the same pattern and handle material as the 140, but without handle grooves in the Stratawood, and with a plainer birdshead pommel. First seen in 1953, it had a 8 1/4" overall length, a 4" hollow ground stainless blade, and aluminum alloy guard and pommel. It listed in 1955 for $4.95, was listed in 1957 as the 145, 145L, and 145WE (Wonda-Edge serrated blade), but gone by 1959.



Hourin’s Notes:

#145
4 1/4" Fixed Blade Hunter with
Plain Aluminum Butt
__________________________________

13 Ga. SS Hollow Ground Blade

Fibre Lock Washers

Strata Wood Handles - Not
Grooved with 3 Black and 2 White
Fibre Washers on ea. end

#145L
4 1/4" Fixed Blade Hunter with
Plain Aluminum Butt
__________________________________

13 Ga. SS Hollow Ground Blade

Aluminum Guards

Handles: 16 Leather Washers p. Kn.
4 Thick Bl. Plas.
4 Thin White Washers
2 Thick Brown


The #146 was the same pattern, but with grooved Stratawood handles (like the #140) and the birdshead pommel. First seen in 1953, it had an 8 1/4" overall length, hollow ground stainless steel 4" blade, aluminum alloy guard and birdshead pommel. It listed in 1955 for $4.95, appeared in 1957, but was gone by 1959.



Hourin’s Notes:

#146
4 1/4" Fixed Blade Hunter
with Plain Aluminum Butt
__________________________________

13 Ga. SS Hollow Ground Blade

Aluminum Guards

Fibre Lock Washers

Grooved Strata Wood Handles with
6 Black Fibre Washers per Knife
4 White Fibre Washers per Knife


While the discovery of Hourin’s notes do not nearly answer all of our questions on these knives, they do add just a bit more insight. I’ll try to add more information on other patterns as time allows.

Codger

 

[Codger_64]

The #137 "Camper's Favorite" had an overall length of 8 1/2", a carbon steel saber ground 4 1/2" blade with thumbrest and upswept trailing point, leather washer handle with spacers, aluminum guard, and aluminum birdshead pommel. It was cataloged in 1957 and in 1961 called “Camper’s Favorite”. In 1962, it was listed as 137L at $3.95. They were discontinued in 1973 ½ with the introduction of the “49er Series”.



The #137WE "Camper's Favorite" had an overall length of 8 1/2", a carbon steel saber ground 4 1/2" blade with thumbrest and upswept tip and the serrated "Wonda-Edge", leather washer handle with spacers, aluminum guard, and aluminum birdshead pommel. The Wonda-Edge was patented in 1958.



According to the Schrade Walden production records, there were only 62 of these made and shipped during the period 1957-1962. This one is in the Codger collection.

The idea of adding scalloped serrations to one side of a knife blade was patented by Albert H. Baer, USPTO utility patent #2,825,968. The patent was filed in September of 1956, and issued in March of 1958, and assigned to Imperial Associated Companies, Inc. The name “Wonda-Edge” associated with Mr. Baer’s invention was trademarked as well, #72,023,627, in February 1958.


This “Wonda-Edge” feature was used for the next few decades on a variety of hunting knives, pocket knives, and horticultural and sampler knives. As the assignment of the patent indicates, knives of all three of the associated companies, Schrade Walden, Ulster, and Imperial at one time or another made use of this patent.

Serrated blades were not unheard of prior to the Wonda-Edge, but they more resembled saws in that they were toothed, with angular serrations, and usually symetrically groved evenly on both sides. Mr. Baer’s invention used rounded scallops to increase the length of the cutting surface, and placed the scallops all on one side of the blade to facilitate easy sharpening from the back, or plain side, rather than trying to sharpen the scallops themselves.

The very earliest mention I have found of the use of the Wonda-Edge feature is on the Schrade Walden 1957 price list, SW157JA. There I find listed 145WE, 147LWE,148LWE, all fixed blade hunting knives. Two pocket knives were also listed, both with stagged bone covers, 3 7/8" Serpentine Jack (we now call a two blade gunstock trapper pattern) 293WE, and the 4" Muskrat pattern 787WE with one blade serrated.

In the1959 price list, SW159J, the hunting knives listed were the H-15WE (Utility hunter), 147LWE, and 148LWE. No pocket knives with the Wonda-Edge were listed, nor in the catalog. The same hunting knives were listed in the 1960 catalog as well.

Hourin’s Notes (circa 1957):

#137

13 Ga. Saber Grd. Blades

Aluminum Butt
Aluminum Guard
Aluminum Pins

Handles: 16 Leather Wash. P. Kn.
6 Thin Black Fibre W.
4 Thin White Fibre W.

 

[Codger_64]

The #144 Hunter’s Pride (144L) appeared in the 1957 price list, but with no description or illustration. In the 1959 catalog, it is illustrated, but not described. Finally, in 1961 we find a complete description and viewable illustration.

The 144 has an overall length of 9 3/4", a plain ground carbon steel clip point blade, grooved leather washer handle with plastic spacers front and rear, symetrical upper and lower guard, and flat metal butt plate. It listed for $3.95 in 1962, $4.65 in 1964, and $6.75 in 1969, the last year listed. It was an H-15 Variant.

Hourin’s Notes (Circa 1956):

#144

5 1/8" Hunter with Flat Round Butt (Steel)
__________________________________

Blades - Same as H-5
(7 Ga. Carbon - Plain Ground) from Imperial

Guards (H-5) bought fr. Imperial

Caps (H-5) bought fr. Imperial

Tang Branding - “Schrade-Walden”
to be filled in with Gold

Etched “HUNTER’S PRIDE”

Handles: (H-5 - Navy Survival Kn.)
17 #4 Leather Washers per Kn.
6 #3 Leather Washers per Kn.
2 #2 Leather Washers per Kn.
1 #3 Pr. Of Plas. Ends (Grooved)

The #147 was first seen in 1953, 8 1/2" overall with a saber ground carbon steel 4 1/2" blade, aluminum alloy guard, Stratawood handles, birdshead pommel. Listed in 1955 at $3.95, in 1957 it is noted as three variants, the #147, #147L (Leather),and #147LWE (Wonda-Edge serrated blade), and in 1959, #147LWE, #147WW (Wonda-Wood).

In 1961, the #147L was offered in an “X47" outdoorsman’s hunting knife and ax combination set (listed for $11.95 in 1962). Also, it was listed singley as the #147 Hunter’s Companion, overall length 8 3/4", carbon steel sabre ground 4 ½" blade, WondaWood handle with black and whitedecorative discs on each end. And the #147LWE was given the name “B’ar Knife”. While the 147LWE and 147WW were also listed in 1962, the 147S was added at $3.95. It has an early stag appearing handle with the birdshead pommel.

In 1963 the material is first identified as “Genuine Unbreakable Staglon”. The 147S is also offered in a gift set #8147S with a 881 stockman. The 147WW and 147LWE are still offered. The 147L, 147S are offered in 1964, along with the gift set #8147S, but the X47S combo set now had the 147S and a matching staglon handled ax, still $11.95.

In 1965, the same models were offered, but in 1966, the 147RB was added with “razor blade stainless” blade. It listed for $8.75 while the 147L and 147S were $5.00 and $4.75 respectively. The 147RB was replaced in 1967 by the 147STC, stainless tungsten carbide blade. In 1968, the 147 pattern knives received names. The 147L Hunter’s Companion was joined by the 147S Pioneer, the 147STC Pioneer tungsten carbide. The knife/ax X47S combo continued, now $12.00. In 1969, the SS147L was listed as high carbon stainless steel, the 147S and 147L continued, and the tungsten carbide was dropped. The combo continued.

In 1970, only the SS147L and the 147S remained.. 1971 shows the 147L Cougar , 147S Pioneer, and SS147L Hunter’s Companion (changed in 1972 to “Companion”). The 1973 Walden Cutlery catalog was the last listing for several patterns. The 147L, 147S, and SS147L among them. The ‘73 ½ Schrade cutlery catalog introduced the “49er Series”, and with it, the 147 pattern became the 497S and 497L knives.



Hourin’s Notes (Circa 1957)

#147

4 ½ “ Fixed Blade Hunter with Plain Aluminum Butt
___________________________________________

13 Ga. Saber Ground Blade

Aluminum Guards

Fiber Lock Washers

Plain Strata Wood Handle
not Grooved with
6 Black Fiber Washers
4 White Fiber Washers

#147A -SR9508

Same as above except leather handle:
16 Leather Washers p. Kn.
4 Thick Red Pl. Washers p. Kn.
2 Thin White Fibre Washers p. Kn.

Tang Stamped: S-W (Do Not Number Tangs)
Etched: CRAFTSMAN 9508 CUSTOM MADE

#X398 - 147A (Pliar-Set)
Same as above exc. Handles:
13 Red & 12 Acetate Washers p. Kn.



#147B (Imp’l W-40)
4 ½” Canadian Boy Scout
Woodcraft Knife with Plain
Aluminum Butt

13 Ga. Saber Ground Blade
Etched with Canada Boy Scout Emblem

Handles:
4 Thick Black Pl. Wash. P. Kn.
4 Thin White Fiber Wash. P. Kn.
2 Thick Brown Plas. Wash. P. Kn.
16 Leather Washers P. Kn.

Sheath - Emb. With Boy Scout Emblem
stamped on back: U.S.A.

#147L
4 ½" Fixed Blade Hunter
with Plain Aluminum Butt
________________________

13 Ga. Saber Ground Blade

Aluminum Guards

Leather Handles with
4 Thick Black Pl. Wash. P. Kn.
4 Thin Fiber Wash. P. Kn.
2 Thick Brown Plas. Wash. P. Kn.

 

[orvet]

Good stuff Michael.
There is some great info here.

Thanks,
Dale

 

[Codger_64]

The #148 "Hunter's Mate" was 9 1/4" overall with a saber ground carbon steel 5" blade, aluminum guard, Stratawood handles, birdshead pommel.

First listed in 1954, it sold for $4.50 in 1955. The #148L "Huntsman" had a 9 3/4" overall length, 5" carbon steel saber ground blade with grooved thumbrest and upswept tip, "Wonda-Wood" handle with black and white spacers, aluminum guard, and aluminum birdshead pommel. It was cataloged in 1959.

The #148LWE "Huntsman" had a 9 1/4" overall length, 5" carbon steel saber ground blade with grooved thumbrest and upswept tip with the serrated "Wonda-Edge", leather washer handle with spacers, aluminum guard, and aluminum birdshead pommel. It was cataloged in 1959.

The 148S made it’s debut in 1963. Also called “Huntsman”, it has a “Genuine unbreakable Staglon” handle. Added to the 148S and 148L in 1967 was the 148STC, Staglon handled with Tungsten carbide blade. It listed at $8.75 while the 148S and 148L were $4.74 and $5.00 respectively.

The 148 also came as a G3148-STC “Gaucho Set” with special riveted fold over sheath for $15.00. In 1968, the knives received names. 148STC Deer Skinner, 148S Deer Skinner, and 148L Huntsman.

In 1971, the 148S was offered in a set with matching handled axe, the X48S for $15.00. In 1972, the 148STC was dropped, leaving the 148L and 148S. In 1973 ½, these were dropped as the 498L and 498S were introduced in the “49er Series”.



Hourin’s Notes (Circa 1956)

#148
5" Fixed Blade Hunter with
Plain Aluminum Butt

13 Ga. Saber Ground Blade
Aluminum Guards
Fiber Lock Washers

Plain Strata Wood Handles Not
Grooved with
6 Black Fiber Washers p. Knife
4 White Fiber Washers p. Knife

#148B - X393 Axe Set

Same as above except Handles:

1 ea. Red, White, Red & 8 Bl. Washers
1 ea. White, Red, White & 8 Bl. Washers
1 ea. Red, White, Red Washers
(Thick Washers)



#148L

5" Fixed Blade Hunter with
Plain Aluminum Butt

13 Ga. Saber Ground Blade
Aluminum Guards
Leather Handles with
4 Thick Bl. Pl. Washer p. Kn.
4 Thin Fiber Washer p. Kn.
2 Thick Brown Pl. Washer p. Kn.

SR No. 9510 - 148A

Saber Ground Blade 13 Ga.
Handles: All Plastic Washers (like X393)



This doesn't answer all of our questions by any means. It does however explain a lot. "Peppermint and Licorice" knives were made for Sears Roebuck & CO. for the most part. Ordered as a part of Axe sets and alone, they speak of the color fashion of the mid 1950's to early 1960's. Also of note was the parts bought from Imperial for some knives. I'll post more as I come across it. My descriptive text was written before the Hourin notes surfaced. I'll have to go back now and correct my work to reflect this new information.

Michael