I*XL Schrade question

tongueriver

tongueriver

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Just received a mint in box example (but with no papers) of the jumbo (4 7/8 inch closed) I*XL/Schrade three-blade wood-scaled stockman, which was produced in the tiny window of time in late 70's during that ill-fated partnership. This knife has the serial number 0000 on the bolster. What's up with that?!!! Thanks guys! :jerkit:
 
Well done.They retailed originally for $100. The original advertising brochure for this knife has photo example No. 0001 on the solid nickel silver bolster. This massive stockman was issued <total 8000> to commemorate the original granting of the historic mark by the Cutlers Guild of Sheffield 200 years previously <actually 1787> If you look at the deep struck Hallmark on the bottom bolster you will see S=Schrade,W= Wostenholm,the Wostenholm cutlery mark <a head shape> plus 0 =1980 production.<the flyer is also dated 1980>.
Your knife would normally be used for photographic purposes I believe however all the IXL flyers I have show the #0001 on all the knives. Still pretty rare find. I have 3 with boxes and bling. <Stainless Steel blades,Solid Nickel Silver bolsters,Brass Liners,Natural Rosewood handles with Nickel Silver shield>.
They are beautifully made quality knives. Hoo Roo.

P.S. How about a photo of your find?
 
........I need to get mine out and inspect however the numbering was on the lower end of the bolster in the Schrade Flyer example and not in the centre,
Some of these overruns for replacement purposes did not have original numbers.Dont wish to worry you unduely however there are examples of knives showing up on the Bay <quite a number we have located previously> with identical 0000 markings which are located dead centre of bolsters where Schrade did not generally inscribe their numbers but makes it easier for the later inscribing by Santas little Elves.......
Your knife in either case is a beautiful example of the quality cutlery produced 30 odd years ago.
I will look at mine and report back.....Hoo Roo
 
hahaha--- dead center it is---well, that's the story of my life; but all is not lost; you see, I buy knives according to their subjective beauty, not for their value or their rarity, and I think this one is a real honey.:)
 
Mine is just like Rusty's picture, serial number in the same location. Just no box. These are really nice knives.
 
I don't pretend to know, but I think the 0000 maybe designated a promo knife of some kind, and were going around the circuit to promote the new brand (?) If they were expecting to use them as replacements I can't see them stamping them with a number until they knew what number they wanted to use. The stamped number 0000 appears to be original factory. I think it is totally legitimate, but to what exact purpose I don't know.:confused:
 
I just talked on the phone to a fellow who said he lived in the immediate area of the Schrade factory for many years; he is 70-something now. He said those 0000 knives were samples that came over from England in about 1977 and were used to show we Yanks what that line was. He said he personally knew many in the factory and some of the execs. Take it for what it's worth :jerkit:
 
tongueriver, sometimes the memories of "old timers" are as good as it gets for getting the story behind the knives. Occasionally we luck out and an original record exists, but not often on details like this. Phil Gibbs and Tom Williams have been very helpful on these knives since both were with Camillus when most were made.

Michael

35a7y4g.jpg
 
Fantastic investigative work as usual Codger. 1979 ties in with the production dates.
I wonder if Tongueriver's example has the Hallmark on the other <bottom> bolster ending with '0' which indicates 1980 production which all the examples I have seen have had.I presume all stated 8000 were produced in the same year as your invoices indicate?
Tongueriver if yours was produced in 1977 it may have '7' on last digit of Hallmark or may have no Hallmark at all which would indicate your theory as being correct if they were Pre-production examples marked 0000 simply to show the knife pattern making it a proto.<You state MInt in Box..would it be original Box in 1977 pre=production?>
Schrade.... always more questions than there are definitive answers........Hoo Roo

P.S. Does your example have the Nickel Silver Shield on handle clearly showing 1980 in the scroll? Hard to know without the photos........
 
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Hallmark is the usual "S" "W" "head figure" "0".

scroll on scale is "1787 I*XL 1980"

tang mark on clip blade: I*XL-SCHRADE (first line)
Wostenholm (second line)
tang mark on opposite side of clip blade: SHEFFIELD (first line)
ENGLAND (second line)
no other tang marks.... (oops, just cut myself):D
 
Very nice example tongueriver! The guy you bought it off of is definitely on the up and up. I've bought a number of knives off him, and they're all top notch. It was probably some kind of sample knife, perhaps a salesman's sample if not a direct factory sample.

Eric
 
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