If you could resurrect one defunct TRADITIONAL knife company, which one would it be?

I just hope we can keep alive what we have left. Lesson learned so to speak.
 
Actually, I change my mind. I wouldn't bring back any company. The joy in collecting old knives is knowing that the knife you just bought is hard to find, and that induces a proud feeling.
 
555 said:
I just hope we can keep alive what we have left. Lesson learned so to speak.
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I couldn't agree more :thumbup:

As for companies that have already disappeared, Camillus. I miss being able to walk into the Scout shop and buy one. :(

Z
 
I miss Schrade, but in our time right now there are still plenty out there reasonably priced in the secondary market. That will dwindle with times passage, as do many things.
 
:) bump with a fatboy!

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Schrade - move them back to Walden, NY....they could use a manufacturing facility in Orange County. For the folks who do work an live in Walden, and the surrounding villages, over 75% of these folks have to make the 60+mile trek to NYC for work.

Kissing Canes, Hen & Rooster et al...move them all back to Solingen.

Let the Chinese manufacture their own copies of traditionals under some new name, like Frosty, Raging Rhino, Mad Monkey, Bashing Bison, etc., and have them all imported by Frost Cutlery:rolleyes:
 
leghog said:
Camillus. They made knives for nearly everybody. Many a knife company's knife maker.

My problem with Schrade's Old Timers are the Swinden Key. Not a fan.

BTW, you can still find good Camillus knives from the old days for a $20 bill.
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Totally agree on the Swinden Key thing. I too am not a fan. I rebuilt some Uncle Henrys to eliminate that problem and they were great.

I loved the Camillus products and sold a lot of them. Still have a few.
 
Could someone explain what "Swinden Key" is/was?
 
Planterz said:
Could someone explain what "Swinden Key" is/was?
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Here is a good place to start.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1040201-Why-the-Swindon
Hopefully Codger or Phil Gibbs will be here shortly to give the real answer.

Codger_64 said:
Dave Swinden Sr. held the patent on the keyhole construction, #2,977,678 issued April 4th, 1961. Filed in January of 1960, it was in use for some years prior.

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/patents/002977678.pdf

As for repair and repinning, member Dale (Orvet) is much, much more familiar with this process than I. Hopefully he will pop in and explain it or direct you to a tutorial he did some time ago.

Michael
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Planterz said:
Could someone explain what "Swinden Key" is/was?
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Sure. Invented by Schrade Walden employee Dave Swinden, it is a system of building a knife without having to drill thru the bolsters and pin thru. Here is an example, an 897UH knife I took apart.

2mrxlvk.png


Note the keyholes. Heads formed in the pivot pins protrude through the large part of the hole, then rotate into the slot locking them in. The bolsters are attached to the liners with tommy-on pins from their backs. So the bolster is a part of the subassembly with liner, cover, shield and rear bolster in place. The center skeleton is assembled, then the two outer cover assemblies added and pivoted in place, then the center spring pin pressed thru to lock it all together.

Here it the patent itself and the accompanying drawings explain it well.
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/patents/002977678.pdf
 
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Funny mentioning moving them back to Walden. That is exactly where Dave, Wally and other former top Schrade employees wound up and in the same building, making low production top quality knives under the name Canal Street Cutlery.

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