Jerry, Marc, or ? Question about SHII lineage.

[DonL]

I'm hoping someone can settle a curiosity for me.

I've seen some straight handle SHIIs come up for sale or auction, and they seem to be all have the tubular handle slab pins.

I'd appreciate if someone could let me know what kind of timeframe or number that were made with the smooth coating, grooved (not checkered) handle, with the screws holding the slabs on rather than the pins. This was right around the time Jerry almost blew his hand off, but haven't seen many straight SHIIs with grooves and screws.

Any ideas?

 

[Andrew Lynch]

I'd appreciate if someone could let me know what kind of timeframe or number that were made with the smooth coating, grooved (not checkered) handle, with the screws holding the slabs on rather than the pins. This was right around the time Jerry almost blew his hand off, but haven't seen many straight SHIIs with grooves and screws.

You've raised a good question. I did a post on SH lineage a while back, but I did not tackle that or some similar questions. I believe the smooth handles came first, and at the very first they came with solid pins (two with the orig. SH and three with the SH2). I believe that screws came after that, and then the tubular handle fasteners.

I have a picture of an A2 SH2 with smooth handles and screws, but I also have a picture of an INFI (I think) SH2 with smooth handles and screws. However, I also have a picture of a SH2 (unless I otherwise mention, I mean an INFI SH2) with smooth handle slabs and the tubular handle fasteners, and a CRINKLE-COAT! That's one special SH2. It's Gator's SH2, I believe; perhaps he could educate us on its origins. NOTE: nevermind, I just found out that Busse refurbished that one and put the crinkle coat and tubular handle fasteners on it (it was originally a smooth handled SH with screws). So, that mystery is solved.

Another mystery to me is the swirl-pattern texturing that appears on some SH2's. The only two (picture) examples I have of these SH's both have the tubular handle fasteners (and the smooth black blade coating). I wonder if the swirl-pattern was a special run, or just a very limited run right before the diamond-cut pattern on the E models. Anyone know?

Here's my current view of the lineage of the handle slabs and screws on the SH:
1.) smooth handles, solid pins
2.) smooth handles, screws
3.) grooved handles, screws
4.) grooved handles, tubular fasteners
5.) (maybe) swirl-pattern texturing, tubular fasteners

Back to your question. I'm really not sure of the time-frame, but I doubt they are very rare, but also not as common as the tubular type. I'm just not sure. As you can see, it's a rather complicated issue. Perhaps Jerry would be kind enough to enlighten us all?

 

[Jerry Busse]

We're going to have to see about adding Andrew Lynch to the payroll as the official "Tracker of Blade Lineage". . . Nice Job Andrew!. . . . Let me know when you're ready to move to Wauseon, OH so we can put you to work in the shop! As to your inquiry Don, we didn't make many of the SH's you describe and production numbers indicate that we only manufactured about 1,500 SH's with grooved handles, bolts, and smooth coating.

STEEL HEART TRIVIA

What's the rarest Steel Heart of all? It's a tie! Only 50 were made with the wrinkled finish, tubular fasteners and Diamond Checkered handles and another 50 that match these but had a satin finish. These were the last 100 Straight Handled Steel Hearts ever made and I have never seen one come up for sale. It is the Diamond Checkered Handle that will give these away as there were only 100 Steel Hearts ever made with this handle. If I can find a picture, I will post it. . . . not sure if we have one.

Yours in nuclearare finds,

Jerry

 

[rfrost]

I personally like this one:

Can't believe I SOLD the darn thing 2 years ago...

 

[DonL]

Jerry and Andrew, thank you both for your time in responding. I'm not that worried about collectability, as I've been using the hell out of mine whenever I can since I bought it. One of the cooler compliments I've had was recently when showing a friend the SH, he said, "man, that thing looks beat to sh!t!"

It was just one of those "weird things" that I've been noticing that recent SHIIs that found their way onto the market were tubed.

Again, I thank you, gentlemen. Now, don't you guys have some sort of holiday stuff to do?

 

[FEATHERSTONE]

Ive got a pretty old Steel heart with a smooth coat smooth handle old
sheath that has 2 big black screws that hold the sheath together and 6 blackish colored rivets.The screws hold the belt loop on.The kydex is square at the bottom.I bought it used about 4 years ago.All the coating is still on the blade,the tang has no finish on it,except the part where the lanyard hole is.Its in great shape.

 

[FEATHERSTONE]

Looks just like rfrost's but diffrent sheath and 3 screws in the handle.

 

I would think there are fewer straight handle Steel Heart II's with brass tubes since the tubes kinda came around when the switch was made to the E series. So there probably aren't many straights with tubes. many meaning proabaly not more than like 1,000 or so. And I think there are fewer with the swirl pattern since the checkered patter came quickly and slightly before the E series (a few straight handle variants had the checkered pattern before the E series).

 

[JGarrison Knives]

Bumping this one up for you SH freaks.

 

[Troy H]

Good info! I'd love to see a pic of the "swirl-pattern" micarta slabs that's discussed here. :thumbup:

SteelHeart-ducci??

 

[Progunner]

We're going to have to see about adding Andrew Lynch to the payroll as the official "Tracker of Blade Lineage". . . Nice Job Andrew!. . . . Let me know when you're ready to move to Wauseon, OH so we can put you to work in the shop! As to your inquiry Don, we didn't make many of the SH's you describe and production numbers indicate that we only manufactured about 1,500 SH's with grooved handles, bolts, and smooth coating.

STEEL HEART TRIVIA

What's the rarest Steel Heart of all? It's a tie! Only 50 were made with the wrinkled finish, tubular fasteners and Diamond Checkered handles and another 50 that match these but had a satin finish. These were the last 100 Straight Handled Steel Hearts ever made and I have never seen one come up for sale. It is the Diamond Checkered Handle that will give these away as there were only 100 Steel Hearts ever made with this handle. If I can find a picture, I will post it. . . . not sure if we have one.

Yours in nuclearare finds,

Jerry

I know this is an old thread, but since Jerry addressed the rarity of SHs, I would say the rarest might be Ducci's Proto BBSHSH followed by the 10" BBSHSHs. So far only Ducci, Strabs and I have uncovered one of the later.