Muskrat Pattern Question(s)

D

DAFOX

Joined
Jul 17, 2000
Messages
210
I have a few questions regarding this pattern.

1. Is this still a popular pattern with collectors or users?

2. Do both blades work off one spring?

I thought I had recalled seeing an older one years ago that had one spring, but the new designs seem to have 2 springs or layers, or am I wrong?
 
I like em. I only have a few, literally. I don't know about the older patterns, but my 1995 Camillus Rimfire Classic works off of two springs.
 
Both of my vintage Muskrats have (2) springs side by side. One 1980's Old Timer by Schrade and a very old Keen Kutter by I believe Camillus.
 
sunnyd said:
Both of my vintage Muskrats have (2) springs side by side. One 1980's Old Timer by Schrade and a very old Keen Kutter by I believe Camillus.
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Thats interesting...every Schrade muskrat that I have ever seen or owned has had one backspring...could be a rare variation.

Case has always used two....Queen has used both one and two...Kutmasater one i think.....Remington in the old days one at least on the square bolstered model.
 
knifeaholic said:
Thats interesting...every Schrade muskrat that I have ever seen or owned has had one backspring...could be a rare variation...
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knifeaholic,
You have intrigued me with this statement. In the hopes you can further assist and enlighten me I am providing this additional information and photographs:

The only stamping is on the master blade tang stamped in two lines:

~(1) SCHRADE (2) U.S.A.77OT

~Staglon scales

~old timer shield

~3 7/8 inches closed

000_0957.jpg


000_0955.jpg


Sorry for the lousy pics.
 
The one Muskrat that I own has a single backspring. It's a Case/Tony Bose.
 
SunnyD,

Thanks for thie pic and I guess my statement was too broad - I have owned quite a few older Schrade muskrats with bone handles circa 1920's to 1950's and they all had one backsrping. I guess I just assumed that the OT muskrats would have been made that way too, but I was wrong. It would be interesting to see if ANY of the more modern delrin handle Schrade "open stock" muskrats or OT muskrats were made with one spring and if so whaen was the transistion tot eh two spring design.
 
knifeaholic said:
SunnyD,

Thanks for thie pic and I guess my statement was too broad - I have owned quite a few older Schrade muskrats with bone handles circa 1920's to 1950's and they all had one backsrping. I guess I just assumed that the OT muskrats would have been made that way too, but I was wrong. It would be interesting to see if ANY of the more modern delrin handle Schrade "open stock" muskrats or OT muskrats were made with one spring and if so whaen was the transistion tot eh two spring design.
Click to expand...

Things like this are what make knife collecting fun to me, not always how many knives can I get, but when were little changes in knives made.
 
Here is a single spring Muskrat. Hafted by Wendell Carson from mostly Queen components...

1zewduf.jpg


Seems like single spring is considered the more traditional version, seen especially on older versions and for handmades...but most newer factory Muskrats seem to show two springs. I looked up the Cigar Classic Muskrat (CSW77) from Schrade, one of their last higher level traditional runs, and was surprised to see it had two springs. Maybe, because you don't have to crink the blades by hand to make them nest properly, if you use two springs? Might be less expensive overall for the parts than the crinking.

Bill
 
knifeaholic said:
.. It would be interesting to see if ANY of the more modern delrin handle Schrade "open stock" muskrats or OT muskrats were made with one spring and if so whaen was the transistion tot eh two spring design.
Click to expand...

knifeaholic,
Thanks for the quick history on these from your current knowledge regarding the older Schrades.

I may have found a clue here. After reading your response I went back to this Muskrat and looked at it more carefully with assistance of loop magnification. Then I found every so faintly written across the master blade that I have never seen before: IMPROVED MUSCRAT

Then I thought about this for a moment and I deduced that perhaps this is the turning point. That is that the Improved Muskrats were built with each blade having its own back spring, lengthening the life of the knife, hence the improvement. As opposed to an earlier design whereby the single spring supported both blades and would logically wear in a more rapid fashion.

Of coarse I could be wrong?.. All comments welcome please.
 
Ahhh, the blade type is the reason for the IM stamp.. Got it.. Thanks for setting me straight with the link Bill. I am much obliged..:cool:

Best,
Tony
 
What a treasure that previous muskrat thread is!
 
Thanks for all your answers, I thought I has seen that pattern in both configurations. Those are some nice looking knives.
 
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