My latest Schrade bargain.

[wing40]

I know a Firebird SP3 is not the oldest,most collectable, or hard to find knife but since I didn't have one I bought this one on Ebay. It's new in the box with shealth and paper work. Oh paid $4.25 for it.

 

[Codger_64]

You got a good bargain indeed! They only made the ones with the metal shield and burgandy Zytel handles for a year or two, I believe. I found the gift set version a while back. SGS-5 circa 1987 MSRP $39.95 These with black Zytel handles and molded in shields were later used for gift sets for Ducks Unlimites, NWTF, and others. There was a Schrade 90th Anniversary set too. I have one for the Sears Craftsman 75th Anniversary as well.





They aren't fancy high dollar knives, and don't garner a lot of collector attention (yet), but they are decent knives. There were a whole series of these Lightweight knives, from the tiny keyring SP1 to the large SP8, a guthook version. All three in the series (SP1 Nighthawk 2 5/8", SP2 Raider 3", SH3 Firebird 3 3/4") are stainless droppoints. There was also an SP7 Turbo 5" and an SP8 Cougar 5" guthook. Those two will be less common. And there were three other models listed in '99, the "X" series of lightweights, SP12X, SP22X, and SP32X, all with blackened blades and sport cords. They were also partially serrated.

Codger



There was a flap when they came out because they appeared to be copies of the Gerber LST. I posted a research paper on the Lightweights some time back. You can find it with a forum search "Lightweight".

 

[tobyrogers]

What I can tell you about these is they are good user knives.I've been carrying one for about 5 years that I found.It's my left pocket knife.Thats the one my help always ask for when they need a knife.I doubt if you can think of anything to do to a knife that hasn't been done to this one.Still takes an edge and works fine.Arnold