OLd Timer 51OT BIG TIMER LB "BULLDOG"

L

Larry303

Joined
Jul 28, 2005
Messages
2,205
G'day,
I mentioned in previous post on the 858OT that the 51OT Big Timer LB was also known as a' Pocket Buster' back in 1978 to 1981 when it was manufactured....also known as 'Bulldog' or 'Sunfish Pattern' but its official name was Big Timer. Last catalog price in 1981 including the special size Old Timer sheath was $33.95...quite expensive for that time.
Very short production run 3 years for the sawcut Delrin handle version with the large full spear or drop point blade at a chunky 3 1/4" in High Carbon Steel....later on Schrade gave the yellow Micarta handle BIg Timer a run in The Presidential Series <which I have and cant locate> and also there is a very scarce version with the two Deers <in photos> of which only 98 were ever made....<Cal has one and my two, mean there are still 95 out there in Schrade land>.
The two Deers first appeared in 1981 'In the Great Outdoors 'Series however was never used on a 51OT,then in 1994 vide Catalog S0200524 Schrade produced the 504SC Yellow Micarta Handle Scrimshaw two Deers <51OT> in Schrade+ Stainless Steel....14 were made in 1994 then 36 in 1995 and finally 48 in 1996 Total of only 98 give or take a few protos....so if you see one grab it as very scarce. <Production figures and years courtesy of lrv>....some blank yellow micarta handled Big Timers were also released as SFO.
My photos show two different tang stampings on the 78-81 productions in High Carbon Steel and the Schrade + Stainless Steel tangs of the later versions....
Similar to the 858OT these do not come up for sale all that often and is another which continues to appreciate due to relative scarcity....Hoo Roo
 

Attachments

  • PA110001_02.jpg
    PA110001_02.jpg
    40 KB · Views: 121
  • PA110002_02.jpg
    PA110002_02.jpg
    43.2 KB · Views: 112
  • PA110003_02.jpg
    PA110003_02.jpg
    30.6 KB · Views: 119
  • PA110006_02.jpg
    PA110006_02.jpg
    40.9 KB · Views: 134
  • PA110005_02.jpg
    PA110005_02.jpg
    36.2 KB · Views: 169
Thanks Larry for great info and pics. A couple different tang stamps in these additional pics. I did not know there was a "+" tang stamping for the 51 in brown Delrin. I will be looking for that. The blade etch shown here is also seen on the 58 OT stockman occasionally. I have one. The second scan is all micarta variations.

51OT002.jpg
[/IMG]
51OT003.jpg
[/IMG]
 
Here's a link to an oddity I scoped out:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It has the SC504 stamped blade used in the SFOs of this pattern but regular saw-cut delrin handles like the production model. Just thought folks might be interested.
 
Last edited:
I was just cruisin through "folding knives" on ebay late this evening and i saw a Schrade knife with a little over 1 minute to go. No time to check, but it looked pretty good to me, so i bid & won.
Won what ?
This: "and also there is a very scarce version with the two Deers <in photos> of which only 98 were ever made....<Cal has one and my two, mean there are still 95 out there in Schrade land"
Unused SC504, with sheath, no box/papers, $71
I just love cruisin the bay, man.
roland
 
Bet you love cruisin our previous posts/research even more......well done Roland show us when you get it......Hoo Roo
 
Thanks Larry, I do. The authoratative information here gives meaning to the Schrade knives we collect. Without this forum they would just be a bunch of older knives.
roland
 
Imagine then when I started acquiring most of these in 2002/2003 they were just a bunch of Schrade knives that appealed to me without any research to rely on apart from some catalogs I had.....so the knives came first then the research....bit like that infamous gold calendar knife I have, that caused so much angst while I simply continued my ongoing quest for Schrade knowledge/history/provenance....
I had never met another knife collector in my life when I bought most of mine...never even been to a knife show...I was astounded when I found out other people collected knives as well as me...I certainly did not know there were Schrade collectors and most of the Schrade offerings in 2002 on Ebay went through with maybe one bid and quite often none..so I didnt even think they may be popular....I'm glad I did get mine then as USPS was so much cheaper then as well..now its plain prohibitive.....then of course with the tragic Schrade closure 2004..USA Schrade seemed to come into its own after the 'wake'....Hoo Roo
 
Dave, thanks for the flyer link. That picture could have been taken right above my place. about 1 mile above.
roland
 
Something related to the 51OT - Found in a display frame along side a 5OT.

I have a display frame and I was trying to find the model number and years for it.
I wrote down all the knives identified on the insert, then cross checked against the chart of From-To dates.
This usually narrows down the number of catalogs I have to look thru to find the model number of the display frame.

In this case, it was confusing.
There's a slot for a 51OT ('78-'81) in the insert and also a slot for a 5OT ('87-'98) - those dates don't crossover.

Found an example of the display frame in the '80 catalog but no 5OT.
But I wouldn't have expect it to be there either.
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/FLYERS/1980s/pages/SC80-11.htm Bottom of the page - LK-1

Never did find an example of my display in the catalogs and flyers.

Howie

otuhdisplay.jpg


otuhdisplay5ot51ot.jpg


otuhdisplay5ot51otclose.jpg


UPDATE: Thanks Eric!!
Looks like maybe one snuck out the back door.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9419583&postcount=10

At the bottom of the memo, the author mentions plans to introduce the 5OT in the Fall of 1979. But They Didn't!!
Maybe the display inserts were ordered and sometime before they were shipped, the 5OT plans were posponed. Howie
 
Last edited:
Here is the scrimshawed ivory Micarta SC504 which i mentioned above:

oct2010001-20.jpg


In excellent condition but i think the accompanying sheath, while a good fit, is not a Schrade sheath:

oct2010002-17.jpg


But at least i'm in the rare "Club of 98".
best to my Schrade buds, roland
 
Same thing just happened. Just idly looking at "folding knives" and see an SC504 with 2 minutes to go. For $56 it's coming to my house. For a 1 of 98 production run, i think this is a pretty good deal. I have now got over 2% of all these known to have been made.
roland
 
Just picked up my second SC504 with the yellow Micarta handle scrimed with the sparring bucks. It is totally mint and has never cut anything. The factory burr along the right side blade edge is completely undisturbed.
Very neat knife !
roland
 
Well done Roland. Do you believe like me that the yellow micarta is almost three dimensional with the grains showing in the handle...they are really neat designed knives which you can open the blade with gloves on in colder temperatures....Hoo Roo
 
Larry, i don't quite see a 3 dimensional aspect, but this "Old Yellow" Micarta is an excellent handle material and used on Custom knives when the maker can find some of it. There's not much of the "Old Yellow" Micarta left and i think that ir has not been made for many years.
roland
 
My Amex Presidents SC504 is one of my favorite knives for sure. The micarta is very attractive imo

Questions: Is linen micarta tougher than paper micarta? Is there differences in the quality of micarta produced due to the type of resin used etc?

I ask because a friend's EDC is a micarta handled fixed blade and he has been complaining that the handle is chipped from just rattling against the seat-belt buckle when he drives. I always thought micarta was very tough stuff but his handle says different.
 
Micarta should be very tough and durable. I think the only difference between the various Micartas is the appearance of the grain. However a knifemaker should be consulted to confirm this.
roland
 
Thanks for the reply roland. I "wiki"ed it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micarta

Turns out:

"Micarta industrial laminates are normally phenolic, epoxy, silicone, or melamine resin based thermoset materials" and

"Micarta industrial laminates are manufactured in dozens of commercial grades."

so all micarta is not created equal. It is certainly advertised as being a good handle material but maybe the micarta some companies use on their handles is tougher than other stuff.

I then explored http://www.norplex-micarta.com which shows that they make different types using totally different types of resins.

Some melamine based micarta products have a rockwell hardness of 100-110 and epoxy based products are rockwell 90 for example.

The norplex site is chock-full of data-sheets on all their different micarta products and they do have different properties.

This may be something to keep in mind when buying a knife. Just knowing the handle is micarta may not be enough. Some research into the exact micarta used on a certain knife might tell you something about it's toughness that the advertising crew won't.
 
Last edited:
Very interesting Dave. My 'Micarta experience' is with handles on custom knives. Linen and paper Micarta look a bit different but i think in this use are equally tough. The linen or paper is just the material to hold the epoxy & chemicals and it is the epoxy when hardened that gives the toughness & durability.
roland
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top