Old Timer marked John Primble? Really?

elkins45

elkins45

Joined
Jun 17, 2006
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I like to collect the old Belknap hardware knives, so I occasionally look for them on the bay. Today I saw a couple of real oddities (at least to me). They were knives with what looked like common Old Timer shields and delrin handles, but the blade tangs were marked John Primble.

Is this some sort of Frankenknife, an infringement of multiple trademarks, or just the latest Chinese knockoff?
 
There were some old timer knives marked John Primble back in the 70s. If I'm remembering right they were through an offer with Prince Albert tobacco.
 
elkins45 said:
I like to collect the old Belknap hardware knives, so I occasionally look for them on the bay. Today I saw a couple of real oddities (at least to me). They were knives with what looked like common Old Timer shields and delrin handles, but the blade tangs were marked John Primble.

Is this some sort of Frankenknife, an infringement of multiple trademarks, or just the latest Chinese knockoff?
Click to expand...

John Primble pocket knives from the 60's and 70's were made by Boker USA (primarily) but also by Imperial Schrade Corp. There were indeed Old Timers made with the John Primble tang stampings for Belknap Hardware. They are relatively scarce.

Another oddity along those lines is the "Old Crafty" line made by Schrade for Sears - Old Timer patterns but made with the "Old Crafty" logo on the shields, in reference to the Sears CRAFTSMAN trade mark.
 
I actually have one of those and love it. They were made good. They are getting scarcer and scarcer. If you like it then its all good.
 
As a Schrade Collector, I look out for these Primble/Schrades as they are indeed scarce.
Here's one I picked up a while ago. Equivalent size to a Schrade 108OT, Mini Stockman.

Russell

dsc0085vl3.jpg
 
Damn Russell, THAT was a nice snag!!!

Eric
 
Bone handles Russell?????

Shoooieeee!!!Wowza!!!
 
waynorth said:
Bone handles Russell?????

Shoooieeee!!!Wowza!!!
Click to expand...

Bone handles Charlie, it mentions the same on the back of the paper insert.
I was suprised when I got the knife and the fact the Primble OT handles were genuine bone.

Russell
 
Great example Rusty. How much "sawcut" did they do on that bone, or is it pretty smooth? I knew there were Primble 8OT with bone handles, but not the 108OT or the 34OT.

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/belknap/1970Belknaps.pdf

If you thumb through the catalog, 1970???, you can find the 8OT offered in both "bone stag" and "Meerschaum Bone". And the 34OT and the 108OT in "Meerschaum Bone". They also offered the 58OT in a "Bone Stag" Primble version as well.

If I was to wager a guess, I would bet the genuine "Bone Stag" examples were obtained when they were first made around 1961, and they still had them around for years. This catalog says 1970, but I'm not 100% sure it is. It is post 1964 for sure because there are Razor Blade knives in there too. Maybe they did separate "bone runs" for Belknap for a while, but I doubt it. I'll bet that 108OT you have is rare, rare, rare, but it makes me think a Primble 34OT in bone might be possible too.

Additionally there are several Primble versions of the Uncle Henry, and I believe one of them is just like the 58OT, only Staglon. I missed the only one I ever saw NIB a few years ago, and still kick myself for not bidding more. It was when I first began collecting, so not for certain they did one in that pattern.
 
Close up under an 8X lupe, The primble knife has nice even grooving about as deep as a standard 108OT but march sharper cut than through Delrin, you can also see graining in the Primble handles that you don't see in Delrin.

Russell
 
i am looking for a old timer 340t with john primble blades as a gift for my dad. he had one when he was in shcool and traded it for another knife and wishes he had it back. i was hoping i might be able to find one for him.
 
Howdy,
Old thread, but welcome to BladeForums.

I think the fellas will recommend that you keep an eye on Ebay. All sorts of things show up there from time to time.

You might also keep an eye on the Traditional knife sales forum here:
Forum
The Knife Exchange > For Sale by Individuals >For Sale: Traditionals, Slipjoints, "Old Timey" style knives

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/f...raditionals-Slipjoints-Old-Timey-style-knives
 
They do exist. Here's one I picked up a couple weeks back.

JPOldTimer.jpg


And even stranger, here's it's stablemate, a Parker-Frost marked Schrade on the flip side.

ParkerFrostSchrade1.jpg

ParkerFrostSchrade.jpg


Both came from an estate with a selection of knives all dated prior to 1983.
 
countryboy85 said:
i am looking for a old timer 340t with john primble blades as a gift for my dad. he had one when he was in shcool and traded it for another knife and wishes he had it back. i was hoping i might be able to find one for him.
Click to expand...

They do show up from time to time, but certainly aren't common. You have to watch eBay religiously and be ready to pounce.

I picked this one up a few months back. It has a nice Primble box and blade etch, but it's a bit of an oddball in that it has a Craftsman tang stamp.

PrimbleCraftsmanOldTimer.jpg


Here's a list of Primble knife numbers and their corresponding Old Timer model number. I don't have a 34OT comp on the list.

Primble 933 = 108OT
Primble 934 = 58OT
Primble 935 = 8OT

Happy Hunting!
 
As a Schrade collector, over the years I have put a number of these knives away. This is only some of my Primble's I will try and take some more photos.
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Those are great!

But it should be a crime that so many of our national treasures are ending up Down Under. I'm going to bring home Ayres Rock and sell it piece by piece on eBay to get even. :D
 
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