Old Timer multi-purpose knives? You bet.

B

Bob W

Joined
Dec 31, 2000
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I haven't seen the Old Timer multi-purpose knives discussed here, so thought I'd start a thread about them. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that some folks didn't even realize there were Old Timers with multi-purpose tools.

Starting with the 106OT, the Grandad. It's a small frame model with two blades plus scissors.

106OT.jpg


And here's the 97OT, Buzz Saw Trapper. Not only does it have a saw blade, but stored in the handle are a steel pick and tweezers, Victorinox style.

97ot.jpg


97otopen.jpg
 
Here are two more from the collection. First is a 96OT Bearhead Trapper. Similar to the 97OT and with the same tools in the handle, but with a trapper blade instead of saw and no blade lock.

96OT.jpg


And this is an early and uncommon Old Timer, the Ulster 114OT Camper.

114OT.jpg
 
The buzz saw looks like a good bushcraft combo; you can strike fire steel with the spine of the saw.

I'm not sure about the quality of the "400 series stainless steel," though.
 
I'm not sure about the quality of the "400 series stainless steel," though.
Click to expand...

:confused:

There were a few stainless Old Timer models, and other models transitioned to stainless towards the end, but original Schrade Old Timer knives are generally 1095 carbon steel.
 
As far as I know the new Old Timer knives imported by Taylor Brands LLC are all stainless. But my interest is only in the original Old Timer knives made by the Imperial Schrade Corporation, which went bankrupt in 2004. All of the knives shown above are made-in-the-USA originals.

:)
 
I think the 'toothpick'-looking item is actually a 'field pick' or scribe, for marking lumber or some such job. Same kind of thing was discussed in the Traditional forum:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-with-toothpick-and-tweezers?highlight=scribe

And I read somewhere in the Schrade Collector's forum that there is a factory list or brochure, or something similar, that describes that tool in that way.

I'd sure like to find one of those as a user to put in my daily rotation.

~Chris
 
Thanks Orca. I use the generic term "pick" for the tool in the Old Timer handles. It'd be great for picking at 'things', not so great for picking at teeth. :D I also like the idea of calling it a "scribe" tool, although I'm not so sure how a scribe would be of use to a trapper. Ideas?
 
Schrade calls it a "blade lock", but yeah, it works like a liner lock. The 97OT has it on the saw blade, the 96OT doesn't at all. Some other Old Timer knives have a blade lock on the knife blade.
 
I'll have to get back to you later on that; I don't have the knives handy at the moment.
 
There were several different Old Timer trapper models. Blade length on each, from tang to tip, is about 2-3/4".

If you like the Blade Lock but want a lighter knife and don't care about the tools, check out the 194OT. It's another trapper model, the Gunstock Trapper, that has single clip blade. It has a more flowing serpentine shape than the above 97OT.
 
Your right I didn't know about those first two models. All I have really run into are traditional models (trapper, stockman etc.). Thanks for the info! I know much search....
 
Bob W said:
There were several different Old Timer trapper models. Blade length on each, from tang to tip, is about 2-3/4".

If you like the Blade Lock but want a lighter knife and don't care about the tools, check out the 194OT. It's another trapper model, the Gunstock Trapper, that has single clip blade. It has a more flowing serpentine shape than the above 97OT.
Click to expand...

Realy on the buzzsaw? whats the model number - i can only seem to find the new chinese made ones which i had though were an exact copy (all be it with SS blades) but they all seem to have Blade Length: 3.7"
 
I didn't have both of the knives out at the same time, and was incorrect in saying that all of the OT trapper models are the same length.
Here are the measurements from two knives, the 194OT and 97OT:

194OT
Closed length, 3-7/8"
Blade, from tang to tip, 2-3/4"
Blade, from handle to tip, 3-1/8"

97OT
Closed length, 4-1/8"
Blade, from tang to tip, 3" even
Blade, from handle to tip, 3-1/4"

I'll post up a comparison photo in a few minutes to help illustrate the size difference.
 
Here's a photo showing all of the Old Timer trappers in my collection.

OTTrappers.jpg


Center row, from top to bottom:
96OT
97OT
194OT
194OT w/ SC503 blade
94OT
? 97OT blade, saw, Uncle Henry handles
? 97OT blade, Uncle Henry handles

Right side:
194OT, 1984 Compliments knife

Left Side:
OTC 94 with bone handles and bird hook
 
Lots more info on the Schrade forum as well. For a true SAK-esque Schrade check out the Officer's model or the Century line of knives.
 
Very neat. I have some old timers in my collection and I never knew they made the multi tools.

Thanks for the pictures. :)
 
I didn't know about those Old Timer knives. They are quite uncommon here in the Netherlands, but really look great. I especially like the first one. A blade and scissors, those are the tools I use most for EDC.
 
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