Old Timer Without Swinden Key

orvet

orvet

Joined
Oct 11, 2005
Messages
1,771
Recently I was working on a knife, 61OT. I cut the knife apart using a razor blade and found that the knife was NOT held together with the Swinden Key, but with the normal pin through bolster method of most other brands.

There was no indication that the knife had been dissembled before. The bolsters were solid and did not have the cut out for the Swinden Key. All indications were that the knife came from the factory with the pin-through-bolster pinning.

Does anyone know why this might have been, or when they might have done this? The knife was post 1973, as it had the Schrade tang stamp & not Schrade Walden.

I am scratching my head on this one. All the other 61OTs I have taken apart have had the Swinden Key. I have other 61s in my collection & they are all Swinden key as well:confused:

I got some poor pics, & will post them later, but there is really nothing to see, just a solid nickle silver bolster with a pin hole through it.

Larry, Codger, anyone have any thoughts on this?
Dale
 
Here are the pics of the knife without the Swinden Key

http://

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Here is a pic of a 77OT that shows the Swinden Key hole in the inside of the bolsters. Even from the bad pics of the one without the Key, you can see the hole for the pin & the other nickle silver circle where the bolster is peened to the liner.

http://

I don't know Charlie if Camillus made some 61OTs for Schrade or not.
Perhaps Larry, Codger or CAMCO can tell us. I would love to know. The knife has stronger bolsters, IMO, than the Swinden bolsters because they are solid nickle silver & don't have the cut out for the key.

It is a solid knife, better bolster strength, IMO, than the regular Schrade.

Dale
 
I just discovered an article in an early 1980s NKCA magazine that states that Camillus made Barlows for Case for several years. After this and another article about how productive Camillus was, I'm beginning to think Camillus made half the knives in the U.S, in the 60's and 70's
 
Given the close relationship between Camillus & Schrade I wouldn't be surprised. I was taken aback however, to find one without a Swinden Key where I would normally expect to find one.

Perhaps they were behind in production & had Camillus make some. In any case, I believe it is a stronger knife than the Swinden.

Dale
 
Hi, I've been lurking (and learning a lot about my precious Schrades!) on this Forum for a little while and this post prompted me to say hello and ask a question. How in the world do you take a Schrade or any other knife apart with a razor blade???
 
Rivets are usually nickel silver or mild steel. I use a very thin well tempered old kitchen knife and carefully tap it right through the pins, and the knife falls apart!
A sturdy razor-knife blade works also (box cutter) but I prefer the length I have to prevent damaging the liners. I don't know how to do a swinden key.
What say you, Dale??
 
I'm not Dale but... when the spring pin is cut (or driven out), the liner/cover pairs can be pressed up and down to allow the pins enlarged heads to come out of the keyhole leaving the blade/spring assembly you see in his picture.
 
Nice result, Dale!:thumbup:
That little 3OT sits on my piano, ready to open nearby mail!
Given to me by the man himself at the Oregon show!
 
I'd be especially interested if there was some way to tell without destroying the knife! :)

Otherwise, I'm afraid this is one aspect of Old Timer knives that I'll leave for someone else.

I've never heard of anyone sub-contracting for the Old Timer lineup, but anything's possible. I think it's more likely a production experiment from the Schrade factory.

-Bob
 
Most of the Old Timers slipjoints are made with Swinden Key construction.
You can tell usually by looking to see if there is a pivot pin in the bolsters.
Although, if the knife is very well finished (not too common on production knives), you can't tell unless the pin tarnished differently than the bolster.

I think this list is all of the Swinden Key Old Timers.
12OT
18OT
194OT
19OT
296OTY
33OT
34OT
34OTY
36OT
44OT I think, I will have to dig mine out to be 100% sure
58OT
61OT
72OT
77OT
858OT
89OT
8OT
8OTY
93OT
94OT
96OT
97OT
98OT
 
Thanks guys, for the answer and the link. I looked it up and I'm impressed! I have to try it now, but I will experiment on a junker for sure! I'm also sure I'll be back with more questions.
 
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