Older schrade vendor display

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

I'm pretty sure it's 1 piece.

The one piece was the later of the birds-head configs. That might well lean us towards 1972. Maybe not. I need some guru help lol I'm just a quick reader.

I just checked the catalogs and the prices for the Old Timers on the display are once again 1971 and 1972. No change so that doesn't help much. Prices went up in 1973.

The four fixed blades read (as I see them, left to right): 138L (?), 148L, 147S (?), and 137L but this doesn't match what I think I'm seeing.

I see: H-15, 147S (or maybe 147STC anything said about tungsten carbide edge?), ??? (note thin silver guard vs thick brass on the 147S), 137L

If the knives on the display don't match exactly what the board says I have to suspect that a dealer or previous owner swapped out a couple way-back-when. If it's not exactly as it would have left the factory any and all may have been swapped. That means dating this more accurately may be impossible. The tungsten carbide edge option ended in 1971 so if any of the knives have this it may help.

Fun mystery. I hope my speed reading and attention for detail helped a little but I am no authority!

 

[Codger_64]

The knife on the right is not a 148L, but a 147S or STC. Now, if the back is factory sealed like he said, it may well be that this was substituted at the factory without changing the model marking. But without closeups of the two, one turned right and one turned left, the STC is a good probability guess. Heck, anytime a display case can be dated within a few years it is about as good as it gets. A close exam of the folders may give a definate year if one were introduced or discontinued in that two year span.

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

The knife on the right is not a 148L, but a 147S or STC. Now, if the back is factory sealed like he said, it may well be that this was substituted at the factory without changing the model marking. But without closeups of the two, one turned right and one turned left, the STC is a good probability guess. Heck, anytime a display case can be dated within a few years it is about as good as it gets. A close exam of the folders may give a definate year if one were introduced or discontinued in that two year span.

I agree that a year or two is indeed pretty darn good. I just found it fun to go digging.

I checked some folders too. I checked the Razor Blade Stainless and there are only four I can see as in the 1971 catalog. In 1972 the 876RB showed up. If you make the assumption it's the whole RB line in the display then this could mean 1971. Thing is the 876 was being made in 1971 as well but it just hadn't been dubbed part of the RB Stainless series. It was still listed as an "open stock" I think. This means Schrade could have included one but chose not to, so again, I don't think it nails down very much.

Really nice find. Now you're a Schrade collector Gr8White whether you know it or not. Feel the need to buy more? lol Don't break it up!

 

[glennbad]

What an awesome display! Thanks for sharing it...