Older Schrade Walden Keen Kutter?

[sunnyd]

Just arrived in the mailbox today was a commemorative 100th Anniversary Knife that I bid on and won on the secondary market. I likely paid a little too much for this knife but I have only seen one of these knives before(many years ago) but never with the box. I have got a few questions, so if any of you knowledgeable folks could assist me I sure would be much obliged.

The knife is tang stamped SCHRADE {over} WALDEN {over} N.Y. U.S.A. {over} STAINLESS. The spey blade and the sheepsfoot blade have STAINLESS stamped on the tang as well. There is no pattern number. The master blade has an etch that says 1869 Keen Kutter (inside the emblem) 1969. It appears to be a 897 UH pattern.

<> Is this knife what it appears to be? That is a Keen Kutter commemorative knife made by Schrade Walden in 1968 or 1969?

<> Are these knives very rare? IE, Production runs?

Something I found interesting is that the box has a fancy pair of brass hinges that have the patent number stamped on them: # 2,648,485. Significance?.

Sorry for the silly questions but collecting Schrades and UH's is somthing I have never done before and my lust for knowledge has really peaked over the last month or so.

 

[gradall5200]

I dont have the answers to your questions sunny but that is a very interseing knife and an even more intersting box. Very nice piece and I have never seen one before either. Like you said looks a lot like an 897 Im sure the genius minds around here will have all your answers in no time.-Joel

 

[thawk]

Definitely a very nice buy. Paid too much, well who cares when it comes to knives.

Don't know production numbers, but it appears to be an Uncle Henry 897 with the same blades and shield. You have it nailed. I'd say not too common, and especially in the box.

I'm curious if the backsprings have slight filework, and if there is a serial number inside the liner to the backside, upper right? The Uncle Henry's came out in 1967. I have two of the same UH knives with the same blade markings; they did not put the pattern number on them as a Walden, I don't think.

I expect the Codger may have some more information. He's got an 897 fetish.

 

[Codger_64]

Bruce Voyles revealed this one in his IBCA Price Guide To Commemorative Knives book (1995) on page 159. No illustrations but he says:

Schrade Cutlery Keen Kutter 100th Anniversary, Manufacturer - Schrade Cutlery, Pattern - Two versions, one like an 897UH Schrade Uncle Henry, the other a three blade serpentine slightly smaller, quantity - 6,000, price $10 1969, value - $65.

I can do a bit of digging and see what more I can find in my files.

Michael

PS- the patent on the lid hinge issued August 11th, 1953.

The field of the invention is the art of hinges and hinging devices; more specifically, hinges which are designed to attach the lid of a container. The invention has particular application to the field of cigar boxes and like containers.

 

[sunnyd]

..I'm curious if the backsprings have slight filework, and if there is a serial number inside the liner to the backside, upper right? The Uncle Henry's came out in 1967.

thawk,

The answer to your questions are yes and yes. This what I love about this place. I am learning new information here every time I log on. The serial number is: 03848.

Codger_64,

Super information thus far. Very interesting.

Thanks so far to gradall5200, thawk, and Codger_64.

 

[thawk]

Schrade Cutlery Keen Kutter 100th Anniversary, Manufacturer - Schrade Cutlery, Pattern - Two versions, one like an 897UH Schrade Uncle Henry, the other a three blade serpentine slightly smaller, quantity - 6,000, price $10 1969, value - $65

This must be the other version Voyles is referring to. Note, they chose to put on the KK stamp, rather than a Schrade Walden. This knife is 3 5/16"

To clarify my earlier post, my two Schrade Walden 897's are not the Keen Kutter commemoratives, just straight 897's. I've seen the KK 897UH a few other times on EBAY, but never in that box.

I'd been eyeballing the smaller one in the picture for a while, so I felt compelled to buy it. It has no box either.

 

[sunnyd]

[/COLOR][/I]This must be the other version Voyles is referring to. Note, they chose to put on the KK stamp, rather than a Schrade Walden. This knife is 3 5/16"

Thawk,

I also see two other differences in that the shield on the knife in the photo has an oval shield rather than the typical UH bomb type shield shown on my example and the lack of a sheepsfoot blade in favor of a small spear blade.. Now I am wondering what the production numbers are on each of these two, and in fact, if their are even more variations that were produced by Schrade??

 

[thawk]

Thawk,

I also see two other differences in that the shield on the knife in the photo has an oval shield rather than the typical UH bomb type shield shown on my example and the lack of a sheepsfoot blade in favor of a small spear blade.. Now I am wondering what the production numbers are on each of these two, and in fact, if their are even more variations that were produced by Schrade??

There are always a lot of variations with Schrade, many of them not cataloged or recorded. The Schrade KK knife bears resemblance to some of the Imperial Diamond Edge stockman I have. Blades are a little different.