Olsen OK knives

I hope everyone is well. I've started a new position at my work that has taken most of my free time up til now so I've not bbeen watching any threads.

I've had too many "call out" to me in the past few months....
Great for the collection, bad on the wallet!

I could use some clarifications on my details as I get info from both brochures I have found and eBay / Worthopedia listings.
The info I have for most "Lee Jr" knives are from eBay listings or "guessing" that they used the same numbers & names from their next iteration when they started stamping "Olsen" (Prior to Olsen OK).

I'm hoping in the future to find brochures, ads, listings from the Lee Jr "era" to help clear these things up.

From everything I've seen, the Ranch Hand knives are their largest in-house offerings at between 6-1/2" to 7" blades!
(Their outsourced 4800 line of knives had some larger blades)


Model #406 Ranch-Hand 6¾" Blade - Upswept
UkqmZmS.jpg

0hjEPWR.jpg



Model #408 Ranch-Hand 6¾" Blade - Upswept
I "think" the earlier Lee Jr one of this was a different number (406) because they had fewer sizes then and re-numbered their models when the selection expanded?

I'm also wondering if this was a sort of special version of the Ranch Hand since it has the odd screwdriver looking "guard"? It is thick though, to thick to use for prying or a screwdriver.
5dnqujK.jpg
hiV8iqt.jpg



Model #606 Ranch-Hand 6¾" Blade - Upswept
(The "6" designated the Stag Handle)
QcqNQXW.jpg
FvHoUrO.jpg

HTmR0ez.jpg


"That's not a knife! This is a knife!"
 
Ashoka said:
I hope everyone is well. I've started a new position at my work that has taken most of my free time up til now so I've not bbeen watching any threads.

I've had too many "call out" to me in the past few months....
Great for the collection, bad on the wallet!

I could use some clarifications on my details as I get info from both brochures I have found and eBay / Worthopedia listings.
The info I have for most "Lee Jr" knives are from eBay listings or "guessing" that they used the same numbers & names from their next iteration when they started stamping "Olsen" (Prior to Olsen OK).

I'm hoping in the future to find brochures, ads, listings from the Lee Jr "era" to help clear these things up.

From everything I've seen, the Ranch Hand knives are their largest in-house offerings at between 6-1/2" to 7" blades!
(Their outsourced 4800 line of knives had some larger blades)


Model #406 Ranch-Hand 6¾" Blade - Upswept
UkqmZmS.jpg

0hjEPWR.jpg



Model #408 Ranch-Hand 6¾" Blade - Upswept
I "think" the earlier Lee Jr one of this was a different number (406) because they had fewer sizes then and re-numbered their models when the selection expanded?

I'm also wondering if this was a sort of special version of the Ranch Hand since it has the odd screwdriver looking "guard"? It is thick though, to thick to use for prying or a screwdriver.
5dnqujK.jpg
hiV8iqt.jpg



Model #606 Ranch-Hand 6¾" Blade - Upswept
(The "6" designated the Stag Handle)
QcqNQXW.jpg
FvHoUrO.jpg

HTmR0ez.jpg


"That's not a knife! This is a knife!"
Click to expand...
A Ashoka , hello how are you . Nice knives, your 406 Lee Jr ranch hand was made after your 408 Survival knife. The reason is that your 408 sheath was used before the sheath that your 406 has. Both of these knives were made up until 1971. And that is a really nice 606 ranch hand. Yes the number 6 was used to start the model numbers for the stags. The number 5 was used for the Trophy Line Olsen OK. The number 4 was for the Trophy Line Olsen and the number 3 was used for the Olsen OK pewters.
 
Itsmebsh said:
A Ashoka , hello how are you . Nice knives, your 406 Lee Jr ranch hand was made after your 408 Survival knife. The reason is that your 408 sheath was used before the sheath that your 406 has. Both of these knives were made up until 1971. And that is a really nice 606 ranch hand. Yes the number 6 was used to start the model numbers for the stags. The number 5 was used for the Trophy Line Olsen OK. The number 4 was for the Trophy Line Olsen and the number 3 was used for the Olsen OK pewters.
Click to expand...
A Ashoka , oh yah the number 7 was used for the Olsen OK Mark V line. Your 408 also has a clip point witch it neat. You don't see many of them.
 
Itsmebsh said:
A Ashoka , hello how are you . Nice knives, your 406 Lee Jr ranch hand was made after your 408 Survival knife. The reason is that your 408 sheath was used before the sheath that your 406 has. Both of these knives were made up until 1971. And that is a really nice 606 ranch hand. Yes the number 6 was used to start the model numbers for the stags. The number 5 was used for the Trophy Line Olsen OK. The number 4 was for the Trophy Line Olsen and the number 3 was used for the Olsen OK pewters.
Click to expand...

Since I had quickly grabbed the eBay pictures, I had forgotten that the 406 & 408 were from the same seller and he had the sheath mixed up.

The 2 snap sheath and box are both from the Olsen stamped knife.

The Lee Jr versions came in a brown box from what I've seen.
 
Ashoka said:
Since I had quickly grabbed the eBay pictures, I had forgotten that the 406 & 408 were from the same seller and he had the sheath mixed up.

The 2 snap sheath and box are both from the Olsen stamped knife.

The Lee Jr versions came in a brown box from what I've seen.
Click to expand...
A Ashoka , oh ok. All the 400 series knives originally came in the brown box with that style sheath . But they were both made up to 1971. If you still have my number shoot me a text and i will send you a couple of pics from some catalogs.
 
Itsmebsh said:
A Ashoka , oh ok. All the 400 series knives originally came in the brown box with that style sheath . But they were both made up to 1971. If you still have my number shoot me a text and i will send you a couple of pics from some catalogs.
Click to expand...
A Ashoka , all the 400 series Olsen's and Lee Jr's used the same blank. They were just stamped one or the other. After the brown boxes they went to the black.
 
Itsmebsh said:
A Ashoka , Your 408 also has a clip point witch it neat. You don't see many of them.
Click to expand...


Ahhh, you called the 408 a Survival knife. That might explain the number having the 8.

I'm speculating that there was a regular 406 Ranch Hand with the Olsen stamp as well.

Thought I might have had all iterations of the Ranch Hand's...

406 - Lee Jr - Wood Handle
406 - Olsen - Wood Handle [don't have]
506 - Olsen OK - Wood Handle
606 - Olsen OK - Stag Handle

Sometimes being a "completist" is dangerous....
 
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Itsmebsh said:
A Ashoka , oh ok. All the 400 series knives originally came in the brown box with that style sheath . But they were both made up to 1971.
Click to expand...

So, do you mean they were making the Lee Jr. & Olsen stamped Trophy knives simultaneously?

Seems odd they would make both and with a different sheath at the same time.
 
Do you happen to know the year ranges, start to finish?

Trophy Lines
400 Lee Jr: ???? - 1971
400 Olsen: ???? - 1971
500 Olsen OK: 1972? - ????

Mark V
700 Olsen OK: ???? - ????

4800 (outsourced to Solingen, Germany)


Thank you again for your knowledge and input on these!
 
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Ashoka said:
Ahhh, you called the 408 a Survival knife. That might explain the number having the 8.

I'm speculating that there was a regular 406 Ranch Hand with the Olsen stamp as well.

Thought I might have had all iterations of the Ranch Hand's...

406 - Lee Jr - Wood Handle
406 - Olsen - Wood Handle [don't have]
506 - Olsen OK - Wood Handle
606 - Olsen OK - Stag Handle

Sometimes being a "completist" is dangerous....
Click to expand...
A Ashoka , yes they did make a 406 ranch hand that was stamped Olsen.
 
Ashoka said:
So, do you mean they were making the Lee Jr. & Olsen stamped Trophy knives simultaneously?

Seems odd they would make both and with a different sheath at the same time.
Click to expand...
A Ashoka , yes they did make both the Lee Jr and Olsen stamped knives at the same time. It's just that your Lee Jr was a earlier production year that your Olsen .
 
Ashoka said:
Do you happen to know the year ranges, start to finish?

Trophy Lines
400 Lee Jr: ???? - 1971
400 Olsen: ???? - 1971
500 Olsen OK: 1972? - ????

Mark V
700 Olsen OK: ???? - ????

4800 (outsourced to Solingen, Germany)


Thank you again for your knowledge and input on these!
Click to expand...
A Ashoka , the start dates on the 400 Lee Jr's and the 400 Olsen's are still up in the air for sure. I can show proof of the early 60's to 1971. The 500 Olsen OK knives 1971 -1972 until 1982. Although there were some Olsen 500's made 1968 - 1971. Mark V 700 Olsen OK knives were from about 1977 - 1982 to the best of my knowledge. The OLSEN Knife Company with a banner 500's was from 1982 - 1985. Now here you go , the Olsen OK 500 sportsman line was also some ware between 1978 - 1982 . I just don't know the exact start date. The 4800's and the 2700's were pretty much sold the entire time up to 1982.
 
Itsmebsh said:
A Ashoka , the start dates on the 400 Lee Jr's and the 400 Olsen's are still up in the air for sure. I can show proof of the early 60's to 1971. The 500 Olsen OK knives 1971 -1972 until 1982. Although there were some Olsen 500's made 1968 - 1971. Mark V 700 Olsen OK knives were from about 1977 - 1982 to the best of my knowledge. The OLSEN Knife Company with a banner 500's was from 1982 - 1985. Now here you go , the Olsen OK 500 sportsman line was also some ware between 1978 - 1982 . I just don't know the exact start date. The 4800's and the 2700's were pretty much sold the entire time up to 1982.
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A Ashoka , the Olsen OK 500 sportsman line was made to look like the original 400 Trophy line knives. They were acid etched with the number followed by the letter N. And they came with a less expensive natural belly skin leather sheath . Olsen did this to try to help cut cost, but they didn't go over very well. I hope this helps a little more Jeremy. Thanks Brian
 
Here's a really nice look at the pewter series trophy knives!

Not often you'll be likely to see them in the original display case and as a full set!

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/283405583621
s-l400.jpg


s-l400.jpg


I would love to be bidding on this set but right now the only way I would be able to get it would be to sell off some of the models from it that I don't like as well and I would not be able to bring myself to break up the set. Hopefully the buyer does not just resale these all split up.
143329
 
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Ashoka said:
content://media/external/file/143329

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/163576572817

143329


Here's a really nice look at the pewter series trophy knives!
Not often you'll bbe likely to see them in the original display case and as a full set!
Click to expand...
Your picture didn't come through Jeremy. Is it the set for sale on eBay. I have the complete set with the display case plus a few extras. I think that I have only seen maybe 5 complete sets with the display offered for sale in 25 years. But that doesn't mean that their not there. Lol Brian
 
Itsmebsh said:
Your picture didn't come through Jeremy. Is it the set for sale on eBay. I have the complete set with the display case plus a few extras. I think that I have only seen maybe 5 complete sets with the display offered for sale in 25 years. But that doesn't mean that their not there. Lol Brian
Click to expand...

you're quick on the draw! I got some pictures working on it now but thanks for pointing that out.
 
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