question about buying a new schrade pattern - UPDATE with pics

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FLINT77

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Apr 8, 2013
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Hi all,

So, I want to get my son a knife for his birthday. He's looked at all of my old usa schrades several times and his favorite is the littlefinger (156OT) - but says he thinks it would be even cooler if it had the staglon type handle. he doesn't know that I'm getting him a knife - sometimes we just look at them and he makes comments.

I'm actually pleased that his favorite is this pattern as it seems like it would be a great first knife, for trout and squirrels (his primary quarry), and its not super "pokey" and seems like a relatively safe knife to handle. I think its also cool that his favorite wasn't the biggest/scariest looking one (like the 15ot or 171uh).

So, I don't think schrade ever made the 156 with the staglon handle, but I think that the new chinese versions have come in a similar version.

Additionally, Bear and Sons makes a knife, that appears to me to be identical to the littlefinger - they call it the "invincible skinner" - and one of the options is with an actual stag handle (also an option with damascus blade!).

Anyways, if I were to go either of these two routes, I think I'm by far leaning towards Bear and Sons, but welcome any comments from you guys!
 
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The North American Hunting Club (NAHC) commissioned a "Hunting Heritage Collection" of knives, one of which was a stainless sambar stag Little Finger. I really like mine and started a thread about them: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/808434-NAH156-stag-NAHC-Little-Finger-1996?highlight=little+finger

The NAHC version doesn't get quite as hair-popping sharp as a 1095 carbon steel 156OT would but the sambar is a nice touch and mine does get shaving sharp, just not insanely, unbelievably sharp. There may be a staglon SFO version or two out there as well. The sambar is classy and tough so if you can afford and find one I'm sure your son would be very very pleased but I'm a huge fan of stag handles and quite biased as a result. Staglon is great stuff too.

Here's a link to recent auction to give you an idea what to look for: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCHRADE-STAG-HANDLE-CAPER-HUNTING-KNIFE-NAHC-HERITAGE-COLLECTION-RARE-/321135469722?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESINDXX%3AIT&nma=true&si=MRrfZ6LXzLJf%252FVm6Owm9pXR8yb0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
 
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Thanks for the info! that's good to know - and that last auction wasn't too high either, I'll have to keep an eye out

in the event that I can't find one before August though, does anyone know if Bear and Sons are decent?
 
I would like to suggest that you familiarize yourself with two other patterns, both authentic pre-bankruptcy Schrades, the 164UH, or the 162UH. I think your son might find them preferable to the 156OT. This is of course a subjective opinion on my part. Do an ebay search, save it, and ask it to email you when one shows up, so you can have a look; there are also pics on old threads here and on http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/. Those are also small patterns which I feel might be more useful, unless you would prefer not to have a stainless steel blade.
 
I am familiar with both of those patterns. The only thing I don't like about them for my son is that they both have really pointed tips, which makes an accidental puncture much more likely in young hands. I understand about teaching safety and I definitely do and will continue to do that, but removing a couple safety variables from the equation never hurts. What I like about the 156 is that it is more than enough blade to get the job done - but not so much and no so pointed so to (hopefully) reduce accidents.

I haven't completely ruled out the 162 - he also does like the sharpfinger a lot - and the 162 is kind of like a combination of the 156 and 152, so its an option, I just don't love the super pointy tip of it for him.
 
I sell Bear and Sons knives in my store, and I think they're decent knives. I would be inclined towards them versus Chinese made 'Schrades'. I think the quality of their knives is good, considering they're being sold at prices that are competitive with Chinese made stuff.
 
Thanks! seems like its kind of hard to mess up a full tang fixed blade - unless the steel is just junk
 
Ok, so I got super lucky and was able to pick up this knife with plenty of time before my son's birthday. Its the 156ot pattern, but is only stamped SCHRADE+ and the U.S.A. and the handle appears to be actual stag and not staglon? The only bummer is that it didn't come with a sheath, so I'll have to find one in two weeks!

does anyone know anything about this knife? did Schrade build it this way? wasn't a rehandled 156, since it doesn't say 156 anywhere.







 
FLINT77 said:
Ok, so I got super lucky and was able to pick up this knife with plenty of time before my son's birthday. Its the 156ot pattern, but is only stamped SCHRADE+ and the U.S.A. and the handle appears to be actual stag and not staglon? The only bummer is that it didn't come with a sheath, so I'll have to find one in two weeks!

does anyone know anything about this knife? did Schrade build it this way? wasn't a rehandled 156, since it doesn't say 156 anywhere.
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We can only make educated guesses. Here is mine. The knife marking is correct for an SFO (Special Factory Order) 156. It may have been made for one of the hunting or fishing organizations. It was rejected (witheld from shielding and shipping) because of the poor symmetry of the scales. I have a 897UH Premium Signature Stockman of the same ilk. One cover is fat and the other thin. It came from the stock of the factory liquidation sale.

As a collector knife, it is a flawed example, unmatched scales, lacks shielding. As a user it would be superb. I've used this same pattern for large and small game and fish and fowl. You might visit the Sheathmaker's forum here with a photo of the original 156OT sheath and find a maker to rush one to you. Otherwise, there could be a wait for an unused single sheath to come on the market. I'm afraid I don't have a duplicate to offer you, or I would.

Michael
 
Thank you for the information - that is exactly what I was looking for. Yes, this will be a user and not a collector knife, so I think it will do just fine. I've come to like the 156 pattern quite a bit.

I might give it to him with a PH2 sheath to use until we can find something better. My 156 actually fits ok in my PH2 sheath. I would give him my 156 sheath, but it has a cut in it from the previous owner. I'm wondering if I wet a PH2 sheath until soft, and then mold around my 156 knife, then remove knife and let dry - if it will keep the form of the 156 - might be worth a shot.

My other thought, is - does anyone know how decent the sheaths on the new chinese shcrades are? For not much more than I can buy a PH2 sheath, I could buy a whole new china 156OT with sheath - just for the sheath.

Thanks again!
 
FLINT77 said:
does anyone know how decent the sheaths on the new chinese shcrades are?
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Congrats, believe it or not I scoped that exact knife for ya and tried to send you a heads-up private message but I've let my "Gold Membership" lapse and the abililty to send that type of message went with it. I think ya got a great knife to use at a very fair price.

My understanding is the new Schrade sheaths are "pleather". "Reclaimed leather". Thats when you take the cheapest leather you can find, grind it into a pulp and then press and glue it all back together sort of like making paper. I can't say as I recommend them. The original USA 156OT sheaths were real leather. Maybe an over used/abused 156OT in a functional sheath will come along for $5.00 etc. Keep scoping the deals but you may have to buy another 156OT and then sell or discard the knife to find the "correct" sheath. "If the sheath fits, use it" is another way to think. Any sheath that fits it will do...
 
Oh wow, thanks! that was super thoughtful. Yeah, I'm eagerly waiting to receive the knife and check it out in person.

also, thanks for the information about the reclaimed leather on the new schrades - I will definitely steer clear. I'm going to get a PH2 sheath - just so that I have something to put the knife in now, and then keep looking. I actually think that the USA 156OT sheath is the sweetest looking sheath that schrade ever made for one of their knives - and the way the knife sits in the sheath is just great. The only problem is that it fits in there so precisely, that there is no room for error, and it seems like a lot of used sheaths out there have been cut.
 
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