Schrade 152OT Sharpfinger

[Codger_64]

Years ago, when I first started looking at Sharpfingers on Ebay, I noted a SFO 152UH with a blade etch art of running whitetail deer and text "On The Run". Recently I've seen two more knives with similar etches and different text, suggesting that they were an SFO series. The second is also running deer with text "The Getaway" and the third has deer bust portraits and text "Hunter's Companion". The most likely suspect as the customer, IMHO, is SMKW. I wonder if these three were all that there were in that series, or were there more? Was SMKW indeed the customer?

I recently found a fourth variant of the blade etched deer themed series of Wolverines featuring a mule deer and legend "The Big Stag". I do wish I could locate back issues of SMKW catalogs to pin down which SFOs were made for them and when. They may even state the quantities of each made. Now, is four knives all that were in this series? Is SMKW really the customer and not Blue Ridge Knives or another retail customer?

An updated look at these etched UH knives. This is a picture found recently online, not mine.

So if you follow the quoted link back, you will see there were at least five in this etch series. "The Hunter's Companion" is missing from the above set. And "A Hunter's Dream" is added.

 

[thawk]

Here is Hunter's Companion

 

[Codger_64]

... Here is Hunter's Companion

Thanks Hal! I have been unsucessful in landing this series. Or in finding out it's true origins with certainty.

Might I speculate? SMKW is my chief suspected merchant. Imperial Schrade was an important supplier for them. And, becoming a reliable customer ordering in respectable quantity (and paying for their orders), an important customer for Schrade. An etch was an inexpensive customization of an otherwise basic production knife. And the relatively flat sides of the blades on the 152 pattern made a perfect canvas for artistic etches.

Clemente, in his A Catalog History of Schrade Knives, states that the 152UH Wolverine pattern was a listed item only from 1994 thru 1998, five years, and then reissued briefly in 2003 for clampack sales thru big box stores. As the blade grind had changed by 2003, it is probable that these etched knives were marketed closer to the 1999-2001 timeframe.

Maybe Eric knows or can find out. Or someone kept their SMKW catalogs from those years and can verify both the merchant and the dates offered. Knowing their retail price would be interesting to me as well as SMKW was/is known for fairly substantial discounts from MSRP on most knives.

 

[Codger_64]

In my first post in this thread I mentioned that it was a remote possibility that an earliest production Sharpfinger with a Schrade Walden tangstamp might some day surface and be a true pattern collectable.

With 1973 being only a partial production year, as mentioned above, 9,500 pieces were shipped. 1974 was the first full production year and 36,093 were shipped.

Well, in the interest of collector mental health I think it fair to bring attention to a recent market appearance.

I have no doubt that knowledgable collectors will recognize the TBLLC China origin, but novices may not. Particularly if fakers get some and alter their appearance then salt them back on the market.

Another recent one in a tin to promote the supposed 55th anniversary of Old Timer. Do the dates on a calculator.

 

[Codger_64]

Here is a SFO knife mentioned earlier in this thread, a production 152OT with added blade etch, "Friends Of NRA". As best I can discern, it was one of a two knife SGS-1 set made for NRA membership drives. I bid this one, but alas, not high enough. I only bid what I thought it was realisticly worth. Someone bid higher. But I'll post the auction picture here for identification purposes.

I believe that is mostly oil and fingerprints on the blade, not all scratches and rust. Perhaps the auction winner will see this and confirm this for us, maybe even post a better picture. Larry Vickery (lrv) did some research magic for me on this issue and perhaps he will be so kind as to post it here.

 

[Codger_64]

On the topic of the SFO for Europe 512OT, my example came in the production tan box and as further evidence of the "salting" into production, one has surfaced here in 2013 in a bonus clampack with knife care kit. As the clampack remains factory sealed, we can be certain there was no aftermarket tampering.

In 1989-91, Schrade made some Sharpfingers, complete with custom boxes, using stainless blades and tangstamped "SCHRADE+" over "U.S.A. 512OT". Other than the steel and the tang stamp, they were identical to the base 152OT (including the blade grind which changed on the latest knives when they began using stainless blanks). My first personal theory was that these knives were intended as a test marketing of the stainless bladed Old Timer to see if the public would buy it. Subsequent investigation proved that these knives were actually produced for sale in the European market and made in one very limited quantity production run. These are relatively rare. The one I have was purchased circa 1990 in the base tan box with standard 152OT Sharpfinger markings. I have since obtained an original unused box intended for the 512OT Sharpfinger, black with blue and gold printing. While tooled and produced for the sample phase, an sample order of only 25 pieces was shipped to Europe in 1991, and evidently no subsequent orders were placed. The remainder of the just over 2,000 pieces produced (2,156 according to records) were “salted” from inventory into the American market over the next few years.

Tang has the wrong stamp
It's a 152ot with a stanp that reads 512ot. Any idea of value and year made? thanks for the help

Explained in the Schrade Collectors' forum. But I'll repeat here for members who don't frequent that one.



In other words, it was not an error but a way to sell seconds from a cancelled order. The error was in producing the knife in a special steel (440 stainless) with a special tangstamp for a specific market without a firm order resulting in 2,000 seconds to be disposed of.

This is the blueprint from the stamp die order found in the srchives:

And this is an expample of the knife complete with ordered blade etch. Most of the "salted" ones had the etch step deleted:

This is an example of the special black laqured boxes designed and ordered for the issue. A carton was found after the factory auction:

 

[Codger_64]

It was suggested to me that it would be a good idea to take a close look at the TBLLC 55th anniversary artwork to aid in future identification, so here it is. I don't believe this is the work of Frank Giorgianni.

 

[Codger_64]

I just made my first minor purchase since the Great Schrade Train Robbery. Not a knife this time, but a complete set of bling to complete one of my remaining early Sharpfingers. Chicken-eye this pile and see what you can see to determine which early knife might be correct for this NIB-NK (new in box-no knife) get. I've previously posted the hints needed to get darn close.

Michael

 

[koldgold]

Hi Codge,
I have that same set with the knife.
One other item, "Schrade Pledge" paper-work came with my set. It shows the 206,34OT,897UH, 787, 152OT and the 153UH.
I remember buying this knife about 6 years ago, the US seller Apologised for charging me $42 for it; saying they were hard to find.
The old carbon blade 153UH was a hard one to find NIB also back then... Ken

 

[Codger_64]

Yep. The back of the paper shown is the "Schrade Pledge". Several variations were printed, usually promoting newly released patterns inside. I have one with the 206, 34OT, 897UH, 787, 152OT and the LB7. The LB7 was first catalogued in 1978, first sold in 1977. So that would be the earliest for the paper I have in hand. 153UH (your paper) first cataloged in 1974 and sold in 1973. So both would be the "after circa" dates of the knives they came with.

 

[koldgold]

My set had the two "Schrade Pledges" paper-work showing in the box, showing the 206, 34OT, 897UH, 787, 152OT and the LB7.
Maybe I have one out of place, I will only put the same one you have back in the box.

I have just looked at my LB7 (188251) and that Paper-work showing the 153UH, is the same that came in the box with the LB7... Ken

 

[Codger_64]

Papers do tend to get swapped around. As Winnie the Pooh would say, "Oh bother".

Another clew (I like the Pink Panther word, "Clew") not to be missed is the shopsign logo on the box top itself. The one on the box in question is post-1976 if the catalog logos comply.

 

[koldgold]

Papers do tend to get swapped around. As Winnie the Pooh would say, "Oh bother".

I just open another NIB 152OT, and the paper-work in that box is thiner than the others and using Brown ink. Same box, same knife.

 

[Codger_64]

Not surprising that they might have changed printers and print stock from time to time. And we do need to keep an eye out for sellers printing off their own papers on computers to make up for missing papers. I've seen those before, but not in a while now. I should have this set in hand by the end of next week and I'll see what there is to see. It is the second style sheath with the rounded tab. It seems the pointed tab was used the first three years or so. But such details are not to be trusted in the catalog illustrations as they recycled artwork like that for years beyond minor product changes.

 

[Codger_64]

So just from what we can see, the logo and sheath, we can guesstimate a broad date of c. 1977-1983 when they changed to the tan "Sharp Idea" box. The sheath complies with this, though the tan stitching suggests the later side of this range.

Now, does anyone have "Firsties"? A complete NIB from early production c. 1973-1974?

 

[Codger_64]

Now, does anyone have "Firsties"? A complete NIB from early production c. 1973-1974?

Anybody? Ken? Larry? Bueler? Eric? Dave?

 

[Codger_64]

Alrighty then. If nobody wants to play. Notice anything different about this one?

 

[koldgold]

Codger,
I did not intend to collect Fix-blade knives. (that did not last long)
The two NIB old stock "Brown Box Sharp-fingers" I have; came with my Anniversary Display, about 5 or 6 years ago.

However, If and when you find two NIB Walden Sharp-fingers, please remember your old mate, Ken.

You keep looking for your Walden Sharp-finger; and I will keep looking for my 2003 “SQ111 Black Ice”.

Like your Sharp-finger, the Black Ice SQ111 looks to be another knife we will never find or even see.
Ken.

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/FLYERS/2000s/pages/SC01-CP197.htm

 

[smokinbasser]

I got my sharpfinger by purchasing a 3 year subscription to Guns and Ammo magazine. I had to buy my own sheath for it however.It has the Guns and Ammo shield, the knife not the sheath LOL.

 

[Codger_64]

Hi Smokinbasser! Yep, a lot of those knives were passed out. It was a smoking deal too, nearly offsetting the subscription price.

Ken, I'll continue to watch for a genuine SW Sharp Finger. It is a possiblity. If the above knife, box and paper is as appears, it will be my earliest so far.

And your Black Ice may show up at some point, though likely as pre-production parts and pieces like our XT-4's did.

Having looked at thousands of examples of these knives for years now, and having bought quite a few, this is the first time I have found one in the sliptop gift box mentioned in the first catalog appearance, 1973. It otherwise meets most of the criteria of tang stamp text style, sheath construction and brochure style. No included sharpening stone is seen in the auction photos. But neither is a sheath polybag or blade sleeve. Are they in the box? Were they once there but now lost or discarded? Does the box have a cardboard or vac formed insert, flocked or not? I'm pretty sure the sheath thong is a subsequent owner alteration and I can fix that. And the knife grunge should clean up nicely.