Schrade 152OT Sharpfinger

"Back in the day", with this custom order form, your Schrade sales rep could order custom Sharpfingers for your organization or business.
Thus in a very real way, it was a full circle return to the origins of advertising knives. The rope and wool mills, the sausage and melon testers, the florists' and agricultural knives with custom imprinting.
Custom-Worksheet1569103958.jpg

Here is a recent found example. Made for an agriculture supplier, "Z-Tag", manufacturer of livestock ear tags. They ordered a custom logo blade etch and provided "camera ready" art of a cow and calf showing their new "No Snag Ear Tags" for 'scrimshaw' stamping on the ivory Delrin handle. Also they chose to have the blades serialized.
Z-No-Snag-Cattle-61569103789.jpg

Z-No-Snag-Cattle-31569103705.jpg

381-ZTag-11569103559.jpg

As you can see, their "Camera ready art" was a bit too bold in the line density once reduced for the die stamp. It could have been corrected but was not.
 
Here is another example of a commercial "Scrimshaw" SFO. This one chose to use art from a different Scrimshaw pattern knife, the stockman, on their Sharpfinger. Along with their logo and text blade etch. An oil drilling company from Louisiana.
Bocker-11569104194.jpg
 
grampd said:
I added the picture to my post. It was a SFO produced for the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game, and Wildlife #384
Click to expand...
Nice! Previously, I have only seen the green Delrin used on the Skoal/Copenhagen 154OT knives for UST. And die stamping the sheaths is a rarity too.
full
 
UST (U. S. Tobacco) was a good customer of special knives and sets for some years as they sponsored and promoted different outdoor sports. Here is one I recently came across, part of a three knife set with birdseye maple handles. It featured also a special coined bronze shield and "Copenhagen Skoal Outdoors" blade etch. A brief search shows the trademark applied for in the early nineties and then abandoned.
385-Copenhagen-Outdoors-Set1569104353.jpg

385-Copenhagen-Outdoors1569104426.jpg
 
Nice ones! And unless I miss my guess, there should be a Ty Murray/Pro Rodeo edition too!
 
grampd said:
From what I understand there is one more set "Pro Rodeo". I don't have that set yet.
Click to expand...
I only have one very poor saved photo of that set, "Pro Rodeo". Too dark and blurred to be worth posting. But it appears to be the same as the previous three sets except for the blade etch. BTW, the set I first showed is still out there and available. Just not at a price-point I am willing to pay.
 
Thank you. I have much appreciated the knowledge that you have shared on this site over the years. I will keep an eye out for the Pro Rodeo set. There are a few other ones I am keeping my eye open for. The yellow one, Virginia Game Warden, the 512OT and a few other SFOs.

Would you have any idea what year this one might fall in?

View media item 5133
 
The Schrade Tough logo first appeared circa 1997. Could be as late as 2001, not sure but I believe that black lacquered box was SFO for Cotter (True Value Hardware). Could be a copyright date on the box or insert. If the insert lists the website, that launched in 1998. The biggest Cotter SFO contracts I am aware of were 1989-1994 or so. Those were the Master Mechanic knives. Of course they sold Schrades before and after that as well. Sorry I can't be more specific.
 
Since the UH was produced between 1994 - 1998, and later reintroduced in 2004 before the closing I figured it had to be 1994 to 1998. The Hollow grind on the blade would date the knife about 1998 or slightly before since it's SS. I don't see a website on the printed material so that would rule out after 1998. So it looks like to me the knife is 1998 or there about.

The box however was more confusing to me. I have looked and looked and have not seen one this color for the UH. The box has a 1991 copyright date. Perhaps the box was repurposed since there is a label on the end of the box instead of a printed ID.

You know the detective work on these can be as fun as collecting but it would be a slow roll if it were not for you folks on this site.
 
Several of us have run into the fact that knives were offered after being dropped from catalog appearances, and some offered before appearing in catalogs.

I agree the grind puts the knife on the latter end of production. About the same time they went to fine blanking them. The Old Timers likewise went to hollow ground stainless about then.

Also a collector's bane is that boxes get swapped by original dealers and by subsequent owners. One avenue to investigate is with a Cotter employee of that era. Paul Long, IIRC, was in Cotter Sales in Mexico during that period. "Sheathmaker" on this forum. He might remember the box at least if not the issue.
 
Hi Codger,

Do you have an information on the 100th Anniversary Sharpfinger.

I would like to know how many fully-finished knives were made.

The only boxed example I have seen, is the one you posted some year ago .. Ken
 
koldgold said:
Hi Codger,

Do you have an information on the 100th Anniversary Sharpfinger.

I would like to know how many fully-finished knives were made.

The only boxed example I have seen, is the one you posted some year ago .. Ken
Click to expand...
Sorry Ken, but no. No records exist to my knowledge. And they were made just ahead of the 4th of July forced bankruptcy liquidation. A few perhaps assembled during the four month window of assembly between the shutdown and auction. But no numbers exist that I am aware of. As you know though, there weren't many made. Not in the box or dealer display case or singly.
 
Am I the only one that can't see grampd's pics?

Anyway, Sharpfingers aplenty.

And as stated above the sentiment stands thanks for all the information and hardwork.
 
Update on the Black UH Box. It appears that the box is a Pro Hunter box. I am not sure who or when the labels were stuck on the box.

I am not sure why he can not see the pictures. I have them imported into my album on Bladeforums. It maybe an option I have set. Any suggestions would be welcome. It may also be that I am now a member of the site. Not sure.
 
Post liquidation buyers bought boxes as well as knives. That could be the genesis of this combo. Which puts us back a bit on dating the knife closely. If the box was repurposed, the insert paper may be as well. So we are back to the features of the knife itself.
 
grampd said:
Update on the Black UH Box. It appears that the box is a Pro Hunter box. I am not sure who or when the labels were stuck on the box.

I am not sure why he can not see the pictures. I have them imported into my album on Bladeforums. It maybe an option I have set. Any suggestions would be welcome. It may also be that I am now a member of the site. Not sure.
Click to expand...
I can not see any of your pictures grampd, I have most of the Pro Hunters in there boxes...Ken.
 
You should be able to see them now. Thank you to everyone for letting me know. I am still learning. Ken what do you think?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top