Schrade 152OT Sharpfinger

[bladecollectorr]

Here is another very recent find. A 2001-2002 DS15 Federal Duck Stamp issue but in stag jigged natural bone. The only one I have ever seen. The catalogs show them with green pickbone handles. Though I have seen a few over the years with dyed staged bone handles.

Seconded. This is the only one I've seen too. I scoured the web to find another and could not.

As you mentioned this 15th Duck Stamp knife is also seen with a bone stag handle. So that's three different bone handle variations all with serial numbers. This was number 1267. Right in the middle of the production run. The rivets etc on this blonde example seem legit Schrade factory construction to me too. The flyer for this one obviously doesn't tell the whole story.

 

[Codger_64]

Seconded. This is the only one I've seen too. I scoured the web to find another and could not.

As you mentioned this 15th Duck Stamp knife is also seen with a bone stag handle. So that's three different bone handle variations all with serial numbers. The rivets etc on this blonde example seem legit Schrade factory construction to me too. The flyer for this one obviously doesn't tell the whole story.

This example is serialized with a high number, 1267, so legit as far as I am concerned, not an aftermarket construction. The next year's flyer used the same illustration and very close text for the DS16 issue. But possibly they ran out of the dyed jigged green bone covers. It still doesn't explain this one due to the year etch and "15th Anniversary" coined shield.

 

[bladecollectorr]

The catalogs, short-lines, price-lists and the flyers don't quite match on this one. I think the DS16 description in the 2003 price-list is likely a straight-up typo. I believe the flyers got it right.

DS15: should be laser-cut Sharpfinger. These two match.
short-line 2002: http://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/Catalogs/images/2002-CATS.pdf
flyer: http://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/FLYERS/2000s/pages/SC01-CP176.htm

DS16: should be red bone trapper with serrated blade. These two do not match. I think flyer is correct.
2003 price-list: http://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/pricelist/images/2003-PRICELIST.pdf
flyer: http://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/FLYERS/2000s/pages/SC02-CP194.htm

 

[Codger_64]

Or... quite possibly they failed to sell the planned 4,000 pieces of the DS15 and thought to sell the remainders in 2002-2003 with the stag bone handles? We can only guess! You saw the MSRP?

 

[bladecollectorr]

Or... quite possibly they failed to sell the planned 4,000 pieces of the DS15 and thought to sell the remainders in 2002-2003 with the stag bone handles? We can only guess! You saw the MSRP?

I saw matching MSRP. What you say is possible but they certainly wouldn't have been converted to a DS16 Sharpfinger. The shield and etch have the year on them. I have never seen a Sharpfinger with DS16 shield or etch. It may have taken them more time to sell the DS15's than expected but still the DS16 was made and it's a trapper.

Where's koldgold's 2003 catalog when we need it? Are there a couple Duck Stamp knives in it? I 2nd the request for him to send that to Larry V. It needs to be archived.

 

[Codger_64]

I did a cursory review of DS15 images and found the serials of the green pick bone knives on either side of the bare stagged bone knife's #1267. #1171 and #1553. So it doesn't seem likely the switch was because they ran out of pick bone covers. Guess I need a larger sampling of serials including the stagged bone.

 

[Codger_64]

Here is the Sharpfinger you've all been waiting to see! The original Codger 1976 152OT!

Now 43 years old and carried and used most of those years. Back when I bought it, the price was $15. And that was a lot of money. Consider that gas was $0.59 per gallon. And when adjusted for inflation, those $15 1976 dollars would be $66.36 in today's dollars. So paying as much as $60 for one new in the box today isn't such a bad deal after all!

 

[Everglades]

I can add a little info to the Duck Stamp DS15 knives
I have eight DS15 knives with stag bone handles .. some dyed .. some natural.
They have the flying duck cut out, but no other special markings
All schrade + blades, finished is perfect, they are beautiful knives.
I assume that are overruns, they are not seconds, they are perfect.
I purchased them from SMKW for about $9.99 each about the time Schrade went under.
They came in a plastic bag , no paperwork. For years I though they were Ducks Unlimited.
If anyone has a old SMKW catalogue the were catalogued with no mention of Duck Stamp or Duck Unlimited.
There is so much to learn about the Sharpfinger knives
Thank You Codger for all of your research

 

[Codger_64]

Good info Everglades! Am I correct to assume they aren't shielded? Give us a family picture of them when you can! You can use tinypic.com to upload them. Just copy the link they give and paste it in your post.

 

[Everglades]

Correct no shield
Will try to post a picture

 

[Everglades]

/

 

[Codger_64]

 

[Codger_64]

1995 Scrimshaw set featured art by John Duffy. The 502SC was a scene of antelope on a western prairie.

These knives were offered individually in fold down boxes or in sets with matching serials. Commonly, there would be 1,500 sets and 1,500 singles, or so the flyers said.
Original MSRP in 1995 was $39.95. Adjusted for inflation to today's dollars, that would be $65.98. For a NIB example complete with correct sheath, papers, etc.

 

[Codger_64]

As the 1990's wore on, it seems that sales of the Scrimshaw knives were waning. Market saturation? Twenty years of "Limited Editions" with wildlife art added up to a lot of individual pieces in consumer hands. One last effort to keep the Scrimshaw Of The American Outdoors series alive with fresh artwork was made in 1996 with the art of a bull and cow moose.

 

[Codger_64]

So in 1996, they decided to try a different way to market the Scrimshaw sets. Instead of the wooden box sets previous, they tried a lasered oak box and new theme, "Wildlife for Tomorrow". This set featured a 502SC with a standing whitetail deer image.

 

[Codger_64]

The scrimshaw art for the 1997 Sharpfinger pattern (502SC97) was recycled Frank Giorgianni art from the 1979 501SC drop point, a deer bust in profile. It was repeated in 1998, 1999 and 2000 when it was last listed in catalogs.

 

[Codger_64]

Also in 1997, the 1996 "Wildlife For Tomorrow" set was upgraded to the SC97MLTD "Endangered Species" set with the gray wolves on the 502SC pattern.

I don't have that issue yet but here is the catalog ad copy of it:

 

[Codger_64]

I had missed most of the customized Sharpfingers which added only the customer's blade etch, though I have shown a few I have seen such as the one with ag business "Farmland" on the blade. Here is one I did manage to get, another SFO for SMKW, 1991 "Coal Miner's Companion". No info on quantity.



ETA: A bit more info now that the knife is in hand. The handle is, as it appears in the photo, black Delrin like the GDOT. Otherwise, it has the mid to late 90's tang stamp and standard Old Timer shield.

 

[Codger_64]

Here is another recent find, a blank 501SC Scrimshaw. Most likely also sold by SMKW.

I'd had the blank 152/502SC knife for quite a few years, but not seen many of the 154/501SC pattern blank.

 

[koldgold]

This is something I know nothing about.
However, the DS15 and DS16 used the same blade.
It is quite obvious, that there were left-over blades when Schrade closed down.
In the last days at Schrade, mismatched knives were put together with odd parts.
I do not have a DS15 or a DS16. However, I do have these last day knives... Ken

This example is serialized with a high number, 1267, so legit as far as I am concerned, not an aftermarket construction. The next year's flyer used the same illustration and very close text for the DS16 issue. But possibly they ran out of the dyed jigged green bone covers. It still doesn't explain this one due to the year etch and "15th Anniversary" coined shield.