Schrade 1580T help...newbie

M

marv0723

Joined
Nov 19, 2008
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I'm new here and was wondering if some of you could help me.

I just purchased this knife from a person who claims it is from the late 70s to early 80s. The knife doesn't quite seem right to me now that I have it in my hand. i really expected the high carbon steel look to the knife like one I had years ago. The blade looks like has been polished or something and the edge is pretty crappy (rounded, maybe from the polishing?).

The blade is stamped "SCHRADE""U.S.A. 1580T" on one side and blank on the other. I want to make sure the time line is right for this knife and not one of the Chinese knives. I can't tell much about the steel as I have not had a chance to put it on a stone yet. There is a little light corrosion on the blade's handle that seems promising.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I can't answer your question as to whether the knife is from the 70' or 80's. But if the tang stamp says "SCHRADE USA 158OT", it was made here in the states. Schrade USA closed in 2004. It was after that that the switch to China was made. Also, if it was made in China, somewhere on the knife, you should see "CHINA" either etched or stamped on it.
 
It would really be helpful if we could see a picture of the knife and it's marks. However, those marks you describe comply with the marks on the genuine U.S.A. 158OT. Most of the Chinese made knives will have either a blade etch or tiny stamp saying "China". They also usually have block letters SCHRADE on one side and the pattern number 158OT on the other.

As to the steel used in your knife, it could be stainless since there was a general shift to stainless late in production a few years before Imperial Schrade closed in 2004. You might test a spot on the exposed tang with mustard to see if it discolors (darkens) it. If it does, it is a 1095HC carbon steel blade (the discoloring is easy to polish away).

The 158OT Guthook Skinner (1988-2002) was a variant of the 154OT Drop Point Hunter (1976-1988) and replaced it in the Old Timer line of hunting knives.

Michael
 
Thanks for the info. After spending a little more time with the knife, I can see that it is a polished up HC steel blade.
 
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