Schrade Honesteel

[Morablades]

Picked this up at a local antiwue store. What do you make of it?
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=572063

 

[Codger_64]

If this is an original assembly of Honesteel, sheath, box and papers (and I think it is), we can narrow the date a bit.

The Honesteel was patented by Henry B. Baer (“Uncle Henry&#8221, and assigned to Imperial Knife Associated Companies. The design patent was filed in June of 1971, and issued in July of 1973. The patent expired in 1984, fourteen years. The design claim allowed was “The ornamental design for a combination whetter and sheath”. The patent does not mention the tapered end, nor show the sheath deployed as a handle, or claim that it can be used as such. The patent drawings also show the finial as the bottom part of the female snap portion, though no claim for it’s use is mentioned. Neither is there mention of the honesteel’s surface texture or material, or uniqueness of it’s use. Those details would have been subject matter for a utility patent which evidently Henry’s patent attorney advised against, probably based on a search of prior utility patents. The patent issued July, 17, 1973 as #D-227733. The name “Honesteel” did not appear in the patent, where it was referred to as a “combination whetter and sheath”. “Honesteel” was a separate copyrighted trademark name.

Yours is stamped "SCHRADE", indicating production after the company name changed From Schrade Walden Cutlery to Schrade Cutlery Corp. in early 1973. The "shop sign" logo on the box insert seems to confirm this. The honesteel also has the patent pending mark meaning that the stamping die used after the patent issued in mid-July of 1973 was not yet in use.

The Honesteel also has the first design of twin thong and sheath stud mounting holes. Two more later ones were used, a single teardrop hole which gave clearance for the stud and allowed the thong to still remain attached. Thongs were later deleted from the package and the single hole became round in the last design.

The box design also changed circa 1983-84 when once again the company name changed to Imperial Schrade. This woodgrained fold down box appeared after the two part slip top woodgrained boxes were for the most part discontinued circa 1972-1973. The next box, already mentioned, was the tan and black "A Sharp Idea" box used until circa 2001.

This assembly seems to have been made some time in early to mid 1973.

Michael

 

[thawk]

Codger - In my hardware store travels last year, I came across an old Schrade display with about a dozen knives in it. I got a 77OT, a 285UH, and an one more I dont recall, all in the woodgrain boxes with separate lids. In addition, he had a lot of old boxes, and one of them was a HS1, with the different paper as Morablades, along with a similar box for a 127UH, and an LB1 (separate lid). The HS1, the folding hunters, they came in the woodgrain box with a flip top. Did these ever come in the thicker woodgrain box, with a separate lid?

I never thought about it until the HS1 dating was asked. I looked at the paperwork inside the one I have, and it has patterns that indicate the date you mention.

Got to thinking I do not recal seeing folding hunters or the HS1 in a thicker woodgrain box with separate lid. I always thought the flip top boxes came after the thicker ones with the separate lids, maybe not, but maybe so. What about the Schrade Walden versions, which packaging did they use then?

Also enjoyed reading other recommended uses for the Honesteel along with sharpening:
1) Cracking Deer Pelvis
2) Splitting Wood
3) Fish "Billy" Club

I note Morablades suggested there were 5 uses, adding a Pry Bar. (They should have put a nail puller on it)
Mine is restricted to showing sharpening knives, but his says lots of other tools as well.

I noted this one is the one hole model, while Morablades is two.

 

[John A. Larsen]

In 1966 I bought a Gerber MK II dagger and it came with a honing steel that fit in a pocket on the sheath. Hard to tell the lenght of the Schrade one, but they sure looked the same.