Schrade Lb5 (New version)

[CityFinn]

Happy New Year Everyone!

I recived my new LB5.
What confused me is its size. I knew it is small knife but its closed length is the same as my Case Medium Workman Stockman. Open length is a bit longer as the blade is longer. It is also quite thin - just as Stockman is - and I thought the handle will be barrel shaped. So now I think it is somewhat sodbuster jr. size.
Walk and talk is pretty awesome as gaps are almost not present.
There's no blade play - any of it - snaps when opening and closing. Backlock holds tight.
I assumed it will be a bit heavier and larger but I must admit that its size suits me well.
The leather sheath is stiff and useful.
And the biggest surprise of all.
After my wife bought it the price went up and it costs (at the same knife shop) 150% more then She paid. Think we made a good deal
Anyone had similar thoughts about it?

 

[afishhunter]

I don't have a LB5 or 5OT. Too small for my use.
I do have an offshore 7OT and gave away a offshore like size LB7 or LB8.
The offshore Schrade Old Timer/Uncle Henry 7OT/LB7/LB8 (the LB7 and LB8 are the same knife, just different covers; Wood or Staglon®™. The 7OT has "saw cut" Delrin. The saw cut is finer than Schrade/Old Timer's pre-bankruptcy saw cut ... and different colors, to help prevent a offshore knife being passed off as a pre-bankruptcy US production.

There are a couple other differences:
1) The current standard blade steel for these three, and the OT/LB5 is 7CR14MoV, with (in my experience) an excellent heat treat.
(My offshore LB7 holds an edge just as well as my 1990's/2003 7OT/6OT with "Schrade+" blades.)
2) The offshore knives are around 1/4" to 3/8" narrower than the old U.S. made. (Another difference to prevent fraud?)

The over-all quality of the offshore knives is on par with the pre-2004/pre-bankruptcy knives. (Yes. I am ... "greatly disliked" ... and no doubt "creatively cursed" for stating this.)

The U.S. made 6/7OT and and LB7/8 are the same with as the Buck 110. I think the current OT/LB 5 is thinner than the U.S. made knives.

Enjoy your new knife. It should last at least a couple generations, with regular care and sharpening and stropping. (don't sharpen with a grinder or Dremel sanding drum.)
If you sharpen by hand, the blade will take and hold a svelte 10° per side (20° inclusive) edge.

My pre-bankruptcy 6/7OT's with Schrade+ stainless blades were sharpened to 24-25 degrees inclusive. (12 to 12.5° per side.)
My 7OT with a 1095 blade was at 20° inclusive. I have not seen any reason to dull it/ make it more obtuse.
I re-profiled my offshore 7OT to ~24/25° inclusive.
(when I was taught how to sharpen at age 5 by dad, uncles, aunts, grand fathers, grand mothers, 2 great grandmothers, 1 great grand father, and one great-great grandmother, they were unanimous: "A knife (and cleaver) were sharpened at 10 to 12.5° per side. An axe/hatchet/tomahawk, adz, fro, and sword were 15° per side. (30° inclusive.)

 

[CityFinn]

I don't have a LB5 or 5OT. Too small for my use.
I do have an offshore 7OT and gave away a offshore like size LB7 or LB8.
The offshore Schrade Old Timer/Uncle Henry 7OT/LB7/LB8 (the LB7 and LB8 are the same knife, just different covers; Wood or Staglon®™. The 7OT has "saw cut" Delrin. The saw cut is finer than Schrade/Old Timer's pre-bankruptcy saw cut ... and different colors, to help prevent a offshore knife being passed off as a pre-bankruptcy US production.

There are a couple other differences:
1) The current standard blade steel for these three, and the OT/LB5 is 7CR14MoV, with (in my experience) an excellent heat treat.
(My offshore LB7 holds an edge just as well as my 1990's/2003 7OT/6OT with "Schrade+" blades.)
2) The offshore knives are around 1/4" to 3/8" narrower than the old U.S. made. (Another difference to prevent fraud?)

The over-all quality of the offshore knives is on par with the pre-2004/pre-bankruptcy knives. (Yes. I am ... "greatly disliked" ... and no doubt "creatively cursed" for stating this.)

The U.S. made 6/7OT and and LB7/8 are the same with as the Buck 110. I think the current OT/LB 5 is thinner than the U.S. made knives.

Enjoy your new knife. It should last at least a couple generations, with regular care and sharpening and stropping. (don't sharpen with a grinder or Dremel sanding drum.)
If you sharpen by hand, the blade will take and hold a svelte 10° per side (20° inclusive) edge.

My pre-bankruptcy 6/7OT's with Schrade+ stainless blades were sharpened to 24-25 degrees inclusive. (12 to 12.5° per side.)
My 7OT with a 1095 blade was at 20° inclusive. I have not seen any reason to dull it/ make it more obtuse.
I re-profiled my offshore 7OT to ~24/25° inclusive.
(when I was taught how to sharpen at age 5 by dad, uncles, aunts, grand fathers, grand mothers, 2 great grandmothers, 1 great grand father, and one great-great grandmother, they were unanimous: "A knife (and cleaver) were sharpened at 10 to 12.5° per side. An axe/hatchet/tomahawk, adz, fro, and sword were 15° per side. (30° inclusive.)

I like that steel. I know it's not the best one or even one of the better ones but if the Heat Treatment is correct then for edc is enough.
I do use my knives (sometimes I abuse them) so I like something that I will quickly resharp.
Thank You for Your words. I do prefer usa made knives (as I do like local/regional cutlery and original knives rather then offshore productions) but in Poland there aren't many or they are very expensive.
I always wanted to have buckish style knife and LB5 is pretty awesome.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I carried this LB-7 for 20 years.

If I needed a sheath knife today, I have a few American made 110 Bucks laying around.

 

[afishhunter]

I carried this LB-7 for 20 years.

If I needed a sheath knife today, I have a few American made 110 Bucks laying around.

I have a few 110's, but to be honest, when I want to carry that type (for the last year point 5 or point 6, a 2 blade slipjoint Western 062 Folding Hunter has been on my belt instead of a 110/7OT), my c1978-1984 4 pin 7OT with a 1095 blade gets picked around 60% of the time.
Foolish, I know, because if anything bad happens, it is ... difficult ... to find a replacement that isn't suffering significant blade loss, or had the tip busted during its history, at a reasonable cost ...

I'd tote my Copper & Clad 110 with a 5160 carbon steel blade, but it has been "discontinued", since Buck quit doing dealer SFO's, and that blade steel was not in the custom shoppe, the last time I looked. It is essentially irreplaceable.

I R 1 of them ("crazy"?) in the minority 1's that prefers carbon steel & a patina over "always looks new" stain less ... and the somewhat keener edge that carbon seel takes.

 

[CityFinn]

I always have to remind myself that I do not hunt and don't do much bushcraft things nowdays. I use my knives as tools but always keep in mind "use the right tool for the job".
But I often use my knives to do some "dirty" work as I need to cut some cables, cardboards, drywalls etc.

This little fellow is a quite a nice one. Looks and feels sturdy, not big to be scary for anyone (except those who will panic at everything) and it has this traditional pattern.
Buck 110/112 is too expensive and too... bulky for my edc. Lb7 the same. So I am happy with this one now.