Codger_64
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In 1977 a lockback assembly line was installed at the Schrade Ellenville, New York factory. It was designed to be a stand alone line, or cell, to manufacture the new LB7 Bear Paw lockback knives without interfering with the operations of other ongoing knife assembly lines in the factory. As demand for the LB7 increased, an additional lockback line was installed at the IKCO factory in Providence, Rhode Island.
Sales of the LB7 for the first five years were epic, and Schrade decided to expand the line toward a smaller framed lockback, so in 1981 the LB5 Smokey lockback was created. It appeared in the 1982 catalogs priced at a MSRP of $31.95, and was produced through 2002. It last appeared in the 2001 catalog priced at $55.95.
Advertised in late 1981 factory literature as Uncle Henry’s first medium size lockblade, the LB5 had a 3 3/4" frame (compared to the LB7's 5" frame) and a 2 7/8" clip blade. The bolsters and linings of the first production differed from the predecessor lockback in that they were nickle silver, with nickle silver cover pins, and stainless pivot and backspring pin. Both, in stock production form, had the dark “Winewood” fibron phenolic resin impregnated wood covers.
Taking a cue from the success of the LB5, in 1988 a new item listing was issued for the LB7NS with nickle silver bolsters. It was never a large selling production knife, but was a popular platform for the SFO and commemorative knives.
After sixteen years of production with nickle silver bolsters, in early 1997 the bolster material of the LB5 was changed to brass in order to “Maintain the family look” with the brass bolstered LB7, the parent and only other remaining pattern of the Uncle Henry LB series. The bolster change was slowly phased in over the next few years, the nickle silver bolsters discontinued altogether in 1999. Only 38,000 of the brass bolstered knives were produced between 1996 and 2002. It last appeared in the 2001 catalog priced at $55.95.
Like the larger LB7, the LB5 was the platform used for quite a few commemoratives, and private special factory orders such as the UST knives (United States Tobacco).
Codger
Sales of the LB7 for the first five years were epic, and Schrade decided to expand the line toward a smaller framed lockback, so in 1981 the LB5 Smokey lockback was created. It appeared in the 1982 catalogs priced at a MSRP of $31.95, and was produced through 2002. It last appeared in the 2001 catalog priced at $55.95.
Advertised in late 1981 factory literature as Uncle Henry’s first medium size lockblade, the LB5 had a 3 3/4" frame (compared to the LB7's 5" frame) and a 2 7/8" clip blade. The bolsters and linings of the first production differed from the predecessor lockback in that they were nickle silver, with nickle silver cover pins, and stainless pivot and backspring pin. Both, in stock production form, had the dark “Winewood” fibron phenolic resin impregnated wood covers.
Taking a cue from the success of the LB5, in 1988 a new item listing was issued for the LB7NS with nickle silver bolsters. It was never a large selling production knife, but was a popular platform for the SFO and commemorative knives.
After sixteen years of production with nickle silver bolsters, in early 1997 the bolster material of the LB5 was changed to brass in order to “Maintain the family look” with the brass bolstered LB7, the parent and only other remaining pattern of the Uncle Henry LB series. The bolster change was slowly phased in over the next few years, the nickle silver bolsters discontinued altogether in 1999. Only 38,000 of the brass bolstered knives were produced between 1996 and 2002. It last appeared in the 2001 catalog priced at $55.95.
Like the larger LB7, the LB5 was the platform used for quite a few commemoratives, and private special factory orders such as the UST knives (United States Tobacco).
Codger
