Schrade red bone set of 3 knives - any infomation please.

koldgold

koldgold

Joined
Jul 2, 2010
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This is about the fourth time I have asked this question.
I know they were sold in a set of 3 knives, and also sold separately.
I also know they were sold about 1985-86. The paperwork indicates that 2400 sets were made.
There is a story, that Schrade had problems with the Red Bone scales, and a suggestion less then 2400 were made.
I can not find a price list for them, or a flyer. Any information would help... Ken.
 
I can not find a price list for them, or a flyer. Any information would help... Ken.
Click to expand...

Someone once posted that the sets were SFOs for SMKW. I know that's not terribly helpful, but it might be a starting point in the records search.
I'm as curious as you are.
 
Bob, I found this today.
file.php
 
Bob W said:
Someone once posted that the sets were SFOs for SMKW. I know that's not terribly helpful, but it might be a starting point in the records search.
I'm as curious as you are.
Click to expand...

SMKW started in 1989 so I don't think the original red bone set was an SFO for them. I do believe the 1985-86 time frame is correct, at least for the initial offering of this set.

Here is a picture of a set I once had with the 1 of 2400 paper.

OT_bone_set_3p-2.jpg


And here is a link to one of Ken's BladeForums posts about this.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/948721-Red-Bone-8OT-34OT-and-108OT-set

And aniother one with Ken's posts over on All About Pocket Nives

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=20882
 
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Thank You thwark for your help. I find this subject, a hard one to generate much interest.
A fellow Australian Collector, contacted me this week; to told me he found a set on eBay.
I told him:
I have never seen a RRP for the 3 knife set, or even the single knives by themselves.
And I have some questions, I can not answer:
Why is there no information or flyers easily found, for these very collectible knives?
Were is the 2400 knives? Were the sets made up of some of the 2400 knives?
What about the knives that sold in the small brown boxes?

I have seen rust on some knives, so one could say they are not stainless blades... Ken
 
It appears from your magazine cover thery were an SFO for someone, maybe the National Knife Collectors Magazine. Someone who ran someting called The "C" Store. Possibly elsewhere though. Probably affiliated with this magazine. Need to see page 5, it's probably an ad. This appears to be the same publication you had located, with a slightly different version of the picture on the cover. Better copy. February 1986.

There were more that came out later some with shields missing, some with double grooved bolsters from the Heritage Series that were offered in green and brown bone as well as red. And hybrids of the two. None of this is new news, and has been discussed on the forum from time to time for several years. I had never seen this magazine cover before though.

There was another set that sold on eBay just the other day for $299. It looked like a good set.

I think people are interested, but no one knows much about it.

NKCA_magazine_cover_1986_02_February.jpg
 
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I could be wrong, but I am thinking this 1985 series had non-stainless blades, and the Heritage knives and later issues had SCHRADE+ blades. Anyone know? Just because a blade did not feature the "plus" sign, in later years, did not NECESSARILY mean that the blades were non-stainless. I like to identify this feature because, as collectibles, I do not find the stainless blades as attractive. Just a subjective quirk, as the stainless blades are certainly very good.
 
tongueriver said:
I could be wrong, but I am thinking this 1985 series had non-stainless blades, and the Heritage knives and later issues had SCHRADE+ blades. Anyone know? Just because a blade did not feature the "plus" sign, in later years, did not NECESSARILY mean that the blades were non-stainless. I like to identify this feature because, as collectibles, I do not find the stainless blades as attractive. Just a subjective quirk, as the stainless blades are certainly very good.
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I've owned this set, bought several strays that escaped from the set, they were all marked SCHRADE NY USA with the three lined stamp, and they were all carbon steel. They were all as pictured on the magazine with fancy shields, with serial numbers (unlike the magazine examples). None had grooved bolsters either.
 
Yep, these are completely different than the Old Timer Classics and Heritage knives, both of which came later. They were made with definitely carbon steel, NY USA stamps, and plain bolsters.

Paid $150 for this set with matching serial numbers:
matchingserialnumbers.jpg
 
Big C-Sales

Big C Sales Company,
3153 Craig Avenue
Valdese, NC 28690

Phone: (828) 437-0626


Big C-Sales
A privately held company in Valdese, NC.

More Details for Big C-Sales

Categorized under Wholesale Cutlery. Our records show it was established in 1991 and incorporated in North Carolina. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of less than $500,000 and employs a staff of approximately 1 to 4.
 
If Big C "established in 1991" and the knives produced in 1985.... ? How does that work?

Also, the Heritage knives did not all come later than the red bone collector set. At least some of them are dated 1983 and 1984 right on the shield.
 
tongueriver said:
If Big C "established in 1991" and the knives produced in 1985.... ? How does that work?

Also, the Heritage knives did not all come later than the red bone collector set. At least some of them are dated 1983 and 1984 right on the shield.
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Correct Calvin, but I think the frankenknives came later, some much later.
There were more that came out later some with shields missing, some with double grooved bolsters from the Heritage Series that were offered in green and brown bone as well as red. And hybrids of the two.
 
Bob W said:
Someone once posted that the sets were SFOs for SMKW. I know that's not terribly helpful, but it might be a starting point in the records search.
I'm as curious as you are.
Click to expand...

I might be wrong about SMKW starting in 1989 - and Bob W. you might have the right info.

tthman said:
hi, i dont know if this helps but ive got the 1986 smkw christmas catalog page 82 3 old timer red bone comemmoratives, 8ot senior 22.99 34ot 19.99 108ot 18.99 same shield as your knife the picture in the catalog look brown to me but their red bone commemoratives.by the way all 3 matched sets were 49.99 thank you
Click to expand...

Click on the above link for this much older post. This topic has been around the block. Ken this just might scratch your itch.

And it might be noted the NKCA Magazine came out in February 86, prior to a Christmas catalog the same year.
 
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A big Thank You to everyone, for the help.
I have only one question to go: What ever happend to the 2000 knives I have not seen.
This is my set below. When Tony gets the set he found on ebay, I hope he posts his set... Ken.
image.php
 
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