Schrade SCHF42 Raven Is Discontinued

Quiet said:
Wow, excellent write-up. For what all of your Schrade knives cost, I really cannot think of better all around "toughness" knives available. One of these, a Mora or small thin-bladed folding knife for delicate tasks, and you're set 100%. I own (and use) more expensive knives sometimes, but I've really enjoyed both the 42 and 55 that I own, as we've talked about before. I don't own one of the SCHF9's, and that's only because I already have several larger fixed blades that fulfill that exact sort of niche in my various camping loadouts. Of course, at the price they go for, I'll probably still end up with one at some point.
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Thanks man. Yeah, the 42 and 55 were originally slated for production through another domestic company I have worked with in the past. Then when i watched them go through weeks of internal issues and some serious heat treat issues, I quit pursuing that path and decided to go with Schrade whose fit and finish and heat treat had remained consistently good for the 4 and a half years I had been periodically ordering them or buying them at stores and checking them. So with more confidence in the end product and a great price point it seemed the better option to go with. Besides, there is less chance of my work being counterfeited this way. Although it was rather flattering when Gerber showed a very similar profile made in the US, with more colorful bright green handles like I carried on my Tibo. It's pretty flattering to be a guy designing knives that are made in Asia and have them emulated by a domestic company :) As for the 9 it is pretty heavy, and I would love to revisit it to remove some of the unnecessary mass from the tang to shift the weight distribution a little.

Legendary_Jarl said:
It's pretty cool that you got to design these. How did that come about?
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It's kind of a natural progression. I've been working on knife designs for hand made knife makers since the 80s, and have done a few desigs for makers who have their own subforums here. The Schrades more or less came from my questioning Morgan Taylor's actions and him calling me on it almost ten years ago.

popedandy said:
Another excellent writeup. Thanks!
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Thank you I'm glad you enjoyed it.


Kbrasmodeler said:
Great story about the knife design, Mistwalker. I need to keep an eye out for your autobiography. Sounds intense.
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Thank you. Yeah, it was pretty intense at times. Especially ages 10-12 which were the great years, and 15-19 which were the darker ones. After that it was a long walk back from the edge.

anttttt said:
Yes, I have the SCHF 9 as well as a 42 and a 55.
I like them and find them useful, and I don't think I will ever sell them. Also, I like the price point for these knives.
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Cool, every once in a while i have someone mention the 9, but I know some people must like them just looking at their rating on that big river place all these years later and it's still getting good reviews. I have one, maybe a one of a kind due to the scales. But it was designed as an "Extreme Survival" knife to live up to that moniker when I felt several Schrades bearing that name would not. Mine is a little unusual :) I seldom carry it, because I seldom need anything that big these days.

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Interesting reading your thoughts about the designs of your knives.
Your write very well.Like your style.
 
Revolverrodger said:
Why did you choose Schrade to make your knives?
They don’t have the best reputation
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I was really tired the first time around, between back to school stuff and a meteor shower, I had very little slip the last two weeks, so I gave an incomplete answer. In the mid to late 80s, as I spent a lot of time living off grid and trying to sort out what all had happened the last years of my childhood through all of the insanity. I needed to escape the thoughts of violence and try to reconnect with myself before all of that. The two knives that were the most prominent after I had traded the pilots knife off for a Navy MK 3 in Florida, and then set that aside as well to escape that mind set were Tw Schrades. A Woodsman and a Golden Spike. I still have a Golden Spike from those days in my desk.

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[QUOTE="mistwalker, As for the 9 it is pretty heavy, and I would love to revisit it to remove some of the unnecessary mass from the tang to shift the weight distribution a little.

Cool, every once in a while i have someone mention the 9, but I know some people must like them just looking at their rating on that big river place all these years later and it's still getting good reviews. I have one, maybe a one of a kind due to the scales. But it was designed as an "Extreme Survival" knife to live up to that moniker when I felt several Schrades bearing that name would not. Mine is a little unusual :) I seldom carry it, because I seldom need anything that big these days.]

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That sure is an interesting looking SCHF 9 you have there.
As you say, it is a bit on the heavy side but I think the knife lives up to its name as the ultimate survival knife.
Take care
Anthony
 
anttttt said:
As you say, it is a bit on the heavy side but I think the knife lives up to its name as the ultimate survival knife.
Take care
Anthony
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Thank you Anthony. It's always nice to get feedback that tells me i succeeded in accomplishing my goals. Hopefully I have done as well with it's smaller siblings.
You too man
Brian
 
mfunnell said:
Mistwalker Mistwalker : Thanks for this. I found it very interesting and also convincing enough that against earlier expectations I've found myself ordering an SCHF42 rather than the SCHF42D I thought I might. Your SCHF55 actually suits me better (which is why I have two of those :) ) but I do have a place for this one. And a place I I'd likely have filled with a considerably more expensive knife if I'd not run across your postings.

Schrade should pay you money!

(Oh, I guess they already did. :) - I hope it was a lot, but in the way of the world it probably wasn't.)

...Mike
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If you decide you like them enough to want to try the micarta scales. I just got in the newest ones I ordered so I have some spare sets for the 42/42D and the 55 sitting in a drawer now that I could sell reasonably. With me still dealing with the effects of the stress fractured fibula, broken heel bone, and torn cartilage and achilles tendon from an accident in the field last year, the back to school thing is sort of eating my lunch this year.
 
mistwalker said:
If you decide you like them enough to want to try the micarta scales. I just got in the newest ones I ordered so I have some spare sets for the 42/42D and the 55 sitting in a drawer now that I could sell reasonably. With me still dealing with the effects of the stress fractured fibula, broken heel bone, and torn cartilage and achilles tendon from an accident in the field last year, the back to school thing is sort of eating my lunch this year.
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Ouch!

Yes, I am interested and I've sent you a PM. Thanks!

...Mike
 
Thanks! For the record, my SCHF42 arrived this morning. Only just checking it out, putting a minor touch-up on the factory edge etc. -- but I think I'm going to like it.
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...Mike
 
Just a quick report back on my SCHF42: I spent a couple of hours (much less time than I'd anticipated) cutting back some thick nasty strangler vines around my yard this week (as we approach spring down here), using mainly my new SCHF42. This was to sever some quite thick (about 1.5") main stalks in really difficult-to-reach spots I'd never been able to get at properly with machete or saw. My SCHF42 carved them up quite nicely, and I found that the recurve on the blade (which I was dubious about) helped as much as Brian suggested it might in his posts above.

After heavy carving/cutting through thick, tough, green vines I found the edge had held up very nicely and didn't need more than a bit of stroking along a honing steel to get right back to the edge I want on it. So I'd have to say I think Brian's also right about the heat-treatment being used for the steel. I'm more impressed than I thought I'd be - and I was expecting good performance :)

...Mike
 
mfunnell said:
Just a quick report back on my SCHF42: I spent a couple of hours (much less time than I'd anticipated) cutting back some thick nasty strangler vines around my yard this week (as we approach spring down here), using mainly my new SCHF42. This was to sever some quite thick (about 1.5") main stalks in really difficult-to-reach spots I'd never been able to get at properly with machete or saw. My SCHF42 carved them up quite nicely, and I found that the recurve on the blade (which I was dubious about) helped as much as Brian suggested it might in his posts above.

After heavy carving/cutting through thick, tough, green vines I found the edge had held up very nicely and didn't need more than a bit of stroking along a honing steel to get right back to the edge I want on it. So I'd have to say I think Brian's also right about the heat-treatment being used for the steel. I'm more impressed than I thought I'd be - and I was expecting good performance :)

...Mike
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Thank you Mike, I'm glad to hear your liking it and it is serving you well. It always makes me happy when someone sees with their own eyes and feels with their own hands and wrists what I mean by certain mechanical advantages being designed into the geometry of the tool. That always makes me feel good to see. The shop that does these in Taiwan also does knives for other companies that sell for much more. They typically do a good job on the 1095.
 
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