Schrade Walden 804 "Carpenter Knife"

Blues

Blues

hovering overhead
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Today I was truly humbled when I received this token of friendship from one of our forum members. I'm always amazed by the generosity that this forum engenders and even moreso when I am a recipient.

I only own one other Schrade Walden knife (a stockman from the late 40's/early 50's) so this is a wonderful (and totally unexpected) surprise.

The knife was obtained at an estate sale and looks as if it's been cleaned up a bit. Otherwise it's in excellent condition with great snap, walk and talk and pretty full blades.

The blades are in need of sharpening but that won't be a problem.

I have the sibling Case "80" pattern in both custom and production and this will be a wonderful companion to those knives.

I'd be interested in hearing from you Schrade experts anything at all you can tell me about this knife and its approximate age. The tang stamp is Schrade Walden, NY USA (804 on the pile side) on the master.
(I didn't notice any stamps on the secondary blades.)

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(The gap between liner and spring in the last photo appears much more pronounced than it does to the naked eye.)
 
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I can't give you any information Elliott, but you know there are a few folks here that will be able to tell you everything about your new knife :D

I will say, I really like it. The clip blade has a very interesting grind, and the scales look incredible. I don't think I have ever seen an older SW with scales that have that much red to them. IIRC, Charlie posted an older SW trapper some time back, that had scales of similar coloring.

Enjoy
 
Beautiful knife. Wow does anybody else get hungry for strawberries when looking at those scales? Man that is a looker.
 
I'll tell you guys one thing, this steel will take an edge!

Took it downstairs to see how much I could get done before the ballgame started and I was done in no time. Sharpens quickly and takes a very fine edge.

Now I've got another great knife for the rotation! :cool:

Many, many thanks to my benefactor. :thumbup:
 
I really like the 804 pattern, and this red one is pretty spectacular; I have never seen that kind of red on a Schrade before. BTW, they came in both saberground and flatground clip versions, and I know that Sears and Maher & Grosh ordered them to sell with their own name on them. After 1960 they used Delrin, of course. The Heritage line in the 1980's also had bone handles, but the blade grinds were quite different. And there were a few more versions as well, such as a set of Kentucky and Tennessee whittlers in a tan Delrin. I have one handled by the great Herman Williams himself.
 
First 804 I've seen with that Red bone, Elliott. Pretty spectacular!! Redbone Schrades are much more rare than Case Reds.
It's a nice pattern, every bit as well designed as a 6380, with, I think, a little more "beef".
The steel does have a good reputation also.
Nice present!! After all, EVERYONE should have more than one SW!:D
 
Thanks, guys. :cool:

I know the stamp was used from either the late 40's/early 50's to 1973 but is there any way to narrow down the time frame any? Just curious is all.
 
Blues said:
Thanks, guys. :cool:

I know the stamp was used from either the late 40's/early 50's to 1973 but is there any way to narrow down the time frame any? Just curious is all.
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I believe that the red bone Schrade Waldens were made at the tail end of Schrade's use of bone on their standard production knives. I say that because (among other reasons) the red bones that I have owned had glued on shields not pinned on...and that is a cost cutting step that most knife manufacturers took as time went on. So probably dates to the late 50's when the original Old Timers were introduced. Just my speculation.
 
Thanks Steve, that's very interesting and helpful. :thumbup:
 
I would agree with that dating. The first very few years after 1946 the "USA" was often missing from the tang stamp, and they went to Delrin almost immediately and completely in 1960-61. So I would say about 1950 to about 1959.
 
tongueriver said:
I would agree with that dating. The first very few years after 1946 the "USA" was often missing from the tang stamp, and they went to Delrin almost immediately and completely in 1960-61. So I would say about 1950 to about 1959.
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Thanks, Cal. My stockman is from the early period sans "USA".
 
Late 1950s were good years for RED!!
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I continue to believe this forum would disintegrate into troll-ish chaos without our great moderators, and Elliott is continually in the thankless thick of it.
A deserving recipient; and I applaud the generosity of the giver. I only wish I'd thought of it first!!
 
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I've never seen a sabre ground 804 with Delrin handles, and only the one Charlie scored a while back in bone handles with a flat grind. There have been a few red bone Schrades that have shown up lately with that type of jigging. That one is really red. Wonderful pattern and nice gesture.

Steve - I agree with your assessment on the red bone with the non-peachseed jigging. I think it came right before the switch to Delrin.
 
Schrade steel is fun to sharpen, and does take a keen edge. It was a real confidence builder for me. I recommend anyone learning to sharpen, to do so with a USA Schrade. They really are great. Congrats on your acquisition, and kudos to the giver. Awesome place to be here in Traditional.
 
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