Schrade

Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
109
Hello,

Im looking for a new old timer style knife and i was wondering if i could get some feedback on the imperial schrade knives.

Thanks again.
 
Imperial Schrade is no longer in business.

"In July 2004, the year the company celebrated its 100th anniversary, the factory in Ellenville was closed. The Schrade name was purchased by Taylor Brands LLC, who manufacture Smith & Wesson knives. All current manufacturing is outside the U.S."

The new schrades are in no way comparable to the ones of old.
Most people will not waste their money on them , YMMV.
 
Hello,

Im looking for a new old timer style knife and i was wondering if i could get some feedback on the imperial schrade knives.

Thanks again.

First, welcome to BladeForums! You might wind up spending waaaay too much time here.

As far as the Schrade Imperials go, they seem to be a mixed bag of quality. Some love 'em, and some don't. As a suggestion while you are shopping around, there are other nice, very serviceable knives that come from that part of the world. Check out this long running thread. It has tons of great pics and different models of traditional styles that are all completely affordable, in the same price range as the SI knives you are look at:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/582468-Rough-Rider-amp-Related-Slipjoints

I think that the Schrades have shown up on that thread too, but it is so long now I wouldn't know where to look.

Robert
 
I think you might like the good docter who first impressed bob loveless the god.
scagal copies are made by masters or pakies

https://encrypted.google.com/search...sy_2QWD9IDICw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=960&bih=548

mYBE IS was randall here per wiki:

"Scagel used a half stag and half leather stacked washer assembly in his knife handles that became his trademark style.[6] One such Scagel knife provided the influence for Bo Randall to start making his own knives. In 1937, Randall witnessed someone using a Scagel knife to scrape paint off of a boat near Walloon Lake, without damaging the edge of the blade.[2] Randall bought the knife and in the years that followed Scagel became a mentor to Randall, influencing many of his designs.[7] In addition to leather and stag handles, Scagel had several friends who worked at the Brunswick Pool Table and Bowling Ball Company who kept him supplied with scrap pieces of ivory, rosewood, bakelite, vulcanized fiber, and maple spacers which he used in his knife handles over the years"
 
this is the first custom old style of the great masters the knives sell for 15k plus - i think it might fit or kabar
 
The OP is looking for FEEDBACK on Schrade knives, Not asking for recommendations.
 
Im looking for a new old timer style knife

ok we agree to disagree have him look at the link and tell us mr master mod - ok do not ban me plz!

but i was reading into the thread, that ( Schrade knives) was an example IMHO

jeeze i get off your toes

nite nite

send me too tele tubies for week - i was master post at toms hardware for years and won the amd vs intel debate me vs 100 others. who left THG and started ..... well enough of that.

sorry dude!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
 
I have a Schrade Old Timer I bought in 1995. Uncertain as to the model. Very functional little worker. . You can still find the pre-2004 ones if you look hard enough.

I also have an Old Timer 1400 fixed blade hunter from that time period. Nice knife as well.
 
It will cost a little more, but find an original Schrade. The build quality was good, and the 1095 they used, took a great edge.

That said, my wife came home with a new Schrade Uncle Henry stockman the other day. Pink....
She has some nice knives, and knows how I feel about the current production "Schrades". The only reason she bought it was because of the color.

I have to admit I was very surprised when I took a good look at it. Springs are flush, with no gaps. The spring tension is almost perfect imho. Not to strong, and not to weak, and overall it isn't a bad knife. It even came sharp. Not sure how long it will hold a good edge though.
 
I might be wrong, but from what I gather, "Imperial" Schrade knives weren't made by Schrade themselves, but made in Ireland. Lower quality than the Walden made Schrades, but still of good, "working man" quality".

Despite being out of production, and in demand, an American made Schrade 34OT isn't hard to find for less than $40. I don't know what specific knife the OP is looking for; cost, desirability, and availability all depend on which specific knife one might be looking for.
 
Im looking for a new old timer style knife

ok we agree to disagree have him look at the link and tell us mr master mod - ok do not ban me plz!

but i was reading into the thread, that ( Schrade knives) was an example IMHO

jeeze i get off your toes

nite nite

send me too tele tubies for week - i was master post at toms hardware for years and won the amd vs intel debate me vs 100 others. who left THG and started ..... well enough of that.

sorry dude!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

What?
 
I might be wrong, but from what I gather, "Imperial" Schrade knives weren't made by Schrade themselves, but made in Ireland. Lower quality than the Walden made Schrades, but still of good, "working man" quality".

Despite being out of production, and in demand, an American made Schrade 34OT isn't hard to find for less than $40. I don't know what specific knife the OP is looking for; cost, desirability, and availability all depend on which specific knife one might be looking for.

Yes. You are wrong. Imperial Schrade was the company name after circa 1983 when Albert Baer bought out the remaining shares of the Imperial company and combined Schrade and Imperial into one corporation. The two had been associated since 1946. Just a bit of trivia to brighten your day! :) Oh, and yes they did own a knife factory in Ireland. And England. And France. And briefly in Mexico.

Most original Schrade knives can still be found today new in the box or clampack at near their pre-2004 MSRP if you take the time to look.

ETA: Re "Walden made knives": Schrade Walden moved to Ellenville, N.Y. circa 1958 so almost all of the Old Timer line was made in Ellenville, not Walden. They kept the "Schrade Walden" name until 1973 when Baer dropped it from the corporation name in favor of Schrade Cutlery Corp. until the further change circa 1983. Most Old Timer knives (and their Uncle Henry counterparts) were and are of good quality.
 
Last edited:
Yes. You are wrong. Imperial Schrade was the company name after circa 1983 when Albert Baer bought out the remaining shares of the Imperial company and combined Schrade and Imperial into one corporation. The two had been associated since 1946. Just a bit of trivia to brighten your day! :) Oh, and yes they did own a knife factory in Ireland. And England. And France. And briefly in Mexico.

Most original Schrade knives can still be found today new in the box or clampack at near their pre-2004 MSRP if you take the time to look.

Interesting to know. I've got a couple Imperial Frontier (powderhorn) that were my grandpa's. I think they predate Schrade's involvment, as the box is copyright 1979. I'll leave the history of Schrade and other companies to my betters. It seems like every old company made knives for everybody else, and vice versa. Brands change hands, get sold or bought out, change sources, etc. Hard to keep any of it straight.
 
Interesting to know. I've got a couple Imperial Frontier (powderhorn) that were my grandpa's. I think they predate Schrade's involvment, as the box is copyright 1979. I'll leave the history of Schrade and other companies to my betters. It seems like every old company made knives for everybody else, and vice versa. Brands change hands, get sold or bought out, change sources, etc. Hard to keep any of it straight.

At that time, Imperial was a seperate though affiliated company located in Providence, RI. Your Frontiers were likely made for Imperial by Baer's other company, Camillus. He acquired the balance of that company in 1963, having owned shares since the late 1930's. :p
 
At that time, Imperial was a seperate though affiliated company located in Providence, RI. Your Frontiers were likely made for Imperial by Baer's other company, Camillus. He acquired the balance of that company in 1963, having owned shares since the late 1930's. :p

That's what I gathered a few years back. The 2 knives in question are advertising knives for MoorMan's feed, for which my Grandpa was a salesman. The other MoorMan's feed knife marked knife I received from his collection was an '80s Buck 303, also made by Camillus. More recently I picked up a couple knives with MoorMan's marked shields, and have seen several others on eBay, all made by Camillus.

All the interconnections make my head spin...
 
Schrade made the Buck 300 series knives too, before the account was passed by Baer to Camillus. Really, it isn't all that complicated. As Bernard said after his interview with Albert Baer, in spite of his advanced age, "He still had all his marbles... and everyone else's too"!

So you may find a Buck knife with that company advertising made by Schrade. Key will be with or without the Swinden bolsters. Camillus did not use that pin system.
 
I might be wrong, but from what I gather, "Imperial" Schrade knives weren't made by Schrade themselves, but made in Ireland. Lower quality than the Walden made Schrades, but still of good, "working man" quality".
Imperial knives were made in various countries all over the world including the USA, Germany, Mexico, Ireland, and China (yes, even before the bankrupcy). [No one can explain all of this like Codger]

-----------------

The original USA Old Timer knives are very good, especially considering the rate of mass-production. Blade wobble, jagged edges, and poorly fit parts are very rare. The 1095 carbon steel (some Old Timers were stainless) takes a razor-sharp edge.

The originals are common on eBay and other secondary markets, and the most common models sell for very reasonable prices even in unused condition.

I have a few...

P1010307.jpg


P1010304.jpg
 
Well guys.... I think i might get a boker. I got an old one and i love it so maybe a new one will get me where i want. What do you think?
 
The Schrade Loveless is nice, if you can find one. I found this one in a pawn shop a few months ago. It's identical to the original seen "Knifemaking with Bob Loveless".

IMG_1746+%25281024x765%2529.jpg
 
Back
Top