Sharpfingers

C

camo kid

Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
329
When I was younger, The Schrade sharpfinger was the most visibly carried and used hunting knife in my area. I have 3 uncles that have used them for as long as I can remember, on our fishing and camping kits, and for gutting and skinning game. During deer season, it isn't uncommon to spot a few of them a year on hunters belts at 4:30 in the morning when they stop to gas up their trucks and buy snacks at the gas station.

When in grade school most of my pals, and my self were given one as our first "real" hunting knives, and we used them hard in the woods building forts, cleaning fish, making spears, clubs and slingshots. I used mine to skin deer with my uncles, and friends fathers, right up until I got my Marbles Fieldcraft when I was a senior in high school. for the past 4 years it has sat in my box of knives oiled in it beat up sheath waiting to be used again.

Well a few weeks back I was on SMKW website and noticed they had Gran'pa sharpfinger kits from Camillus going out of business selling for 10$ apiece. So I ordered a few. The kit included rivets, handles, a sheath, and a heat treated blade that needed an edge put on it. I assembled one and put the rest aside. The Camillus is equal to if not better than my old Schrade in terms of edge holding and grind, and I cant wait to use both of them this summer for skinning hornpout, and cleaning trout. My Girlfriend who is not a knife nut but a deffinate knife user held it and it fit her small hands so well that she plans on using one this summer as well, instead of the small mora that she usualy uses.

So how about it, any other sharpfinger lovers out there? Joe
 
I have a carbon steel Sharpfinger that was gifted to me about ten years ago by a friend in Paris. The kydex sheath and edge were put on by Fred Perrin, a knifemaker some of you may be familiar with.

Great knife.
 
i have sharpened quite a few sharpfingers over the years and i even made a few similar in shape. they are a well designed knife for just about anything. i liked them for cleaning small game. i think i'm going to make a few this year in different sizes.
 
The sharpfinger is very nice design. Simple clean lines, yet beautiful and extemely functional. It is a fixed blade that does not draw attention when on the belt, and is small enough for pocket carry too.

Richard post some pics when you get the chance. I have tried making a few but I can never get the flat grind right when trying to grind vertically, and a hollow grind does not lend well to the flowing design of the blade.
 
I think the sharpfnger in the 80's was the equivelant to the leather handle Case Finn of the 50's. Simple carbon steel blade, effective without alot of frills.

It's funny how each decade has its signiture knife. In the 50's it was the leather handle Case/Ka-bar/Western. In the 60's I recall seeing alot of those German Edge brand's with the round stag handle. In the 70's the Buck folding hunter pushed everything to the back burner. The 80's was the sharp finger, and the 90's was the rise of the black one hand folder, with Spyderco leading the way.

I think the sharpfinger was a great design. It was a very good example of form following functon.
 
jackknife said:
It's funny how each decade has its signiture knife. In the 50's it was the leather handle Case/Ka-bar/Western. In the 60's I recall seeing alot of those German Edge brand's with the round stag handle. In the 70's the Buck folding hunter pushed everything to the back burner. The 80's was the sharp finger, and the 90's was the rise of the black one hand folder, with Spyderco leading the way.
Click to expand...

Well said jackknife.
I agree with you on this one. Would be something worth collecting:
popular knifes of each decade starting in the 40's or 50's.

I just don't see myself buying a tactical tanto one hand folder, even if it is 'the knife of my decade'. They have their place, just not in my pocket, or on my belt, I've tried it.

Back to the topic:
The sharpfinger is a great design, combined with carbon steel, what else to wish for.
 
Great American knife! Mine has kydex pants by Normark, whose work is well known on these forums.
 
I'm sure BLUES knows this, but Fred Perrin considers the Sharpfinger design to be an ideal self defense knife.
And another aside, a Sharpfinger purportedly belonging to Sonny Barger (of Hell's Angels infamy) once sold for over $400 on that big auction site...:eek::confused:

Bill
 
when i make some i'll be sure to post some pictures. i got a friend interested in making knives and he made a few sharpfingers. (he was a farrier and had a gas forge that came in handy for heat treating knives too). they were rough looking but all he wanted was a knife to skin deer with. the flat grind was easier for him since he made a horizontal disc sander that was pretty neat. the disc was made from wood and ran slow but it worked.
 
I have a couple. Schrade Sharpfinger and Uncle Henry Wolverine (stainless).

SchradeHunters.jpg
 
I'm a Schrade Sharpfinger fan myself. I have 3 in the safe, one I bought new years ago and two others I've acquired in the past 2 or 3 years.

Great design, excellent feel, and a perfect size.
 
I have one made in the 70's still in the box my dad gave me, and an UH I picked up a while back. I really like them, they have a feel all their own....
The UH will be goin hunting with me this year,
 
El Lobo said:
I'm sure BLUES knows this, but Fred Perrin considers the Sharpfinger design to be an ideal self defense knife.
And another aside, a Sharpfinger purportedly belonging to Sonny Barger (of Hell's Angels infamy) once sold for over $400 on that big auction site...:eek::confused:

Bill
Click to expand...

I've spent some time here in the States as well as over in Paris with Fred.

As far as I'm concerned, there's not much Fred doesn't consider an excellent tool for self defense in a pinch.

Don't get me started on Fred. I've got a few stories. ;) :eek: :cool:
 
I carried a Schrade Sharpfinger throughout my college days. I felt it was small enough to be discreet. These days I'd probably be expelled. :mad: Anyway, I love the simple design -- the built in guard and all that belly. I recently gave it to my son. I bought a couple more soon after Schrade went under. I now keep one in my toolbox. An absolute favorite!
 
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