Back from the show. It was really good this year. Unlike last year,when Schrade was kind of light, there was a ton of Schrade both for sale and historical and complete displays. There was one display of about 12 knives, all press buttons with really neat and different high quality scales and they appeared to be mint. Also there was a "switch blade testing machine". Supposed to be one of only three ever made. It is supposed to have come out of Dave Swinden's office. (I guess Swinden is correct)... Bruce Voyles had a large variety of Schrade knives for sale along with an equal number of Case and many other brands of what I consider to be collectable.
I had the opportunity to meet Randy Coulter face to face. It's always good to put a face on a forum buddy. I'm sure Randy will expand on the Schrade offerings. There must have been four or five guys there with tables FULL of Schrade, mint, used and everything in between. There were some of those older folders that had some really good looking custom type scales, so the Schrade custom shop must have really been busy over the years.
I think LT would have enjoyed the push button and switch balde examples. A lot of those Candy stripe fish tail styles to look at, and they were most all in what I'd have to class as High excellent. I didn't think to note the names of the collector/sellers, but I also bet LT knows a bunch of them.
Codger, You would have liked the 152 and 15 proto types which were in much evidence. In fact there were protos of nearly all the fixed blades for many for the national orgs. ie; Ducks Unlimited, NRA, Elk foundation etc. Several Craftsman protos as well.
In keeping with my usual organization, I walked out of the house and left my dig. camera on my desk. I thought about it 300 miles later.
And for those of you interested there was 25 tons of beautiful custom knives of every description. It was a fun day.
Paul
