Still digging Schrades out of my safe

[frodo]

I'm findind knives I don't know about. Ulster tool pack in leather pouch with
knife that looks like jigged black handle and 6 tools that interchange in one end of handle, I bought this one in the early 60's. I have another one that
has Frontier with a horn for blade stamp 4515, Has Ingersoll/Rand on the handle from the 70's. Another one has Schrade cope stamped on the blade
and 12 on the box end. Last is Imperial 1982 A.J. Foyt jr 25th indy 500
Are these knives made by Schrade? Thanks David

 

[textoothpk]

David, the Frontier 'Powderhorns' are among my favorite knives. Some ebay sellers advertise them as Schrades, although the relationship is tenuous.

It's like this: During the 70s and 80s, IKCO (Imperial Knife Associated Companies) was the corporate umbrella for Schrade, Ulster and Imperial. Imperial had the Frontiers made for them by Camillus (BRLevine saw them being made there). After the Imperial-Schrade reorganization, it was determined the Frontier Powderhorns were just more competition for their other lines (like Old Timer and UH), so production was stopped. K-Mart was one of the big sellers of the Frontiers, but that does not mean they were cheap knives; I find them to be of excellent quality (which explains why I have about fifty of them-- see pics of a few of them below). The brand name Frontier lived on in knives made in Ireland and in Providence, RI.

The Schrade Cope is a real Schrade of course, a limited private edition for Copenhagen tobacco prodcuts which had a long history with Schrade. Some collectors forcus on them.

I'd personally call the AJ Foyt knife an Imperial, not a Schrade. Likewise the Ulster is an Ulster... close kissing cousin to Schade.

Phil

 

[frodo]

Thanks that is the info I was wanting. David