Straight Steel Heart II steel?

[Will York]

Howdy, boys. I know somebody can help me on this:

Straight Steel Heart II with smooth blade coat and flanged-tube handle fasteners.

My assumption is that this knife is INFI. My thinking is that the flanged tube handle puts the knife into the INFI manufacturing era, and the fact that it has a smooth coat rather than crinkle means it hasn't been refurbished by the factory. Am I missing something here? Is there a scenario in which it could be A2 instead?

Thanks,
Will

 

[Brian_T]

I'd say it was INFI. Unless it was refurbished during that short time that the smooth coating (early E-series) and tube fasteners were used.

More than likely it's INFI.

 

[Eric Isaacson]

Will,
I agree with you and Brian that the tube fasteners put it into the INFI era. Maybe the SH expert (Andrew Lynch) will stop by and give his input.

You might also want to check out his recent posts on the SH lineage (with pics) here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=198508&highlight=lineage
and here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=198509&highlight=lineage

 

[Will York]

Brian & Eric--

I appreciate that. My thoughts, pretty much. Has the asymmetrical edge, so probably not an older one that happened to get refurbished just at the right time to get smooth coat and tubes.

Thank you,
Will