The rescue Schrades (or: Persistence pays off)

[rune1279]

So I have a local store up here that sells Schrades in their sporting goods department. And I've been sporadically and unsuccessfully trying for the last year or so to get them to sell me their last two USA-made Schrades from the display case (everything in their actual stock is Taylor -- believe me, I checked.)

It's the display case's fault, really. Horribly designed thing. All the knives were stuck on it with magnets and you had to lift this 3 foot long metal rack out of it vertically to get at the display models. One false move would send all the knives tumbling down into the narrow case and you'd be fishing them back out all afternoon with one of those magnet-on-a-stick dealies from the automotive department. So I got a lot of "No, sir, it's against store policy to take that thing apart unless we're out of stock of the model you want."

Well I guess they changed their offerings recently, because today everything was re-arranged. And the wimpy magnets had been replaced with nice secure zip ties. Aha! And somebody new was working the counter. Double aha!

The clincher was when the clerk handed me one of the new Uncle Henry's to try to dissuade me, and then said, "Oh, wait, that's the wrong thing..." because the new staglon looks so much worse than the original that it seemed like a different model. He could see then that I wasn't just being difficult.

Long story short:

Hope you're all having a good weekend,
--Mark

 

[BenLong1018]

Nice score man I would love to get my hands on an Old Timer, but I have no clue where to find one.

 

[Planterz]

Nice score man I would love to get my hands on an Old Timer, but I have no clue where to find one.

Honestly, it's not all that hard, especially if it's a common model like a 34OT. Obvious places are eBay and the Exchange here. But locally, check out hardware stores in the area that have been around for decades, antique malls, swap meets, and even pawn shops. Just look for USA on the blade, and remember that a + means that it's stainless steel rather than 1095 carbon.

 

[Bob W]

Nice score man I would love to get my hands on an Old Timer, but I have no clue where to find one.

They are common in the secondary market, eBay specifically but also in the For Sale sections at most knife enthusiast websites including this one. The more rare or special models can go for a hundred dollars or more. But the more common, smaller, or slightly used models are very affordable.

A new-in-box 2OT from 1959 would sell for $400-$600, but a lightly used 34OT or unused 12OT would likely go under $20.
Recently I picked up an unused USA Old Timer for ten bucks or so - it seems no one wanted it on account of the KMart blade etch.

The originals are easily distinguished by the USA tang stamps.

 

[BenLong1018]

Thanks for the advice guys it's very much appreciated.

 

[Modoc ED]

Very nice Mark. Persistence does pay off.

 

[rune1279]

Nice score man I would love to get my hands on an Old Timer, but I have no clue where to find one.

I'll add that it's not all that hard to find them, but it can be tricky to find them
a) Still tight -- I've never encountered and Old Timer that *wasn't* Swindon-key construction, and I wasted my time and money on one with bad blade play thinking I could tighten it up at home. Swindon key knives don't tighten up.
b) At sane prices. Old Timers command a certain mystique and as they get rarer, people seem to be demanding the same "new in box" prices even for "hard-use" examples.

Hooo -- look at me holding forth like I'm some seasoned collector who knows what he's talking about (Hint: I'm not and I don't.) I don't know why, I just want to rescue Old Timers when I see them lying unappreciated. Normally I'd leave perfect new-old-stock ones like this for a true collector and confine myself to the 'user-grade' examples, but I'd been looking for a 12OT, and thinking of trying a 3 5/8" medium stockman pattern as well, and so couldn't pass this pair up.

--Mark

 

[Woodrow F Call]

I like a happy story.