The story on these? 34OT, unfinished wooden handles, sterling bolsters.

[Bob W]

I can't link to these since it seems to be a perpetual auction, but here's a borrowed picture that shows the primary features:

So what we have here is an Old Timer knife with unfinished wooden handles, sterling silver bolsters, and an older tang stamp:

SCHRADE
WALDEN
NY USA
​

And on reverse:

34OT
SS
​

The knives were assembled years ago, or assembled of very old parts, as is evident from the tarnish on the sterling silver and some patina spots on the backsprings.

Any ideas? Specifically, was there ever an Old Timer with wooden handles and sterling bolsters? An anniversary edition or SFO perhaps? This is most similar to the 25th Anniversary knife, but those had bone handles.

 

[thawk]

A project that did not get off the ground? Made from frames after they ran out of the bone for the Silver Anniversary Editions? Sold at the bankruptcy auction? I have not seen any wooden handled 34OT knives that were finished. At first I thought they might be misidentified bone. I have seen bone handled ones with no shield or etch that were finished...

 

[koldgold]

My unfinished 34OTSS is as close to mint, as it could be. I do not know why my knife was never finished. By the way the unfinished side is red bone.

The red bone on my knife, looks like wood at first look. However, it is Red Bone on both sides.

 

[Bob W]

My guesses:

A project that did not get off the ground?

Possibly.

Made from frames after they ran out of the bone for the Silver Anniversary Editions?

Perhaps.

Sold at the bankruptcy auction?

Almost certainly.

 

[koldgold]

Bob, I have had my unfinished 34OTSS long before Schrade closed down.
I think the knife you posted has the same Bone, and not Wood. Mybe not, as I a'm wrong from time to time.
I think the 34OTSS fromes, were just a small number that were not finished... Ken

Could the wood handles have been used for a trile run? the riverts are not as deep as the one I have or the finished knives.

 

[Bob W]

Sure seems like wood, but it's worth double-checking. I'm confident I can post a better pic than the seller did.

They have/had "more than 10" available for sale, so it isn't just an oddball find.

 

[koldgold]

I found those knives Bob, they look like wood to me. The wood is not sitting too good on the fram and the rivets are also sitting high.
They would make nice knives if the wood was replaced with bone; I think the price the seller is asking is too high, for un unfinished knife.
I sent this knife to Dale, he replaced the cracked red bone handle.