The ? to myself was not "Why buy a Craftsman barlow?"... it was "Why not?!" :)

[thawk]

Nice grab Jimmy! I think I can shed a bit more light on your knife, though most has been stated already.

That knife is some kind of composite handle material. It looks to me to be of the same vintage as the Ulster Old Timer (10OT) that was part of the Ulster Prince Albert promotion, and I would not be surprised if your Craftsman was make by Ulster. I would guestimate 1960's vintage. Those plastic View Pack tubes were common with Schrade Walden knives during the 1960's. Both Schrade Walden and Ulster Knife Company were owned by Albert and Henry Baer by this time, as part of the Imperial Knife Corporation. Craftsman knives were sourced from all of these lines, as well as Camillus. Count on that knife having very good carbon steel blades.





http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/articles/SCHRADECUTLERY.pdf

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Great info... thank you!

 

[SAK Guy]

So there I was browsing an online auction site, when I ran into a listing for a Sear's Craftsman brand barlow described as being new in box (just stored for a long time). How long was that storage?... Well, the description included that within it's box was something dating it to 1955. I was born in 1965 (my being 48), and she's 10 years older than I (being 58 years old). Price was $40 plus under $3 for shipping... very reasonable for a knife this old and in it's described condition. Made by who?... I really don't know, but she is definitely USA made. Maybe Schrade, maybe Camillus, maybe Ulster... but definitely American made. But Sear's Craftsman?... What in that name could attract me?!... Well, growing up for me meant owning Sears sold products, for sure! Two or three weeks before each new school year started, it meant crunch time for my parents to buy my brother and I new school clothes.... and that meant at least some coming from Sears. Toughskin jeans were a staple during most of my elementary school years. And how about my first real firearm, my convincing my parents to buy me a .22 caliber rimfire rifle labled Sears, but made by Savage/Stevens. Or, how about my second rifle, my getting a civilian version of the M1 Carbine, labled Sears, but made by Universal Arms. Oh, and those great Sears wishbooks (catalogs) that we always had somewhere in the house... boy did they make us big eyed while browsing those pages! And today, with Sears, a company started in the late 1800's, now holding on by threads... it may yet be another great name fading into the history books. And Craftsman... just another of many Sears brands that have been powerful... Simply a name that represented solid performance, great durability, with a great Sears backed guarantee! So, the question for me was not "Why should I place an order for this knife?"... it was, "Why the heck not!!!"

Don't know how I missed this thread!!!

Great post and that is a old knife bud!!!!

 

[mmarkh]

Man that is a great score! I would love to own that knife. Was it a knife specific auction site or the other one?

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Man that is a great score! I would love to own that knife. Was it a knife specific auction site or the other one?

It was listed for sale on that famous sell everything online auction site I actually seen it the day before I purchased it. Saw it, and simply did not jump on it. The next day I really started thinking I should have nabbed it... so just for hahas, went back to the site... and there it still was. So, did not hesitate this time and placed the order. The knife itself seems like it will be a pretty nice specimen, but it was my memories overall of Sears, their stores, their products, and their famous store brands (like Craftsman), that had me desiring this knife. Nostalgic as all get out lately. Maybe losing my mother this year, my age now creeping within a few points of fifty, and all the rapid changes I see all around me at every level... has caused me to become more sentimental about the past, which has always intrigued me anyway. I certainly feel right at home here, because not only the knife interest thing, but because many of us can relate when it comes to our memories of our days gone by

 

[edbeau]

It will be great when you get the knife and take more pictures. I have a few Craftsman knives but mostly 5" lock backs.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Its awesome when Hal comes in and shares the knowledge, Thanks Hal!
Great to see this Mint old Barlow!

 

[thawk]

Its awesome when Hal comes in and shares the knowledge, Thanks Hal!
Great to see this Mint old Barlow!

Thanks Duncan, and just another few comments about this Barlow pattern, it was an Ulster "10" with the clip, an Ulster "11" with a spear, and a "12" with a sheepsfoot. Shown below in the 1960 catalog page. Note these are specified as Genuine Bonite (plastic) handles.
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ULSTER/pages/UK-60_2.htm

They were still offered as an Ulster "10G" in 1953 with G indicating Genuine Bone.
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ULSTER/pages/UK-53-4.htm

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Well, atleast it will be "genuine" bonite.... not some imitation! lol! Thanks for the extra info, much appreciated, sir!

 

[Campbellclanman]

Awesome, I wanted to research my Old Schrades catalogue I was lucky enough to obtain from Codger, but we are packing and I have packed it away!
I wonder if it would be in there being from the same Company?
PKJ, I wouldn't worry about it being Bonite! - still a awesome knife!

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Awesome, I wanted to research my Old Schrades catalogue I was lucky enough to obtain from Codger, but we are packing and I have packed it away!
I wonder if it would be in there being from the same Company?
PKJ, I wouldn't worry about it being Bonite! - still a awesome knife!

Thank you, sir! And besides... it is "Genuine" bonite!... lol! Don't you just love the ways companies play with terms and words! lol! I thank you guys again for sharing your comments and knowledge

 

[Groush]

At 63 years old, my first memory of Sears was the dowtown Indianapolis store, no malls. The building is still there, but not a Sears. When we went to Sears it was a family affair, mom, dad and the three kids. The last Sears in Indy is on the other side of town by the $$$.

 

[Kisatchie]

it's a nice knife you got there! I have one that has been with me for a long long time .

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

it's a nice knife you got there! I have one that has been with me for a long long time .

That's pretty cool!
Seems she has served you well

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Yup, she's here, and a sticker inside the plastic container gives a great idea of her age. She is very close to being six decades old

Even gives the name of the store she was originally sold out of

 

[jon_slider]

Congrats on your genuine Bonite handled minty Barlow Jimmy!

lets compare the length of the long pulls
this one the long pull ends further away from the tang

this one the long pull goes almost all the way up to the tang

Both Schrade Walden and Ulster Knife Company were owned by Albert and Henry Baer by this time, as part of the Imperial Knife Corporation. Craftsman knives were sourced from all of these lines, as well as Camillus.

here is a Camillus catalog pic, note the long pull ends close to the tang, but the spring pin is not in the center of the handle as in the Craftsman, Ulster, and Old Timer

and you can see in this 1948 Ulster catalog pic, that they had long pulls that went close to the tang.

so my guess is the Old Timer could be an Ulster, and the Craftsman might not. I don't think the Craftsman is Camillus either, as the handle pins are different, and the long pull is almost all the way to the tang, like in the Ulster.

Which leaves the question, who might have made the Craftsman if not Ulster and not Camillus?

does anyone have a pic of a Schrade with a long pull? Schrade did use a centered spring pin, like Ulster. But I have not found a pic of a Schrade Barlow with a long pull, yet. (Even though I understand that the Old Timer line is a Schrade model, as stated above, Baer owned both Schrade and Ulster, so he could have chosen to use Ulster tooling to build the Prince Albert Barlow)

So, who made Jimmy's Craftsman with a shortened Long pull?

and can you post a pic of this knife showing the long pull type please?

 

[Codger_64]

The Craftsman Crown logo first started being used in the second half of 1958 and Delrin didn't become available until 1960. If the tang or box has a Sears inventory number on it I might be able to date the knife more closely. The "McCabe's 4-02-55" sticker likely has nothing to do with the knife which was sold exclusively by Sears and Simpsons (Canada) when new.

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Good observations, guys... not only on the long pull variations, but also the sticker making no sense (not being a Sears sticker). The mystery intrigues me! I will have to try and wiggle out the info from the box later after work, and maybe see if there are any other clues
Knife world is full of surprises

 

[MarkPinTx]

I have the same knife, but stamped "Old Crafty" instead of Barlow. It was purchased in the 80s. Its scales are a tad lighter, and are delrin. It's a nice knife.

One interesting thing about mine that appears to be true of yours, is that the satin finish is applied "longitudinally," along the length of the blades. It is therefore easy to keep clean and "satined," which I liked as a youngster when I used steel wool (there was no scotchbrite then, or I left it in Mom's kitchen).

 

[knarfeng]

Just as a side note, you fellas ought to be aware that Codger is an authority when it comes to Sears pocket knives. Other knives, too.