True Value Master Mechanic Knives and Tools

Codger_64

Codger_64

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A while back, we had a thread about the Master Mechanic marked SFO's in which Sheathmaker informed us that they were made for True Value Hardware. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=376948&highlight=Master+mechanic


True Value Master Mechanic Knives and Tools

The history of True Value began with John Cotter, the founder, who worked in a retail store from at ages 12 to 44 before creating Cotter & Company. The hardware co-op was established in 1948 with 25 retailers. In 1997, Servistar/Coast to Coast merged with Cotter & Company to form TruServ. In 2005, TruServ was renamed True Value Company. Today, they have more than 6,000 stores worldwide and 3,000 employees. In addition to the national-brand products that True Value carries, they also offers private-label products, featuring the True Value, Master Mechanic, Green Thumb, Master Plumber, and Master Electrician brands.
In 1989, Imperial Schrade presented a line of special factory order knives to Cotter Company, the owners of True Value Hardware chain. Their original plan of twelve items was accepted. Anticipating a large order from Cotter, some of the components for some patterns (MM18, MM152, MM8) were sent to Camillus for assembly.
1989-90
MM18 (18OT)
MM3 (3OT)
MM33 (33OT)
MM34 (34OT)
MM8 (8OT)
MM89 (89OT)
MM108 (108OT)
MM152 (152OT)
MM897 (897UH)
MML5 (LB5)
MML7 (LB7)
MMS7 (SP7)
And an additional promotional item, the MMS7, SP7 Lightweight lockback.

During 1991, blade etching began, instead of the special tangstamp and shield being used. The MMS7, MML7 and MM152 were discontinued, and the orange handled MMT1, MMT3, and MMT4 were substituted.

MM18 (18OT)
MM3 (3OT)
MM33 (33OT)
MM34 (34OT)
MM8 (8OT)
MM89 (89OT)
MM108 (108OT)
MM152 (152OT)
MM897 (897UH)
MML5 (LB5)
MMS7 (SP7)
MM27 (127UH?)

In 1992, the 8OT pattern was used for a Cotter Company Commemorative. By 1994, the eight Tradesman knives were used, in addition to twenty-one other regular Schrade items.
1994
MMT1
MMT2
MMT3
MMT4
MMT5
MMT7
MMT8
MMT9

As you can see, the regular production Schrade name brand knives were sold to Cotter before and after the private labeling, and likely during as well. So seeing one in a MM box is not odd at all. Note that productions/deliveries did not begin and end on January first, so we might best say "the MM152 was produced only circa 1989-1991". Less that a three year run, no doubt, makes this particular one a uncommon SFO for the Sharpfinger pattern collector.



Edited for additional information on the patterns and dates.

Codger
 
Codger,
Let me make sure I understand this:
My 89OT with the blade etch MASTER MECHANIC and the tang stamp of SCHRADE/U.S.A. 89OT is made in 1991 or later?
And the one tang stamped MM89/U.S.A. and w/o and blade etch is made between 1989 and 1991?

I also have one that had the Old Timer Shield, no etch and the tang stamp of SCHRADE/U.S.A. 89OT but it came in a box that says MASTER MECHANIC with the numbers 498 113/MM89 on the end of the box. Any idea of the date of this one, or just a packaging error? Come to think of it, I bought that one from ebay.......so I guess all bets are off. The other two I bought at a True Value store.

Sorry I am so slow tonight, I had a medical procedure done today and they made me sign a statement stating that I would not drive, operate machinery or play with sharp things for 24 hours. They won't even let me go out into my shop and make knives........I asked. :D

Thanks,
Dale
 
The only one of these I got is the 8MM(8OT), still new in the clampac and put up for one of the kids someday. My local TV went under several years ago, before the Schrade bug had really bit, no telling how many varients I missed out on. They also took a nice Case display with them on the way out, I managed to get one of those on a closeout, but as per SOP, when the deals are at hand, I was on a tight budget.

As for the MM knife, mine clearly states on the package that it was made by Schrade. I'll dig it out and see if there is any other interesting info on the package.

I really miss my local hardware store by the way, always tried to buy there when I needed something. Another dying breed, now its big box city if I need stuff.
 
Codger
This arrived in the mail on Saturday.Obviously,it needs cleaned.:(
Where does it fall in the chronology? Has the Master Mechanic shield and the Schrade tangstamp.
mastmech


blown up -
mastma


Ron
 
My guess is ...(and it is only a guess based on logic) that the knife is a transition knife from circa 1991 where they started the etch on stock blades, but still had some shields left to use up. Orrrr...... it was from the first 1989 stock sent with the shields before the tangstamp was ready. Take your pick!:D

Codger
 
Dale,
What does the shield say on your 89ot with the blade etch and the Schrade tang stamp?
Ron
 
The plain production OTs could have been supplied at any point before, during or after the SFO production. A dealer might have stuck an unboxed production knife from his display in a leftover MM box to sell it too. I think that while we can get glimpses of production dates on these, just pinning them down to 1989-93 is about as good as it gets. And that is pretty darn good! As I've shown with several patterns, they were produced and sold before production supposedly began, and after the production supposedly ended. Heck, you can still buy a Schrade Cut Co that has been out of production for more than half a century.
And NIB is a crapshoot a lot of times without a real close study, the luxury of which we usually don't have with fleabay.

Codger
 
Dale,
Thanks!
Codger is right,as usual :thumbup: ,it's a transition knife.
No wonder I got it for $3.13,plus shipping.
I'll take all the 34ot's I can get for $8.:D
Ron
 
Here's what the package says on the back:

Manufactured for Cotter and Co.
Chicago, Il 60614
100% Retailer Owned

1989 (not sure if this means that my knife was made in 1989 or if this is a trademark date of some sort)
Made in the USA
by Schrade Cutlery.

Knife is stamped MM8 over USA on the main blade.
Master Mechanic on the shield.

There is some coding on the front of the package:
491 233
mm8 cp
wpb 1402

Maybe someone can deciphfer the coding to set a date of manufacture?
Hopefully this is some info thats useful.
 
Thanks Larry!

Here is the MM8 I inherited from my dad that I cleaned up and gave a mineral oil bath. All that is left to do is to sharpen up the blades on my DMT stones and she will be as good as new!

img_1201.jpg
 
I have my late fathers and late grandfathers personal carry knives and they are worth more to me than any knife in my knife collection so keep looking after it mate it will be invaluable/irreplaceable to you in the future. Hoo Roo
 
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