Uncle Henry 897UH

[b2edhmep]

I have a Uncle Henry stockman . The blade is stamped SCHRADE+ USA 897UH. It belonged to my father in-law who died in a logging accident about 10 years ago. The knife is in excellent condition with no stains or rust on the blades. Is there any way to determine the manufacturing date of the knife?

 

[tongueriver]

It was mfg. before the end of July of 2004, because the factory closed before that date. In the summer of 1973 the company dropped the name "Walden" from the tang stamp. There were a couple variations between 1973 and 2004, but that is the broad range within which your knife had to have been made. Codger or thawk or another member more knowledgeable on the latter-day Schrades may be able to pinpoint it a little closer.

 

[thawk]

It was mfg. before the end of July of 2004, because the factory closed before that date. In the summer of 1973 the company dropped the name "Walden" from the tang stamp. There were a couple variations between 1973 and 2004, but that is the broad range within which your knife had to have been made. Codger or thawk or another member more knowledgeable on the latter-day Schrades may be able to pinpoint it a little closer.

Only with pictures to we have a chance to give a stab at dating the knife.

 

[b2edhmep]

A little more information on the knife. The knife is 3.5 inches long, has Uncle Henry written in script on the shield and has imitation stag scales.

 

[thawk]

A little more information on the knife. The knife is 3.5 inches long, has Uncle Henry written in script on the shield and has imitation stag scales.

That describes nearly every 897UH ever made, probably over a milion of them. It probably is stamped SCHRADE+ on line 1, and USA 897UH on line 2. That stamp was used from about 1976 to 2004. Sometimes certain characteristics of the knife itself may determine where in the 28 year range it was made, but no guarantees. Older ones had darker smoother handles with less white, and possibly a serial number inside the liners. They are 3 9/16" long to be exact.

 

[Codger_64]

My favorite pattern and the information given regarding dateing it is essentially correct. Unless you happen to run across the original box and papers which, even without the sales receipt, would help more closely date the knife, these decades are about as close as you can get. I will suggest as others have, to look inside the brass liners. From the beginning and for quite some years, a serial number was stamped there for warranty purposes.