Uncle Henry With Carbon Blades?

C

Coonskinner

Joined
Mar 28, 2001
Messages
2,489
I recently picked up an older Uncle Henry Trapper with carbon blades, a SchradeWalden.

When did UH go to the all stainless production?
 
Cutty73 said:
I can tell you the Schrade Walden stamp is pre 1973.
Click to expand...


Right. I know the Walden stamp pre-dates 1973.

But Schrade was using some stainless even then.

At some point, the Uncle Henrys were all stainless. I personally had never gotten a hold of one that wasn't stainless, but this knife is definitely 1095.

I was curious if there was a date when they stopped making any Uncle Henrys in carbon.

Thanks.
 
Coonskinner said:
I was curious if there was a date when they stopped making any Uncle Henrys in carbon.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

It varied by pattern. The last Uncle Henry to make the switch to stainless was the "Golden Spike" 153UH which remained 1095 until mid-1995 or so. To quote Codger:

"Some tang stamps, applied to the right side of the tang perpendicular to the blade, are "SCHRADE" over "U.S.A. 153UH" on the right ricasso. Note that it did not use the "SCHRADE+" stainless identifier until the later (post 1995 ½)... Most of the “SCHRADE” marked knives have carbon blades, as it is now known with some certainty they were made from 1967-1995, and the stainless “SCHRADE+” blades during the last nine years of production (1995-2004). Most of the carbon knives I have seen so far have the signature on the guard, but no serial number."

This is reflected in the catalogs as well.

The 285UH "Pro-Trappers" knife was first listed in catalogs in 1969 and had "High Carbon Cutlery Steel" blades, read 1095, vs. "High Carbon Stainless" blades in the other patterns.

This description is used in every catalog up to and including 1972. So think carbon for sure from 1969 to 1972.

Now it gets a bit muddy. In the 1973 catalog the 285UH is still individually described as having "tool steel" blades but nothing is said about the others being stainless. In the general description it says all the Uncle Henry's are made from "special analysis high-carbon tool steel". The "Old Timer" knives are described as having "high carbon cutlery steel" blades in this catalog.

It stays a bit fuzzy from then on until the 1977 catalog where the 127UH is specifically described as having "rust resistant Schrade steel" while the 285UH still has "tool steel" blades. This makes me think the 285UH was still carbon at this point.

I think 1977 was the last year of carbon blades for the 285UH trapper. In 1978 catalog all Uncle Henry folding knives are first described as having "Rust Resistant Schrade+ Steel" blades.

All this is from digging through the catalogs and not because I'm a 285UH expert. Please correct me, guys, if I made any errors!
 
Last edited:
Dave Thinkstoomuch said:
It varied by pattern. The last Uncle Henry to make the switch to stainless was the "Golden Spike" 153UH which remained 1095 until mid-1995 or so. To quote Codger:

"Some tang stamps, applied to the right side of the tang perpendicular to the blade, are "SCHRADE" over "U.S.A. 153UH" on the right ricasso. Note that it did not use the "SCHRADE+" stainless identifier until the later (post 1995 ½)... Most of the “SCHRADE” marked knives have carbon blades, as it is now known with some certainty they were made from 1967-1995, and the stainless “SCHRADE+” blades during the last nine years of production (1995-2004). Most of the carbon knives I have seen so far have the signature on the guard, but no serial number."

This is reflected in the catalogs as well.

The 285UH "Pro-Trappers" knife was first listed in catalogs in 1969 and had "High Carbon Cutlery Steel" blades, read 1095, vs. "High Carbon Stainless" blades in the other patterns.

This description is used in every catalog up to and including 1972. So think carbon for sure from 1969 to 1972.

Now it gets a bit muddy. In the 1973 catalog the 285UH is still individually described as having "tool steel" blades but nothing is said about the others being stainless. In the general description it says all the Uncle Henry's are made from "special analysis high-carbon tool steel". The "Old Timer" knives are described as having "high carbon cutlery steel" blades in this catalog.

It stays a bit fuzzy from then on until the 1977 catalog where the 127UH is specifically described as having "rust resistant Schrade steel" while the 285UH still has "tool steel" blades. This makes me think the 285UH was still carbon at this point.

I think 1977 was the last year of carbon blades for the 285UH trapper. In 1978 catalog all Uncle Henry folding knives are first described as having "Rust Resistant Schrade+ Steel" blades.

All this is from digging through the catalogs and not because I'm a 285UH expert. Please correct me, guys, if I made any errors!
Click to expand...

Great info and very comprehensive.

So about all I know for sure is that it is pre-1973 since it is a Walden.

Thanks!

I appreciate it much.
 
Coonskinner said:
Great info and very comprehensive.

So about all I know for sure is that it is pre-1973 since it is a Walden.

Thanks!

I appreciate it much.
Click to expand...

Yup, your knife was most likely made between 1969 and 1973. I think that includes 1973 as well. '73 catalog still says "Schrade Walden Cutlery". 1974 catalog is "Schrade Cutlery Corp."

Thanks to lrv (Larry), many catalogs can be found here: http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/Catalogs/index.htm

Dig into them and much will be revealed ;)
 
The carbon steel versions continued after 1973 as well. And some of the Schrade Waldens were stainless for sure. I've always found this very topic to hold some intrigue as well as contradiction.

This one does not say stainless or have a SCHRADE+, and the pamplet said High Carbon Tool Steel. Note it also has the razor finished blades, which I would think were more indicative of stainless steel.

Good info Dave!







Very collectible, and you can find both Schrade Walden and Schrade NY USA versions of the 285UH (as well as the 885UH) with milled liners, and a variety of different stampings too. And don't always count on the catalogs for accuracy either.
 
Last edited:
My version is a used one, with stained and sharpened blades, and more character than collector's value.

I got it for nearly nothing, though, and I love the old Schrades and Schrade Waldens for carry knives.

There is something about the combination of Schrade's 1095 and the thin grinds that creates an edge that I find hard to replicate with any other modern knife.

I have accumulated enough of them to keep supplied with carry knives for the rest of my days and then some, but I am always looking out for a bargain.

Thank you, gentlemen.
 
What is ment by “High Carbon Steel”?
Schrade used a number of blade steels. Some they called "Stainles" and they uesd more Chromium and Silicon in that steel.
440B : had a carbon content of up to 1.20
BG-42: had a carbon content of up to1.15
1095: had a carbon content of up to1.03
TTS-34 and 154CM had a carbon content of up to 1.05
I think there is more to blade steel then a stamp that says "stainless" or 'Schrade+" ... Ken
 
Last edited:
I don't think 440B has more than about 0.8% carbon and I have never heard of Schrade using BG-42. If they "snuck" it into their knives then they sold them too cheaply and never advertised it, or did I miss that one? I guess I could have.
 
Jeff Jenness said:
I don't think 440B has more than about 0.8% carbon and I have never heard of Schrade using BG-42. If they "snuck" it into their knives then they sold them too cheaply and never advertised it, or did I miss that one? I guess I could have.
Click to expand...

Jeef, I am reading from a Schrade specks sheet. The readings are MAX.
440A 0.60-0.70 440B 0.75-0.95 440C 0.95-1.20
As for BG42, Schrade used BG42 for their first D'holder and their Lake & Walker knives in 2000. At $200 each, I do not think they sold them too cheaply.
 
Last edited:
1095: had a carbon content of 1.03
just a small correction the 1095 designation means that it had a range of carbon of 0.90-1.03% averaging approximately 0.95% hence the name SAE 1095.
 
delmas2nd said:
1095: had a carbon content of 1.03
just a small correction the 1095 designation means that it had a range of carbon of 0.90-1.03% averaging approximately 0.95% hence the name SAE 1095.
Click to expand...

"Just a small correction"
Two of the "stainless blades" I have listed have about the same amount of carbon as the "1095 carbon blade."
They are the Schrade 440B and 440C.
 
Last edited:
All cutlery steels, stainless or not, are high carbon. In fact, in the later years of Schrade's manufactury, they may have used the term "high carbon" in advertising material to describe knives which were stainless steel.
 
tongueriver said:
All cutlery steels, stainless or not, are high carbon. In fact, in the later years of Schrade's manufactury, they may have used the term "high carbon" in advertising material to describe knives which were stainless steel.
Click to expand...

tongueriver, I'm with you 100% and the use of "High carbon in advertising material" I'm 110% with you.
High carbon sounds OK to me, and you get it for free. That is advertising at its' best.

Carbon is used in all steel. I rest my case. Ken.
 
Last edited:
Hey, koldgold.

I think your specs are right but I also think you meant 440C instead of 440B.

My comment was the use of BG-42 for William Henry which was the topic of the thread. Sorry, misunderstood. I remember that knife and it was nice but pricey!

I would love to have William Henry stockman in BG-42!! That would be nice!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top