What am I looking at here?

[ducks_and_bucks66]

Hey guys,
Bought this knife and I have no idea what the model or history is. I just really liked the way it looked and since my Levine 4th Ed. hasn't shown up yet, I was flying blind. Of course, I do that quite often but if someone could point me in the right direction, I'd be grateful. Item number 190077503284 on E-Bay.

Thanks again,
Marc

 

[thawk]

SCHRADE WALDEN POCKETKNIFE WITH JIGGED HANDLES. The knife is 7 3/4 inches long with 1 blade open and 4 inches long closed. It has a large blade and a marlin spike with a locking lever. The tang is marked- SCHRADE WALDEN, NY- USA- Stainlness. The knife is unused condition.

It's a nautical knife. I think the Marlin Spike used to subdue a surly fish on deck, and I think also handy to untie tight knots. Never handled one, so I'm not sure how the lever works.

Those are neat looking knives, and you got a dandy specimen.

 

[Barry E Harris]

I believe this is a rigging knife. There have been numerous posts on here about them. The spike is a marlinspike (or more correctly a marlingspike) and us used by sailors to tie and untie knots.

 

[lrv]

Found this to add to the thread

 

[ducks_and_bucks66]

Thanks guys. Interesting info. I thought the knife was in pretty good shape by the pictures. I really do wish that Levin guide I bought would get here though.

 

[Codger_64]

I referred to the Camillus forum because it gave the 1944 Coast Guard specification number. Schrade made these from at least 1932 forward (#7353), almost always illustrated both the lock and shackle. They were mostly jigged bone, but for a while before WWII they were offered with solid nickle silver covers. I don't see the stamped lever appearing in the catalogs until 1961. At that time, the jigged bone had been replaced with the newly available jigged delrin, called "Unbreakable Staglon". Other plastics may have been used as far back as the early to mid 1950's. The pattern number is 735. Of course a knife stamped Schrade Cut Co. would be prior to 1946, and a Schrade Walden stamp would be 1946-1973. Schrade would be 1973 -2004, and Geo. Schrade would be pre 1958, if such a puppy exists. The government specs on this knife may well call for cocobolo or ebony wood, I dunno. The Staglon Delrin does look and feel like solid bone, but it is more dinensionally stable and impact resistant.



Michael

Here is some info from an earlier post

 

[mdhafner]

How has the Schrade 735 worked out? Does it hold an edge well?
I'm looking to get a Schrade 735, or a Buck 315 Yachtsman, but I
probably can't afford both.

 

[ducks_and_bucks66]

You know, I haven't tried to put an edge on it at all. It is displayed in my office and that is probably where it will stay. I won't use it as an EDC but it does appear extremely sharp in it's current unused state.