What "Traditional Knife" are ya totin' today?

Another beautiful day here in the City by the Bay! A bit on the cool side but should warm up to comfortable sweater weather this afternoon. Just finished my PT session so now I can relax for the rest of the day. Keeping me company two from across the Pond. Have a great day folks! 😀
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Modoc ED said:
Cindy has the flu. Been to the doctor and there's nothing to do but ride it out. Negative for Covid and RSV. Waiting for it to visit me. Not carrying anything this morning just taking time out to feed Abby and make a small breakfast for me.

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Sorry to hear that Ed. My wife had it several weeks ago and this is a bad strain. 🙏 for a speedy recovery for Cindy and hope it bypasses you!
 
I think Canal Street's version of tortoise shell is hard to beat. This one's in the pocket today...

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Modoc ED said:
Cindy has the flu. Been to the doctor and there's nothing to do but ride it out. Negative for Covid and RSV. Waiting for it to visit me. Not carrying anything this morning just taking time out to feed Abby and make a small breakfast for me.
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Sorry to hear that. Smoke raised for both of you.

I think Opinel called this their "handyman", but I can't quite remember, and I don't see it on their web site. Anyway, it's in my pocket today.
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afishhunter said:
Looks a lot like my Imperial Frontier Double Eagle.
Brass bolsters, rosewood covers, and "Imperial Stainless" (rather than "Schrade+") blades.
Same frame as the 8OT Senior Stockman.
I believe Imperial made some for Sears based on the Frontier and IKCO models with real bolsters.
(I red somewhere online that Imperial dropped the Frontier and IKCO lines in the early/mid 1970's, because they were direct competitors with the Old Timer line/brand.)
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If I'm not mistaken it was sometime in the mid 70's that the frontier line was introduced after Schade had sent a bunch of retired tooling to Imperial after the acquisition.
I am pretty darn sure that some of the frontier series of lockbacks were made for imperial by Camillus, but many of the Frontier slipjoints are dead ringers for Schrade models.

The idea of competing sales is logical, but there is also brand recognition/ loyalty, and the fact that you won't find every brand or line available at every retailer in every part of every state.
Of course there is also the fact that Schrade owned imperial and was selling knives either way.
 
knarfeng said:
Sorry to hear that. Smoke raised for both of you.

I think Opinel called this their "handyman", but I can't quite remember, and I don't see it on their web site. Anyway, it's in my pocket today.
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Its still available on Opinel's website under "Utility Pocket Knives" as the "No. 9 DIY Folding Utility Knife". Just rolls off the tongue don't it? :)
 
Hickory n steel said:
if I'm not mistaken it was sometime in the mid 70's that the frontier line was introduced after Schade had sent a bunch of retired tooling to Imperial after the acquisition.
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I thought Imperial acquired Schrade (It was "Imperial-Schrade" after-all) sometime before 1930.
Imperial-Schrade bought the NYKC/Hammer Brand names and intellectual properties in c.1933 after NYKC went belly up.
Two excuses given for NYKC's failure are:
(1) Loss of the BSA contract that they had from 1911 to c1929/1930.
(2) They could not compete with the other cutlery companies that had more modern tooling.
(Electric vs. belt driven?)
(3) The onslaught of the "Great" Depression. (To a person, everyone I ever knew who lived through that depression, said it was TERRIBLE/HORRIBLE not "great".) NYKC was a "Premium" maker.
I saw the Imperial Frontier in stores during the 1960's. I may have had one with the powderhorn shield staring in 3rd or 4th grade. (1963/1965. Due to spending 75% of 3rd grade in the hospital, my mum demanded I take that grade twice ... even tho my grades were good enough to pass the first time. I studied while in the hospital with mumps (left), pneumonia, chicken pox, mumps (right side), two more cases of pneumonia, and tonsilitis ... for all the "good" it done did. 🤨😡)
The "Old Timer" brand was originally "Ulster-Old Timer", introduced with the RJR Tobacco deal.
The Ulster name was pretty much history by 1970, when the Ulster plant was shut down. The "Ulster" boy scout knives after 1970 were likely made by Camillus.
"Old Timer" replaced the "Ulster" line, except for the boy scout and girl scout utility/camp knives.

I don't understand why it was a "big deal" Frontier and IKCO competed with Old Timer. Imperial was known for more than shell knives, and had a good reputation earned over decades. Also, the funds received went to the same company in the end.
 
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afishhunter said:
I thought Imperial acquired Schrade (It was "Imperial-Schrade" after-all) sometime before 1930.
Imperial-Schrade bought the NYKC/Hammer Brand names and intellectual properties in c.1933 after NYKC went belly up.
Two excuses given for NYKC's failure are:
(1) Loss of the BSA contract that they had from 1911 to c1929/1930.
(2) They could not compete with the other cutlery companies that had more modern machinery.
(Electric vs. belt driven?)
(3) The onslaught of the "Great" Depression. (To a person, everyone I ever knew who lived through that depression, said it was TERRIBLE/HORRIBLE not "great".) NYKC was a "Premium" maker.
I saw the Imperial Frontier in stores during the 1960's. I may have had one with the powderhorn shield staring in 3rd or 4th grade. (1963/1965. Due to spending 75% of 3rd grade in the hospital, my mum demanded I take that grade twice ... even tho my grades were good enough to pass the first time. I studied while in the hospital with mumps (left), pneumonia, chicken pox, mumps (right side), two more cases of pneumonia, and tonsilitis ... for all the "good" it done did. 🤨😡)
The "Old Timer" brand was originally "Ulster-Old Timer", introduced with the RJR Tobacco deal.
The Ulster name was pretty much history by 1970, when the Ulster plant was shut down. The "Ulster" boy scout knives after 1970 were likely made by Camillus.
"Old Timer" replaced the "Ulster" line, except for the boy scout and girl scout utility/camp knives.

I don't understand why it was a "big deal" Frontier and IKCO competed with Old Timer. Imperial was known for more than shell knives, and had a good reputation earned over decades. Also, the funds received went to the same company in the end.
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The frontier line was definitely not around in the 60's.
fitzwillies.com

Frontier Imperial Knives

History of the Frontier-Imperial knives produced in the USA 1975-1985
fitzwillies.com fitzwillies.com
 
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