"XX" is stamped over the tang markings?

D

DaddyBarlow

Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
399
I just got a early 80's Schrade, 3-blades w/wood handle. But over the model number & other markings, there is a Heavy stamped "XX". The "XX" is much heavier & larger than the rest of the markings. I don't know Schrades, is this common & what does it mean? Thanks
 
Back sometime last century, Schrade decided to sell their rejects instead of chopping them up for recycling. But like many manufacturers of diferent products, they defaced the trademark on their blades (labels cut from clothing), so they would not be sold as Schrade quality inspected knives. In the case of Schrade, XX marks the ones QC spotted as rejects. At one time they ground the name and number off like the Emperial Mum on my 7.7 Arisaka rifle. Later, they simply sold them to bulk buyers like SMKW. Usually, the buyers advertised them as "seconds". In the end, knives were slapped together sometimes with parts of queationable parentage, just to push them out the door and reduce the inventory of "work in progress", as well as to meet contracts, but personally I think, to make payroll and utilities. I could be wrong, but that's my story and I'm ss-s-sticking to it! ;)

Codger
 
Lot's of these on Ebay. Schrade seconds. You guys recall me asking one very active Ebay retailer (initials s-c) just what the XX meant? He told me he hadn't any idea.

What you have, DaddyBarlow MAY be a very decent user. The Flaw the knife has is probably only cosmetic. Schrade had high standards for a long, long time, and I doubt they would have let an unsafe knife leave the factory under any circumstances.

Welcome to our forum!

Phil
 
Codger_64 said:
Back sometime last century, Schrade decided to sell their rejects instead of chopping them up for recycling. But like many manufacturers of diferent products, they defaced the trademark on their blades (labels cut from clothing), so they would not be sold as Schrade quality inspected knives. In the case of Schrade, XX marks the ones QC spotted as rejects. At one time they ground the name and number off like the Emperial Mum on my 7.7 Arisaka rifle. Later, they simply sold them to bulk buyers like SMKW. Usually, the buyers advertised them as "seconds". In the end, knives were slapped together sometimes with parts of queationable parentage, just to push them out the door and reduce the inventory of "work in progress", as well as to meet contracts, but personally I think, to make payroll and utilities. I could be wrong, but that's my story and I'm ss-s-sticking to it! ;)

Codger
Click to expand...
Howdy...I sure respect your knowledge about knifes as you sure have learned me a thing or two about them so wanted to share a bit of info on your Jap 7.7 rifle...the 16 petal chrysthanemum was the "official" seal of the Imperial Japanese Emperor and it was believed that as long as these rifles were thusly marked they were still "sacred" so to debunk the Emperor's position as a deity within Japanese culture, the "mums" were ground off to show the Emperor was human and subject like any other Japanese to Allied rule...
 
libbyhuck, my own mum was ground off long ago and my knowledge of Schrades pales compared to Big Dog and the rest here. As for the rifle, my Dad served on the "Mighty Q", CA-71 Quincey when she was detailed to demilitarize some islands after the end of hostilities. My rifle was brought aboard and the machinists were ordered to grind the mums. I have heard that Doug ordered this, but that is conjecture I think. More likely it was Captain Waters.

My 7.7 is the long rifle and was unfired til after my father's death in '89 when I cleaned the arsenal cosmoline out of it and fed it some Norma fuel. Woof! Basically, it is a .30-06 round, but the short stock and steel buttplate caused it to hammer on both ends.

The Arisaka, his Surrender Witness card from Tokyo Bay, his ruptured duck pin and his Schrade knife are among my cherished keepsakes. Oh, and his special order '64 Ford Custom Cab pickup.

Codger
 
I too have the utmost respect for what the WW2 generation was able to accomplish...born into a depression, save the world from tyranny, build the world's most powerful economy, put a man on the moon....I am speechless at their accomplishments...and its a hard act to follow! The present corporate greed and so-called "world economy" crap we are fed shows me we are in what I would call a "post-God/Country/Family" era that was so evident a half century ago. We are forced to live w/imported crap to sustain our reasonable standard of living. Sooner or later, the Asian quality will improve w/profits from their current crap and we will be forced due to our collapsed manufacturing infrastructure to beg China to please sell us their stuff at any price...and it will be no one's fault but the greedy MegalaMarts...we, like the Johnny Cash song will owe our soul to the company store....Schrade was but a small fish in a large ocean, albeit one of my favorite minnows!
 
Hi Codger,
One of the knife sellers on eBay under their other items for sale had some Arisaka parts for sale. Not sure if same model as yours, but thought it was interesting to run across that same day I read your post mentioning them. Hope this is helpful to you. Their eBay ID is "hooah2".
 
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