The George Schrade Knife Company of Bridgeport Connecticut used the Presto brand name for most of their automatic line. This knife was manufactured after 1940 as the mark side tang stamp “Presto” is larger than the earlier models and the absence of the “Pat Pnd-g” on the same stamp has been replaced with “Made In USA”. This knife is 4 1/8” long closed and 7” fully open from blade tip to the back of the knife.

The Sportsman model is reputed to have been made initially for the US Military and is referred to as a Paratrooper knife because it could be used in a one-hand operation. The excess military inventory was reputed to be used for the Boy Scouts of America and although it never appeared in a BSA National Supply Catalog, it could be ordered by a Scoutmaster who cited a Scout whose handicap required a knife for one-hand use. BSA archives indicate that this knife was made for only a decade (1935-1945) and when U.S. newspapers and the sensationalist tabloid press joined forces to promote the image of a delinquent youth with a switchblade, the BSA decided to drop the offering as the public focused on the switchblade as a symbol of youthful evil intent. The only discernible difference between the U.S. Military version and the BSA version is a distinctive blade etch on the BSA version.

I purchased this knife in September of 2007 from Mark Erickson, the author of Antique American Switchblades, who authenticated it as a BSA version. The only issues with this knife is that it has a very faint BSA etch, visible only under strong magnification and the mark side cover has a chip at the steel bolster. The steel bail is complete and unmolested, the knife fires, locks and closes as designed and there is no side-to-side blade play when open. The knife has seen some light duty over the last 75+ years but the blade is nearly 100%. The honey brown bone jigging is distinctive to this model and the 2 covers are perfectly matched.

Please PM me if you have any questions. This knife comes from an adult smoke-free home and is described to the best of my ability. Please take a good look at the pictures as they are a large part of the description. Additional pictures are always available, just ask what you’d like to see, and I’ll make them available. In purchasing this knife, you attest that you are of legal age and that you can legally possess this knife. Thank you for looking and your kind consideration.

For Sale By: Cosgrove Cutlery

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