New Schrade USA

[1967redrider]

Just saw this knife, offered by KnifeCenter but probably others as well. A preview of things to come? Hoping Schrade moves more knife production back here.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCHMF/ ... f01a4ca772

[cody6268]

Just saw this knife, offered by KnifeCenter but probably others as well. A preview of things to come? Hoping Schrade moves more knife production back here.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCHMF/ ... f01a4ca772

My local knife store has had one of those listed for over a year in their "clearance" section on the website. So, presumably not new. B

Bear is probably making these; since no other company produces a bali at that price. I keep hearing of a "Fox USA" that Boker apparently contracted with to make a USA-made line of tactical folders; but I don't know if they did these. Why can't Bear make a line of Old Timers and Uncle Henries? Heck, even Schrade's former president is also heavily involved with Bear (accounts manager).

[1967redrider]

Maybe they're testing for popularity? For some reason, Balisongs are hot ticket items. I have a couple, but they're not my favorites.

[tongueriver]

These new Schrade knives are interesting and worthwhile I am sure, but this forum is called the "Legacy" forum, meaning only Schrade knives made in New York before August of 2004. The old Imperials and Ulsters are also seen here, because the Baers also owned those companies, and indeed, even Camillus, but the newer knives should find a more appropriate venue on AAPK. Thanks for your posts and for your understanding!

[edge213]

Just saw this knife, offered by KnifeCenter but probably others as well. A preview of things to come? Hoping Schrade moves more knife production back here.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCHMF/ ... f01a4ca772

SMKW has a Schrade lock back listed as made in USA.

[treefarmer]

Just saw this knife, offered by KnifeCenter but probably others as well. A preview of things to come? Hoping Schrade moves more knife production back here.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCHMF/ ... f01a4ca772

1967redrider,
What is the draw of the Balisong knives? I've never had one.
Treefarmer

[orvet]

Just saw this knife, offered by KnifeCenter but probably others as well. A preview of things to come? Hoping Schrade moves more knife production back here.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCHMF/ ... f01a4ca772

1967redrider,
What is the draw of the Balisong knives? I've never had one.
Treefarmer

I think the draw to butterfly knives is the people use them in martial arts and some young fellows think that they look really bad when they're flashing around a butterfly knife.
Now, when they get older I assume they just like to play with them or they really are an accomplished martial artist.

The only thing I find attractive to a butterfly knife is their simplicity. I don't remember with whom I discussed this, it was probably Al Mar but it may have been Les de Asis or Jodi Sampson. I may have had the discussion with all three of at different times. But one of them made the point that a butterfly knife is a very simple, low technology folding / lockback knife.

It's really rather ingenious when you think about it. It offers you the strength of a fixed blade knife and the convenience of a folder. I had never thought of it in those terms, but when they said that it made sense. I've actually seen a couple of people who carried a butterfly knife and used it as a fixed blade. It came out of the pocket, opened simply without a lot of flash, he opened the box and folded it in one motion and ended up with the knife back in his pocket. This fella would obviously use this knife for quite some time because the opening, using and closing was almost one fluid motion. It gave me a new appreciation for the butterfly knife.

[WillyCamaro]

Very interesting, and exciting news! Fingers cross men, that Schrade is coming back to the good ole, U & S, of A.

[treefarmer]

Thanks for the info, Dale.
Treefarmer

[cody6268]

I was given a Taylor Bodyguard bali in a group of knives I inherited from a family member. It was floppy, unsafe, awkward to open, and fiddly. Only reason I kept it was it was my only balisong. An AXIS Benchmade folder is easier to open, has a real locking mechanism, and a wide blade. Seriously, I don't get them at all. They just feel like fiddly things. These things are a safety hazard, but legal in my state. And the much safer automatics are not?!!!

I know there are sorta balisongs from Hackman (and whatever Finnish company continued production to this date) and Daiwa (still being made, though not sold in the US) for fishing and hunting, but mechanically, aren't they different?

[orvet]

Cody, try a Benchmade Balisong.
The ones I have held and played with are precision pieces of engineering and manufacturing!

[bladecollectorr]

Just saw this knife, offered by KnifeCenter but probably others as well. A preview of things to come? Hoping Schrade moves more knife production back here.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCHMF/ ... f01a4ca772

My two-cents?

Schrade no longer exists as a knife manufacturer. It's been that way for over 16 years now. As a Schrade collector, I have zero interest in anything that BTI does. The Channel Master then Schrade factory in Ellenville has even been razed to the ground. Schrade is dead. Let's honor the Ellenville memory in this forum (not praise the usurpers).

BTI bought the rights to the name from Stewart Taylor. Both Taylor and BTI paid/pay sub-contractors to produce lower-cost, lower-quality copies of the knives Schrade used to manufacture in New York State (and new patterns of Taylor or BTI design, such as said balisong).

It is my understanding that Henry Baer was adamant that Schrade make tools not weapons. This is why their Old Timer boot-knife never went into production (until Taylor had authorized copies made in China) and why, I should think, they never did and never would have made a balisong. While "America Works With Schrade" was a successful ad campaign, "America Stabs Lightning-Fast With Schrade" was never a thing.

Balisongs are popular, I think, for different reasons depending on the person. Some appreciate that it's a smaller folder that becomes a bigger fixed blade with strong lock-up (as Dale mentioned) for practical reasons. Some like that it can be deployed from concealment almost as fast as an automatic knife (think stabbing foes). Some find it the knife-version of a Fidget Spinner and see the mastery of it as a fun challenge. Balisongs are prohibited weapons in Canada and I think most folks see them as "tactical" knives.

BTI can stamp the letters "Schrade" and "USA" on contracted items from unknown makers until the cows come home but it will never bring Schrade back. I guess BTI decided that if they ordered some knives from a US knife-maker (for a change) some gullible folks might think Schrade was back in business and buy, buy, buy! "New Schrade USA" is an impossibility.

SMKW has a Schrade lock back listed as made in USA.

SMKW lies. They have many different Schrade lie-knives available right now and usually do. I expect they will keep peddling lies as long as people are trusting enough to be fooled by them. All these stag Schrade lockbacks SMKW has been flooding the market with are newly completed knives made from old Imperial Schrade parts. They were likely handled in China. Regardless, they are not made-in-Ellenville, pre-2004 knives. They completely muddy our Schrade collector waters.

I can see the difference a mile away but stag Schrades are a major obsession with me. Here's how you can tell the difference: Compare the size of the handle and pivot pins on these two knives.

The white-background SMKW knife (likely handled in China) has handle pins slightly smaller than the pivot-pin and the lockbar pin is not spun into a dome shape. It's ground flat like the other two handle pins.

The red-background pre-2004 Schrade knife (fully completed in Ellenville, NY) has handle pins slightly larger than the pivot pin. The lockbar pin is spun into a pointy dome shape unlike the flat-ground handle pins.

[1967redrider]

Great posts and information, thanks everyone for posting.

[edge213]

While I do agree there will never be "real" Schrades again, it would still be an improvement if Schrades were once again be made in the U.S.A.

[tongueriver]

I agree that more knives being made here in the U.S. are very welcome. This subforum is NOT the place for any of them. AAPK has plenty of other places to post them. At one time, there was a header for this subforum that specifically stated what it is for, and, in fact, the title still says "Legacy." Let us please honor that.

[OLDE CUTLER]

Very interesting, and exciting news! Fingers cross men, that Schrade is coming back to the good ole, U & S, of A.

But if they are still being made by someone else, then not much gained. Lets hope this is a transitional step to manufacturing their own knives in USA. Then that will be something to crow about. If they are Bear made, then not so much.

[bladecollectorr]

I agree that more knives being made here in the U.S. are very welcome. This subforum is NOT the place for any of them. AAPK has plenty of other places to post them. At one time, there was a header for this subforum that specifically stated what it is for, and, in fact, the title still says "Legacy." Let us please honor that.

Here's the header, it still exists. viewforum.php?f=55

Schrade Legacy Forum
Schrade Cutlery Company was founded in 1904 by George Schrade, and his brothers Jacob and William Schrade. In 1946 Imperial Knife Associated Companies, (IKAC; an association of Ulster Knife Co and Imperial Knife Co) purchased controlling interest in Schrade Cut Co and changed the name to Schrade Walden Cutlery. In 1973 the name was changed to Schrade Cutlery. In 2004 Schrade closed due to bankruptcy.

This forum is dedicated to the knives that are the legacy of this company. This forum is not the place to discuss the replica knives currently being imported using the Schrade name.

I have no problem with people enjoying BTI's new knives but this "Schrade Legacy Forum" is not the place to do it. Everything's good, I'm not mad at anybody. I just don't want to see another 10 threads regarding BTI or Taylor products in this particular forum. It is off-topic.

[cody6268]

Looks like now there is a range of Old Timers manufactured in the USA, probably by Bear and Son. The prices, however are on the expensive side for what they are.

https://www.theoldtimer.com/search/?cgi ... USA%20Made

[Rich53]

Just saw this knife, offered by KnifeCenter but probably others as well. A preview of things to come? Hoping Schrade moves more knife production back here.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/SCHMF/ ... f01a4ca772

1967redrider,
What is the draw of the Balisong knives? I've never had one.
Treefarmer

I think the draw to butterfly knives is the people use them in martial arts and some young fellows think that they look really bad when they're flashing around a butterfly knife.
Now, when they get older I assume they just like to play with them or they really are an accomplished martial artist.

The only thing I find attractive to a butterfly knife is their simplicity. I don't remember with whom I discussed this, it was probably Al Mar but it may have been Les de Asis or Jodi Sampson. I may have had the discussion with all three of at different times. But one of them made the point that a butterfly knife is a very simple, low technology folding / lockback knife.

It's really rather ingenious when you think about it. It offers you the strength of a fixed blade knife and the convenience of a folder. I had never thought of it in those terms, but when they said that it made sense. I've actually seen a couple of people who carried a butterfly knife and used it as a fixed blade. It came out of the pocket, opened simply without a lot of flash, he opened the box and folded it in one motion and ended up with the knife back in his pocket. This fella would obviously use this knife for quite some time because the opening, using and closing was almost one fluid motion. It gave me a new appreciation for the butterfly knife.

The best American made ballisongs are sold by Bladerunner Systems (BRS). They are really expensive, tho. Between $300-$400.