With 5000 produced these 35 year-old knives are still not that hard to find. Their value remains pretty stable and they seem to be always in demand. My understanding is the Middleman 34OT pattern was Schrade's most prolific seller over the years and this particular 1984 version remains one of my personal all-time favorite Schrade knives. When the time is right, I recommend every Schrade collector should grab one of these. I can't see how anyone could be disappointed.
Every time I get sterling knives right beside nickel silver I always notice how much "whiter" the sterling shines. Warning! While it (understandably) gives some collectors a fit, I'm not shy with keeping my knives polished. They're mine aren't they? I gave this one the full spa treatment and this knife is ultra shiny now. With it's sharp cuts reflecting all over the place, the shield is particularly blinding. I think the pins are likely nickel silver but they shine really bright as well.
The small lined bolsters and the shield were tarnished so I gave them a gentle buff with a felt wheel and some Flitz. It did a good job of cleaning the tiny "STERLING" script. The liners/springs got the same treatment. When it was fully polished it received a 24 hour mineral oil soak to help out the handles. One slab did indeed expand a bit and the fit is noticeably tighter. Next it was thoroughly washed in soapy water to get all the gummy 1984 oil and the new mineral oil off of it. Lastly, I dried it with micro-fiber cloth, purged all the water out of it (and off of it) with plenty of WD40 and after letting it sit for a while I gave it a final wipe with some more clean micro-fiber.
