Orange Schrades

[kootenay joe]

I have seen Schrade USA knives with bright orange handles from time to time. Here i have a very nice Schrade USA 165 with orange handles. I also have a 124 folder with orange handles. i will post a pic of this one when i find it.
What is the 'story' of these orange handled Schrade knives ? Some might be EOD knives but i'm fairly sure i saw some before 2004.
kj

[tongueriver]

I believe SFO in 1991 for SMKW, included sharpfinger (152OT), 165OT, and 15OT. I also have a 165OT in orange with a DU shield.

[AussieBosun]

iirc the 165 & 152 OTO's were offered by SMKW as a father & son set , as far as i know the models made with orange delrin were the 152 , 15 , 165 , 158 and 124

[tongueriver]

I forgot about the 158OT. Thanks for the reminder. I don't think that any 124OTs were part of that SMKW contract. I have an 8OT clone with red covers and a 'scrim' of an alligator on one side. Part of something to do with a sports team, no doubt.

[kootenay joe]

Here is the 4" Folding Hunter i was thinking of. Marked:Schrade/U.S.A. 123OT
Handles are not orange, they are a dull flat red. As Cal says, different SFO to the orange puppies.
kj

[Mustanger]

[kootenay joe]

A 194OT, orange handles, first one i have seen. Thanks Mustanger.
How many other patterns are 'out there' with the orange handles ? It would be great to get an example of every one in this thread, so if you have a Schrade USA with the orange handles please post it.
kj

[Mustanger]

The '296', 4.25" knife I think is an EOD, maybe.

Sure makes a fella curious about the 194OT with Heritage tang stamp though. I've seen a few and just found these complete sides for sale.

[kootenay joe]

Mystery deepens !
Is it standard to build the sides (bolster, handle cover, & cap) and then mount them onto the knife frame ? I had thought that each piece was mounted separately.
Maybe there were other orange handle SFO runs in addition to the SMKW one mentioned above by Cal ?
kj

[orvet]

Mystery deepens !
Is it standard to build the sides (bolster, handle cover, & cap) and then mount them onto the knife frame ? I had thought that each piece was mounted separately.

The sides are complete, just add the center assembly with the two springs, blades and center liner and you pretty much have a completed knife.
Slide the Swinden rivet heads into the keyway at each end (of the side assemblies), compress the springs, then add the rocker (center) pin and you are done except for hafting and the finish work.
That was the beauty of the Swinden system from a manufacturing standpoint.