Open Stock 825 & 895

[kootenay joe]

What is the difference between an 825 and a 895 ? Both are 3 1/2" on a serpentine frame with rounded bolsters and both have the same blades and blade arrangement. Why are there 2 pattern numbers for what appears to be the same knife ? other than in these 2 shown one is stainless and the other is not marked as stainless.
Pictured is a Schrade Walden/Stainless 825 and a Schrade USA 895.
kj

[CheckSix]

kj,
Does the 825 have a more distinctly milled back than the 895?

[Mustanger]

You answered your own question. One is stainless and the other is not.

[orvet]

The 825 was part of the Razor Blade Stainless series of knives, though not all 825s are etched Razor Blade Stainless.

From 1950 the 825 was listed as carbon steel and last appeared in the 1972 catalog.
The 825SS (stainless steel) appears in the 1971 catalog & last appears in the 1972 catalog!

The 825RB (razor blade stainless first appears in the 1964 and was last listed in 1988. 1988 was the last year the Open Stock knives are listed as such. The 858RB, 808 & 708 were dropped from the catalogs and the other three Open Stock patterns listed in 1988, the 102RB, 105RB & the 175RB still continued production but were listed as Schrade Sampler Knives.

Why?
Change in marketing strategy, change in customer buying habits, or any combination of these and any other reasons you might imagine.
Why did they make the 825SS in 1971 & 1972 when the 825RB was the exact same pattern in stainless steel?
I don't know, maybe one department was not talking to another, or someone goofed, or perhaps there was a logical reason.
It is likely we will never know the real reason!

[Mustanger]

From 1950 the 825 was listed as carbon steel and last appeared in the 1972 catalog.

So, as I understand it, there was an overlap of carbon steel 825s and 895s from 1957 (when the 895 1st cataloged) to 1972 (when the carbon steel 825s discontinued)? I don't think I've ever seen one of those 825s and this is the first that I've heard of them. I thought they were all stainless. Odd that Schrade would sell two identical knives with different model numbers for 15 years.

[kootenay joe]

Dave, the backs of both look the same, plain, not milled.
I think the basic answer is that the 825 is stainless and the 895 is carbon steel. However as Dale has shown not all 825's are stainless.
Schrade kept both these patterns going despite the overlap presumably because they both continued to sell well. Good sales were more important than having all pattern numbers be logical.
Good to see that others have found this a bit confusing, not just me. That is reassuring.
kj

[thawk]

I love a good slendereeno thread.

[kootenay joe]

So Hal, which of the 'Slenderos' are those 6 ?
kj

[thawk]

I know 1 is an 895 the rest are 825 to my knowledge. This is an old photo.

[deltaboy]

Nice looking Schrades.