Response to inquirys regarding Schrade Collectors Society

[lt632ret]

I have been receiving several inquires regarding this announcement

Schrade Cutlery Collectors Society Formed
As I mentioned in an earlier post there was an announcement at the 2008 SHOT
show that should be of interest to Schrade collectors. Here is a short
version of the press release:

The 2008 Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade show marked the debut of the
Schrade Cutlery Collectors Society, a new collectors club dedicated to the
preservation of the history and heritage of Schrade Cutlery and its related
companies.
While not a part of Taylor Brand's Schrade Cutlery, the Society does begin
with the current owner's full encouragement--including his taking a seat on
the society's Board of Advisors, which also includes Kevin Pipes, President
of Smoky Mountain Knife Works, and Schrade author Richard Langston. Other
announcements of members to this board will be announced soon.
Executive Director of the organization is Debra Voyles, whose background in
knives includes being National Secretary of the National Knife Collectors
Association as well as show manager of the Blade Show & Cutlery Fair from
its inception in 1982 until 1993.
"The Schrade history is a history of cutlery in America, ranging from the
19th century until today, encompassing some of the most famous names that
have ever made knives: New York Knife, Walden Knife Company, Ulster,
Schrade, and many others. We feel only through organization and promotion
can we continue to preserve that heritage," Voyles said, "and that is what
the Society is going to do.
Membership will include a subscription to the revived "Schrade Almanac" and
other benefits.
Membership fees or contact information are not included with this post so
there will not be any confusion that this is an announcement rather than a
solicitation.

I have decided to post this thread to explain my actions and what little I know about the project. I was contacted several weeks ago by Bruce Voyles who invited me to be on the advisory board of this venture. I have been active in the study and history of the cutlery industry in this country and especially the Hudson Valley in NYS for well over 50 years. Upon retiring from active duty as a NYS peace officer I was an antiquarian and historian for Schrade as well as a spokeman for them at some East coast Consumer shows. I have also written on this history and these items. I have also been quite negatively vocal regarding the present imported Chinese products which now carry the Schrade name. I also have expounded on why Schrade went under and the nefarious dealings which caused there demise. I have also made a vivid point in the Rape of the Schrade company knife collection how it happened and who the players were and the parts they played.

Originally Schrade had a company forum on Blade forums. I started posting there to try to interject some history into what was then mainly a place for Schrade to show there current products. The person in charge of this site was Tim Faust who was an executive employee with Schrade, who I knew. As the company Schrade exited the site morphed into a kind of its own kind of Schrade club. Eventually due to a point of honor ( as old fashioned as it sounds ). I left bladeforums and do not post there and have not for several years. I did this of my own accord due to my own beliefs in right and wrong and really do not wish to rehash it however it has come to my attention ( some emails since I do not seem to be able to get into blade forums since I stopped my subscription) that there has been some question on Blade forums as to why I have agreed to take part in this project especially in light of some of the others who are involved such as Mr Pipes ( who bought the Schrade collection under circumstances which I have explained in the past and will not go into again ) and Mr Taylor who now owns the rights to Schrade and produces the Chinese version ( Which I do not own any of ). So in light of all of this I am using this venue ( which by the way was created by Bryan, and woofer and Phil so that in lieu of my self ordained exile, due to my outdated sense of honor I would have a place to babble with the nice folks at AAPK ). We do not or at least have not had any problems since Knife Lore was established.

All that being said here are the reasons . At first I was hesitant I then spoke to several people who are perhapes the most knowledgable and well known in the field. There recommendations were that the positive aspect was that if I had input I would be able to direct content and insure that it does what it says ie “preservation of the history and heritage of Schrade Cutlery and its related companies “"The Schrade history is a history of cutlery in America, ranging from the
19th century until today, encompassing some of the most famous names that
have ever made knives: New York Knife, Walden Knife Company, Ulster,
Schrade, and many others. We feel only through organization and promotion
can we continue to preserve that heritage," Voyles said, "and that is what
the Society is going to do.

If this is indeed the goal of the project than it is exactly what I have been trying to do for years. If it is not then at least I will be in a position to try to correct it or dispute it. “ In order to guard the hen house you have to be able to get in it. “ That being said I have no reason to not believe the motivation is not exactly what is being claimed.

For those of you who do not know for the last 7 years I have been trying to change the switchblade law in NYS to allow the exhibition of these artifacts . I helped write the bill which was passed into law this year. We have also gotten an allocation from the town of Warwasing ( Ellenville where Schrade was located) and are in the process of establishing a non profit company for the establishment of a museum so that this great American history of the true American spirit can be preserved. I have learned much from these endeavors the main thing being that it is expensive. Knowledge, artifacts and credentials do not mean didilly without the backing.

Is Taylor involved so that he can sell more knives I would say you can bet on it. Is Pipes involved simply to be magnanimous ( I would say you would have to be crazy to think so ). However whatever there motivation they have the ability to make the memory and history of schrade a presence in fact they may well be the only way it will become sustainable in the future. Regarding Stuart Taylor He contacted me a couple of years ago he had read about a Schrade memorial exhibition I did in the Resnick Museum in Ellenville regarding Schrade. He offered me some artifacts that he had gotten by virtue of buying the Schrade IP intellectual property ( Schrade rights) that he had no use for . He did not have to do that ( these items are now safe for posterity) and I appreciate it we took a truck and trip to TENN and I found Mr Taylor to be a genuine gentleman. He asked if I would be interested in doing a book for him on Schrade . I refused on the point that I did not agree with Schrades being made in China. ( Again my old fashioned attitude). So I turned down the money. When I said this Mr Taylor said to me that he did not particularly enjoy selling Chinese knives with an old American company name but like he pointed out he was a knife importer, not a knife maker and Americans will buy from whoever can sell the least expensive with the same quality. Americas position on tariffs for over 200 years and all those nasty little rice burners with names like Mitsubishi certainly supports his statement. I feel that his desire to be a part of this project and this statment “While not a part of Taylor Brand's Schrade Cutlery, the Society does begin with the current owner's full encouragement--including his taking a seat on the society's Board of Advisors, “ Shows a positive attitude and certainly deserves a chance.

By the way I am still waiting to hear what will be expected of me as my duties now that I have acquired this esteemed position . All I did was accept and have not been contacted since??????


Now in conclusion lets get to me whats in it for me SALARY OR ANY MONEY NONE, ZIP, NADA. GLORY yes all the glory of having to explain my actions and being once a again in the middle of another volatile public situation. AGGRAVATION Ah yes I am sure there will be plenty of that. My motivation for becoming involved is strictly to save this American history however as we all know no good deed goes unpunished so I am sure I will get what is coming to me. It is a little known fact that all of the signers of the declaration of Independence died impoverished or in some way broken however I believe that even if they knew that was to be there fate they still would have signed. LT

[W5RWU]

LT Thanks for letting us know, sounds like a GOOD way to keep the SCHRADE history alive!!!
Randy

[Gr8Scout]

You need never explain your actions to me, LT. But thanks for the info and the clarification. Your being on the board of advisors makes this new Schrade history venture real to me, something worth something, and I'll join.

I recall the days when Tim Faust was the moderator at the bfc Schrade forum. First we lost him, then we lost the company. The postings were as often about ping pong balls and socks as they were about knives. It was a good site to visit and I was proud and happy to be a member. Times changed. Now this is a good site. And I am equally proud to be a member here.

Will be interesting to see where this new path takes all of us. I'm hoping it will be to new and interesting frontiers. I also am anxious to see what kinda book our Mr. Voyles will write.. well, I know what kinda book-- it will be a good one, like his past efforts. I am interested in what information it will contain.

Here is to the future with a nod to the past.

Phil
(trying to find my marguerita moderator shirt)

[muskrat man]

sounds great LT. one must always respect anothers actions. what happened is in the past. let's preserve schrade history

[ea42]

LT, hearing that you were involved was the only reason I took an interest , unfortunately I guess we'll all be in the dark about it for the time being. I've sent a couple of inqiries to Mr Voyles re. membership info but haven't gotten any replies. Quite the dangling carrot act

Eric

[upnorth]

I understand you have a lot of experience knowing when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em LT!! I'm backing you!!

[Mountainwind]

If LT says it's OK, where do I sign??? Tho I would like to get a NIB 165OT before the word gets out and prices go up even more.....

[orvet]

LT,
Thank you for your in-depth explanation of the upcoming Schrade Cutlery Collectors Society. I find your involvement reassuring. I have always appreciated your old-fashioned commitment to honor and integrity. One sees far too little of that in the 21st-century. If you are involved, I know I can give it my wholehearted support and commitment.

There are many of us who appreciate your dedication to the preservation of the history of Schrade and the other knives of the Hudson Valley. As long as you are involved with the Schrade Cutlery Collectors Society I can rest assured that it will be focused on the preservation of history and artifacts, and not just another tool to sell imported knives with an American name on them.

I look forward to joining, when that becomes available. I would like to offer you my assistance, what little I may be able to do, in the support of this endeavor.

Thanks for letting us know about this, and about your involvement with it.
Frankly, if you were not involved I would probably not have given this a second look.

Thanks for the update,
Dale

[lt632ret]

First I would like to thank everyone for your support. However as I have stated it still remains to be seen what the future holds. 26 years working in the prison system has not been conducive to making me the most trusting of individuals or lover of humanity. Still it has taught me that everyone deserves a chance. Even so I still will have reservations at least until I know more, I am simply relating my opinions and reasons for my actions. At this point in life about the only personal things I care about are my Name and reputation as with most of us it is my only legacy. Even as important as this is to me I feel it is imperative to risk being duped or my name sullied. to give this project a chance and see if the stated agenda is the true objective. All I can relate is what I know and right now it is about the same as you do. I have always believed that you give a person all the rope they need so that they can either pull themselves up or hang themselves. In my case I have found that faint heart never filled a flush you have to be in the game to win and must trust those your playing with as honest, until they show themselves otherwise. Sometimes this costs money, reputation, or worse. I have chosen to take that risk and can assure you that if that decision was wrong I will make my knowledge public. Frankly I can see no reason why this opportunity should be anything other than what it is purported to be. Mr Taylor is a business man who sells a Chinese made product. He is not any different than anyone selling any imported goods Hondas, Toyotas, and a myriad of other products. He does so to make money ( which is a American as you can get ). He does not need the aggravation of a project like this he can sell his knives with or without this effort and frankly if it backfires it may well hurt his business more than help. In the past he has been true to his word as well as other gestures which precludes me to believe that he is exactly as he represents himself. { Now before I go on let me say that I do not care for the Red Communist Chinese. I do not trust them (there government) and feel that they will eventually consume us and our way of life. As they have vowed to do. In the case of the Schrade closing, there involvment through banking procedures and business methods was instrumental enough to help cause a federal congressional investigation. Still that said I own products made there ( the fact is you cannot get away from owning them half the time you do not even know where components are made ). I do not condone it but simply am stating the way it is . When I met Mr taylor I liked him. He is a gentleman in fact there is only one point on which he and I differ. I will not support communist knives especially with american names. The fact is if he made American Schrades hell I would write his book and for that matter be his poster child if he wanted it. Heck I would even try sell them to the red Chinese even if it ment going there in a regular commercial aircraft rather than a B-52. LT

[relodr36]

LT,
Thanks for posting what info you have on this new Schrade society.
I was the guy on the old foruum who was pulling Mr.Voyles chain - mainly because he has not shown a keen interest in Schrades in the past,but when he has something to promote he shows up on the old Schrade forum.
I have several of his books and there is little Schrade history in any of them,even though he is a noted authority on knives.
Mr.Voyles' initial post listed you as one of the board members,along with Mr.Taylor and Mr.Pipes.
I don't believe that I took your name in vain in any of my posts.
Like you and many others,I absolutely do not trust the Chinese and am also skeptical of a lot of greedy US businessmen who will sell our country down the drain for $$$$$$$.
Ron