Schrade Chrysler Master Technician

[britishink]

A few years back I owned a 1949 Chrysler Windsor (how I miss her) and I collected Chrysler pieces - this is the only knife I could find.
I'm not sure of the date ...

[doglegg]

Now that is a really cool old knife. Wonder if there was a special purpose for each blade?

[orvet]

I believe your knife is a Schrade Walden lobster pattern. The pattern number is 865 and in the it is called "The Townsmen."
The pattern was a carryover from Schrade Cut Co and the number was 8654MT. The earliest catalog I have found it in his the 1950 catalog but that doesn't mean it wasn't produced. I'm not sure we have a full representation of all the catalogs published, especially in the early years of Schrade Walden.

The catalog lists the blade patterns as; spear, pen and long nail file blade. I don't believe this knife was supposed to be a tool for Chrysler technicians but probably a promotional gift item. You will notice the nails file has two sides, the conventional nail file and the second side which has two strips of file cut into it. While I've never read it anywhere, I believe those were for filing the ends of fingernails. It's very convenient especially if you tear nail while working on something; that little end of the nail file is very effective at taking the rough edge off the torn nail.
I miss those files on modern knives.

Here are pictures of an 865 I sold earlier this year.

[britishink]

Thank you Dale,

It does have 865 stamped on the main blade. I have always used the double groove on the back of a nail file as you described. I always thought that to be their use.

I too think this was a give away perhaps at a convention as these technicians were tested every year and this is a 4 year completion award (?)