Proof Of Concept Knife - Cable Lock

[jxr1197]

This is an interesting knife. It’s a proof of concept knife from the later days of Schrade. The design engineer wanted to design a new, cost efficient, blade lock and came up with a locking mechanism based on a single length of music wire used as a spring to snap into the notch on the blade tang much the same way other lock backs do. There is no back spring and associated parts necessary. This knife was put together with burgundy linen micarta that’s got a canal machined out of it on both sides to keep the wire recessed and unobtrusive. The stiff wire in the groove was difficult to grasp so the wire was bulged on both sides just enough so you can use your thumb and middle finger to disengage the wire spring while your pointer finger pushes the blade closed. This pattern was never made and this proto is the only one out there (literally) but the concept proved useful in the SQ877 Cable Lock which is the gun metal knife on the right in a couple of the pics. The ultimate design of the lock is also partially flush and partially flared out like the concept knife but it’s a more ergonomic design. That shiny one in the middle is a polished aluminum proto of the pattern. The concept knife and the production knife are similar in size but the SQ877 has an obtuse angle at the butt of the handle instead of the acute angle like the micarta knife. That little change allowed another ½ inch of blade to fit. The only thing about this knife that I’d change is putting an edge on it. But I should be grateful for the bluntness because if this thing was sharp it’d see a lot of EDC use.

[kootenay joe]

Jason, this is an amazing post. Something Schrade that is new, never before seen. Wow.
And the Micarta handle knife is most attractive, elegant lines.
Has this mechanism been patented ? It is something knife makers could use. I bet a bunch of knives that are copies of your Micarta one would sell out fast.
Very interesting and 'neat'.
thank you for posting this knife & mechanism.
kj

[orvet]

Great post Jason, thanks for sharing!

[jxr1197]

Jason, this is an amazing post. Something Schrade that is new, never before seen. Wow.
And the Micarta handle knife is most attractive, elegant lines.
Has this mechanism been patented ? It is something knife makers could use. I bet a bunch of knives that are copies of your Micarta one would sell out fast.
Very interesting and 'neat'.
thank you for posting this knife & mechanism.
kj

Thanks Roland. I happen to know the lock mechanism was patented because when I was talking to him about the knife he said he was surprised that whoever bought the IP never did anything with the design. I might have one or two more 'new' Schrades in the works.

[1967redrider]

Very interesting and a cool design, thanks for posting!

[bladecollectorr]

Awesome! I had no idea what was going on with those SQ877 knives. Now I do. Thanks for posting your knife.

[JAMESC41001]

Good stuff Jason. Very cool that you have all three to show the progression.