Craftsman Knives

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Thanks everyone for the comments on my red stockman. That one is a keeper for life, one of my favorite knives.


Here's a couple more craftsman etched schrades. Interestingly this 861 has the same 9514 etch as the 881's do even though they are very different stockman patterns.

[Dinadan]

There are some very nice knives posted here. I remember that when I found out that Craftsman did not make any of the tools and stuff that were sold under that brand, it was a bit disillusioning. On the other hand, it seems that Schrade made knives to sell under the Craftsman brand that were absolutely as good as the knives sold under their own brand. Here is one of my favorites.

[jxr1197]

Tie tack

[tnorton]

TO ALL THESE GREAT KNIVES - ENJOYED THE PICS

[Meridian_Mike]

The good old Craftsman 9494 (AKA Schrade 863) .....

Mike

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Nice knives Mike.

Dinadan, I really like that whittler. I have not seen one exactly like that.

Here's a little stainless craftsman, same knife as the schrade 855RB.

[Meridian_Mike]

Oooooo yes! That is a sweetheart Paul...

"Razor blade" sure 'nuff sends a message of SHARPness!!!

[jerryd6818]

Congrats Mike. It looks like a clean one.

[doglegg]

[kootenay joe]

The older Craftsman knives particularly their top line "Sta-Sharp" knives were nearly all made by Camillus. Schrade-Walden and then Schrade, along with Ulster made some of the Craftsman knives beginning in 1960`s , although i am guessing about this approximate date. During this more recent time Camilus still made the majority of the Craftsman knives.
The Sears contract was the largest and the longest lasting contract that Camillus had. Began either late 1920`s or early 1930`s.
kj

[jxr1197]

The older Craftsman knives particularly their top line "Sta-Sharp" knives were nearly all made by Camillus. Schrade-Walden and then Schrade, along with Ulster made some of the Craftsman knives beginning in 1960`s , although i am guessing about this approximate date. During this more recent time Camilus still made the majority of the Craftsman knives.
The Sears contract was the largest and the longest lasting contract that Camillus had. Began either late 1920`s or early 1930`s.
kj

Camillus continued making knives for Sears for quite a while after Baer left the company and bought Ulster but Tom Dunlap (Sears purchasing agent) was loyal to Baer and started ordering knives from Ulster in 1941. Kastor's erratic behavior eventually pushed Sears away - Albert Baer was the reason Camillus and Sears worked together as long as they did.

This brings up a cute story about Baer, Ulster and Sears from the early days of WWII. Right after Pearl Harbor Baer started to get involved with the government as a civilian to help the war effort. Of course he was trying to get those juicy government contracts for his new company. In early '42 he read a ruling that manufacture of pocket knives had been deemed non-essential and would be banned so brass and steel would only be available for government needs. Baer successfully argued that pocket knives were essential for farmers, mechanics, etc. - and since he was the one who brought this situation to light he was also tasked with writing up the specs for which knives were 'essential' to the civilian marketplace. He called John Divine, who stayed in place as President of Ulster after Baer bought it, and asked him for a list of "essential" patterns with exact details - blade lengths, width, etc. Divine gave the list to Baer who in turn gave it to the government and these 'essential' knives were exempted from the ban and Ulster was able to continue making them. Baer later called Divine and asked how he determined the specs to which Divine replied, I was reading you the latest Sears order. And that's how the US government determined which knives could be made for the civilian market during war times.

I'm gonna cheat a little here and add a pic of a Camillus Sta Sharp from my collection. Blame Roland - he brought it up.

[bladecollectorr]

"Craftsman Professional" 45509. Sears version of ST2 "Tough Chip".

[tongueriver]

The older Craftsman knives particularly their top line "Sta-Sharp" knives were nearly all made by Camillus. Schrade-Walden and then Schrade, along with Ulster made some of the Craftsman knives beginning in 1960`s , although i am guessing about this approximate date. During this more recent time Camilus still made the majority of the Craftsman knives.
The Sears contract was the largest and the longest lasting contract that Camillus had. Began either late 1920`s or early 1930`s.
kj

Camillus continued making knives for Sears for quite a while after Baer left the company and bought Ulster but Tom Dunlap (Sears purchasing agent) was loyal to Baer and started ordering knives from Ulster in 1941. Kastor's erratic behavior eventually pushed Sears away - Albert Baer was the reason Camillus and Sears worked together as long as they did.

This brings up a cute story about Baer, Ulster and Sears from the early days of WWII. Right after Pearl Harbor Baer started to get involved with the government as a civilian to help the war effort. Of course he was trying to get those juicy government contracts for his new company. In early '42 he read a ruling that manufacture of pocket knives had been deemed non-essential and would be banned so brass and steel would only be available for government needs. Baer successfully argued that pocket knives were essential for farmers, mechanics, etc. - and since he was the one who brought this situation to light he was also tasked with writing up the specs for which knives were 'essential' to the civilian marketplace. He called John Divine, who stayed in place as President of Ulster after Baer bought it, and asked him for a list of "essential" patterns with exact details - blade lengths, width, etc. Divine gave the list to Baer who in turn gave it to the government and these 'essential' knives were exempted from the ban and Ulster was able to continue making them. Baer later called Divine and asked how he determined the specs to which Divine replied, I was reading you the latest Sears order. And that's how the US government determined which knives could be made for the civilian market during war times.

I'm gonna cheat a little here and add a pic of a Camillus Sta Sharp from my collection. Blame Roland - he brought it up.
stasharp.jpg

Oh.... someone opened a can of worms...

[Meridian_Mike]

Oh.... someone opened a can of worms...

OOPS..... LOL

[jxr1197]

Oh.... someone opened a can of worms...

What'd I do? Was it posting the Camillus pic or talking about the Sears connection that got the worms all riled? I wasn't trying to be controversial.

[kootenay joe]

I don't get the can of worms either. Everything posted here so far pertains to Craftsman knives. Should be noted that is was 'research' by Michael Little who uncovered much about the connection between Albert Baer and the Sears knives.
kj

[KnifeSlinger#81]

I'm not speaking for Calvin but I took the can of worms as either he has a lot of sta-sharp knives to post or that it's a different subject of craftsmans (since we're in the schrade forum). Again, that's just my interpretation.

[tongueriver]

I'm not speaking for Calvin but I took the can of worms as either he has a lot of sta-sharp knives to post or that it's a different subject of craftsmans (since we're in the schrade forum). Again, that's just my interpretation.

Bingo on both counts, but I am not fussing. Camillus was joined at the hip with Schrade anyway. Yeah, I have a few.

[kootenay joe]

Oh. i did not realize that we are in Schrade forum.
kj

[jxr1197]

Yeah, I have a few.

SHOW 'EM!

Paul - thanks for adding some clarity, sometimes I'm really dense

[jerryd6818]

sometimes I'm really dense

Oh, like you've got a corner on the market for that.
Maybe we should start a club. LOLOLOL

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Paul - thanks for adding some clarity, sometimes I'm really dense

Well I think we have enough certain sharp things laying around to cut right through that density.


Hows that for a cheesy knife joke?

[jxr1197]

Oh, like you've got a corner on the market for that.
Maybe we should start a club. LOLOLOL

Yeah, but how would any of us remember the secret handshake

Well I think we have enough certain sharp things laying around to cut right through that density.

Sometimes it takes a chainsaw - the density thickens as the years tick by.


Here's a nice little 9534 - hollow ground blades just love the camera.

[tongueriver]

Here is a page from the 1941 catalog and the knife that goes with it. Michael Little and I believe that it is an Ulster rather than a Camillus.

[tongueriver]

Here's a nice little 9534 - hollow ground blades just love the camera.
9534.jpg

I love those bird and trouts. Nice knife and nice pic.