All About Pocket Knives

I've just been so darn impressed with the little 895 that I'd like to add some more to he stable. I've read Orvet's work (outstanding job) but I'd like some input from you all if you don't mind. Here's what I'd like to get hold of.....

Stockman pattern, Schrade Walden or older, derlin is fine but peach seed bone would be just dandy, carbon of course in the 4 inch neighborhood. With those parameters, are they any standouts? Similar patterns that you just really like?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Colonel,

I'd recommend my Dad's favorite knife, a Schrade Walden, NY USA 8OT stockman. Supposedly the older knives were bone handled as opposed to Delrin, so look for an old one in decent shape. They are real workhorses.

Schrade make a lot of good knives its a never ending story on variations of the same pattern.I started to collect Old Timers than Schrade and Uncle Henry.Here a link to Ebay for a set of Schrade Walden Knives.I have a set of these knives.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schrade-Walden- ... 3ccee7ea78
Grant

Colonel26 wrote: Here's what I'd like to get hold of.....

Stockman pattern, Schrade Walden or older, derlin is fine but peach seed bone would be just dandy, carbon of course in the 4 inch neighborhood. With those parameters, are they any standouts? Similar patterns that you just really like?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Here is your education: http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/
You can spend as many years as you like there. That said, the following may be helpful. Any knives with bone handles (that means before 1960 if you are speaking of the older Schrade knives) will be very expensive if they are in great condition. In about 1960 everything went to Delrin (yes, that is how it is spelled, please) for many years. In the more recent years, Schrade increasingly released knives again with some bone handles, all of these being more limited editions and SFOs (special factory orders). Nearly all of these will have stainless blades. There are four 4 inch stockman knives you might be interested in. The 881 open stock, the 8OT, the 861 open stock, and the 61OT. The first two are the standard stockman models, and you will see yellow ones occasionally. The second two are the same length but are more slender in frame and blade. Once you become familiar with these you can look at some of the more recent issues, but you do have an education in front of you, because there are stockman knives with Schrade markings made after the 2004 Schrade bankruptcy by Camillus, Utica and Bear & Son, and also the Chinese ones. If you have a question about a particular knife for sale, don't be afraid to pm someone here or even post the auction if you are not afraid of someone beating you out of it. Good luck with your search. I doubt that you will stop learning about (and maybe buying) Schrades after you acquire only one or two more!

Shearer wrote:Schrade make a lot of good knives its a never ending story on variations of the same pattern.I started to collect Old Timers than Schrade and Uncle Henry.Here a link to Ebay for a set of Schrade Walden Knives.I have a set of these knives.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schrade-Walden- ... 3ccee7ea78
Grant

These knives were a contract by Schrade for James Parker. Schrade was no longer called Schrade Walden by this time. However, Schrade was (busy?) at the time, so they sent the work to Imperial. Although post-2004 tang stamps are out of control and blatantly and perhaps maliciously obfuscative, back in those days the tang stampings were not ALWAYS necessarily what you would think they indicate, either.

Thanks guys for all the info. I've got some homework to do now!

My favorite 4” Schrade stockman is the 61OI or the Open Stock version that preceded it, the 861. Here are four 4” Schrade stockman knives.
The top is an 861 Open Stock Schrade Walden.
The second one is a Schrade 61OT.
The third is a Schrade Walden 8OT.
The bottom is Schrade Walden 881.

The 61OT & 861 have rounded bolsters and the frame is not quite as high as the 8OT & 881.
They are about the same width. The 61OT & 861 have the slimmer Turkish blades.

Here is a catalog page from 1962 that shows most of the 4” Schrade Walden stockman patterns made with the exception of the 861. Six of the nine knives on that page are 4” long. This page shows the 861. These pages give a nice window in time to the ad material for all seven of Schrade Walden’s 4” stockman patterns made at that point in time.

I did find another 4” stockman listed in the catalogs; the #761slim premium stock knife, circa 1950 to 1955 or 56 with bone stag handles, Turkish clip blade, nickel silver liners, shield & bolsters. Apparently it was an 861 without any brass, which would mean it was more expensive and that may have been the reason for its short lifespan. I could find it listed, but I did not find a picture of it.


I hope this helps!

Dale, that's just the ticket! The 861, that's the one hat turns my crank right there! Thans for posting that. I going to the local gunshow this weekend. I'll keep an eye out!

Good luck finding one!

In the Old Timer series the 61OT was made from 1976 to 1990 as opposed to the 8OT (1961-2004), so the the 61OT is much harder to find. I think I have 2 or 3 861s, but I don't think any are bone.

Delrin is fine with me on a using knife. Even better if the scales are bad, I can have it modded!

A 60 OT from 1976, hmmmm. That might be a good one to look for too begging as that was the year I was hatched!

Thanks Orvet, for the break down. I've got me some targets to track down now!