All About Pocket Knives

The first 858s that were sold do not have the + stamp next to Schrade denoting stainless steel. However, I have two of them and every one I've seen pics of show no signs of tarnish. What say ye, stainless or not for the first gen 885?

As far as I know they are stainless.It seems Schrade did not put the + stamp on some of the early stainless Old Timers.

Grant

I think that the 51OT "Big Timers" are the same way. Anybody test these two with a bluing touch up pen or other chemical reaction? I also would like some stronger evidence on both patterns.

Both the 51OT and the 858OT appear first in the 1978 catalog. Incidentally in that catalog I noticed that they use the term Schrade + steel in reference to the Uncle Henry line. That is the first time I have noticed that term used in the catalog, although that is not an exhaustive search, merely an offhand observation.

Both the 51OT and the 858OT were introduced in flyers printed in 1977 and in the flyers the blade steel in both knives were referred to as “finest high carbon tool steel.” From my experience the term “high carbon steel” is usually used in reference to a stainless steel. You wouldn’t use that term in reference to carbon steel because “high carbon, carbon steel” would be redundant and unnecessary.
Personally I have not seen either a 51OT or and 858OT in carbon steel.
That in itself is not conclusive proof that they don't exist, just that I have not seen one.

Hope I'm not hijacking this topic. The green/yellow Remington series knives made by Camillus (9501, 9502, etc) say on the box High Carbon. I always understood that to mean carbon steel, not stainless. Does anyone know what steel this series was made with?

Been reading up on steel types and possible choices Schrade made. From what I understand, if it's high carbon steel it's not stainless. Here are some links.

https://www.bladehq.com/cat--Steel-Types--332

viewtopic.php?t=20391
and a nice dissertation from Codger

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/sch ... ls.378164/