All About Pocket Knives

I was just looking at some of the trappers produced by Schrade in the 1946 to 1973 time based on the tang stamps. I see there is about 3 different shields (all the same shape) on the trappers. Some are plain, some have "Schrade" and some "Schrade Walden" on them. I am looking at one with the "Schrade Walden" stamp on it. Is there a way to narrow the production time based on the shields?

Here is the "Schrade Walden" shield (borrowed from the net).......
Mike

Mike - I have wondered the same thing. Here is a bit of data. I have read that Delrin did not appear as a Schrade handle material until the early 1960s. I have three Delrin handles Schrades with the three shields that you mention. So, while there may be a time frame when each was used, they were all used after 1960.

By the way, I am pretty sure the knife in your photo also has Delrin handles.

Yep, those are the shields Mel....
Thanks for the insight. SO.... No delrin from Schrade before the early 1960's..... 10-4.


Mike

However, that does not mean that they were NOT used before 1960 (pre-Delrin) as well.

But... I just now looked at pics on my computer of every Schrade Walden bone (pre-1960s) knife with a shield that I own, and not one of them had writing on the shield. Never say never, however.

tongueriver wrote:However, that does not mean that they were NOT used before 1960 (pre-Delrin) as well.

But... I just now looked at pics on my computer of every Schrade Walden bone (pre-1960s) knife with a shield that I own, and not one of them had writing on the shield. Never say never, however.

Good point, Cal. I was trying to say that since all of three shields had been used after 1960, none of them were evidence that a knife was older than that.

I have a few Schrades made before the Delrin era and none of mine have anything on the shield, either. It would be nice to see some info about when Schrade used the two shields with the name on them. Somehow, I doubt whether that info exists anywhere. Maybe looking some old catalogs would shed some light ...

Dinadan wrote:I have a few Schrades made before the Delrin era and none of mine have anything on the shield, either. It would be nice to see some info about when Schrade used the two shields with the name on them. Somehow, I doubt whether that info exists anywhere. Maybe looking some old catalogs would shed some light ...

The catalogs used the same images for some patterns from the cut catalogs all the way up to 1971, so the real appearance of some knives compared to their appearance in the catalog should be taken with a grain of salt.

All good points guys....
I am trying to familiarize myself with the approximate time periods of Schrade knives. To me, the Delrin scales speaks to the time periods of manufacture more than anything else. Thanks for pointing that out!!
Thanks everyone for the education!!

Mike

Mike - here is a link to a thread with some information about Schrade tang stamps and dates. You may have already seen this, but if you have not there are some good posts there.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=45997&p=469750&hili ... 04#p469750

Thanks for that link Mel...

Meridian_Mike wrote:All good points guys....
I am trying to familiarize myself with the approximate time periods of Schrade knives. To me, the Delrin scales speaks to the time periods of manufacture more than anything else. Thanks for pointing that out!!
Thanks everyone for the education!!

Mike

Yes, delrin and swinden was a HUGE change to schrade. Enough that I look at those knives in a different manner and reason for collecting than the good old schrades.

KnifeSlinger#81 wrote: Yes, delrin and swinden was a HUGE change to schrade. Enough that I look at those knives in a different manner and reason for collecting than the good old schrades.

Remember that the lockbacks (even the little ones) and the folding hunters never did go to Swinden. Are there others?

tongueriver wrote:

KnifeSlinger#81 wrote: Yes, delrin and swinden was a HUGE change to schrade. Enough that I look at those knives in a different manner and reason for collecting than the good old schrades.

Remember that the lockbacks (even the little ones) and the folding hunters never did go to Swinden. Are there others?

The 804 retained pins, even after they resurrected it for the 80's heritage series. Even without swinden the other pinned models that went through the transition got much thicker in the handle, which is the biggest single difference to me. I've noticed some models like the 2 3/4" serpentine stockman/pen etc pattern gained some extra length in addition to the girth (it does make them easier to hold on to for heavier work). I still have not got around to checking if other patterns also gained more length.