All About Pocket Knives

I received this 1942 Schrade Girl Scout knife today. Fantastic condition. Tang stamp worn. My question is this, and it applies ONLY to Schrade, 1942, wire jack scout knives. Did Schrade put nail nicks on ANY of the blades for this pattern of scout knife? I have yet to see one.

I can't say I've really ever seen that many with nail nicks. I see a spear point blade Jack, a clip point fishing knife (might be the same blade as the "Hunting and Fishing Knife") and what is basically a Toothpick in wire jack frames with nail nicks. But, the hawkbills and the Jacks with the bottle openers (mess kit knives as I call them) don't.

I can't remember seeing nail nicks on any blades in that particular frame but it's an easy opener pattern so it would be redundant, wouldn't it?

As low cost and simple as these wire jacks were meant to be adding a nail pull would seem counterproductive. Can't say I remember ever seeing a spear pointed version like the OP with a nail pull. I have seen a good number with tang stamps that were poorly struck.

jxr1197 wrote:I can't remember seeing nail nicks on any blades in that particular frame but it's an easy opener pattern so it would be redundant, wouldn't it?

It is not that easy to open this "easy opener" pattern. If you have ANY kind of moisture or substance on the fingers that you would use to pull up the blade, you can't get a good grip and your fingers slip off. It also has a good 1/2 stop and a wicked snap. I don't know what the average age of the Girl Scout who would use a pocket knife would be, but she would have to have strong (and dry) fingers. Which could explain why the Girl Scout knives that I've seen, are in such good condition. They couldn't be easily opened. I bet opening these types of knives was no picnic for Cub, or even Boy Scouts either. I could see a nail nick as a definite help on this pattern and other similar pattern knives with similar style blades.

New_Windsor_NY wrote:It is not that easy to open this "easy opener" pattern. If you have ANY kind of moisture or substance on the fingers that you would use to pull up the blade, you can't get a good grip and your fingers slip off. It also has a good 1/2 stop and a wicked snap. I don't know what the average age of the Girl Scout who would use a pocket knife would be, but she would have to have strong (and dry) fingers. Which could explain why the Girl Scout knives that I've seen, are in such good condition. They couldn't be easily opened. I bet opening these types of knives was no picnic for Cub, or even Boy Scouts either. I could see a nail nick as a definite help on this pattern and other similar pattern knives with similar style blades.

Your experience with the pattern is different than mine. I only have a couple of these wire jacks and haven't seen that kind of difficulty. Maybe mine have had enough use to 'break them in?' Maybe your knife is an outlier? Maybe it needs a drop of oil? Who knows. Geo Schrade was making these for 20+ years so it seems like it was a popular pattern but if they're known for being tough for kids to open then you can be sure there are collectors on here that'll be aware of the issue. You'll probably get better answers on this thread.

I'm sure you already know that this isn't a traditional pocket knife but was part of Girl Scout #15-283 Chow Set that came in a green leather case with the Girl Scout stamp and was made between 1932 and 1953. Here's one (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Schrad ... 7675.l2557) with the original box that recently sold on eBay for $34.

Nice knife, never saw one with a nail nick.

George Schrade Bridgeport as opposed to Schrade Cut Co in Walden. 1942 is a patent date, not an actual date the knife was made. Many easy open knives have no nail nick, that is the reason they are called easy openers. One doesn't need strong fingernails to open one.