All About Pocket Knives

At our show in Connecticut last weekend, I picked up two older Schrade displays with knives.

This one is an Old Timer display from the Schrade Walden era. All knives have the Schrade Walden stamp.

Based on the 165OT on the display panel, I have dated it to the period of 1967 to 1973.

Steve, can you get a serial number off the 165 OT? Very nice collectible display!

tongueriver wrote:Steve, can you get a serial number off the 165 OT? Very nice collectible display!

Where would the serial number be marked? The knives are wired on and I have not taken them off.

The front of the blade has a simple making: SCHRADE over WALDEN over 165OT. No "New York" or "USA".

The early 165s had a serial number on the 'left' tang. a VERY VERY FEW transitional knives had a serial number on the 'right' tang. Then there were no more serial numbers. Here is one that I purchased after years of negotiations with Michael Little, a rather rare one, first day of manufacture, probably let out to a salesman, #00009.

tongueriver wrote:The early 165s had a serial number on the 'left' tang. a VERY VERY FEW transitional knives had a serial number on the 'right' tang. Then there were no more serial numbers.

Thanks - when you say "left" and "right" are those both the front? Or would I have to look at the back tang?

Also the Schrade-Walden 15OT might have "Pat. Pending" and a serial # on the back side tang. If so you can then get a fairly accurate date from work Michael Little did and posted on BF about 12 or more years ago.
Very nice display. In great condition for having carbon steel knives about 50 years old.
kj

When I say 'left' I mean when I point the knife away from me and ready to cut something, preferably bacon. The above post shows a serial number on what I would call the 'left' side of the knife.

Sometimes those displays have knives with different manufacturing dates. Sometimes legitimate (in your case I would think so) and sometimes not. The sheath for your 15OT is fairly early with the lacing. The basketweave sheaths were also early. When you see a sheath with a diagonal keeper strap for a 165OT you have an early 165OT. They very quickly went to a transverse or horizontal keeper strap.

tongueriver wrote:Sometimes those displays have knives with different manufacturing dates. Sometimes legitimate (in your case I would think so) and sometimes not. The sheath for your 15OT is fairly early with the lacing. The basketweave sheaths were also early. When you see a sheath with a diagonal keeper strap for a 165OT you have an early 165OT. They very quickly went to a transverse or horizontal keeper strap.

Thanks! appreciate all of the info.

kootenay joe wrote:Also the Schrade-Walden 15OT might have "Pat. Pending" and a serial # on the back side tang. If so you can then get a fairly accurate date from work Michael Little did and posted on BF about 12 or more years ago.
Very nice display. In great condition for having carbon steel knives about 50 years old.
kj

Thanks, good to know. I'll investigate it.

WOW ! Calvin you likely have The Most collectible 165 in existence. Unless Eric has an even lower number 165.
Also check the inside liners on the folding knives. Some have serial numbers but i don't know if that was just for certain patterns like the 897UH.
kj

Roland Cal's got me beat by a mile on that one!

Awesome display Steve, you see very few of those around.

Eric

Nice display Steve, I like it.


Cal that is an impressive 165.