All About Pocket Knives

I've had a two of these previously but this one was very complete so I took a bunch of pics of the whole package. "Hand-milled" liners, sterling bolsters and shield, antique bone handles. Nice Oak-leaved "Old Timer" "25th Anniversary" etch on the blade. Attractive Redwood display box and fancy tinsel-threaded blue pouch.

With 5000 produced these 35 year-old knives are still not that hard to find. Their value remains pretty stable and they seem to be always in demand. My understanding is the Middleman 34OT pattern was Schrade's most prolific seller over the years and this particular 1984 version remains one of my personal all-time favorite Schrade knives. When the time is right, I recommend every Schrade collector should grab one of these. I can't see how anyone could be disappointed.

Every time I get sterling knives right beside nickel silver I always notice how much "whiter" the sterling shines. Warning! While it (understandably) gives some collectors a fit, I'm not shy with keeping my knives polished. They're mine aren't they? I gave this one the full spa treatment and this knife is ultra shiny now. With it's sharp cuts reflecting all over the place, the shield is particularly blinding. I think the pins are likely nickel silver but they shine really bright as well.

The small lined bolsters and the shield were tarnished so I gave them a gentle buff with a felt wheel and some Flitz. It did a good job of cleaning the tiny "STERLING" script. The liners/springs got the same treatment. When it was fully polished it received a 24 hour mineral oil soak to help out the handles. One slab did indeed expand a bit and the fit is noticeably tighter. Next it was thoroughly washed in soapy water to get all the gummy 1984 oil and the new mineral oil off of it. Lastly, I dried it with micro-fiber cloth, purged all the water out of it (and off of it) with plenty of WD40 and after letting it sit for a while I gave it a final wipe with some more clean micro-fiber.

Those silver 34s are truly beautiful collectibles and would be a great carry as well. I have seen several times that the 34 was their biggest seller, but I wonder.... They certainly are NOT the most common USA Schrades being peddled on Ebay. There are maybe two dozen patterns made by the jillions and continuing to be sold, but I THINK I see more 4 inch stockmans, and I KNOW I see more folding hunters. I believe that that the all-time largest Schrade seller on the secondary market is the big lockback, the LB-7. Maybe it is because nobody wants to turn loose of their 34s, and the bigger knives just want to be gone and pick up a little cash. Quien Sabe?

That is a sure 'nuff beauty!

Sterling silver shield? WOW!

YOU GOT ME LOOKING - THAT'S A NICE KNIFE

Thanks for the kind responses.

Gorgeous knife!

I have two in my collection plus one that just has the silver bolster ( no etch or shield )
When you look at the knives you will see why I have two.

Grant

Quite a bit of variation when it comes to the tint of the bone handles on these. They all look great! Thanks for posting.

Well I paid to much - but I'm not looking to resell -

"When it was fully polished it received a 24 hour mineral oil soak to help out the handles. One slab did indeed expand a bit and the fit is noticeably tighter. Next it was thoroughly washed in soapy water to get all the gummy 1984 oil and the new mineral oil off of it. Lastly, I dried it with micro-fiber cloth, purged all the water out of it (and off of it) with plenty of WD40 and after letting it sit for a while I gave it a final wipe with some more clean micro-fiber."

bladecollectorr - thanks

I tried the mineral oil soaking on a few old Schrades where the handles were dull and faded etc - it seems to help restore them - thanks for the tip

tnorton wrote: ↑Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:59 pm "When it was fully polished it received a 24 hour mineral oil soak to help out the handles. One slab did indeed expand a bit and the fit is noticeably tighter. Next it was thoroughly washed in soapy water to get all the gummy 1984 oil and the new mineral oil off of it. Lastly, I dried it with micro-fiber cloth, purged all the water out of it (and off of it) with plenty of WD40 and after letting it sit for a while I gave it a final wipe with some more clean micro-fiber."

bladecollectorr - thanks

I tried the mineral oil soaking on a few old Schrades where the handles were dull and faded etc - it seems to help restore them - thanks for the tip

You're welcome. It certainly wasn't my idea originally and I too have to thank other forum posters for getting me to try it.

For restoring genuine MOP I took a tip from Bob Vila. Some other sources said the same. Now after I polish out any fine scratches in MOP handles I flood the knife with WD40 and wipe off excess with microfiber cloth. It does seem to help restore the iridescence. So for me dried-out bone, stag and wood get mineral oil and MOP gets WD40.

I like the results but I'm no expert in restoration. Your mileage may vary.

thanks again

Just to throw my hat in the ring with these fine looking 25th anniversary 34OTs...
Here is one I just fished out of the bay.
It is unfinished.... the covers are a lot bigger than the liners and have not been shaped at all..... just plain flat.... only pinned in place.
It doesn't have the coined liners....
It doesn't have a serial number.....
It doesn't have the blade etch even though it hasn't been sharpened from what I can tell.
On the main blade, it does have the Schrade Walden stamp on the mark side and the 34OT SS stamp on the opposite side.
The "fancy bolsters" do have the "sterling" stamp so I guess they are silver.
ANYWAY.... here is a few pics......
I do intend to finish it.....
I just can't stand those unfinished covers.

Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:21 pm...Here is one I just fished out of the bay.
It is unfinished.... the covers are a lot bigger than the liners and have not been shaped at all..... just plain flat.... only pinned in place.
It doesn't have the coined liners....
It doesn't have a serial number.....
It doesn't have the blade etch even though it hasn't been sharpened from what I can tell.
On the main blade, it does have the Schrade Walden stamp on the mark side and the 34OT SS stamp on the opposite side.
The "fancy bolsters" do have the "sterling" stamp so I guess they are silver.

I do intend to finish it.....
I just can't stand those unfinished covers.

That's a cool little knife. Those unfinished ones pop up occasionally and if I'm remembering right they're always at the same exact point of completion as yours. That knife is a snapshot of a build in process. If it was me I'd leave it exactly like that - telling its own story of a pile of unfinished 25th 34OTs that were left in a box somewhere until the bankruptcy sale sent them off into the world. The 25th knives are not rare at all - probably because nobody in their right mind would buy that knife for EDC, and they're way cheaper than they were 10 years ago. I would preserve it and buy a finished one to display it with. Just my .02 - whatever route you go I'm sure that knife will keep you smiling for a long time. Hands down the fanciest 34 I can think of.

jxr1197 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:24 pm
If it was me I'd leave it exactly like that - telling its own story of a pile of unfinished 25th 34OTs that were left in a box somewhere until the bankruptcy sale sent them off into the world.

Yep, there is a lot to be said for keeping it "as is"....
I'll have to think about it a bit.

I WOULD KEEP AS IS NICE FIND