All About Pocket Knives

This LB5 size Schrade knife has a Damascus blade and some letters and symbols on the right rear bolster. The handles are wood and thicker than the usual and shaped to fit the hand. It came with a 'special' flap sheath.
The bolster on back side is mottled with green that does not clean off with Simichrome polish.
I would like to know year it was made and if there is a 'story' behind it, like a commemorative or ??
And what is this green that will not polish off with paste cleaner ?
Thanks, kj

These knives were the first to have a Schrade Hallmark stamp. The year 1985 was year "A". They counted forward from there.

as per lrv elsewhere:

The Catalog/computer id for the LB5DM was 175.
In 1985 they produced 797, 1986 289, 1987 55, 1988 5

As time went forward it was mainly Ducks Unlimited that ordered up fixed blades with yearly hallmarks.

While I have yet to add the correct knife to my collection, I do own the Schrade 1991 Hallmark "G" stamp. It was used on the PH2DU with burgundy delrin handles.
(mirror-image)

I believe the 49rs series had a type of hallmark, and some of the Schrade Wostenholms.

Thank you. Mine has "A" so is a first year of hallmark use, 1985.
So this hallmark does not indicate Damascus but was used for a variety of knives primarily for marketing ?
Was the price for the 1985 Damascus LB5 considerably higher than for the regular LB5 ?
kj

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Tue Nov 10, 2020 1:01 am Thank you. Mine has "A" so is a first year of hallmark use, 1985.
So this hallmark does not indicate Damascus but was used for a variety of knives primarily for marketing ?
Was the price for the 1985 Damascus LB5 considerably higher than for the regular LB5 ?
kj

It was indeed all about marketing. I can't recall what the LB5DM originally sold for but it was way higher than a regular LB5.

tongueriver wrote: ↑Tue Nov 10, 2020 12:54 am I believe the 49rs series had a type of hallmark, and some of the Schrade Wostenholms.

You are absolutely correct. I should have specified that 1985 was the first year Schrade used this specific 3-field hallmark.


The "Bench Made" '49ers had a (two-field) "Bench Mark" hallmark on the butt of the handle.
https://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/49e ... /49ers.htm
Schrade I*XL (4-field) hallmarks obviously included the Sheffield connection and were different as well. As per codger eleswhere:

bolsters were stamped (hallmark fashion) S W (head device) 0. The zero would indicate 1980 production. The S W would indicate Schrade / Wostenholm.

The official 3-field Schrade Hallmark was, according to them, first used in 1985 on the LB5DM. "Used for the first time, our new symbol of pride and craftsmanship."

Great posting.
Thanks

LRV wrote: ↑Tue Nov 10, 2020 2:40 am Great posting.
Thanks

Glad to be of service!


I had a 498S handy so I took a close-up picture of the Bench Mark that's found on the 49ers.

Thank you bladecollectorr ! What an excellent post. Lots of information and presented with catalog & knife pictures. Posting does not get any better than the above bladecollector post.
kj

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Tue Nov 10, 2020 4:41 am Thank you bladecollectorr ! What an excellent post. Lots of information and presented with catalog & knife pictures. Posting does not get any better than the above bladecollector post.
kj

...and again, glad to be of service!

I knew I had seen the official Schrade I*XL explanation for the hallmark found on those knives, somewhere. It took a few minutes to remember where.

From the last page of the IXL 81-14 flyer:

I ran across more Schrade Damascus Steel Lockback info. The knife was featured in the 1986 Schrade Almanac. I've always liked those SAS14 and SAS15 tooled sheaths.

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... manacs.pdf

1986 Schrade Almanac, page 7:

Thank you bladecollectorr ! Flyer says only 2,000 of the Damascus LB5 were made and that handles are Mexican Rosewood.
I just sold this knife along with 5 other LB5 sized Schrades, all with sheath, for $110, shipped. I think the buyer got a good deal.
kj

The green crap is from being left in the flocked vac formed tray for too long. For some reason green is the worst offender when it comes to flock damage. All the 3rd Generation knives and missing Uncle Henrys were boxed up in those trays. The good news is it should come off but you might see some pitting. I've used a buffing wheel attachment on my dremel to take care of it.

Thanks Jason. This is the first i have seen of this 'flocked green' staining.
kj