All About Pocket Knives

My co worker brought in an older Uncle Henry 885 UH Schrade USA today and said his father found it on the side of the road around 1979. It has a serial number in the well of the knife. The number is P7153. My question is: when did Schrade do this and was it common practice. He wanted to kinda narrow the date range of the knife. He knows it was probably made before 1979 or there about. I dont have the knife in hand to provide a picture. Appreciate any info I could pass along to him. Thanks a bunch.

They used an alpha-numeric serialization system. After they had serialized 100,000 knives they started over with a letter "A" followed by another 100,000 knives, then "B" and another 100,000 knives, et al. They started in 1973 and went all the way to the letter "P" in your case. So maybe your knife had just been purchased and lost?

WW,

The 885UH was 1st produced in 1969 with a count of 268 shipped for the year.
It was 1st introduced in the 1970 Catalog.
The P range would have been reached in the serial production about 1977 by my counting.
At the the end of 1976 they were at 171,304 Shipped
and 229,102 was reached at the end of 1977

P(17)-7153 = 177,153

Hope that helps a little
Lrv
Estimated..

LRV wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 3:27 am WW,

The 885UH was 1st produced in 1969 with a count of 268 shipped for the year.
It was 1st introduced in the 1970 Catalog.
The P range would have been reached in the serial production about 1977 by my counting.
At the the end of 1976 they were at 171,304 Shipped
and 229,102 was reached at the end of 1977

P(17)-7153 = 177,153

Hope that helps a little
Lrv
Estimated..

Wow!! Thank you very much! I sure appreciate your knowledge and information! I will pass it along to my co worker!! Thanks again.

tongueriver wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 2:29 am They used an alpha-numeric serialization system. After they had serialized 100,000 knives they started over with a letter "A" followed by another 100,000 knives, then "B" and another 100,000 knives, et al. They started in 1973 and went all the way to the letter "P" in your case. So maybe your knife had just been purchased and lost?

Thank you Cal! Appreciate you very much!

From my research on the 885UH stockman I determined that Schrade started the serial numbers over whenever they made a tang stamp change. From Schrade Walden, to Schrade NY USA, to Schrade USA, to Schrade+ USA. So, we need to know the tang stamps of the knife in question to be able to properly date it. But if it was in fact found in 1979, then it has to have been made between 1973 and 1979. The type and length of the swedge on the clip main is another indicator of its' mfg. date.

black mamba wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 3:43 am From my research on the 885UH stockman I determined that Schrade started the serial numbers over whenever they made a tang stamp change. From Schrade Walden, to Schrade NY USA, to Schrade USA, to Schrade+ USA. So, we need to know the tang stamps of the knife in question to be able to properly date it. But if it was in fact found in 1979, then it has to have been made between 1973 and 1979. The type and length of the swedge on the clip main is another indicator of its' mfg. date.

I doubt that, Jeff. I don't think it possible to reach the "P" numbers just within one of the tang stamp ranges, although Schrade Walden might be a contender. Do you have any examples in support of that theory?

I may be wrong... BUT... I have to agree with Cal. I don't think they could get that high in letters and numbers if they started over with each new tang stamp.
The first Uncle Henrys were Schrade - Walden and these started with just numbers. Shortly after, the Schrade New York USA tang stamp came in after the Walden name was dropped. I really don't think they could start over if they were guaranteeing replacement by serial number alone.

I do have data to support my assertion. Here is a chart with known serial numbers and their accompanying knife characteristics. Note that Walden #90354 had to have been made before NY USA #45224. Then note that the Schrade+ knives started with a #7887 which had to have been made after the NY USA #J20331. The dates in red are known dates from when the knives were purchased. The knives with incomplete data were reported to me, but without pictures.

Good work!
Now I have learned a little more about the Schrade manufacturing practices!

Here is my Walden 885.....
SN 91176

Nice work, Jeff; thank you!

Thanks, fellas, and Mike, that must be one of the last of the Waldens, the highest serial number I've seen.

black mamba wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 3:55 am Thanks, fellas, and Mike, that must be one of the last of the Waldens, the highest serial number I've seen.

Good deal....
You can add it to your list if you like.

I just got this 285UH in my hands...


It once again shows the serial numbers started over with the tang stamp change.
This one has the 2nd tang stamp....
SCHRADE
NY USA
285UH

It shows a serial number on the inside of the liner that is... 02332
My Schrade-Walden 285UH has a SN of 34321.... which is an older knife with a HIGHER number.....LOL


ALSO.... one thing I found interesting is this.....
This knife has coined liners.....


I like these interesting discoveries..... Y'all might have already known this, but it is news to me....

The idiosyncrasies of each maker is fun to discover. Great knife.

Left over Walden coined liners on your 285, Mike. A very early non-Walden.

black mamba wrote: ↑Sat Mar 19, 2022 10:57 pm Left over Walden coined liners on your 285, Mike. A very early non-Walden.

COOL....
That for pointing that out Jeff!

I have a Uncle Henry 885 that has a serial # 08577. It appears old but doesnt have hardly any corrosion or "pocket rust", as my dad called it. But it doesn't look like it's ever been sharpened or used very much, if at all. Does that mean I have a 1973 knife? I'll list a pic as well

It depends on the tang stamp. What is the stamp on the clip main?

Schrade
NY USA
885 UH
With serial # 08577
If not made in '73 then about what year is my knife and what would it be worth?

Your tang stamp is the first one following the Schrade Walden stamp, and with the low serial number I would be confident that it is from 1973. Unfortunately, they made so many of them that even in like new condition it is probably only worth about $45. Add $5 if it has the original box.