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Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:21 pm
by Cowboy7130
While visiting my favorite local Case dealer and oogling his collections of knives, Case paraphernalia and locally-produced cedar furniture and hot sauces ( :shock: ), I saw a Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly, still in the box, opened, not sealed. Admittedly, I am not a fan of modern Schrade, made-in-China knives, and what first drew me to the display was the art-work on the box. Then I picked up the knife and was very pleasantly surprised by its heft, its snap, and its walk and talk. It has red pickbone handles and very nice coloring. I loved the matchstriker nail nicks, and the way it felt in my hand. So, I made him an offer, and he accepted. Thus, I broke my own rule about buying only USA-made knives, but by golly, this one seems to be a keeper! I guess I will learn to be a little more open-minded! (To make myself feel better, I also purchased a Case Bois-D'arc Texas Shield Trapper, made right here in the good ol' USA!)

Pics courtesy of ebay (since I can't find the charger for my camera!)

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:13 am
by philco
Cowboy,
Is that a Chinese made knife? Reading the box would certainly lead one to think otherwise. It does, after all, say "Hand Made In The USA Since 1904".
I know you said you used an ebay photo for this post. Is your box exactly like the one shown? If so, does your knife say "China" anywhere on it?

Phil

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:47 am
by popedandy
I have the same knife and it is very well done. I was pleasantly surprised.

Unfortunately I assumed that all of the Schrade Cigar Box knives would be the same quality and recently purchased a Cigar Box Whittler. It is significantly lower quality than the Sowbelly. The blades on the Whittler look like they were sharpened by a drunken blind man and the coping blade has quite a bit of side-to-side movement. It is too bad that the quality isn't better because I really like the way they handled the Whittler pattern.

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:17 am
by ea42
All of those tobacco leaf shielded knives are Taylor Brands knives. You have to look at the inside bottom of the cover to see "Under License for Taylor Brands LLC" or something to that effect for its true origin. Not sure if it's on the outside as well, but it should be. Imperial Schrade USA never made a whittler for the cigar box knives, nor did they ever make a pattern like the above knife. The concept behind the classics was to make classic bone handled knives in patterns that were made during the Walden days, an idea which was apparently completely lost to Taylor. Here's a link to a flyer with pics of the real deal:

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... 215%20.htm

Eric

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:29 am
by Cowboy7130
No, sir, I am afraid that is not the actual box. My box does NOT say "HAND MADE IN THE USA SINCE 1904." Rather, my box says "HAND MADE SINCE 1904." I should have noticed that when I 'borrowed' the e-bay picture, but I did not. :oops: ::shrug:: :oops: ::shrug:: ::doh::

My knife does have a tiny "CHINA" on the back of the pocket blade tang. It is not visible when the blade is completely open; only when the blade is at approximately the half-stop position can one read the country of origin. On the pen blade tang, there is a "LIMITED ISSUE 2007" stamp.

When did Schrade begin the Cigar Box knife series? I would love to have one of the USA-made knives. ::nod::

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:33 am
by Cowboy7130
Wow, Thanks, Eric! I am going to prowl around on that site! 8)

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:50 am
by ea42
Cowboy, it's an excellent site, authored by our very own lrv (that's an L, not an I!). The jigged bone knives in the link above were made in 2002, there was a green stag jigged bone set in 2003, and a blue rope jigged set that was supposed to come out in 2004 for the 100th anniv., but never made it to completion save for a few pieces in different states of assembly.

Eric

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:07 am
by tongueriver
About a month ago, a lady was selling a genuine American Made Schrade Classic Cigar Box knife on fleabay. The box was sealed, and she wouldn't open it fer love nor money, and didn't know which knife was inside. Seems her confidant told her that if she broke the seal it would reduce the value of the knife inside. No one could convince her otherwise. I don't know how it turned out, but I suspect she lost some money on that one. I wouldn't bid on a mystery package. I guess somebody did; I didn't follow it.

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:58 am
by philco
Tongueriver,

Round here they call that "buying a pig in a poke". :wink: (Poke was an old time term for a bag or sack)

Phil

Re: Schrade Cigar Box Classics Sowbelly

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 5:00 am
by Cowboy7130
Same thing was going on last week or so ... "sealed in box; seal not broken, pristine condition," whatever ... I tried to figure out what pattern was which based on the box and the serial number, pattern number, etc., but didn't have much luck ... anybody have the "list?" ::shrug:: ::shrug::