Schrade + LB7 Question

[pak193]

I picked this up today and was wondering what the numbers on the top end means. The number is F73640. The man I got it from had another just like it but the number started with a P instead of an F. I've never had an LB7 so I'm not sure if this is common for these numbers to be there or not. Thanks in advance for any info.

[orvet]

It is the serial number. They started the numbers to register the knife. The Uncle Henry's were guaranteed against loss for one year.

Dale

[Paladin]

Dale,
While we are on the subject, when did Schrade go to the stamp SCHRADE + and is there significance to the stamp? Stainless? Carbon? or such?

Ray

[Darksev]

I'm not sure when it happened, but Schrade+ was the designation for stainless steel. However there are a number of knives out there without the + that are stainless as well, supposedly around the end times, they tried to switch over some of the old-timer models to stainless steel to cut down on costs. I've personally run across a 108OT small stockman that was not marked with a +, but had stainless blades.

[orvet]

Adam is partly right (no offense Adam) but there was a change over long before the end days of Schrade.
IIRC, in the 1980s Schrade tried a running change of some patterns, perhaps Adam's 108OT. They changed several patterns to stainless and sort of hoped that no one noticed.
They were inundated with with letters & phone calls from dealers & customers complaining, so they switched back to carbon steel. It is possible to find a standard Old Timer with no distinguishing marks that is made of Stainless steel.

But stainless steel had a great attraction for them, namely that it had become significantly less expensive than the traditional 1095 carbon steel they had used for years.
So they started marking knives that were stainless steel as Schrade +. What has been a negative was turned into a positive through a sound marketing strategy.

Any Schrade + blade will be stainless, but a blade that is not stamped Schrade + may be carbon steel or stainless steel.

I am not sure of the date when the Schrade + stamp was first used. I will do some research & see what I can find, however Larry Vickery (lrv) may know.

I hope this helps,
Dale

[Paladin]

Great information and great help guys. I was almost too embarassed to ask as I really love Schrades but I go mostly for the older ones, Schrade Cut Co and Schrade Walden.
This might be good info to add to the ARTICLES AND RESEARCH drop down at the top of the page.

Ray

[Darksev]

no offense taken the "secret" changeover was the event I was thinking of, I just didn't realize it happened so early on. There's so much unique and oddball history associated with Schrade, I think they will always be my favorite company

[orvet]

There is a saying among Schrade Aficionados: "Anything is possible with Schrade."
I think I first heard that from LT about 5 years ago.
This is what makes them so much fun to collect.

Dale