MAKER:   Imperial

PATTERN:   #4323 Trapper (called dogleg jack on one Imperial catalog sheet)

LENGTH (Closed):   4”

BOLSTERS:   Nickel silver

SHIELD:   Powderhorn Frontier Shield

HANDLES: Sundown Yellow Delrin handle

BLADES:   California clip & spey blades

LINERS:   Brass

TANG STAMPS:   FRONTIER (over Powderhorn)

REAR TANG STAMP:   4323/IMPERIAL/U.S.A.

CONDITION:   Mint

DAMAGE:   None noted

BLADE WEAR:   None

SNAP:   Like New

MADE IN:   U.S.A.

ADDITIONAL INFO:      This 4 inch trapper pattern #4323, with the Sundown Yellow handles was only made in 1976. I purchased this knife in 2006 according to my records. The knife was inside a plastic bag in the box. That is the way I have stored it all of these years. The only possible negative I can see with this knife is there may be some dried factory lubricant in some parts of the knife.

The Frontier Series were designed very similarly to the Schrade Old Timers series and were direct competition to Schrade. Both Imperial and Schrade were part of IKAC, Imperial Knife Associated Companies, and they were essentially in competition with one another between the Schrade Old Timer series in the Imperial Frontier series. In 1984 Albert Baer purchased all of the outstanding IKAC stock and renamed the company Imperial Schrade Corporation, (ISC). If you study the Frontier series you will find that in 1985, the year after Albert Baer took over complete ownership of the company, he dropped all of the Frontier patterns that had survived the cuts in 1984. My theory is it was too much direct competition with Old Timer and Uncle Henry knives. A number of the patterns the Frontier series were sized so they competed directly with the Old Timer series. There were 10 different Frontier folding patterns and seven fixed blade patterns. Within the 10 folding patterns there were 43 variations of handle material and blade combinations within the 10 patterns of the Imperial Frontier Series. None of those patterns were listed beyond 1985. My theory is Albert Baer wanted to get rid of them so he could concentrate on making and selling his Old Timer and Uncle Henry series.

*By Purchasing, The Buyer Confirms It Is Legal For Them Purchase And Own This Knife.

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Item # 28041