hallmark question

Schrade Cutlery Company was founded in 1904 by George Schrade, and his brothers Jacob and William Schrade. In 1946 Imperial Knife Associated Companies, (IKAC; an association of Ulster Knife Co and Imperial Knife Co) purchased controlling interest in Schrade Cut Co and changed the name to Schrade Walden Cutlery. In 1973 the name was changed to Schrade Cutlery. In 2004 Schrade closed due to bankruptcy.

This forum is dedicated to the knives that are the legacy of this company. This forum is not the place to discuss the replica knives currently being imported using the Schrade name.
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tongueriver
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hallmark question

Post by tongueriver »

This 165UH for Ducks Unlimited has a 'hallmark' which I believe indicates a date, but I don't know the code. SC in one panel, probably for Schrade, then a little hammer in the next panel, and then an "N" in the third panel, which I think is for the date. Any help?
du4.jpg
ea42
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Re: hallmark question

Post by ea42 »

Cal I believe that's 1998. I know the P was 2000 with the subsequent years corresponding to the next letters in the alphabet. Had they been around long enough to run out of letters, they would have started back with A using a different font.

Eric
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tongueriver
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Re: hallmark question

Post by tongueriver »

Thank you, Eric!!! I just added one to my 165 collection; I did not know I had not reached the end. :D
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LRV
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Re: hallmark question

Post by LRV »

An old posting of Michael's

SCHRADE HALLMARK

Since ancient times, Hallmarks have been used to denote pride and craftsmanship in manufacture of precious items such as tableware, dishes, kitchen utensils and fine pocket cutlery.

Hallmarks usually took the form of separate, distinct stampings on the handcrafted item and denoted the following:
1) Who actually made the item.
2) Where the item was made.
3) The year the item was made.

The first stamping is for Schrade Cutlery.

The second stamping represents our corporate logo, thereby signifying that the item was made at Schrade in Ellenville, New York.

The third stamping, the letter D, denotes the year 1988. Subsequent years will show succeeding letters in the alphabet in the same style as the letter D. On the 27th year, the Hallmark will again show the letter A, but in a different typestyle. It is common practice to use alphabetical letters to denote year of manufacture and simply to change the typestyle when all the letters of one style are used up.

Schrade Cutlery, the world's foremost maker of fine pocket cutlery, is proud to introduce these fine knives with our Hallmark stamped on the bolster. Since they are produced in limited quantity, they will become more valuable with the passing of time, while retaining their utility.

We are grateful for your confidence in our products and look forward to serving you in the future for all of your cutlery needs.

Therefore:
1985 = A
1986 = B (498DU, 3,500 ordered)
1987 = C (498DU, 3,500 ordered)
1988 = D (162DU, 2,500 ordered, reordered 1,060 U.S., 500 CA.))
1989 = E (165DU, 5,000 ordered)
1990 = F (498DU, 1989 hallmark 600 ordered,
1991 = G (172DU, 750 ordered, 13DU, 3,000 ordered, )
1992 = H (PH2DU, 3,000 ordered, 14DU CA., 650 ordered)
1993 = I
1994 = J
1995 = K
1996 = L
1997 = M
1998 = N
1999 = O
2000 = P
2001 = Q
2002 = R
2003 = S
2004 = T

As far as I can tell at the moment, Ducks Unlimited was the only SFO customer to request an annual Hallmark knife, and often a fixed blade not in current production. A different hallmark type was used on the 'Benchmade '49er Series' of the 1970's.

In spite of the Hallmark sheet's inferring that there were three separate stamps making up the hallmarks, there were three features on a single stamp as seen by this Hallmark stamp blueprint

full article
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... LLMARK.pdf
“A knife in a man’s hand is as precious as a diamond necklace on a woman’s neck” - Michael Mirando I.S.C.
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