Some Schrade Craftsman knives

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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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

I forgot about these Craftsman #9494s.

I believe this bone handle 9494 is by Schrade.
Sears Craftsman (9494) Bone Handles - Open Mark.JPG
I have an Ulster stamped knife that's a twin to this Craftsman 9494
Sears Craftsman 9494 - Mark Open.JPG
Dave (dcgm4) sold a lot of Camillus 72 clones to me (thanks Dave) and this Craftsman 9494 was among them.
Sears Craftsman 9494 - Mark Open.JPG
I have this Craftsman 9494 listed as an Ulster. The jigging looks identical to an Ulster I have. I don't remember where I got it but most of my stuff comes off eBay.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by tongueriver »

Jerry, that jack is a Camillus. They made at least one other model with the same combo of shields on both sides and there may even be one in this thread, a small lockback, posted by robinetn.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

Auggh yes. Indian Stage handles. Thanks Cal. I appreciate you correcting that. I'm just not paying attention this morning (or most mornings).

Sorry if I've confused anyone. I deleted it from the post.
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"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by Colonel26 »

Can I play along?

Here are three Craftsman marked whittlers (Schrade 804) all 4 inches, Delrin, and the top two with a crown shield and the bottom one that I edc has a missing federal shield.

The Schrade 804 had a saber ground clip while the craftsman version has a flat ground clip. Otherwise they are the same knives.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

The Schrade 804 came with either full flat grind or saber grind. I think the saber grind are the older ones.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by Old Hunter »

Very nice Wade - between you and JerryD I think all the whittlers and carpenter's whittlers have been bought up! OH
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by Colonel26 »

Old Hunter wrote:Very nice Wade - between you and JerryD I think all the whittlers and carpenter's whittlers have been bought up! OH
Thanks OH. You know, I never really knew there was such a thing as a whittler or carpenter's whittler until I joined here. Lol.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by Mustanger »

I finally scored a Craftsman 9555 Camp/Utility knife. Also known as the "Schrade Walden Saw Knife". Only produced for one year, 1967. ::ds::
It's a Schrade Walden, probably manufactured by Ulster. I've read that 1000 or less were shipped to Sears.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

Now there's a major coup. That's really something.
Forged on the anvil of discipline.
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This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

The etch on this 5 blade Utility is quite worn but i can just make out: "Craftsman/Stainless Steel".
The tang is marked: "Sears/Craftsman/U.S.A. 95210"
I do not know the year or if made by Camillus, Ulster or Schrade (order of probability according to me)
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is a 4 blade Utility with what i think is pre-Delrin plastic handles. The etch is: "Craftsman 9469".
I think the 4 digit Sears pattern numbers are older than the 5 digit ones.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

One more. I think "J.C.Higgins" was a Sears branding for various sporting goods. Here is a J.C.Higgins 2 blade Folding Hunter that i think is the same as a Schrade-Walden 225H.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

Roland, I don't think this helps but it is nice to have on hand.
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Sears Craftsman Logos 1927 - 1973.jpg
Forged on the anvil of discipline.
The Few. The Proud.
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This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by Mustanger »

This is the only one like this that I've seen with a single blade and linerlock. Upside down tang stamp with no other markings. Identical to my Schrade Walden 225H except for the missing blade and linerlock.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Jerry, very neat 'logo chart'. i have not seen it before.
Mustanger, i have not seen a Craftsman single blade F.H. with jigged handles, except for this one you just posted. There are all kinds of 'odd ones' among the Craftsman knives. Knives you only ever see one of and they are not in any Sears catalog but were sold by Sears. I wonder what the explanation for this is ? Maybe assembling left over parts ?
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by Mustanger »

I keep this commemorative hat pin in the box with my '77, 50th Anniversary four inch stockman knife. Nice little addition to the commemorative knife.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by tongueriver »

Yep, 1967.
9561 1.JPG
saw001.jpg
saw006.jpg
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is a knife i would like some help with. It is a Schrade (likely Schrade-Walden) 15OT branded "Craftsman" "Old Timer Premium".
Note that Sears used "Old Timer" in marketing a few of the knives they sold. They were not necessarily referring to Schrade Old Timer line of knives.
Years ago i read a long report by Michael Little (Codger64) on the history of the 15OT pattern. He stated that it was first released as a Craftsman knife for Sears. Then some months later it was released with the Schrade-Walden Pat. Pending markings.
I could be getting it mixed up but i am fairly sure that this was about the 15OT and not the 165OT.
Does anyone here remember reading this thread in BF ?
I am wondering if this knife is one of the original Sears 15OT's.
Maybe 'Schrade Australia' knows ? as he has many First Issue knives.
or tongueriver, because he knows lots of Schrade stuff.
thanks, kj
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

To confuse things slightly Sears did a series of 6 knives called "American Eagle Collection" in mid-late 1960's. One of these knives was the 15OT that Sears called "Old Timer Premium". Sears gave their own marketing driven name for each of the 6 Schrade patterns which confused those who already knew the knife by it's Schrade name.
The American Eagle Collection knives all came in a heavy duty sheath made by a saddle maker in California i believe it was.
The American Eagle Collection 15OT has "Old Timer Premium" etch on the backside of the blade.
It is possible that the "American Eagle Collection" was the early release of the 15OT. Or, were the first Sears 15OT sold a few years before the American Eagle Collection ?
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by CheckSix »

kj,

I think I found Codger's essay on the 15OT you referred to above...

15OT Deerslayer/15UH ramble...

Well, the missive I posted on the 165 seemed to draw quite a few views and a bit of interest, so maybe there is the same sort of interest in the 15OT Deerslayer, Schrade's most massive Old Timer hunting knife. While one might use it in a tactical assault, or use it to fight off and enraged buck deer, please refrain from calling it a "Tactical", Assault", or "Fighting" knife as so many people do. I don't even call it a skinner, though you could try to use it for that (I have), the much smaller, more agile Sharpfinger is a better skinner.

Once again I will ask that anyone with further information or corrections please let me know. I hope Rich can tell me a bit about the UH version, where information is sorely lacking.

The Schrade Old Timer 15OT Deerslayer is one of my favorite classic Schrade patterns. The 15OT was first introduced in 1964 and produced continuously for thirtyfour years, a third of a century. It was produced for ten years as Schrade Walden (1964-73), then for twentyfour as Schrade (1974-97). Deerslayer has serpentine shaped brown sawcut delrin handles held to the full tang by three nickle silver flat head rivets, and a 1 1/8" nickle silver Old Timer shield. A promenant choil on the tang in front of the handle acts as a lower guard and protects the fingers from the sharpened blade. A grooved, raised thumb rest on the top of the tang aids in blade control for finer work. The 6" full tang blade is flat ground 1095 carbon steel. A really stiff blade, the bladestock is nearly 3/16" thick. The tip is upswept.

As with other early Old Timers, there are some small distinctions between the Walden knives and the later ones from Ellenville. These are relatively minor engineering changes, but help to distinguish the chronology of production.

Earliest production was marked with a "PAT. PEND." blade etch briefly, then added to the lefthand tangstamp. Perhaps this led to some complications with production and stocking the 15OT's. The early Walden 15OT's were serialialized on the left tang perpendicular to the blade beginning sometime before the patent issued in April of '64. The first tang stamps were applied to both sides of the tang perpendicular to the blade, with SCHRADE-WALDEN over NY USA on the right, and 15OT PAT. over PEND. on the left. Sometime before 1974, the entire tang stamp was moved to blade right. Later Ellenville blades have the tang stamp on blade right, but parallel to the thumb rest and angled to the blade reading SCHRADE over USA 15OT. Occasionally a blade will be seen with the stamp in front of the thumb rest parallel with the blade, but this is far less common.

Limited editions, private issues, and the "UH variant" usually have a tang stamp of SCHRADE+ over USA LTD., and often used a 440C stainless blade. These editions sometimes sported the upgrade Staglon handles and brass flat rivets, special etches, and on the later issues, laser cutouts in the blade just in front of the tang. One edition has been seen with a fancy filed blade spine. The thumb rest grooves were deleted on this edition as well. One very early private issue bearing the Patent Pending stamp had a Ted Williams signature etch showing that it was produced early in '64 for Sears Roebuck & Co. It had no other special features beside the leather laced basket weave tooled sheath and insert. Several subsequent Sears issues have been found with CRAFTSMAN USA tang stamps both left and right.

Another special issue is the 15OTO knife with hunter orange handle and LIMITED EDITION shield. It may have been comissioned by Smokey Mountain Knife Works in 1991 for inclusion in their "father and son" hunting sets with the 165OTO DEERHUNTER, 152OTO LIMITED EDITION, and 158OTO with an Old Timer shield.

Several sheath designs have been found so far and, as usual, not really enough of a sampling to establish an accurate chronology. One used in 1964-65 was a basketweave tooled tubular sheath with long belt hanger, and laced with leather laces. This was the fanciest sheath, but it had a problem. The long sweeping knife blade tended to cut the leather laces. Factory engineers solved this temporarily by adding an aluminum rimmed fiber sheath insert. This was too expensive to continue and the sheath was redesigned with the tooling deleted and six eyelets added to protect the laces. The most common, naturally is the later sewn tubular with five rivets protecting the stitches. This style continued pretty much through the remainder of production.

Early success of the 15OT inspired Schrade to issue an Uncle Henry version of the knife. I do not know when the UH version was made in Ellenville, but I do not believe it was a cataloged edition, and it bore the SCHRADE+ over USA LTD tangstamp.

My interest in these knives, though discontinued eight years now and made by a company no longer existing, began more than thirty years ago when I purchased a 165OT for my hunting and camping adventures. The serpentine handle and heft of the 15OT are reminiscent of the familiar 165OT. The long choil is mimicked on the 152OT. The massive 15OT knife is a favorite of many "old timer" hunters of large game, yours truly included.

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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Dave, thank you for finding this 15OT info and posting it here.
He does mention the early 1964 release to Sears. Perhaps it was elsewhere in that thread or just elsewhere that the Sears 15OT preceding the Schrade-Walden 15OT was mentioned. It is a bit of a moot point.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by CheckSix »

Old Crafty 9547
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by CheckSix »

Here's a recent arrival... a crown shield 9488.
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by kootenay joe »

Craftsman 9488 is the 'same' knife as a Schrade-Walden 804, i think; i.e. this Craftsman is from before 1972. right ?
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Re: Some Schrade Craftsman knives

Post by Mustanger »

Got my Craftsman 9553 'Old Wrangler' in the mail today. ::ds::
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