Schrade's Middletown, NY factory

[Chase]

Ken,

I would agree with your comments. The problem that I have found is that the companies themselves did not keep very good records. I have a lot of information about Schrade that came out of the factory, however, the information is all over the place. I guess it depended upon who was responsible for what areas as far as record keeping, however, there is/was no consistency whatsoever.

I can also say this about Canal Street Cutlery....they made a bunch of knives and if you don't know who to ask, you will never get the info. Fortunately we have AAPK and it's members to rely upon for information....even if it's not always 100%

I think you would also find this is the situation with current companies making knives.

I am very fortunate to have the documents I have, however, what I do have is such a small piece of what was available, that ended up in a landfill somewhere....Dang Shame!

Tom

[kootenay joe]

The history posted on previous page says 1957 "fire in Schrade factory". Is this correct ? or is it a reference to the fire that burned down the Roger's bone factory ?
kj

[americanedgetech]

Tom, sir... I think you summed it up!

I never would have thought that companies would not know what their history is/was. I had heart issues trying to keep COMPLETE records of the business"I" have run/owned. I am just ONE guy!

If I had 20 employees... ONE of them would be responsible or FIRED! Stuff happens, Fires, floods, giant spiders, ect...
I don't see how the information is lost. It HAS to be (excuse the word) "incompetent" management or beer money meaning more than company records.

I have records that are hand written from my great grandfathers mining company, (O''Toole Mining 1817-1902) mothers side
Knives? Why is there so little information from major players? Beer money?

It is an interesting topic.

Sorry KJ, I did not mean to post over your very valid question.

[tongueriver]

The history posted on previous page says 1957 "fire in Schrade factory". Is this correct ? or is it a reference to the fire that burned down the Roger's bone factory ?
kj

The Rogers Bone factory fire was definitely in 1961. I don't know about the other reference.

[ea42]

I've driven by the old Schrade plant in Middletown many timers. It's on Railroad Ave., which at one time had a railroad alongside but now has a parking lot instead. The main front building remains, and has housed a shoe company for many years but there have been many businesses there since Schrade left. The rear buildings were torn down a few years ago. I don't thing Schrade ever fully occupied all the buildings, but they did occupy the main building and two side wings. Do a search for Middletown Footwear, you'll see a map on the page with hopefully a Google photo that you can enlarge and rotate. This should bring you there, you'll have to drag the screen to the right, which will bring you right to the front corner entrance:

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb ... EQpx8IfjAK

I had some pictures I took a few years back but I'll be darned if I can find them.

Eric

PS- yep, the link works, the page is interactive so you can actually move around the front of the building by clicking and zooming.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Eric that is interesting, thank you.

[KAW]

Sorry for not reading all the way thru these posts as I haven't been here in months & now its late (3 am locally) when I just discovered this thread, but felt compelled to post what I can share. Last summer I did some research on this very subject & while the attached timeline is most likely more information than you may want to know, the factory does have a very interesting history. (just click on the images a couple time to zoom in to make legible... you can also use your browser's zoom function.)...



Now to bed.... but I shall return to finish reading this thread...

[KAW]

If there is still anyone out there that is still interested in Schrade's Middletown factory, I came across this piece of info from the Walden Historical Society's website...

Knife Industries in Walden... excerpts from Old Walden
by String Cooper

When J. Louis Schrade took over the active management new procedures were put into effect. This change of systems made the Schrade shop one of the first to start mass production in knife making. Before that time it was mostly hand work where a cutler made the entire knife. During the years that followed the Schrade Company extended and opened a factory in Middletown under the management of Mr. Joseph Schrade. It was in this plant that the knives were made for the Army and Navy during the First World War. The company employed nearly 200 men in the Walden plant and 75 at Middletown during this period.

[Rusty1]

Resurrecting this thread with a picture of the partially intact Schrade Cut Co Middletown N.Y. Factory.

[JAMESC41001]

That’s awesome. What street is that??

[New_Windsor_NY]

That’s.....

I've driven by the old Schrade plant in Middletown many timers. It's on Railroad Ave.....

It looks like the cross street is Cottage.

[JAMESC41001]

Thanks. Always wondered where it was