Early 8OT From The Sample Room

[jxr1197]

I recently bought this one off 8OT (thanks Cal!) from the earliest days of the Old Timer era. It came in that beautiful original 8OT box that the bone handle knives shipped in and was probably made during the experimental phase before Delrin was available. Some pics:

I posted this knife in another corner of the internet last week and Michael Little (Codger) speculated that the handles are probably Bonite. There's a handful of these out there but they never made it to the production line. Under magnification the brown plastic is embedded with gold and copper flake:

When I looked at it I realized I had another knife with the same material - a Primble 934:

The resemblance between the two is obvious side by side:

The 934 is a 58OT and Bonite handled knives can be found in the Ulster catalogs from the late 50s. This is first first I've heard of this plastic. The flake really sets it apart from other materials.

[kootenay joe]

So would the time sequence be: bone 8OT then Bonite 8OT and then Delrin 8OT ?
kj

[tongueriver]

So would the time sequence be: bone 8OT then Bonite 8OT and then Delrin 8OT ?
kj

That is my understanding.

[Shearer]

So would the time sequence be: bone 8OT then Bonite 8OT and then Delrin 8OT ?
kj

Here a couple of pictures .
To the best of my knowledge this is the order they were made.
Knowing the exact years they were made is anyone's guest.
Grant
Edit .I missed my bonite knife ,should be second knife on first picture.

[ozzie marie]

Here's one I have that I never really understood

Keith

[tongueriver]

Keith, that looks like yet another early transition knife, this time possibly with celluloid covers? Eric Albers once said (I think) that they even tried masonite! So, here is another one which may even be a prototype for the first 8OTs. It has milled liners, bone covers and check out the shield. This knife is original and has NOT been monkeyed with.

[kootenay joe]

Grant, very good display of 8OT 'evolution'. Thanks for posting these pics.
Cal, i think you mean the shield while oval, is not the standard Schrade oval. Correct ?
kj

[tongueriver]

Cal, i think you mean the shield while oval, is not the standard Schrade oval. Correct ?
kj

Correct.

[gmichael]

Awesome pictures of the bones and timeline..thanks for posting. I love those old original boxes, I have never seen one in person, but very cool.

[ea42]

Very cool knife Cal, never seen one with milled liners. One of the old catalog cuts actually shows that knife with the oval shield, I'll see if I can find it.
I think they did away with the oval because it was too difficult to cut the shape into the handle. The oblong shield could be cut with a standard end mill of whatever width the shield was.

Eric

PS- Shows in the 1960 and 61 catalogs with the oval shield, but I have no idea when the switch over occurred to the oblong shield. I would imagine it happened pretty quickly though, certainly before first half of 61 and maybe even during 60.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

So, here is another one which may even be a prototype for the first 8OTs. It has milled liners, bone covers and check out the shield. This knife is original and has NOT been monkeyed with.
Sanders bone 8 OT001.jpgSanders bone 8 OT002.jpgSanders bone 8 OT003.jpgSanders bone 8 OT005.jpg

The phrase "you'll get this knife from my cold dead hands" comes to mind.

[jxr1197]

Some really nice knives posted in here! I've been keeping an eye open for one of those black 8OTs (2nd knife in Grants 1st pic) for a while now. Keith and Cal - both awesome knives. Cal, was that knife milled after it was assembled?

[tongueriver]

Cal, was that knife milled after it was assembled?

I think so. I can see an over-run of milling marks on one side of the knife in the scan which I took. I don't have the knife at hand to look at right now. My understanding is that a lady did this work for Schrade in her home. ?

[tongueriver]

I love those old original boxes, I have never seen one in person, but very cool.

The paper boxes that were made to look like wood were the second run. The first boxes were made of cedar wood.

[gmichael]

I love those old original boxes, I have never seen one in person, but very cool.

The paper boxes that were made to look like wood were the second run. The first boxes were made of cedar wood.

Hal Brandenburg 2.jpg

Hal Brandenburg 3.jpg

Id be happy with either..I have a nice bone 8OT in search of a box...but...scarce indeed. Plan on making a replica this spring for display on my shelf.

[kootenay joe]

"The paper boxes that were made to look like wood were the second run"
Second run of bone ?
kj

[thawk]

I think the bone examples came in the wooden boxes but I could be wrong.

[kootenay joe]

Thanks Hal. In the last 11 years you have rarely (if ever ?) been 'wrong'.
kj

[deltaboy]

Great History about my favorite pattern!

[Darksev]

gorgeous knives everyone! That bonite is something unusual for sure, never knew that existed!

[thawk]

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... %268OT.htm

[stockman]

I love those old original boxes, I have never seen one in person, but very cool.

The paper boxes that were made to look like wood were the second run. The first boxes were made of cedar wood.
Hal Brandenburg 2.jpgHal Brandenburg 3.jpg

Cal your Bone 8OT was found in Kansas a few years back and once owned by Thawk aka Hal

Harold