Low-buck Imperial Stockman question

[Rupe]

I just picked up my second low-buck Imperial Stockman and was wondering if I could get a little background on them.

The slabs and bolsters are one piece with a thin laminate over them. The shield is a diamond shape with the letters "DE"with an arrow through the letters ( kinda like this >>-D-E-> ) .

Does anyone know what the DE is for and a little history on these? I intend to use these as I got them for next to nothing. I can only find Chinese Stockman's for what I paid for these two low-dough classics.



The pic is not mine but one of the knives pictured is one I bought about a month ago.

Thanks,

Chris

[jonet143]

de = diamond edge.

[Rupe]

Thanks Jonet.

These knives have got to be the cheapest Stockman's I've ever seen. I took out cheapie Imperial #1 to check for blade play and found that the small sheepsfoot blade actually flexed before showing any sign of blade play. The blades are about half the thickness of my Imperial Frontier, Camillus, or Schrade Stockman knives and seem better suited to cleaning panfish than actual work.

Lately I've become infatuated with thin, short blades that will handle whittling, wood carving and simple woodland tasks like fuzz sticks and tinder gathering.

Maybe it's just me but I find classic examples of american low-dollar, mass production knives appealing.

Chris

[glennbad]

You can't go wrong with the shell-handle Imperials. Anyway, it's the "guts" of the knife that are important. The snap is usually good on these, and the steel performs well.

The D-E's pictured here at Larry's site are virtually the same, with a different handle pattern, but the same construction:

http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... DE79-1.htm

There's some great info at Larry's site, if you haven't visited yet.

Good finds!

Glenn

[dkonopinski]

I've a couple of Irish made Imperials. One 's a two blade Barlow with thick plastic scales and a promotional blade etch for a battery company (Rayovac). I contacted Rayovac and spoke to the guy who commisioned them for a sales conference, but he'd long ago lost all the detail and there were none still lying around.

The other's a much older DE stockman with painted wooden scales and no bolsters. A real quality job.

The camera's broke so no pics. Sorry.

David