viewtopic.php?f=64&t=22218&start=2520#p851804
Baron did the polishing, bluing and etching on these. First the 1095 blades were mirror polished, then etched, then gold plating was added and lastly they were "gun-blued" (hot blued).
I just purchased a fine Schrade with this type of blade. This one is a large sambar-handled bowie made for UST (a Copenhagen SFO). It's a serialized "1 of 1" award-knife that was given to a rodeo "Series Champion" in 1998. This is my first Schrade bowie-pattern knife.

Unfortunately, the knife is locked inside it's display because the key has been lost. I have zero experience with these-type display boxes and I have to decide whether to have it shipped to me as-is or to have the seller remove it from box before shipping (likely wrecking the display).
Main points I'm considering:
1. Knife might destroy itself and the display during shipping so I might as well wreck display and save knife.
2. Knife might ship safely as-is. Seller thinks it likely would but he's not sure. This would allow me to carefully open box myself.
Can the bottom be removed from the display?
Could the lid be slid to one side or the other if hinges were removed?
Can the lock be easily picked?
What would you do in my position? Do you think it can be safely shipped as-is?
I will post fresh pics and more details when I receive the knife. I'm trying to nail-down who exactly the "Series Champion" was but I haven't solved this mystery yet.
Thanks for any replies folks!
Pics of the stand-alone Pearl Harbor knife in the same type of display: