All About Pocket Knives

I won this Schrade-Walden 294 in a Blade Forum GAW put on by a generous fellow - came yesterday and I was thrilled when I unwrapped it - nice action and nice looking knife - the main blade is very good looking to me. I'm sure it's been cleaned, but I like a clean knife (well, I like a patina knife too - maybe I just like knives). OH

Colonel, I really like that. What's the closed length? I looked on ebay and there are a couple of 65th anniversary varieties listed but they're new and judging from the price, I fear they come from the Pacific Rim Mainland.

That 294 is stellar and worth a pretty piece of change. It pre-dates 1960; the grinds and everything about it are superior to anything that came later. Thanks for showing it! The new Chinese ones (post 2004) are garbage. I prefer to consider that statement a fact, but some would call it an opinion.

This knife is not new, I've hade it for several years but I've never been able to figure out exactly what it is. I figure posting it on this sub forum is the best chance I have of getting an answer.

It's marked 897UH, with no marking by Herman Williams. The handle is genuine stag. I'm wondering if it is by a follower of Williams.

Any opinions appreciated.

jerryd6818 wrote:Colonel, I really like that. What's the closed length? I looked on ebay and there are a couple of 65th anniversary varieties listed but they're new and judging from the price, I fear they come from the Pacific Rim Mainland.

Thanks Jerry, I was tickled when I saw what I actually had. The knife is 3-7/8" OAL - a perfect size (my sweet spot for a carrying pocketknife is 3-1/2" - 4"). The blade grinds that TR mentions are stellar - there is a Sabre grind on the mark side of the turkish clip and a flat grind on the back side - similar to the older Camillus 72 you collect. It has an elegant swedge on the main blade, the fitting is perfect and the walk and talk are just right (about a 7, any more and it would be hard to open the pen). This knife compares favorably to an old style Case 6207 Serpentine Jack - except this Schrade-Walden is a little nicer than the 1975 Case example I own. OH

msteele6 wrote:This knife is not new, I've hade it for several years but I've never been able to figure out exactly what it is. I figure posting it on this sub forum is the best chance I have of getting answer.

It's marked 897UH, with no marking by Herman Williams. The handle is genuine stag. I'm wondering if it is by a follower of Williams.

Any opinions appreciated.

For some reason my picture is tiny, I will try to upload a larger picture later.

I don't know when Herman started signing his knives, but he did a lot of them before he began signing them. He didn't always use his signature red color, either.

Old Hunter wrote:

jerryd6818 wrote:Colonel, I really like that. What's the closed length? I looked on ebay and there are a couple of 65th anniversary varieties listed but they're new and judging from the price, I fear they come from the Pacific Rim Mainland.

Thanks Jerry, I was tickled when I saw what I actually had. The knife is 3-7/8" OAL - a perfect size (my sweet spot for a carrying pocketknife is 3-1/2" - 4"). The blade grinds that TR mentions are stellar - there is a Sabre grind on the mark side of the turkish clip and a flat grind on the back side - similar to the older Camillus 72 you collect. It has an elegant swedge on the main blade, the fitting is perfect and the walk and talk are just right (about a 7, any more and it would be hard to open the pen). This knife compares favorably to an old style Case 6207 Serpentine Jack - except this Schrade-Walden is a little nicer than the 1975 Case example I own. OH

Colonel I think I get what drew you to it. I like it a lot and to me, if it had a long spay blade secondary, it would be almost a twin to the Camillus 29 (&35). Same length, pretty much the same frame and the main blades are very close to being the same. Little longer swedge on the Schrade and different positioning on the blades.

tongueriver wrote:That 294 is stellar and worth a pretty piece of change. It pre-dates 1960; the grinds and everything about it are superior to anything that came later. Thanks for showing it! The new Chinese ones (post 2004) are garbage. I prefer to consider that statement a fact, but some would call it an opinion.

Thanks for the compliment and the help in dating the knife - I was guessing 1950's manufacturing (three digit catalog number and bone scales). I am quite taken with it. OH

Jerry, I see the resemblence between the Camillus and the Schrade - good looking knives - from the photo angle it appears the Camillus has a bit of a wider blade (I think) - the Sabre grind really set these blades off with a classy look. OH

It would be interesting to mic. the blades and see just how close they are. I have to put the binders on and stop myself from grabbing every 29 that comes up for sale. It's a good thing that Schrade is hard to get (and the 29).

I just picked up a new yellow Schrade that I had previously not seen or known of before. It's a H296 Heritage. I have others in this Heritage line that came in the same kind of boxes, but they are red sawcut handled with brass bolsters. Anyone know when this line of Heritage knives came out? I bought my first one in 1999 or 2000.

Tongueriver,

Thanks for the information. I will say that the handle has been expertly applied. The lack of Mr. Williams marking and the shield were my concerns.

Thanks,

Mark

This knife is not new, I've hade it for several years but I've never been able to figure out exactly what it is. I figure posting it on this sub forum is the best chance I have of getting an answer.

It's marked 897UH, with no marking by Herman Williams. The handle is genuine stag. I'm wondering if it is by a follower of Williams.

Any opinions appreciated.[/quote]
Look inside the knife on the pile side liner. I have a few of his knives that he didn't put his name on the pile side of the tang but still put it on the inside liner.
I have a microscope that plugs into my computer and will take pictures. I used that and a program that stitched 5 shots together to get the Customized by Herman R, Williams picture. It is on a 897UH , the same as yours. The middle liner makes the opening so narrow I couldn't see it with a magnifying glass. The second is on 285UH. The microscope is not a fancy one, around $70 and is great for up close pictures like the last two of the jigging on the bone handles of a 294..before and after a little cleaning. Here's a link to one on Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/Deluxe-Handheld ... 3f47af5ecc
The last 2 [quote="msteele6"]

This 294OT came today.

jerryd6818 wrote:This 294OT came today.

Nice knife
Jerry it should have : Schrade USA 94OT

It looks like one of those knives they put the wrong blade in.
I have a Old Timer with a Uncle Henry blade.I seen a Old Timer 8OT sold on ebay a couple of days back with a Schrade 881 blade.
You see Old Timer knives with odd blades turn up.I think they just got blades from the wrong bin.


Grant

It does Grant.

Jerry, that frame looks new. Did Schrade repair old knives?
That blade looks to be very old.
I have a new-in-tube Schrade Old Timer, with a match-strike main blade.
The blade is stamped "881Y" on the rear of the blade, looks like a pre 1973 "8OT".

Man, I don't know. You tell me. I know diddly squat about Schrades.

This is the one I bought. I didn't think for that price anyone would be faking it. Plus at that price, I didn't care.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schrade-OLD-TIM ... 1c4f59cc0f

Nice knives guys.
Jerry that was a good deal!

I've been grabbing a few of the SP3's lately.
I know that they're not "old timey" Schrades like we all love but they are Schrade/USA and they are really light and lockup good.
They are perfect for me at work [costco produce] where I have to cut up fruit sometimes or cardboard and plastic. I hardly know I'm carrying one. Before sometimes someone would borrow a knife for a quick job and I've had to caution them about the no locking feature on a 80T or 34OT or similar slipjoint.
The few younger guys here at work that carry a knife have modern folders or simple box cutters. An SP3 or the like has really been an easy to use, safe and efficient tool and no one is going to have it close on them.
So far I have four SP3's. Two black plain edge, one black partially serrated and a maroon plain edge. I have another maroon plain edge with maroon sheath on the way.
I like the blade shape and don't mind the stainless steel at all for what I'm doing with them.

All of them were new or like new for a reasonable price compared to Delrin Old Timers.
If they were any other brand I probably wouldn't have much interest in them. Being Schrades makes it great!

Producer wrote: I've been grabbing a few of the SP3's lately.
I know that they're not "old timey" Schrades like we all love but they are Schrade/USA and they are really light and lockup good.

I'm a big fan of the SP3 and SP7 myself. They are great simplistic knives. I am currently carrying a black SP3 in my back pocket because I've been packing a pistol on my hip and there is no room for the trapper I was carrying in it's own holster on my belt. They are the perfect knives for keeping in my fly fishing vest because they are so light and flat. They are good 'kit' knives too. I too have a few burgundy and black ones. Some of them stashed here and there for convience and some for the collection. I'd like to find a burgundy SP7, I have never seen one and don't know if there even is such a bird. I have seen orange SP3s, but I'm not very interested in orange. Waiting for a good deal on a 100th Anniversary SP for the collection.

Mustanger wrote:

Producer wrote: I've been grabbing a few of the SP3's lately.
I know that they're not "old timey" Schrades like we all love but they are Schrade/USA and they are really light and lockup good.

I'm a big fan of the SP3 and SP7 myself. They are great simplistic knives. I am currently carrying a black SP3 in my back pocket because I've been packing a pistol on my hip and there is no room for the trapper I was carrying in it's own holster on my belt. They are the perfect knives for keeping in my fly fishing vest because they are so light and flat. They are good 'kit' knives too. I too have a few burgundy and black ones. Some of them stashed here and there for convience and some for the collection. I'd like to find a burgundy SP7, I have never seen one and don't know if there even is such a bird. I have seen orange SP3s, but I'm not very interested in orange. Waiting for a good deal on a 100th Anniversary SP for the collection.

Good! I'm not the only one that appreciates them
There is an SP7 in black I've been seeing out there. Never saw a SP7 in maroon either.
I have a black nylon Scrade sheath for the SP3's and a maroon nylon Schrade sheath coming with a like colored SP3. I don't know if these really need a sheath but what the heck I'll take it.

Not a Schrade, but Case makes a very similar Zytel lockback. Same size but with a clip blade and actually thinner/flatter. Made in USA, 420 ss, model LT147, and can be had for under $15.
It has become a favorite too.
Anyway thanks guys, Producer [Harold]

Producer wrote:
Good! I'm not the only one that appreciates them
There is an SP7 in black I've been seeing out there. Never saw a SP7 in maroon either.
I have a black nylon Scrade sheath for the SP3's and a maroon nylon Schrade sheath coming with a like colored SP3. I don't know if these really need a sheath but what the heck I'll take it.

Not a Schrade, but Case makes a very similar Zytel lockback. Same size but with a clip blade and actually thinner/flatter. Made in USA, 420 ss, model LT147, and can be had for under $15.
It has become a favorite too.
Anyway thanks guys, Producer [Harold]

My first taste of these Zytel knives came when my wife found a Gerber LST about the same size as a SP3. She loved it and later I got her a SP7. She carried that thing everywhere with her in her purse or pocket. Fishing or downtown, she would carry that SP7. She would even use it in the kitchen and she field dressed her antelope with it. That got me hooked on them. I have some nice old Schrades and I don't hardly look at any other brand (except Ulster), but I use the heck out of the SP3 for fishing and general use. I like that drop point blade too!

These late Schrade knives were over-looked, by the Old traditional Schrade users.
They still had the same blades that made all the other Schrade's , a good knife to use.
In 2003-2004 Schrade made the SH3DU and the 100th. Anniversary PH3.
In 2007 these knives were selling on eBay for about US$5 each.
I jumped on 12 of the 100th. Anniversary PH3, as I decided to collect any Schrade I could find that was made from 2000 to 2004.
Some sellers almost gave some of these knives away ... Ken

koldgold wrote:These late Schrade knives were over-looked, by the Old traditional Schrade users.
They still had the same blades that made all the other Schrade's , a good knife to use.
In 2003-2004 Schrade made the SH3DU and the 100th. Anniversary PH3.
In 2007 these knives were selling on eBay for about US$5 each.
I jumped on 12 of the 100th. Anniversary PH3, as I decided to collect any Schrade I could find that was made from 2000 to 2004.
Some sellers almost gave some of these knives away ... Ken

Ken, truly impressive.
Thanks for sharing the info and pictures. You have a fantastic Schrade collection.

Nice gathering of schrade lightweights there Ken! I too have quite a few of those and yes, they were inexpensive and lightweight. There are also several others that you do not have posted there.
I am travelling right now, however, I will try to post some pictures when I get home this weekend. There is an SP-9 and several other color SP-1 like blue green and red.

Tom