All About Pocket Knives

Thanks Steve... I have one more to add...
a Schrade Walden Sunfish Lobster №865 as described in the 1954 catalog cut... I know what the lobster pattern is... but don't know what Sunfish" refers to? Does it refer to the "etched" pattern on the mark side scale of the handle?

KAW wrote:Thanks Steve... I have one more to add...
a Schrade Walden Sunfish Lobster №865 as described in the 1954 catalog cut... I know what the lobster pattern is... but don't know what Sunfish" refers to? Does it refer to the "etched" pattern on the mark side scale of the handle?

Nice knife! I like the lobsters. Back-in-the-day Schrade described different types of lobster knives in the same years. It's just a name. They had to call them something different to differentiate between them. "Sunfish lobster" just means that handle style basically. Equally bowed in the centre and with tips.


There was also "sleeveboard lobster" like 848 or 849 and plain-old "lobster" or "shadow lobster" like 876 or 877. "Shadow" just means no bolsters or tips visible though I keep thinking "The Shadow Lobster" would be a great name for Aquaman's new arch-nemesis. A great black evil lobster that grew up in the outflow of a nuke plant perhaps.

849 Sleeveboard:

876 Shadow

877 Shadow:

Thanks again Steve... My knife may have been carried some, but little used. I don't believe it was ever sharpened and the original edges are still sharp.

Just saw your note about being from the area... Like the origins of the NY Knife Co.... I was born in Waterbury, Conn.... but since I was two, grew up in Poughkeepsie & then moved to Ulster Co. I've only started appreciating the local history about ten years ago and am amazed with what I have discovered since...

bladecollectorr... Thanks for clarifying the different lobsters Schrade offered and for showing some mighty fine examples of each.
to AAPK... glad to have you join us...

KAW wrote:Thanks again Stevebladecollectorr... Thanks for clarifying the different lobsters Schrade offered and for showing some mighty fine examples of each.
to AAPK... glad to have you join us...

Glad to be here. I was a bit wrong though. The "Sunfish" does refer to that shape of handle but some models came without tips too in early catalogs such as 8653 and 8656. With or without tips that shape of handle was called a "Sunfish Lobster".

3" jack with an old S.C.CO tang stamp

Very knice Jason... those long pulls always add to the appeal...

Sweet Jason.

Nice jack Jason, you don't see that stamp very often!

Ken, I think I have the tool that made the imprint on your lobster handle, I'll have to dig it out of the closet. Here's a pretty rare one lol:
Eric

Thanks fellas. Eric those nippers are amazing - I've never seen Schrade factory tools marked like that - very cool!

Very cool Eric!!!

Thanks guys, first actual "tool" I've seen with their name on it, that'll takes a lot of work! Got a few jigs and master parts from them done up the same way. It was likely from the tool room or possibly a cutter's nips as they were likely used to cut pins or cut the wire that was used for pins. Here are a few shots of parts and a jig:
Eric

Now that is some great stuff and I bet it means even more to you being a knife mechanic/builder. Thanks for sharing.

Eric... do you do discounted tooth extractions with them thar nips?
I got a couple that need attending to...

Doglegg it sure does mean a lot, I actually use jigs now that are modeled after those old ones. The blades are for the hawbaker style knife that Schrade Cut Co made, I've got a pretty well used one here. It's the knife that they originally used that "Improved Muskrat" etch on:


Ken no tooth extractions with this guy, it'd probably chip them off like a tile nipper lol!

Eric

With later versions they kept the improved muskrat etch but not the actual improvement, strange how that goes.

Yes, guess they wanted to get their money's worth out of it

Eric

Good stuff, as always Eric.

Thanks Lyle!

Eric

Added this Schrade made Shapleigh a couple weeks ago, looks pretty much like the Cut Co I posted on page 91.

Pretty knife JohnR

John, that is phenomenal! One of the finest Schrades I've ever seen.

Eric

That is a pretty one, alright; if knives were made in mints it would be mint.

Wow John that's quite a specimen.

John, congratulations that is one PRIMO Schrade/Shapleigh Jack

ea42 wrote:John, that is phenomenal! One of the finest Schrades I've ever seen.

Eric

Thank you all, appreciate it. Eric, that means something coming from you with your knowledge and collection of Schrades,