All About Pocket Knives

i posted this in older knives post, but i thought lt might have some interesting stuff about them. schrade wirejack.

Like many of the later G Schrade inventions the wire jack line of knives was produced mainly as a cost reducing item, these were inexpensive and reliable. attached are some of the variations and the patent. ( Information and pics from my collection and the book George Schrade and his accomplishments to the knife industry. ) Ididn't dig out any more stuff this should give some idea of what these were and were used for. LT

A little more info and pics

thanks lt, i did'nt know they made pruners and clip wirejacks. great stuff.

Thanks LT, that is great stuff!
I really like the Boy Scouts dinner kit.

Dale

An excellent example of why this is a real one of a kind knife forum. Good answers, LT.

But here is some more of the story. For one, I think this knife really illustrates the genius of Geo. Schrade even more than his cool switch blades. Cheap and simple and something no one had done before, a real sea change in the realm of folding knives. For even a person of very modest means, this design put a knife if their pocket.

Here are a couple of mine. Look at that rusted, corroded one, and I promise you, I did nothing but oil it, and it works as good today as it did when it left the factory. Locks up nice and tight. I bought it at a farm sale, MR. Farmer had found it stuck in the floor boards of his very old barn. Still has the sheet metal inserts, which many have lost over the years. The second knife is the same vintage, but has never been used. More of that genius business... note how there was no need to cut a nail nick, as these are of an 'easy-opener' design.

A cheap knife can be every bit as interesting as an expensive one.

Phil

thanks phil. you have some great examples there. you are right, this is a great forum for learning and sharing knowledge.

Great stuff guys, I got the wild idea to try making a wire jack, still haven't tried. I need to find a bad junker so I can see just how the handles are bent to allow the proper tension and action, then the blade would be cake.

Last year at the OKCA show in Eugene, OR (it is coming up again this April) I met & talked with B.K. Brooks. Some of you might remember his article in Knife World, Vol. 30 No. 6, June 2004, about Schrade - 100 Years of Markings Mr. Brooks has a fine collection of Schrades at the Show.

We began discussing his Wire Jack and the fact that it had sheet metal between the wire. I said that my one lone Wire Jack does not have the sheet metal. He said that they were first made without the sheet metal, but the sheet metal was added soon after they were introduced because people were catching their finger tips in the blade when closing the blade. He said the ones without the sheet metal are far less common than those with it.

Here are some pics of part of the nice display B.K. Brooks has at the OKCA Show last year.

For those of you who are Schrade collectors, maybe this will be enough to get you out here to Oregon to the show, April 14-15, 2007
Here is a link to the OKCA web site: http://www.oregonknifeclub.org/index.html

Hope to see you there,
Dale

I have always liked this design.

The simplest ideas are always the best


Here are a few.

Schrade made these through the years of the last century but I just bagged my first so I wanna see what others have. I know some have been shown on here before but I would like to see if anyone else has the 9-21-26 stamp with B'PORT CONN. on it. This is the stamp on the one I just bought. Not sure of the age but has to be before WW2.

Check here:

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... =35&t=3137

COOL Perry I'm still looking for one.Had my mitts one one at a flea-market but we were dollars away

I have a wire jack but not with that stamp on it. Mine is more current.
I landed it in a trade with JoeDirt!

I knew there had to be more info somewhere in here. Thanks Dimitri! I had looked last night and found only a couple threads about them but not this one, great post. Hey Scott, still a very nice one though.
I have been lookin for a good one for about 6 years now. Finally found a 26 patent, early Wire Jack.

singin46 wrote:Thanks Dimitri!

Your welcome

Some of these are just marked "Wire Jack" with the same patent date 9-21-26

There are also some that have the date mixed up in error, I have some of these as well.

They were made from 1926-1956, as far as I know.

Well don't look like it's the rare copper blade 9-21-26 one anyway.

Here is a link Willie posted a while back

It has just about all the info you will ever need about these knives

http://www.guycard.com/wirejack.htm

Very cool Dimitri! I have it bookmarked now for quick access.

Here are some I posted over in the Scout Knives thread.........

These are very cool to see up close D! I always thought it was the Girl Scout kit that had the green handles on it.
Now didn't they make them in blue handles as well? Possibly Cub Scout kit?

Here is a few pics of mine

Love seein em Gino and anyone else that can find one in the house, Take a picture and post it here. You know what? Someone needs to remake this knife in CAMO! C'mon now, that's a great idea.

singin46 wrote:Now didn't they make them in blue handles as well? Possibly Cub Scout kit?

I have never seen a cub scout kit. The only blue one I seen is the one Willie has, but it is blade etched with some advertising for a radio station.

I believe the only official ones produced were for the boy & girl scouts

Ok, I think I was just dreamin out loud again