All About Pocket Knives

[size=18][color=blue]Can anyone tell me how to determine if a 5254 trapper is 1st model or not. I think it has to do with the size of the stamp maybe? Please help.
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Hi Mike,

First of all the stamp has nothing to do with it. First off there are two first model 54 trappers. One is in the XX era(1940-1964), and the other is in the USA era.(1965-1969) The one in the USA era is a stainless knife which always has bone handles, so I am going to deduce since you are asking about a stag trapper you are talking about the XX era first model. There are three different frames within the XX era, the "tested frame xx, the "first model XX", and the "regular frame xx". They are illustrated in image below from top to bottom in the order I just listed them. The tested frame has short bolsters and long handle material, I don't recall seeing a pattern number on one these. The tested frame can be found with both tested and XX era sheilds. The first model has slightly longer bolsters than the tested frame, and the handle material is a little shorter. First Model frames have XX era sheilds and can be seen both with and without pattern numbers, most have them though. The regular frame has the longest bolsters and shortest handle material, I don't recall seeing one of these without a pattern number, and they also have XX sheilds. I didn't mean to rant, your knife is in the middle in the image below. In a nutshell the main difference is in bolster and handle length.
Take Care
Gary

I don't have any more examples to show you, Mike... but notice the nail nicks on BR's knives. Also, note how the spey blade stands proud, on the USA era ?

Subtle differences, for sure. But's that's whatcha look for. Those are genuine, that Blade Runner's shown you. Good knives, for sure.

JR

All the trappers in the picture are from the XX era

Good Grief...my fingers were typing while my brain was in neutral ! Thanks Gary, for correcting that post.

Mike, I wasn't intentionally leading you astray - ignore my last.

Asleep at the wheel,
JR

Not a problem JR, It happens to me all the time.