How to Identify Schrade Knives
Schrade has produced knives, hand tools, novelty blades and commemorative pieces since 1904. The company was started by the four Schrade brothers and went through ownership changes until finally acquired by Taylor Brands (which also owns Smith and Wesson). Genuine Schrade knives can be identified by their blades, handle material and other signs in their design.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Look for a tang stamp, with the word "Schrade" or the letters "S.C.C." or "S.C.Co." The tang of the knife is the base of a folding blade, or near the base of a fixed blade.
Schrade has used 12 individual stamps since 1904, with only the word "Schrade" in common; except for the period of 1973 to 2004, when its Uncle Henry line had a logo with the letters "S.C.C." The "S.C.Co./Walden" stamp was used between 1910 to 1946, on some of the company's knives. -
2
Check for the letters UH or OT on the tang stamp; these identify the knife as an Uncle Henry or Old Timer brand knife.
-
-
3
Search for a pattern number on the knife, separate from the tang stamp. It may be on the flip side of the blade. This sequence includes several numbers, or several numbers and letters, and possibly a fraction. These numbers tell you much about the blade.
The first number identifies the number of blades, as follows:
1: a one-blade knife;
2: a two-blade knife, with both blades in one end (a jackknife);
3: a three-blade knife with all blades on one end (a jackknife);
7: a two-blade knife with a blade on each end (a penknife);
8: a three-blade knife, with two blades on one end, one on the other (a combination penknife/jackknife);
9: a four-blade knife with two blades on each end (a combination penknife/jackknife).Thus a knife with the pattern number 2013 has two blades on one end.
The second and third digits signify the pattern--01 in our example, which is Schrade's Easy Open pattern.
The fourth digit represents the handle material. These numbers are as follows:
1: Cocobolo
2: Ebony
3: Bone Stag (very common in the Uncle Henry line)
4: Celluloid
5: White Bone
6: Mother of Pearl
7: Dyed Smooth Bone
8: Buffalo Horn
9: Miscellaneous, including plastic, rubber and so on.Any letters signify other attributes of the knife. Ch for example signifies a knife with a chain, while Emb signifies a knife with an emblem on the handle. Any fractions indicate an individual kind of blade.
-
4
Search the pattern stamp against Schrade's online catalog for current models, or online at allaboutpocketknives.com or "The Official Guide to Collector Knives" for older models.
-
5
Look for distinctive Schrade handle and scale characteristics.
Some characteristics distinctive to this manufacturer are a deeply ridged wood look; the Yellow Delrin handle, which resembles old scrimshaw in color; and a dark oval shape on a lighter background. Look also well for the emblems "Old Timer" or "Uncle Henry" on the handle, or a blank emblem shaped roughly like a police badge.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Schrade, produces classic-looking blades to this day. It also produces very modern and even futuristic blades with names like "Avatar"; novelty blades with camouflage-patterned handles and antique-looking "dirks;" and commando-style, commemorative, kitchen and sporting blades (like filleting knives). Virtually any quality blade you own could be a Schrade.
As a quality knife maker, Schrade (and its competitors Case and Gerber, among others) is subject to copycats and counterfeits. If you have any doubts, match your knife closely to online photo resources, or network with collectors at allaboutpocketknives.com, to ensure that you own a genuine Schrade.
