Codger_64
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- Joined
- Oct 8, 2004
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Most serious collectors I've known have a favorite brand and pattern of knife. For many years it was the 165OT for me. My first serious fixed blade knife purposely made for hunting and camping.
Likewise, it seems natural to search out the earliest known example of the favorite pattern. And that is what I have here. A salesman's sample serialized under number one hundred. In fact #00009!
While the 165OT first appeared in 1967 catalogs and advertisements, factory records show the first 1,237 were shipped by year's end 1966. This would include these sales samples and first production of Norm Thompson Shikari knives, and first sales by Sears and Belknap.
Earliest MSRP was $20 which sounds cheap today but it was expensive back then. Consider that minimum wage was $1.25 per hour and gas was .32 cents per gallon. in fact, adjusted for inflation that first MSRP would be just over $200 in today's dollars.
As you will see, the earliest came in a quite fancy hinged top gift box with molded plastic tray and included a sharpening stone. This presentation evidently proved too expensive not long in production and the box was changed first to a smaller slip top box, then a fold down box. The stone was eliminated also.
The knife itself is unique in that with such a low serial number, it was definitely hand produced by experienced cutlers with great attention to detail, unlike later production by factory assembly line workers who were tasked with producing quantities under somewhat relaxed QC standards,
Being an unmolested sales sample with complete packaging also provides insight into the earliest offerings spoken of in ads but not illustrated. The proper Schrade Walden insert pamphlet, the dealer display instruction note, polybags for knife and stone are most assuredly correct for the first issue.
I'll add better pictures soon as I can but these will have to suffice for now.
Likewise, it seems natural to search out the earliest known example of the favorite pattern. And that is what I have here. A salesman's sample serialized under number one hundred. In fact #00009!
While the 165OT first appeared in 1967 catalogs and advertisements, factory records show the first 1,237 were shipped by year's end 1966. This would include these sales samples and first production of Norm Thompson Shikari knives, and first sales by Sears and Belknap.
Earliest MSRP was $20 which sounds cheap today but it was expensive back then. Consider that minimum wage was $1.25 per hour and gas was .32 cents per gallon. in fact, adjusted for inflation that first MSRP would be just over $200 in today's dollars.
As you will see, the earliest came in a quite fancy hinged top gift box with molded plastic tray and included a sharpening stone. This presentation evidently proved too expensive not long in production and the box was changed first to a smaller slip top box, then a fold down box. The stone was eliminated also.
The knife itself is unique in that with such a low serial number, it was definitely hand produced by experienced cutlers with great attention to detail, unlike later production by factory assembly line workers who were tasked with producing quantities under somewhat relaxed QC standards,
Being an unmolested sales sample with complete packaging also provides insight into the earliest offerings spoken of in ads but not illustrated. The proper Schrade Walden insert pamphlet, the dealer display instruction note, polybags for knife and stone are most assuredly correct for the first issue.
I'll add better pictures soon as I can but these will have to suffice for now.
