Seki S2 Trident mystery

[KenHash]

My Seki S2 Trident has a smooth solid black micarta handle. So do all the ones I have seen. But there are some S2s
that have a stacked micarta washer handle, where the washer lines are quite visible.
Trying to track these down I came to the conclusion that these washer ones may be early, as all the photos I found
had the yellow-white spacers usually seen on the earliest models.
The sogcollectors site makes no mention of these washer S2s except that they include one photograph at the end
that clearly shows the washer lines.
If anyone has any information about these would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks.

Normal micarta handle:

Stacked micarta washers:

 

[dax0007]

VERY AWESOME OLD SCHOOL!! My understanding is the stack washers with light tint of yellow are clearly early versions

 

[y2kwindsor]

I'm not exactly sure what constitutes an early one, but mine has one piece of micarta for each finger groove -- about 13/16" each between the once white spacers. Mine has four lines between the "white" spacers. the lines are not symmetrical about the finger grooves.

Another crappy cell phone photo:

As far as "early", the first one I recall seeing was in Terminator 2 released in 1991. Mine was purchased from a Memphis knife shop that was going out of business at the beginning of 1994. My first "expensive" knife purchase appeared to have been languishing on the store's shelf for some time. It came in a white box and had a crappy black nylon sheath. I believe I still have both the box and sheath. Yes, the spacers were once nearly as white as the ones in the first post. However, I don't recall them being nearly as glossy. The sheath in the first post is the kind of sheath that was offered with the S1 Bowie in the mid-nineties.

This one now rides in the sheath that my Spartan Nyx came in, or in one of the first sheaths offered by Blackhawk. This Trident accompanied me on a camping trip a few years ago and performed well in a batonning demonstration for my daughters. The hollow grind makes up for the blade thickness during food prep.

Sorry to have added another type to the trident saga

 

[KenHash]

I am now beginning to wonder if all S2s used stacked micarta, and it was only a difference in extent of polishing that resulted in visible scales or a solid appearance. My S2 is very early, yellowish spacers, Santa Monica CA labeled nylon sheath, but with
solid handle. I have seen a micarta scaled one with a nylon sheath marked Edm WA, so those nylon ones must have been around until the move. Then the sheaths become the well known leather ones.
The SOG in Terminator 2 was the stacked leather S1. The S1 was introduced in 1986 and the S2 came out in 87/88.
But it does seem that the "yellowish" spacers were originally white, and simply turned color with age.

 

[y2kwindsor]

I may not have the original box because it was not with the original sheath. The nylon sheath is marked, "Edm Wa"

 

[zanussi01]

All five of my Tridents have the washer type handle.The ealiest one has a nylon webbing type sheath with just the "Box" logo on it.
All the others have the leather sheath and date from 2003-4.
The only differences,apart from the ealier one having the"Fat" handle,is the number and thickness of the washers.
The early one has eleven washers,with the first three and last two being 1/4 inch thick,the others 5/16.

All my later ones have washers that are 3/8 thick and use eight between the white spacers.
I must admit that at least one of the 2004 versions looks to be one piece micarta,as the lines showing the ends of
the washers are very hard to see.