textoothpk
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- Sep 24, 2003
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LT, some of you others, may or may not find this interesting. Here we go... Years ago, I found a knife I really, really liked. It was at a knife show, and it near perfectly matched the drawing I was carrying around in my wallet, hoping to someday find a maker to produce me what I considered the perfect deer hunting knife. Dropped point and a handle that made it easy to use the knife, blade up, for unzipping a deer without puncturing the gut. Carbon steel, so I could quickly sharpen it afield. Thick enough to rip through the upper breast bone and hammer through the pelvic bone. And it was only $10. I got a chance to try it out that fall, and as I thought, it worked perfectly. It is the bottom knife in this pic:
http://villagephotos.com/viewimage.asp?id_=7434946
The knife was made by Imperial, back when they were IKCO, and it was/is quite a cut above most of the other knives Imperial was making at the time. Sort of the premier lineup, more or less. They were called the 'Frontier' line. And as I learned more, I found the knives had been made for Imperial by Camillus (Camillus is probably the biggest contract knife manufactor, or perhaps Schrade is). I kept buying the
knives, ebay making it even easier. Although I collect Toothpicks, these frontiers were a nice little cheap additional knife to collect and research. I began to put together the numbering system, and that is what, finally, brought me to this site, where Tim Faust gave me a little more help, although I found out it was that nice woman there at Schrade... what is her name, LT??? I have since added some old Frontier catalogs that made it all easier.
The Frontier lineup was Imperial's last harrah. Brought out in 1977, it only lasted until 1984-5 when Imperial joined with Schrade. They put on a neat little 'Powderhorn' shield, and tang mark on every knife handled in Delrin. It was quite a line up as well. Lots and lots of traditional patterns in Yellow and black smooth delrin and 'jigged faux bone' delrin.
I found a couple of the dealer counter displays, and that made the collecting even more fun. I have one of each Frontier line up... the tradional folders and the 'new' Buck 110 clone line up of lockbacks.
Lots more I could write about these, but this one knife in particular is what makes the connection to Schrade. Here it is:
http://villagephotos.com/viewimage.asp?id_=7434925
One of the Schrade Scrimshaws... but using one of the older Frontier tang marked blades. Of course the handles and all dimensions of the stockman pattern knife is identical to other 'Schrade tang marked' Scrimshaw knives and other stockmans marked Frontiers. I deduce that Schrade liked the knife enough to take it up as one of their own.
Imperial also made a lineup of Frontiers called the 'Double Eagles'... all lockbacks and fixed blades, stainless steel and very nice wood handles, without the 'Powderhorn' shield.
As I write, it's a fun, cheap little sideline to my main collecing interest. And I find plenty of them still brand new in the box and I enjoy giving them as gifts. Just thought I'd toss it in here as there is an obvious Schrade connection. Any thoughts on what I have found, written, LT?
And a question for our LT... The catalogs show scenes from the factory where the knives were built... going on and on about the quality and such. Of course I am convinced these were made at the Camillus factory, so which factory is shown in the photos?
Phil
http://villagephotos.com/viewimage.asp?id_=7434946
The knife was made by Imperial, back when they were IKCO, and it was/is quite a cut above most of the other knives Imperial was making at the time. Sort of the premier lineup, more or less. They were called the 'Frontier' line. And as I learned more, I found the knives had been made for Imperial by Camillus (Camillus is probably the biggest contract knife manufactor, or perhaps Schrade is). I kept buying the
knives, ebay making it even easier. Although I collect Toothpicks, these frontiers were a nice little cheap additional knife to collect and research. I began to put together the numbering system, and that is what, finally, brought me to this site, where Tim Faust gave me a little more help, although I found out it was that nice woman there at Schrade... what is her name, LT??? I have since added some old Frontier catalogs that made it all easier.
The Frontier lineup was Imperial's last harrah. Brought out in 1977, it only lasted until 1984-5 when Imperial joined with Schrade. They put on a neat little 'Powderhorn' shield, and tang mark on every knife handled in Delrin. It was quite a line up as well. Lots and lots of traditional patterns in Yellow and black smooth delrin and 'jigged faux bone' delrin.
I found a couple of the dealer counter displays, and that made the collecting even more fun. I have one of each Frontier line up... the tradional folders and the 'new' Buck 110 clone line up of lockbacks.
Lots more I could write about these, but this one knife in particular is what makes the connection to Schrade. Here it is:
http://villagephotos.com/viewimage.asp?id_=7434925
One of the Schrade Scrimshaws... but using one of the older Frontier tang marked blades. Of course the handles and all dimensions of the stockman pattern knife is identical to other 'Schrade tang marked' Scrimshaw knives and other stockmans marked Frontiers. I deduce that Schrade liked the knife enough to take it up as one of their own.
Imperial also made a lineup of Frontiers called the 'Double Eagles'... all lockbacks and fixed blades, stainless steel and very nice wood handles, without the 'Powderhorn' shield.
As I write, it's a fun, cheap little sideline to my main collecing interest. And I find plenty of them still brand new in the box and I enjoy giving them as gifts. Just thought I'd toss it in here as there is an obvious Schrade connection. Any thoughts on what I have found, written, LT?
And a question for our LT... The catalogs show scenes from the factory where the knives were built... going on and on about the quality and such. Of course I am convinced these were made at the Camillus factory, so which factory is shown in the photos?
Phil
