Codger_64
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Schrade 34OT Middleman Old Timer Stockman
In July 2004, the one hundred year history of Imperial Schrade Corporation came to an end with the forced bankruptcy and October liquidation of assets. During those one hundred years, the name changed several times, as well as company ownership. Several other companies were acquired, sometimes operated in tandem, sometimes absorbed. Begun by George Schrade and his brothers, it evolved over the years into the possession and guidance of Albert and Henry Baer. Albert, ever the business genius, steered the company to expanded markets with new marketing techniques, and new products designed under the watchful eye of Henry, whose signature would appear on an entire line of upscale folding and fixed blade knives for the last forty years of Schrade's existence. Alongside the now famous Uncle Henry Signature knives, the Old Timer line of knives formed the backbone of Schrade's offerings of knives and tools.
One of the most popular Old Timer patterns was the Middleman stockman pattern, the 34OT. The Schrade 34OT Old Timer which began production in 1964 was introduced in the 1964 catalog for $5.95. This knife, with the now-familiar brown sawcut Delrin scales (described in the 1964 catalog as "Bone Meerschaum") was among the first Schrade Old Timer folders, the slightly earlier 8OT preceded by the 58OT which was Ulster tangstamped. In 1970 the handle material name "Genuine Saw Cut Staglon" was first used. The name "Middleman" was given first in 1971, presumably because, at 3 5/16", it was middle in size between the larger 4" 8OT Senior and the smaller 2 3/4" 108OT Junior.. The price was $33.45 in 2004.
In the historic configuration, the knife used the 1095 steel three blade stockman pattern that became popular with users for many years. This blade material became a mainstay of the OT line of knives, both folders and fixed. Knives produced after circa 1997 appeared that were made with stainless blades as Schrade made running changes phasing out the use of their 1095HC steel. Even the Schrade+ steel changed from 440A to 420C sometime around 2000.
In 1989, the Schrade+ stainless 834UH Uncle Henry version of the 34OT appeared in the catalog and listed for $26.95. This version was called the Rancher. It had a pretty good run, being last produced in 2004, a total of more than thirty four years.
The 34OT had a closed length of 3 5/16" with a clip blade of 2 1/2", a 2" spey blade, and a 1 3/4" sheepfoot blade. This combination of blades mounted between brass linings and textured sawcut brown Delrin scales proved to be extremely popular with knife users for more than forty years. It is both pleasant to hold and to look at with the nickle silver bolsters and nickle silver Old Timer shield, carbon steel blades, brass liners and pins, all mounted in a sawn bone appearing handle.
Limited editions and special private editions of the 34OT seem to be pretty popular among collectors. In later years, special limited editions and private editions were produced with special handle material, including a 100th anniversary edition. This edition can be found with either a round coined anniversary shield in addition to the production Old Timer Shield (known as the Dual Shield program A34OTS), or an elongated banner shield with "100th /1904-2004/ OLD TIMER" on it (A34OT). The latter came in a commemorative tin with red flocked insert, and a 100th anniversary hat/lapel pin. Two different lid designs will be seen, one with the anniversary banner logo, and another with the correct (according to Schrade illustrations) picture of the Schrade Walden factory circa 1940's. A substitute pin, one from the Old Timer Classics series, will also be found in some otherwise correct tins.
I have a 34OT which has a NRA logo master blade etch, and also one produced for True Value Hardware’s line with the Master Mechanic stamped shield and MM34 tangstamp. I am sure this pattern was used for many private editions. I have not seen it used in the Scrimshaw sets. The stockman pattern used in that series was usually the larger 8OT Senior with cream delrin covers and stamped as the 505SC.
Being one of the longest continually produced Schrade patterns, the 34OT came in every generation of packaging, the brown woodgrain slip top presentation box, brown woodgrain folding box, tan box, blue stripe box, and blue flag box, as well as the tan, blue stripe, and blue clam packs. Special bonus clampacks were also produced with items like playing cards, a compass, sharpening stone, and knife care kit.
In 1976, Schrade introduced a variant of the 34OT, the 33OT Middleman Jack. It was last produced in 2004, for an twenty-seven year run. Made on the same frame, the main difference between the 33OT and it’s ancestor was that the sheepfoot and spey blades were replaced by a single 1 3/4" pen blade.
In 1990, a short two year production was run of another 34OT variant, the 36OT Saddleman. It had a medium cli blade, sheepfoot, and a hole punch (leather awl). These are uncommon and make a nice addition to a collection.
The 34OT was included along with the 152OT Sharpfinger in the SGS-1 gift set from 1983 through 2000.
There are many reasons why a collector/user might want to date their knife, such as to consider age, rarity, or a certain steel. The most common way used is by the tangstamp, then packaging and paperwork. A post 2001 knife is likely stainless, though not marked as such.
In late 2002 or early 2003, a significant manufacturing process change was begun. Previously, the covers (scales) were molded in the Ellenville factory from tan base material as slabs, then batch dyed with the brown accent color. They were then placed in a die that cut the slabs to exact length and punched the pin holes. When the covers were mounted and glazed (finished) flush with the bolsters on the ends, the tan base material showed abutting the bolsters. With the new process, the covers were molded to length with the holes in place, then dyed. These new covers can be spotted because the ends next to the bolsters are dyed, and a thin brown line is formed at the joint. While all assembly and finish work still took place in Ellenville, the covers themselves were imported ready to assemble, saving molding, cutting and dying steps. Knives with these new style covers include all of the 2004 anniversary issues, both in the Centennial tins, and the dual shield editions, as well as all regular 2003 / 2004 production.
All of the 24OTX was produced using this process with the new molded scales, but of course the black delrin required no dye step.
Other patterns were scheduled for the same process change such as the 108OT, 807UH, and 834UH, so a few of those may be seen with similar characteristics, but there were, as with any major process change, problems encountered which were being worked out on the 34OT while the other patterns were mostly assembled with the older style covers in the traditional manner. It is uncertain how many of these other patterns were produced using the new covers. Probably sample amounts of 200 or less, if any.
Yet another late change was the use of robotics in the glazing process. What had been a hand/eye operation was automated on the 8OT, 34OT, and 108OT in the last year or so of production, though you will not likely see the difference in the finished product. If anything, you will probably see more conformity.
Codger
In July 2004, the one hundred year history of Imperial Schrade Corporation came to an end with the forced bankruptcy and October liquidation of assets. During those one hundred years, the name changed several times, as well as company ownership. Several other companies were acquired, sometimes operated in tandem, sometimes absorbed. Begun by George Schrade and his brothers, it evolved over the years into the possession and guidance of Albert and Henry Baer. Albert, ever the business genius, steered the company to expanded markets with new marketing techniques, and new products designed under the watchful eye of Henry, whose signature would appear on an entire line of upscale folding and fixed blade knives for the last forty years of Schrade's existence. Alongside the now famous Uncle Henry Signature knives, the Old Timer line of knives formed the backbone of Schrade's offerings of knives and tools.
One of the most popular Old Timer patterns was the Middleman stockman pattern, the 34OT. The Schrade 34OT Old Timer which began production in 1964 was introduced in the 1964 catalog for $5.95. This knife, with the now-familiar brown sawcut Delrin scales (described in the 1964 catalog as "Bone Meerschaum") was among the first Schrade Old Timer folders, the slightly earlier 8OT preceded by the 58OT which was Ulster tangstamped. In 1970 the handle material name "Genuine Saw Cut Staglon" was first used. The name "Middleman" was given first in 1971, presumably because, at 3 5/16", it was middle in size between the larger 4" 8OT Senior and the smaller 2 3/4" 108OT Junior.. The price was $33.45 in 2004.
In the historic configuration, the knife used the 1095 steel three blade stockman pattern that became popular with users for many years. This blade material became a mainstay of the OT line of knives, both folders and fixed. Knives produced after circa 1997 appeared that were made with stainless blades as Schrade made running changes phasing out the use of their 1095HC steel. Even the Schrade+ steel changed from 440A to 420C sometime around 2000.
In 1989, the Schrade+ stainless 834UH Uncle Henry version of the 34OT appeared in the catalog and listed for $26.95. This version was called the Rancher. It had a pretty good run, being last produced in 2004, a total of more than thirty four years.
The 34OT had a closed length of 3 5/16" with a clip blade of 2 1/2", a 2" spey blade, and a 1 3/4" sheepfoot blade. This combination of blades mounted between brass linings and textured sawcut brown Delrin scales proved to be extremely popular with knife users for more than forty years. It is both pleasant to hold and to look at with the nickle silver bolsters and nickle silver Old Timer shield, carbon steel blades, brass liners and pins, all mounted in a sawn bone appearing handle.
Limited editions and special private editions of the 34OT seem to be pretty popular among collectors. In later years, special limited editions and private editions were produced with special handle material, including a 100th anniversary edition. This edition can be found with either a round coined anniversary shield in addition to the production Old Timer Shield (known as the Dual Shield program A34OTS), or an elongated banner shield with "100th /1904-2004/ OLD TIMER" on it (A34OT). The latter came in a commemorative tin with red flocked insert, and a 100th anniversary hat/lapel pin. Two different lid designs will be seen, one with the anniversary banner logo, and another with the correct (according to Schrade illustrations) picture of the Schrade Walden factory circa 1940's. A substitute pin, one from the Old Timer Classics series, will also be found in some otherwise correct tins.
I have a 34OT which has a NRA logo master blade etch, and also one produced for True Value Hardware’s line with the Master Mechanic stamped shield and MM34 tangstamp. I am sure this pattern was used for many private editions. I have not seen it used in the Scrimshaw sets. The stockman pattern used in that series was usually the larger 8OT Senior with cream delrin covers and stamped as the 505SC.
Being one of the longest continually produced Schrade patterns, the 34OT came in every generation of packaging, the brown woodgrain slip top presentation box, brown woodgrain folding box, tan box, blue stripe box, and blue flag box, as well as the tan, blue stripe, and blue clam packs. Special bonus clampacks were also produced with items like playing cards, a compass, sharpening stone, and knife care kit.
In 1976, Schrade introduced a variant of the 34OT, the 33OT Middleman Jack. It was last produced in 2004, for an twenty-seven year run. Made on the same frame, the main difference between the 33OT and it’s ancestor was that the sheepfoot and spey blades were replaced by a single 1 3/4" pen blade.
In 1990, a short two year production was run of another 34OT variant, the 36OT Saddleman. It had a medium cli blade, sheepfoot, and a hole punch (leather awl). These are uncommon and make a nice addition to a collection.
The 34OT was included along with the 152OT Sharpfinger in the SGS-1 gift set from 1983 through 2000.
There are many reasons why a collector/user might want to date their knife, such as to consider age, rarity, or a certain steel. The most common way used is by the tangstamp, then packaging and paperwork. A post 2001 knife is likely stainless, though not marked as such.
In late 2002 or early 2003, a significant manufacturing process change was begun. Previously, the covers (scales) were molded in the Ellenville factory from tan base material as slabs, then batch dyed with the brown accent color. They were then placed in a die that cut the slabs to exact length and punched the pin holes. When the covers were mounted and glazed (finished) flush with the bolsters on the ends, the tan base material showed abutting the bolsters. With the new process, the covers were molded to length with the holes in place, then dyed. These new covers can be spotted because the ends next to the bolsters are dyed, and a thin brown line is formed at the joint. While all assembly and finish work still took place in Ellenville, the covers themselves were imported ready to assemble, saving molding, cutting and dying steps. Knives with these new style covers include all of the 2004 anniversary issues, both in the Centennial tins, and the dual shield editions, as well as all regular 2003 / 2004 production.
All of the 24OTX was produced using this process with the new molded scales, but of course the black delrin required no dye step.
Other patterns were scheduled for the same process change such as the 108OT, 807UH, and 834UH, so a few of those may be seen with similar characteristics, but there were, as with any major process change, problems encountered which were being worked out on the 34OT while the other patterns were mostly assembled with the older style covers in the traditional manner. It is uncertain how many of these other patterns were produced using the new covers. Probably sample amounts of 200 or less, if any.
Yet another late change was the use of robotics in the glazing process. What had been a hand/eye operation was automated on the 8OT, 34OT, and 108OT in the last year or so of production, though you will not likely see the difference in the finished product. If anything, you will probably see more conformity.
Codger
. Thank You. Preston
