Another SD40 Sears/Schrade Walden J.C Higgins Frogmans Defender

Joined
Jul 28, 2005
Messages
2,167
Recently located another SD40 <Schrade Divers> manufactured from 1961-1965 with total Schrade Walden manufacture of only 850 of these unique knives. The photos show 2X SD40's without the D guard and 2X SD41's with the unique D guard. Three bear the J.C. Higgins etch to blade indicating made for Sears Roebuck, and the other has the blade etch 'Frogmans Defender-Made to Government Standards'....
Both types of sheaths specifically manufactured for these knives are also shown. There may still be 846 out there in Schrade land after some 45 years, however they are becoming quite scarce as I guess many may in fact lie on the seabed?...
Schrade unofficial historian Debbie L Chase is quoted as saying "They were made to Government Specifications which included a salt water resistant plastic handle and a heavy gauge stainless steel blade............
When I saw that photo of Albert Baer holding the Special Order Knuckle knife manufactured for O.S.S. that was recently submitted by Codger/lrv, I immediately thought of this D guard Schrade Walden.
I know from photos that there were both models SD40 and SD41 without their sheaths on the Schrade Wall collection however none of my knives are those ,so at least 2 Mint versions are still out there...unless they were used skindiving!
If you see one available, go for it....photos of 4 knives attached....Hoo Roo
 

Attachments

  • P1010001_01.jpg
    P1010001_01.jpg
    34.5 KB · Views: 93
  • P1010005_01.jpg
    P1010005_01.jpg
    34.2 KB · Views: 63
  • P1010006_01.jpg
    P1010006_01.jpg
    32.3 KB · Views: 62
  • P1010011.jpg
    P1010011.jpg
    39.6 KB · Views: 75
  • P1010016.jpg
    P1010016.jpg
    40.6 KB · Views: 80
Last edited:
..few more photos....
 

Attachments

  • P1010012.jpg
    P1010012.jpg
    42.7 KB · Views: 38
  • P1010010.jpg
    P1010010.jpg
    39.8 KB · Views: 28
  • P1010004_01.jpg
    P1010004_01.jpg
    36.8 KB · Views: 26
  • P1010003_01.jpg
    P1010003_01.jpg
    36.1 KB · Views: 28
  • P1010007_01.jpg
    P1010007_01.jpg
    37.7 KB · Views: 35
Recently located another SD40 <Schrade Divers> manufactured from 1961-1965 with total Schrade Walden manufacture of only 850 of these unique knives.

Hi Larry, that's an impressive set you have there. I was watching one of the SD-41's recently and it sold for $80-90 U.S. (not as nice condition as in your photo's & no sheath). Unfortunately I wasn't aware how hard they are to find or I would've made more of an effort.
Means alot to an amateur collector like myself to be able to gain some insight & info from seasoned ones. Thank you sir!!
 
G'day Haydn,
That auction I believe was Fleabay Item 230525760436......from a Chicago Estate.. actually went for US$132.50...and the front of the Cutlass D guard where the sheath attaches by twine was a bit bent....however they are pretty scarce and the 21 bids on it, was I guess, testimony to that!
Might have to put one up myself...they are unique as far as Schrade goes to hold in the hand.....Hoo Roo
P.S. I just re-read that comment I made "might have to put one up myself".....I did of course mean figuretively speaking..........
 
Last edited:
Just bumping up this thread again to show new poster Zavala that J.C. Higgins brand made by Schrade Walden were not all leather handles fixed blades as he believes....here is the J.C. Higgins Frogman's Defender with original box...
 
mannnn larry, if you ever ever ever just want to part with one of those please please please let me know!!! i am a BIG J.C. Higgins collector!!!
 
We appear to have a revival of photos of scarce Schrade's on this site which is great!.......Been a few years now since I have seen another one of these unique Schrade Walden Frogman Defenders SD40 and SD41.......
Do any other members have either pattern to show?......I wonder how many of the original 850 manufactured 1961 to 1965 have actually survived after some 50 years....?.....
Lets see some photos of these unique <unique for Schrade> fixed blades....Hoo Roo
 
all i can say is figuretively speaking, "ouch"

G'day Haydn,
That auction I believe was Fleabay Item 230525760436......from a Chicago Estate.. actually went for US$132.50...and the front of the Cutlass D guard where the sheath attaches by twine was a bit bent....however they are pretty scarce and the 21 bids on it, was I guess, testimony to that!
Might have to put one up myself...they are unique as far as Schrade goes to hold in the hand.....Hoo Roo
P.S. I just re-read that comment I made "might have to put one up myself".....I did of course mean figuretively speaking..........
 
I have one of the J.C. Higgins with the D guard. Thought I had posted a picture of it in this thread at one time, but I guess not. Might even find time to dig it out this weekend, since it's supposed to rain most of the weekend here.

Dave
 
I see one of these D Guard SD41's <Schrade Walden Frogmans Defender 41> on the popular site......<I have no connection with it>....only 850 ever manufactured 1961-1965 so must be considered very scarce now after some 50+ years after manufacture.....and I guess more than a few must have been used in salt water for their intended purpose......
Bumped up for Newbie Schrade collectors information.....Hoo Roo
 
I found another previous posting I had made that the admin here forgot to wipe the photos, as they have done with hundreds of photos from my collector posts,.....look at them while you still can if interested...when do you get to see unique USA Schrades like this today?....Hoo Roo
 
Do members see any SD40 & SD41's SD=Schrade Defender -Divers Knife> come up for sale in recent times?....one of the more unique design Schrade Waldens' .....I wonder how many actually ever got used by Divers?..if any?....re-birthed for interest.....Hoo Roo
 
I just came into a bag of 1960s-era diving gear with a Shrade-Walden knife in it -- evidently the SD41 Frogman's Defender... really neat piece. Nice to learn about it; I appreciate the information others have shared. The sheath is missing straps, based on photos I see above.
 
Back
Top