Comparing LB8 Papa Bear variances with known date of Manufacture

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Jul 28, 2005
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G'day, The first Schrade I ever used was an LB8 Papa Bear and still use the same one today, so I am partial to arguably the prettiest large folder Schrade produced,and I'm certain was responsible for a number of collectors being initially interested in USA Schrade.
There have been a few variances through the years <besides the Nickel Silver Bolsters and brass bolster examples which are numerous> from the first ones produced in 1978 being part of the Limited Edition Uncle Henry 'Dixie Collection Series',and I will try and list my examples chronologically.
1.This example with the 144UH Guides Choice, is the 1978 North Carolina 'Dixie' with 4 pins <later versions had 3 >, brass Uncle Henry Shield and the LB7 blade stamp. <Schrade+ with no Uncle Henry>#NC474... Its ironic that Schrade started out making this earliest version with LB7 Tang Stamped blade and finished sometime in the late 90's near the end of production using the LB7 blades again in lieu of the LB8 blades. <Had they run out of LB8 stamped blades at that stage?>The paperwork is Schrade Cutlery Corp,later were Schrade Cutlery and LB8 without the later dash LB-8
2.LB-8 Brown Box with the dark sheath with Schrade on Sheath Stud and original paperwork LB-8. 3 handle pin with earliest position placement of the second pin. #96612. Schrade + <No Uncle Henry> If the LB'8s were bolster numbered at the same time as the LB7's then this example would also have been produced in 1978 as Codger has already established that Numbers 17694 to 334585 were produced in 1978. Comment please Codger?
3.Limited Edition Uncle Henry 1980, Gold Rush with the 153UH Golden Spike. Earliest position 3 pin, blade stamping Schrade+ <with no Uncle Henry> Gold Rush Etch.#20131 bolster etch <early production held over for this 1980 series?> Comment Codger?
4.Uncle Henry 6 knife Presentation Set. Features several UH knives that were only produced 85 to 88 being the 705UH Chairman, and the 124UH Tradesman/Maverick, plus the scarce 197UH Cat Paw. It is reasonable to assume the LB8 in this set is from 85 to 88 also.This LB8 features 'Uncle Henry' Schrade+ on Tang stamp and has the same earlier 3 pin configuration.
5. 1990's Uncle Henry 'A Sharp Idea' box. LB8 still with earlier 3 pin configuration, Tang Stamp 'Uncle Henry' Schrade +.
6Circa2000 Ducks Unlimited Stamping 'Uncle Henry' Schrade + LB8..Ducks Unlimited blade etch.Modern 3 pin configuration.Refer photos for variance>
7. C2000 Buckskin 'Uncle Henry' tang stamp. Modern 3 pin handle configuration. Refer photos for variance>
This is by no means a conclusive study of the variances however these examples give the dates produced with reasonable certainty .<who can ever be really certain with Schrade production>
Submitted for anyone interested in LB8's like me. Hoo Roo
 

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few more photos.....
 

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...couple more to round it out....
 

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i am lucky enough, well at least from my perspective to have a North Carolina LB 8 or is it an LB 7 with staglon handles. love the feel of these knives and i carry one when going out on the town. need to look and see if i have the fixed blade type to semi round out the set. i know i don't have one of the North Carolina ones but may have the pattern. thanks for sharing what very nice examples of good ole Schrade knives.
 
i think the numbering was different from the LB7's due to the pins. the four pin on the LB 7's lasted til the numbering got to LXXX or later and the LB 8's have all be numbered even with the pin changes. plus the only four pins i have seen are with the dixie set, is this true?
 
G'day Delmas, good questions mate and partly the reasons for my post to get a collective view....
The Dixie Collection Papa Bear was, I believe, really an LB7 with staglon scales.Identical 4 pin configuration same blade with LB7 stamping etc and no 'Uncle Henry' <I just looked at a 4 pin LB7 from the late 70's to compare>...albeit with a brass Uncle Henry shield unlike any other LB8's that followed. The fact the Dixie is the only 4 pin I have noted further bears out my assumption.
The brown box LB8 with the bolster #96612 is inscribed identically to the 4 pin LB7. This is the main reason I made above post as the evidence indicates it may be of that production period of 1978 when LB7 were made with those numbers. My confirmed 1980 Gold Rush LB8 is identical in all respects to the brown box LB8. Same 3 pin configuration and same blade stamping etc.
Robert Clemente states in his History of Schrade OT's and UH's that first date of production of the LB8 was 1982 so that may require amendment certainly by two examples and possibly three examples prior to that date..<1982>.
I have numerous later edition LB'7 and LB8's with no bolster numbers whatsoever..so it would appear Schrade ceased numbering them both at the same time?.....and certainly by the late 80's as the Sharp Idea Box example would indicate...
I will be interested in Codgers' take on all this when our Chief Papa Bear comes out of his hibernation.......Hoo Roo
 
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the only caveat to the non-numbered ones is if it is a 4 pin it is probably a replacement knife for a lost one or defective returned one. i like you have lots of both LB 7's and LB 8's and am not sure on the numbering but think they were numbered seperately since the LB 7's went to letters and the LB 8's never made it that far (as far as i have seen yes we await Codger on this one). Wonder if there was any rhyme or reason to the brass or nickel ended LB 8's. (am also a very pleased owner of an LB 9, wicked little thing that it is.) this is my favorite pattern and have way too many of them but can't seem to keep from obtaining new and more interesting ones.
 
The brown box LB8 is what I have. Got it for my sixteenth b day. It is serialized. I also noticed some later LB8 have the lock bar pin under the shield instead of up towards the tang. I think the non serialized are replacements too. I feel my LB8 is too precious to use so I have two LB7's. One four pin and one 3 pin. I have seen a four pin LB7 with the stagalon handles. The LB9 I cannot find anywhere or have seen in real life so you are extremely lucky if you have one.
 
Is the LB9 a recognized stamped pattern, or is it an SFO with a guthook and marked LTD? I have seen such a knife a few times, but do not believe I've seen one bearing an LB9 stamp.
 
Good question Thawk. The LB9 I saw was from a link posted here and it was stamped LTD. The other lockback with a guthook is the 9OT but is not an LTD. I want to find an LB7DP and I think some of those are stamped LTD. I love em all!
 
Good question Thawk. The LB9 I saw was from a link posted here and it was stamped LTD. The other lockback with a guthook is the 9OT but is not an LTD. I want to find an LB7DP and I think some of those are stamped LTD. I love em all!

Email or PM me Hedger. I may have discovered something of interest to you. :thumbup:
 
Email or PM me Hedger. I may have discovered something of interest to you. :thumbup:

Your YAHOO email address in BladeForums is invalid. If I try to reply through the forum it tells me you do do not wish to be receive emails??? Send me your real email address in the text of a message so I can send you one. :)
 
G'day, Even though the LB8 series appear to be bolster marked identically to the LB7's I believe this set finally gives proof that both series were numbered independantly.
This LB8 is bolster Number A56638. This Uncle Henry Gift Set which also contains the Uncle Henry 706UH Gentleman Jim would have been manufactured between 1985 and the last date of production of Gentleman Jim in 1988.
We have ascertained as a result of Codger's tireless research that LB7 with the 'A' Alpha Series was manufactured in 1980 <A00001 - A99999> which is at least 5 years earlier than this LB8 could have been manufactured.....
It would make conclusive proof if LB7 with Serial A56638 has been recorded and if a member has it could they please show it......
Is it reasonable to assume therefore, that there were 1,000,000 LB8's produced in that 5/6 period between my confirmed 1980 Gold Rush Lb8 with Serial 20131 and the 1985/86 Serial A56638?
What say you Codger on my above hypothesis, and do you wish to conduct similar Poll <to your LB7's> on the LB8's, to see if the numbers concur...or are you all hypothesised out? Hoo Roo
 

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I had missed the brass shield difference on your '78 set. Thanks for pointing it out Larry. Now I need one of those too!

Another thing I found interesting is that your 1980 "Gold Rush" set came with a three pin LB-8 whereas my 1980 "Dixie Collection" set came with a four pin. This strongly implies to me that all the Dixie sets sold were manufactured in 1978 regardless of when they were sold.

Thanks for sharing Larry.
 
... This strongly implies to me that all the Dixie sets sold were manufactured in 1978 regardless of when they were sold...

...or at least sometime before the pin change order came down. These could have been made in 1978, 79 and early '80. Darn me but the exact pin change dates elude me. I knew them at one point in time. :eek:
 
Bringing up this thread again for Hedger and his question regarding the pin position on his LB8. Hedger, your pin position under the Uncle Henry Shield is identical to my Pinto/Buckskin LB8 in the last photo of the group.....the Pinto/Buckskin was a late production I believe...you can clearly see the pin positions of all LB8's from go to whoa in their production period in this thread....do you wish me to size the blade thickness of the PInto?.....Hoo Roo
 
I thought I'd add this knife here to keep this info together.

This is another early LB8 just slightly younger than Larry H's #96612. It is serial # A8449 and has identical 3-pin knife, box, sheath and paperwork as Larry's #96612. Trying to date it is still making my head hurt so I will leave that to anyone who wants to tackle it. :confused:

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