Old Timer 960T Bearhead

[hawaiianhawk]

Hello, Schrade forum. I'm fairly new to traditional knives and Schrades in particular, but I wanted to share this Bearhead Trapper I found this past Saturday at a local flea market. The blades still have the factory edge and look unused, and it's in great shape except for some scratches on the bolsters and grips and a bit of light staining on the spines of the blades and springs, and a few small rust spots that have since wiped into black stains on the blades. The tweezers and pick/scribe are also intact.

I already posted this in the Traditionals forum and it was suggested I share it here as well. Any feedback or information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[thawk]

Nice pick up. These are pretty popular on Ebay, and it looks like you got an example in tip top condition.

Bearhead Trapper; 4-1/8"; clip, spey, field pick, tweezers. Introduced in the 1994 catalog. Some came with a leather sheath.

 

[garddogg56]

I just got a Shrade 96otIt's was my first trapper love that 1095 steel,and put it EDC rotation it is in a sheath the only thing is I miss is having a pen blade but it is a nice knife:thumbup:

 

[hawaiianhawk]

I only have three folders with carbon steel, and I haven't used or sharpened this one yet. I have carried it, it's been in my back pocket since I bought it, but my dad's old Camillus TL-29 has been my most-used knife of late. I'm going to go back again to that seller and see if any other Schrades in good shape turn up this week. I really like the tweezers on this, they're very strong with good useful tips.

 

[tongueriver]

Many years ago the term "barehead" came into use to describe a jack knife with one bolster (think "bald head"). Then, in the early 1950s Schrade marketed some fixed blade knives with a cast aluminum pommel in the shape of a bear's head, an inside joke with the company, referencing Albert Baer. In the 1994 catalog, the 96OT trapper is referred to as a "bearhead." I think that was an internal mistake arising out of someone's ignorance of the language at that time. By the way, I think the 96 is a real corker. Very nice knife.