Old Timer Bearhead Trapper...

[hotbossa]

Hi there, I came across an old timer bearhead trapper knife during a trip to Oregon. My uncle had one in his pocket and I thought it was interesting due to its extra tools on board. Basically it's a trapper knife with tweezers and a needle. Perfect for working on his ranch when he comes across a splinter. I purchase one of these knives for around $18. Schrade is the manufacture and the blade steel is unknown. My question is, do any of the higher end slip joints knife makers make a knife similar to this but of better quality? I will include a picture for those of you who do not know what I'm talking about. Thanks!

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Before Schrade closed it's doors and Taylor Brands started manufacturing them overseas, I don't know if they made one like this.

 

[Rockon75]

Delete

 

[WA Martin]

The picture "looks" like a Taylor Brand Schrade. I'm not of anyone that makes the same model, especially with the tools.

If you wanted a higher quality you would have to find one of the older Schrades or have a Knifemaker do one custom for your specifications. There are some SAK modifiers that do the tweezers and SAK style toothpicks but I don't know anyone who does the scratch awls.

Probably someone who has made cattle knives or other knives with tools might be your best bet.

 

[Bob W]

The one in the picture is a current import from China, made for Taylor Brands. They use some sort of stainless steel; you can probably look up the exact name at a dealer's website.

An original Schrade-USA Old Timer looks like these: Both are 1095 carbon steel and the difference in the two models is the secondary blade, saw vs trapper.

96OT

97OT

The Imperial-Schrade Corp. has been out of business for over 10 years, so your best bet in finding an original is second-hand from a large auction website. A heads-up, those models are less common and an unused/NIB example could cost several times more than a Chinese import.

 

[tongueriver]

The Imperial-Schrade Corp. has been out of business for over 10 years, so your best bet in finding an original is second-hand from a large auction website. A heads-up, those models are less common and an unused/NIB example could cost several times more than a Chinese import.

And well worth it. Thanx to Bob for some illumination. :thumbup: BTW, they are called barehead, not bearhead, because there is no rear bolster (properly called a cap). Schrade did make some fixed blade knives in the 1950s with a bear's head as a pommel, a play on Albert Baer, an owner.

 

[RobertJ1]

I've searched around for the USA Schrade 960T and they aren't cheap. Especially if you find one with original box and paperwork. Good luck in your search!

 

[Coonskinner]

I've got one of the old ones.

It is a great knife.

 

[afishhunter]

The new ones use 440A. The build quality is just as good as the old USA made. In some ways, the new made are "better": no Swindon (Swendon?) key construction.
A respected member here (not me) did a comparison of the old vs new, found them to be of equal quality, the new having a slight edge over the old in edge retention (Schrade + blades on the old USA bersion) and both held an edge better than Case's stainless, that he used for a standard.

I have no complaints about the Taylor Schrade made knives that I own. From personal experience they are every bit as good as the old USA Schrades I own.

 

[tongueriver]

The original 96OT knives had non-stainless steel. Comparing the Taylor Scharades to these is apples to oranges.

 

[Bob W]

Ok, you guys sent me deep into the vault. Hope you're happy...

And well worth it. Thanx to Bob for some illumination. BTW, they are called barehead, not bearhead, because there is no rear bolster (properly called a cap). Schrade did make some fixed blade knives in the 1950s with a bear's head as a pommel, a play on Albert Baer, an owner.

Schrade used the term "Bearhead" for the name of the 96OT. Says so right on the boxes.
(the 97OT is the Buzzsaw Trapper)

The new ones use 440A. The build quality is just as good as the old USA made. In some ways, the new made are "better": no Swindon (Swendon?) key construction.

Swinden Key, named after David Swinden, who invented the Swinden Key and worked at Canal Street Cutlery until recently passing away.

The key vs. pinned argument is valid when discussing the 96OT and 97OT; I have seen no pinned examples of either. But you have to be careful when discussing Schrade-USA Old Timers in general; many were not assembled with the Swinden Key method. Depends on model, age, or whether the knife was assembled by Schrade or contracted to Camillus. Old Timer knives are older than the patent for the Swinden Key...

A respected member here (not me) did a comparison of the old vs new, found them to be of equal quality, the new having a slight edge over the old in edge retention (Schrade + blades on the old USA version) and both held an edge better than Case's stainless, that he used for a standard.

I have no evidence that the 96OT nor 97OT were ever made with SHRADE+ steel. Doesn't mean it never happened.

 

[Ramrodmb]

The original 96OT knives had non-stainless steel. Comparing the Taylor Scharades to these is apples to oranges.

Agreed. There is NO comparison between the two. For someone to say the chinese one is comparable (or better HAHA) blows my mind.

 

[garddogg56]

me too^

 

[blade dude]

The steel on the new ones is either 7cr, 420hc or 440 surprise.

 

[knarfeng]

The steel on the new ones is either 7cr, 420hc or 440 surprise.

Nonsense.
The blade steel on the Delrin handled Talor-Schrade Old timers is 7Cr17, a close match to 440A. The blades give similar performance to Schrade-US Shrade+, which was 440A until the late 90's when Schrade-US changed to 420HC.

The blade steel on the bone handled Taylor-Schrades Old timers is 9Cr17, a close match to 440C. I've not tried those, so I don't know how well they perform.

 

[tongueriver]

Schrade used the term "Bearhead" for the name of the 96OT. Says so right on the boxes.

Thanks for digging that out, Bob; I think I did see that a long time ago. My take? Operator error. I see mis-spelled words everywhere I look. Still interesting and good for a smile.