Old Timer Generational Knives

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hodg0610

Joined
Oct 21, 2020
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Greetings everyone. I was just browsing around on Midway, and saw that there are three Old Timer models now being touted as US made. They are part of a "Generational" line, at least that's how they are marketed by Midway. One of the knives is the Sharpfinger, and is currently available. The 94OT and 5OT are also offered, but not available yet.

Anybody know anything about Old Timers being made in the USA again?
 
This is news to me; looking forward to further posts. After the 2004 bankruptcy, I know that Bear and Sone and Utica made Schrade branded knives, but not Old Timers.
 
Just found a youtube video about them. The company rep says they are offering the sharpfinger and three folders in this line. 1095 carbon steel blades with sawcut bone handles. That video was from February 2021.
 
hodg0610 said:
Just found a youtube video about them. The company rep says they are offering the sharpfinger and three folders in this line. 1095 carbon steel blades with sawcut bone handles. That video was from February 2021.
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Give us a link to the video? I have one of these on order and it will be here sometime next week. Meanwhile information about it (their Sharpfinger version) is scarce to none so far as I have found.

We know that the trademarks used belong to Battenfield Technologies Inc. (BTI), which belongs to American Outdoor Brands (AOB) which belongs to Smith & Wesson.

Schrade-Old-Timer-1135991-Generational-USA-Sharpfinger-152-OTG.jpg
 
Here is a link to the video:

I'd be interested to find out who is producing them, and whether the company intends to continue or even expand their US manufacturing.

I ordered one too. Can't wait to get my hands on it.
 
My "Generational" Sharpfinger arrived today. There is nothing in the packaging which indicates a maker or even an address other than the web site theoldtimer.com. The box is a pvc windowed outer box with a molded pvc inner tray for the knife stacked on another pvc tray for the sheath with an insert ownership record card. The leather sheath copies an original albeit with no rivets at the end of the stitches.

The knife itself appears to be well made and, in spite of being 1095HC steel, shows no sign of corrosion in manufacture or storage. Prior promotional photos exaggerate the hollow grind. It is much more nearly the same as the last grind on the original circa 2003 - 2004. Fit and finish is nice enough. I'd still like to know who the maker is. Perhaps someone will contact Morgan Taylor, listed online as President of BTI, and ask.
 
A closer look at the BTI/AOB/S&W 152OTG Sharpfinger. Looking more closely at the box, on the bottom it does have AOB's Columbia Missouri address. The box design and quality is what one might expect of an iPhone accessory hanging display package at Walmart. Don't expect a display box on par with the earlier vinyl covered, flocked tray lined boxes much less one of the oak or walnut lasered art display boxes.

The knife does have textured brown dyed bone handles, not Delrin as I had guessed. The blade is symmetrical and polished steel, likely 1095HC as advertised though I am not going to test that or the RH. The handle pins (they don't appeear to be compression rivets) appear to be brass and finished flush.

All things considered, it doesn't appear to be a bad deal for the money. About the same as today's secondary market price for a Delrin handled original NIB. I'll leave it to others to test it in use. And to ferret out the actual USA maker. It could possibly be BTI using the former TBLLC facilities in Kingsport, Tennessee.
 
Great precis' Codger,..one would think if it was made in USA, they would be PROUD to state it clearly....?.......
 
Larry303 said:
Great precis' Codger,..one would think if it was made in USA, they would be PROUD to state it clearly....?.......
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Well they do state the "U.S.A. Made" at every opportunity as expected since it is one of their main selling points after sixteen years of offshore production in varying degrees of quality. They are just letting the identity of the assembler go unsaid. That's really nothing new. ISC and Camillus did the same when they outsourced knives.

Another unanswered question is how many "Limited Edition" knives is the issue limited to? Mine is not serialized.
 
Thanks for the update Codger. Glad to hear the blade contour is more like the old ones. The pictures gave it a kind of weird look. Mine is still floating around the USPS universe somewhere. I was hoping it would have arrived by now. I also ordered the other two knives in this series. It's unfortunate they don't offer a 34OT or 8OT in this series yet. I would have thought the 34OT would be the first one they would produce in a US made line.

I agree the two big questions are who makes them, and how/whether Old Timer will expand production. I suspect the latter will depend on how well these sell.
 
Mine came in the mail today, which was surprising (Sunday). I have to say I'm very impressed. The fit and finish are as good as the originals. It looks to me like the scales are held on with peened brass pins. The Old Timer logo is a round inlaid shield. The blade contour looks slightly different and more robust than the originals. The blade is stamped 152OT over1095HC on the left side and Old Timer over USA on the right side. The sheath is nicely made. It uses a black snap on the strap but other wise looks just like the originals minus the rivets. The strap on mine is a little tough to snap. Maybe that's just break-in stuff.

Overall I'm very pleased. This was well worth the money to me.
 
I picked up the 94OT and 5OT versions of this generational line as well. They seem very well made with good fit and finish. The 94OT could use a little more smoothing on the backsprings, and could use stouter springs. Overall, they are both nicely made knives and well worth the purchase price. I'm very glad to have these, and to see them made in the USA.
 
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