What is it about that Old Timer carbon steel?.

sunnyd

sunnyd

Joined
Jul 17, 2004
Messages
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I traded this knife for a half a box of old .38 special target wad-cutter shells to a good friend and neighbor back during the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. At the time their was severe devastation in our area and life as we knew it in south Broward county and north Dade county Florida was about to change for the foreseeable future in 1992. I did not need another folding knife at the time but there were looters about steeling everything they could that was not nailed down and my good buddy Carl(retired New York city police officer)approached me and needed the bullets to protect his family and his property. I had way more guns and shells than I needed at the time and wanted to help a friend in need more than to get a knife in return..

Now, fast forward to late 2006, early 2007 when I began to EDC this old 285UH Trapper pattern with the old Schrade, Walden, NY., USA tang stamp and the worked brass liners. As I dug this old knife out of its packing from 15+ years ago I thought of ole Carl(who is now deceased) and the good deed I thought I did for him those many moons ago.. However, after stroping the blades on a thick leather belt I wear from time to time I realized I must have gotten the better part of the bargain in that trade even though the blades were probably 20% gone and well used.. I have been wearing this knife in the vintage sheath he gave me with the knife and can tell you this old carbon steel takes and holds an edge like few others do.. I wanted to share this story with you all in the hopes that perhaps several or more of you have knives similar to this and would like to chime in as well.

Although I moved away out of the city back over 10 years ago about an hour or so to the north to move into a home on several acres in the country, and have lost touch with Carl's family, I still think of him and them often, and for a time when we all looked out for each other more often than we normally did.. I loved that old man and I am pleased, but somewhat disappointed that it took a category 5 hurricane to bring us closer together. I will always remember him and the time we all spent helping our neighborhood in that time of trouble.

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That is a fine old knife to remember the man from. Thanks for sharing the story behind it, it is always great to here of people coming together in times of need. Joe
 
I couldn't agree more. it's a heckuva good looking knife and a wonderful story.

brett
 
Schrade UNCLE HENRY knives from back then had all stainless steel blades, not carbon steel as we think of it today.
 
The Japanese believed that the steel would hold some of the spirit of the man who carried it for a long time. This was the reason the old blades were prized beyand what mere money could buy them for. Many years after WW2 ended, there were many agents for some Japanese familys trying to track down and buy back old family swords that were taken back to the U.S. as souviners.

I believe there may be some truth in that. Maybe some of old Carl's Chi remained in that old trapper, and a little of him is riding with you when you carry it.
 
jackknife said:
The Japanese believed that the steel would hold some of the spirit of the man who carried it for a long time. This was the reason the old blades were prized beyand what mere money could buy them for. Many years after WW2 ended, there were many agents for some Japanese familys trying to track down and buy back old family swords that were taken back to the U.S. as souviners.

I believe there may be some truth in that. Maybe some of old Carl's Chi remained in that old trapper, and a little of him is riding with you when you carry it.
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I am convinced that this could very well be the case in this particular situation.. Thanks for your insight Jackknife!:thumbup:
 
WIL TERRY said:
Schrade UNCLE HENRY knives from back then had all stainless steel blades, not carbon steel as we think of it today.
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Wil,

I'm sure you misunderstood my post in some regard, not that it makes a whole lot of difference to me here in this particular case. But, just to be clear, this knifes vintage is some form of carbon steel and is not stainless. I have been around and used carbon steel for nearly 40 years and I do know the difference. Please PM or email me for clarification on this knife if you like. I am always happy to assist a fellow bf.com member.

Best,
Anthony
 
sunnyd said:
... just to be clear, this knifes vintage is some form of carbon steel and is not stainless. I have been around and used carbon steel for nearly 40 years and I do know the difference.
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Does it say Schrade+ on the tang? If it does, it's stainless. FWIW, I've never heard of a carbon steel Uncle Henry, but I'm no Schrade expert.
 
mnblade said:
Does it say Schrade+ on the tang? If it does, it's stainless. FWIW, I've never heard of a carbon steel Uncle Henry, but I'm no Schrade expert.
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mnblade,

As stated in the original post, the tang is stamped in three lines: SCHRADE {over} WALDEN {over} N.Y. U.S.A.

Best,
Anthony
 
sunnyd said:
As stated in the original post, the tang is stamped in three lines: SCHRADE {over} WALDEN {over} N.Y. U.S.A.
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Right you are, sir. Sorry I glanced over that. I really know zip about the Walden era. But I do know one thing, this knife of yours is a super piece, and carries a mighty lot of history. I love knives like that. Thanks for posting the pic and the story.
 
Nice story to go along with a nice knife! The 285UH first appeared in the catalogs in 1969, though it didn't gain a name until later. And yes, some Uncle Henry knives were 1095HC back then. A few were always stainless, but not all. Likewise most Old Timers were carbon steel. But not all. The "SCHRADE+" marking came later. All of them marked thus were stainless. But so were knives not so marked like the early 897UH Premium stock knife. One learns not to use terms like "always" and "never" when dealing with old Schrades!

I don't know so much about "chi", "life force" etc and inantimate objects like knives. But I do know that knowing something about the history of a particular knife, especially if it had been owned by a good friend or family member, adds to the appreciation and enjoyment of a knife.

One of my favorite knives is an old 165UH that I bought off eBay. I established a long-running dialogue with the seller, a Texas hog hunter past his hunting days, and unraveled the story of the knife from the time it came to him as a replacement knife from Schrade until it reached my hand. It isn't exactly a Heritage knife, but it is a knife with a honest heritage and each scratch and blemish speaks of the man who carried it afield for years and used it as a knife was meant to be used.

Codger :thumbup:
 
Codger_64,

Thank you for your assistance on this one. Much obliged. When I first started EDC'n this Trapper I thought it may actually be a stainless steel bladed knife. But after cutting into the first Granny Smith apple for a snack and 5 minutes later seeing it stain up like it did, I knew I had one of the old carbon steel knives.. It sharpens up lick-ity-split on the old leather belt I wear when stropped a few times on each side of the blades as well.

In any event, its nice to know the historical facts on my favorite vintage made knives!. Thanks for that!!.

Best,
Anthony
 
Before I paid so much attention to Schrade knives, I thought, like everyone else that it was a strict truth that all Uncle Henry knives were stainless, all Old Timer knives were carbon and all stainless schrades were marked SCHRADE+. It has taken me several years of serious study to find out the real story.

But yes, cutting an apple, or onion or potato will usually tell the tale of the steel. As will existing patina on used knives. Stainless can spot and corrode too. After all, it is "stain-less" not stain proof. But it is different enough that it isn't hard to tell them apart.

Codger
 
Oh! And open the blades and look inside the liner with a strong light! It should have a warranty serial number stamped inside!

:D
 
Sunnyd, nice to see ya back on here.


Codger_64 said:
Oh! And open the blades and look inside the liner with a strong light! It should have a warranty serial number stamped inside!

Did the UH knives always have the serial # stamped inside, or was it just the earlier ones ?
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Codger, yes low and behold there is some type of numbers written on the liner. It is so faint however, I can not make them out. At some point after the sun rises today I will try lightly cleaning the liners with mineral oil or semi-chrome to perhaps see them clear enough to read.

338375, Thanks very kindly, its good to be back!
 
That is a great story and a classic old knife sunnyd. I am sure it has acquired the spirit of its two great owners. Thanks for sharing that with us.
 
338375 said:
Did the UH knives always have the serial # stamped inside, or was it just the earlier ones ?
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Only the early ones. I'm not sure when they quit doing it. On some knives like the LB-7 Lockback, the serial was on the bolster. On some sheath knives it was on the tang or guard.
 
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