Work in slow Progress, My WW11 C1991 50th Anniversary Commemorative Set.

[Larry303]

G'day, At $2000 a Set in 1991 and only 500 sets <or less appearantly> ever produced I dont think my Schrade WW11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Set completion will progress much further.
So far I have the stag Commemorative Bowie and the D-Day Invasion U.S. Army Folder plus I just received from Ikedoc the original large Wooden case which housed all 7 knives. <I already had the individual wood boxes as shown in photo>.
Its not a set which gets discussed often possibly due to its rarity so here is the list of the full contents of the set for general Schrade information...and I obviously have some way to go to complete!
1. Six folding knives and one Bowie knife.Each of the 7 knives represent a Battle in WW11 History. The D-Day Invasion is represented by the U.S. Army folder.The Battle of Midway by U.S. Navy Folder. The Precision Bombing of Germany by the U.S. Army Air Force Folder,The Battle of Iwo Jima by the U.S. Marine Corp folder,All Amphibious Landings by the U.S. Coast Guard folder.The Murmansk Run by the U.S. Merchant Marine folder. Pearl Harbor, Dec.7th 1941 <Battleship Row> by the large Stag Handle Bowie.
2.Large wood display case with skeleton key.
3. 90 minute special 50th Anniversary Presentation on WW11 <VHS> Its a "mini documentary" tape produced under the direction of Brigadier General Stanley M Ulanoff Ret. using authentic footage and narration of each Blade Scene.
4.Leather Bound Book,containing 7 chapters. Each chapter is a history of each Battle or Mission as above written by WW11 Historian, Brigadier General Stanley M Ulanoff Ret.
5.A Letter from Walter Gardiner describing the Set with original reservation card. and a Letter from Brigadier General John S.D. Eisenhower AUS,Ret. and describes the importance of this Military knife Set. Both Letters are signed.
So if anyone has these can they please forward to me to allow me to complete my set..<not likely!>.....
Imperial Schrade had much to be proud of with its many undertakings, and underlines what a huge loss this Company was to U.S. Manufacture and its Specialised Craftsmen/women with its demise in 2004..IMO....Hoo Roo

 

[sikhawk]

oh my god that stag is beautiful. Amazing pieces you have there, thanks for sharing

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

Sure is an extra special set. Nice examples Larry! Thanks for sharing. That gold Pearl Harbor etch is fantastic on the blued blade and the burnt stag handles are gorgeous! I'm thinkin' you will get the other five knives at some point. Keep the faith!

 

[tongueriver]

Just saw one for sale, Larry, the whole 9 yards; maybe it's still up. Meanwhile, you make me a little nervous talkin' 'bout World War Eleven, 'stead of World War Two!

 

[Larry303]

What an amazing co-incidence seeing that one for sale <that we are not allowed to discuss here>..I hadnt seen it until just alerted to it by Dave by PM....I had previously Googled the name and came up with a set and contents info which had been for sale for US $5000!..and not on the Bay either......
Wonder if they accept payment in gold nuggets?.......as an aside before the price of gold just escalated <from $800 Oz to $1800 Oz !! with some pundits predicting to perhaps $5,000 Oz within 2 years! as its the only thing not being printed> I would rarely encounter other gold detectorists here in the Bush in the Golden Triangle Victoria......and I had the Bush and the nuggets nearly all to myself....now there seems to be a prospector in every Gully <Gulch> I wander into to prospect.....just about need parking lots for all their vehicles.....at the Aussie Goldfields....still with the modern Aussie Minelab Detector like I use <GPX5000> costing $6,500 the only folk making the real money are invariably the Gold Detector shops that sell them!
Thanks for the heads up....Hoo Roo
P.S. Cal, WW1 and then WW11....makes sense to this old digger....

 

[tongueriver]

LOL! Anyway, the merchants have always won out over the miners, I guess. I know knife dealers have made a bit off me.

 

[ea42]

Larry, you're waayyy ahead of me on that collection! Some FINE looking specimens there

At least you're not having to deal with prospecting in the winter like these poor chaps (I think your timing was impecable by the way):

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Good luck on the quests!

Eric

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

The Chilkoot Trail is on my list of "must-do-before-I-die" backbacking trips. That's some amazing wilderness but I would do it in summer with hi-tek ultra-light everything. Those miners back then must have been as tough as nails. Really great photos Eric! I love those historic black-and-whites. Thanks for taking the time to post them.

I'll be a proud Canadian and post the link to our "Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site". It's a good USA/Canada shared experience due to the trail starting in Alaska and ending in the Yukon. http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/yt/chilkoot/index.aspx

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

Larry, you're waayyy ahead of me on that collection! Some FINE looking specimens there

At least you're not having to deal with prospecting in the winter like these poor chaps (I think your timing was impecable by the way):

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Good luck on the quests!

Eric

Daag-naa-bit Eric! You got me hooked! I've just re-digested all the Parks Canada Chilkoot Trail website and I think I'm penning it in for next summer. I needed a new fun incentive goal to motivate me in my overall fitness goals and I think it's The Chilkoot 2012. Good reason to train and I've been wanting to do it since I moved West in 2001. 53kms of pristine Goodness. I'm in need of some time above the treeline and those alpine meadows await. Bueno Vistas in every direction. I'm gonna make it happen. Carpe Dium by the g'nads lol

I'm going camping shortly for a few days over the full moon on the 12th and that will be nice but "the grass is always greener..." and I think that Yukon business will be awesome! Seriously, I'm doin' it. Stay posted lol

 

[ea42]

Larry, not sure if you've got this pic or not, but figured I'd post it up for you anyway. This was actually the standalone Bowie setup rather than the complete set. I'm pretty certain I've got a company group photo around here as well, just have to do some more digging (prospecting if you will )

This was a 1991 offering as well, with a $900 suggested retail and $330 distributor cost in an edition of 1000 pieces.

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Eric

 

[Larry303]

Many thanks Eric, That is the Presentation set < single Box and Bowie> that I have however I did not have the brochure which I have now downloaded and printed on photopaper to add one more piece to the Set..<I now have the single case and large case>.. I was not aware my Single Bowie Set was 1 of 1000 either.....I see the brochure states "Distinctive Attack Scene on Blade".....I would have thought "The Pearl Harbor Tragedy Scene" would have been a more apt description....Hoo Roo

 

[zonaman]

Those things to do before we pass is called a "Bucket List." Ah Jack Nickolson. For some reason my bucket has a hole in it.

 

[Larry303]

Re-birthed to provide further discussion and hopefully more photos of collections...Schrade made some outstanding knives which deserve to be celebrated....Hoo Roo

 

[Tchase]

Larry,

I wish you all the luck in the world on completing that set. I am very fortunate to own one of the complete sets! This is a stunning set. It was gifted to my Step Dad as he was an employee with 40 years of service at Schrade. I was fortunate enough to obtain it after he passed. It is the center piece of my Schrade Collection along with some custom signs I had made in memory of him. The Schrade Walden and Schrade Cutlery signs, they were not cheap, however, they were necessary to showcase my Schrade Room and more importantly to pay respect to him.

Tom

 

[Tchase]

Larry,

Send me an email so I have your email. I would like to email about the WW II set

Tomchase@qcol.net

Tom

 

[bladecollectorr]

Such a deluxe set! So nice!

I have just bought a similar bowie knife but it is locked inside it's display (the same-type display as supplied with the Pearl Harbor bowie).

Does anyone have pics of the hinges and/or bottom of this bowie-knife display? (I'm trying to figure out if removing hinges or some sort of bottom panel would let me access box without wrecking it.)

Any tips on picking the simple lock?

Thanks for any thoughts regarding my issue! I am trying to decide if seller should remove knife from display "at all costs" so that knife itself can be properly packed for shipping. Seller thinks it could ship fine as-is but I fear elastic would break and both knife and display might get wrecked.

Should I have knife removed from display before it's shipped to me?

Pics of the stand-alone Pearl Harbor knife in the same type of display:

 

[bladecollectorr]

The world of knife collecting can be very supportive and I've already been loaned a key for my display. It should all get to me safely now.

I will post fresh pics of the Copenhagen knife when it's cleaned and polished.

 

[bladecollectorr]

I had to trash the display to safely ship the knife (long story) but it is easily one of the finest Schrade knives in my collection. I believe that Ty Murray was originally awarded this knife back in 1998.

From the January 14, 1998 issue of The Billings Gazette:

After a gentle clean and polish:

 

[Codger_64]

I had to trash the display to safely ship the knife (long story) but it is easily one of the finest Schrade knives in my collection. I believe that Ty Murray was originally awarded this knife back in 1998.

From the January 14, 1998 issue of The Billings Gazette:

After a gentle clean and polish:

Just a suggestion but have you considered asking Walt Garrison, Ty Murray or a Schrade employee about the history of this specific knife?

 

[bladecollectorr]

Just a suggestion but have you considered asking Walt Garrison, Ty Murray or a Schrade employee about the history of this specific knife?

That's a useful suggestion. Thanks!

I didn't try contacting Walt Garrison. I am aware he was a long-time spokesman for UST and his "Once A Cowboy" history. Was he still on UST's payroll in 1998? Maybe it's possible he presented the knife to the Series Champion of this Denver event. Food for thought.

I am still trying to contact Ty Murray (but haven't yet been successful). This is my primary focus because he seems the most likely candidate. I have found a couple street addresses associated with him and his official website. There is no contact info on his website. I found one site that claims to have his email (but I have to pay to see it). He hasn't posted anything to his Facebook page in a number of years.

I understand that Ty Murray was a founder of PBR so I did contact them through their website:

I collect Schrade USA knives and I enjoy watching bull riders. I believe Mr. Murray was a founder of your organization so I'm directing this question to you. Perhaps you could contact him or supply me with a contact email address.

I recently acquired a knife that was originally awarded to the "Series Champion" of a two-day Touring Pro Division event that was held in Denver, Colorado on Jan 12-13, 1998. This was back when Copenhagen (UST) was the nominate sponsor of said Division.

I contacted a kind gentleman at The National Western Stock Show first and I was informed that their records of that period are not really archived in a searchable form at this time. I was supplied with a local newspaper article that seems to indicate that Ty Murray was the Series Champion of this two-day event.

I have attached pictures of the knife in question and the old newspaper article.

Am I reading the newspaper article correctly? (It seems to indicate Tuff Hedeman was leading the Series at that point in time but did not take part in this Denver event.)

Can you positively confirm that Ty Murray originally owned this knife?

If not, could you supply me with some way to contact Mr. Murray myself? (As in current email address?)

Thank you for any assistance in this matter!

I've posted the knife in a number of places so hopefully former Schrade employees would speak up if they knew anything. Perhaps I should go the direct communication route and ask (the only two I know of) directly about it.

I should also ask Larry V. (lrv) directly about this knife but I didn't want him to go digging through his mountains of Schrade paperwork unnecessarily.

I'm hoping Ty Murray himself will confirm his prior ownership of the knife. That would be the best provenance.