Since 1904 Schrade has been the largest selling brand of cutlery in the United States, according to the brand’s current owner, Taylor Brands, LLC. At its peak, Imperial Schrade Corp. produced folding pocket knives, fixed blade knives for hunters and other outdoorsmen, lockbacks and multi-tools. This venerable American cutlery firm would have observed its 100th birthday in 2004, had the factory not closed shortly before the centennial celebration.
Schrade began as Schrade Cutlery Company, opening its doors in 1904 and starting out by producing cutlery with quality unique for its time. Imperial Knife Company — a separate firm — started business in 1916 in Providence, Rhode Island, manufacturing folding pocket knives. Ulster Knife Company and Imperial blended into one corporation much later in 1942, with the temporary mission of war knife production for the American military. Owner Alfred M. Baer purchased Schrade Cutlery after the war’s end and in 1946 renamed it the Schrade Walden Cutlery Corporation. As Schrade Walden, manufacturing moved to Ellenville, New York in 1958. Albert Baer bought out all other stockholders in 1983 and as sole owner changed the name of the parent company to Imperial Schrade Corporation. All assets moved to Ellenville. Baer died in 1997 and his widow, Karla B. Baer, briefly held the reigns as company C.E.O. On July 30th, 2004, the Schrade facility finished its final production run and closed down for good. Taylor Brands, LLC., purchased the rights to the brand name and still produces knives in the Schrade patterns, but all current Schrade knives are made in China.
If you’re lucky enough to stumble across a new Schrade, still in the box on the dusty shelf of some old general store, you might find a certificate inside that makes it even more valuable. Schrade’s last production run included a statement of authenticity which summarized the company history and certified those knives as the last of their kind. Older Schrade knives certainly have potential as collectibles even without that documentation. Today’s Schrade’s are a different breed, built with the Schrade look but using cheaper synthetics for handle materials and using 400 series high carbon stainless steel blades. If it’s your first Schrade you should find it a good knife, serviceable and backed by a limited lifetime warranty. If you’re replacing an old Schrade you’ll notice the difference. But get over it, many Chinese companies do good work.
See all of our Schrade knife reviews below
Survival knives usually try to do everything with one tool and wind up not being very good at any of it. The Schrade Extream Survival Knife is a better knife than most all purpose blades but has a few weak points.
The Extream is large (12.5 inches overall length) and heavy ...
A traditional design with a little purposeful flair, the Schrade Deerslayer's 10 1/2" full tang construction is both strong and big enough to grip with the full width of your hand, for those butchering tasks where you need as much leverage as you can get. The dropped blade acts as a ...
This versatile and economical skinning knife is big enough for deer and not too big for small game, so it's a practical knife for hunters who don't want to carry more than is necessary. The 3.63" stainless steel blade is the old full tang design so your work is ...
It's interesting to me that certain styles of knife have withstood the tests of time. Or, more appropriately, the tests of an ever-increasing advancement in knife technology. We are often still using, and purchasing, knives identical to ones people used centuries ago. The materials used may get better, but ...
I have mixed feelings about this Schrade Water Rat dive knife.
First the good feelings: I think the orange nylon handle is attractive, decently sized (4.1-inches), and easy to grip. It is also available in black, which looks good with any diver's gear. The orange, though, makes for ...
Schrade knives have been around for over a hundred years. Originally manufactured by the Schrade Cutlery Company, which was then bought out by the Imperial Knife Company, from 1946 until 2004 the Imperial Schrade Corp. had been in charge of the Schrade name and knives. In July, 2004, ...
Pocket knives are tools, legally not considered to be weapons at all unless over a certain blade length, and even today there are many people who would not be without one. I'm one of those, since I feel very strange without one in my pocket. I carry one ...
This is the Cave Bear pocketknife from Schrade's immortalized Old Timer product line. And again, it's another example of a high-quality knife at a reasonable price.
The blade is made from high carbon stainless steel, and features a single-blade lockback design into the handle. Its plain edge is actually quite sharp! You ...
Schrade has always been known for providing high-quality knives at reasonable prices. This knife is a great example of that.
Schrade has found a way to offer its customers durability in the classic Western style when they decided to manufacture this old time Deerslayer Sharpfinger knife.
The knife's blade is made of 1095 ...
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