Article by 2Eklectik
Schrade pocket knives were manufactured by the Schrade Knife Company for 100 years, from 1904 to 2004. Unfortunately, after 100 years, the company then known as Imperial Schrade was forced to close its doors.
During those 100 years, the Schrade brand of folding knives were manufactured to the same high quality standards, using the finest materials and craftsmanship that George Schrade insisted upon when he first started manufacturing his pocket knives in 1904.
In the late 1800s, George Schrade was a highly skilled toolmaker and machinist working in the models division of the US Patent Office. It was his job to make models of all machine patent applications to verify that they worked. Using his inherent ingenuity and creative mind, he would soon invent the automatic opening, switchblade knife (so people would no longer break their nails when opening their pocket knives). His continuous improvements to both the design and manufacturing process of his automatic opening knife would become his life's work.
In 1904, with his brothers Joe and William, George would establish the Schrade Knife Company in Walden NY. Once the business was established, George began thinking of ways to improve both the manufacturability and quality of the company's knives. This would lead him to invent the neck drawing machine, the heating machine, sharpeners, saws on center, bone jigger, bolster and automatic shielding machines. Many of these machines would become standard components of modern cutlery manufacture. It was George Schrade's desire to manufacture the highest quality knives using his state of the art manufacturing techniques that would have the Schrade Knife Company producing some of the best knives of his time.
George Schrade's attention to detail and his continuous improvement of the pocket knife manufacturing process has become the lasting legacy of the company that bears his name. All Schrade knives are made with the finest quality materials and assembled using the highest levels of craftsmanship.
Schrade Folding Knives are manufactured using up to 22 separate parts, and requiring up to 120 distinct hand operations, including 100% hand finishing of all knife blade edges and 100% final inspection.
Schrade pocket knives were manufactured using the highest quality materials available, including:* Unbreakable sawcut Delrin handles* 1095 High Carbon Cutlery steel blades* Solid Nickel Silver bolsters* Solid Brass Liners* Solid Pin construction
Schrade is so confident in the quality of their knives that each one comes with a Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. Additionally, the Uncle Henry knife is guaranteed for 1 full year against loss since Schrade is so confident you will like it so much you'll be extra careful not to lose it.
The Schrade Knife Company would merge with other cutlery companies and change names throughout the years, until in 2004, when the Imperial Schrade Company would finally close its doors, ending 100 years of manufacturing the highest quality pocket knives.