I was gifted another knife today (lucky me).

[Captain O]

I was gifted a Schrade "Old Timer" 162OT Boot Knife. These knives retail for $25.00-$31.00 + shipping. Granted, these aren't the "high end" boot knives Schrade used to manufacture. The Chinese 7Cr17 "High Carbon" steel hardened to between 54-56 Rc isn't bad, but it isn't much harder than 440A stainless either. Before I went out, I put a "shaving sharp" edge on the 3.8" blade, (courtesy of my Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker). It didn't take very long at all because the blade grind/geometry seemed ready for a "waltz" with the ceramic sticks. Now my arm is properly shaven and ready to go out on a date!

I like the way it hides out behind my hip. Wearing it beneath my sportcoat no one ever noticed it while I did my shopping at Wally World. I can see carrying this into a "disadvantaged" neighborhood either in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles... or Tijuana! (No guns permitted there, so the "Boot Knife" could prove a valuable asset outside any Zona Norte/Centro Hotel after dark)!

The knife arrived NIB complete with Schrade's Limited Lifetime Warranty. (They would probably honor it if necessary). It looks good and will likely serve to "save my skin" in a pinch.

Does anyone own one of these? If so, I could certainly use some input concerning these pieces of cutlery.

Opinion? Comments?

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[Andy54Hawken]

I won , one of those at a rifle shoot here awhile back.
Like you Captain , I found that it took a sharp edge easy.
It seemed to handle well and cut nicely.
My biggest dislike was the leather scabbard... the leather seemed "cheap" and mine was urine tanned ... Which meant the every time it got damp ... I smelled pee.

In the end , I re-handed it with a antler handle and made a new scabbard for it.
I later traded it off ....
Andy

 

[HuckleberryFun]

I won , one of those at a rifle shoot here awhile back.
Like you Captain , I found that it took an sharp edge easy.
It seemed to handle well and cut nicely.
My biggest dislike was the leather scabbard... the leather seemed "cheap" and mine was urine tanned ... Which meant the every time it got damp ... I smelled pee.

In the end , I re-handed it with a antler handle and made a new scabbard for it.
I later traded it off ....
Andy

Sure, blame it on the scabbard...

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Well DUH!.....
Andy

 

[thorborg]

Not knocking your Schrade but I have found (in general) the faster the blade sharpens the faster it will dull.
Unless I'm using a diamond hone since it can remove metal real fast and skew the results.

 

[Alexx1401]

I was gifted a Schrade "Old Timer" 162OT Boot Knife. These knives retail for $25.00-$31.00 + shipping. Granted, these aren't the "high end" boot knives Schrade used to manufacture. The Chinese 7Cr17 "High Carbon" steel hardened to between 54-56 Rc isn't bad, but it isn't much harder than 440A stainless either. Before I went out, I put a "shaving sharp" edge on the 3.8" blade, (courtesy of my Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker). It didn't take very long at all because the blade grind/geometry seemed ready for a "waltz" with the ceramic sticks. Now my arm is properly shaven and ready to go out on a date!

I like the way it hides out behind my hip. Wearing it beneath my sportcoat no one ever noticed it while I did my shopping at Wally World. I can see carrying this into a "disadvantaged" neighborhood either in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles... or Tijuana! (No guns permitted there, so the "Boot Knife" could prove a valuable asset outside any Zona Norte/Centro Hotel after dark)!

The knife arrived NIB complete with Schrade's Limited Lifetime Warranty. (They would probably honor it if necessary). It looks good and will likely serve to "save my skin" in a pinch.

Does anyone own one of these? If so, I could certainly use some input concerning these pieces of cutlery.

Opinion? Comments?

I can tell you for a fact they work as intended. I LONG ago had one. Part time job in a bar in a poor part of town. Little guy who I knew somewhat asked to borrow it one night when I was super busy. Not knowing why I handed it to him. He proceeded to go outside and kill some jerk with it with one stab. The one I loaned it to was little guy, maybe 5.5, 120. Guy who was messing with him outside was 6+ and at least twice his weight. Kid I think knew how to use a knife. I had to go to court several times. They showed me morgue shots of "victim". He had got him low and into the liver. Guy died before they could get him to ER. So yes, they sure as hell will work.

 

[FireArm]

I can tell you for a fact they work as intended. I LONG ago had one. Part time job in a bar in a poor part of town. Little guy who I knew somewhat asked to borrow it one night when I was super busy. Not knowing why I handed it to him. He proceeded to go outside and kill some jerk with it with one stab. The one I loaned it to was little guy, maybe 5.5, 120. Guy who was messing with him outside was 6+ and at least twice his weight. Kid I think knew how to use a knife. I had to go to court several times. They showed me morgue shots of "victim". He had got him low and into the liver. Guy died before they could get him to ER. So yes, they sure as hell will work.

Lesson of the story, Bars arent a good place to let someone borrow a knife.

 

[Alexx1401]

Lesson of the story, Bars arent a good place to let someone borrow a knife.

Yes well looking back on it now 30+ years later it's not something I would do again. As often is said "it seemed like a good idea at the time." I (at that time) still smoked pot which is a great tool to make people stupid. Sorry to anyone who likes it. I had often used that knife to make an impromptu pipe out of a can. I "thought" that's what the kid was going to do with it. Bottom line I still to this day use a knife as an EDC item. Have done some (not enough) practice with one. I certainly know they can and will stop a threat. Kid who did that was one of the Mariel boat people. He had been in a prison there for some time. Given his size I guess he learned to fight well.

 

[Alexx1401]

Not knocking your Schrade but I have found (in general) the faster the blade sharpens the faster it will dull.
Unless I'm using a diamond hone since it can remove metal real fast and skew the results.

These kind of knives are not intend to "cut" stuff. They are made to stab. It's not the kind of knife you carry with the idea of using a lot. It's why I tend to keep 2 knives with me most of the time. I have one I LOVE as an EDC but I don't use it as a "knife" since I don't want to dull it. So I end up carrying another small one for those "I need a knife for......jobs". One to use, one to carry.

 

[Captain O]

I'm just an old man that would rather attempt to explain why I stopped some miscreant permanently, instead of allowing him to continue in his nefarious profession. "Tough guys" that terrorize the citizenry should be abruptly stopped.

 

[Captain O]

Not knocking your Schrade but I have found (in general) the faster the blade sharpens the faster it will dull.
Unless I'm using a diamond hone since it can remove metal real fast and skew the results.

I know that. Schrade's Chinese 7Cr17 is slightly harder (and more wear resistant) than the same steel without the Vanadium (440A). As long as I have my Spyderco TriAngle "Sharpmaker" available, I can keep it the way it is. If I break or lose it I'm out a $21.00 knife.

It carries nicely, but I still want a "calf carry" method for polite, discreet method of concealment.