Customer Reviews

Schrade 2 3/4" Closed Mighty Mite Single Lockblade

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My first pocket knife was an Old Timer presented to me by my Grandfather. I bought this for my son on his 10th birthday to be his first pocket knife. The first one was broken (the handle was cracked) and had to be returned. They are very stiff and require an unusual amount of strength to open. If you don't get it open past a 90 degree angle, it is going to snap closed (possibly on a finger). I ended up telling him to put it away and keep it for sentimental value and bought him a Classic Swiss Army Knife that he can actually use.

I could not find this size Schrade any in town. Found it here and received it at home in 4 days. $10 less than I could find in a retail store.

This is a neat, solid little knife, smaller than it looks in the photo. It's basically a single lock-blade version of a classic small penknife design that usually incorporates 2 slip-joint (non-lockblade) blades. (The Schrade 104OT 2 3/4" Minuteman appears to be that 2-blade slip-joint sister knife.) The liner-lock locking mechanism takes up the space that would have been allocated to the smaller pen blade. That lockblade feature makes this knife unique. I haven't seen any other brand marketing a lockblade of this design / style (though other small lockblades are certainly available).

Schrade Old Timer is a line of inexpensive classic design pocket knives of middle-decent quality. I paid $10.29 for this one including prime shipping. So, I'm not going to complain that its not machined as finely as a $30 - $50 knife or that it's made in China. For the most part, you get what you pay for and for the price this is quite a decent knife: solid, reasonably well machined using decent enough materials - nickle bolsters (end caps), brass liners, 400 series stainless steel blade, and a "Delrin" handle (a soft plastic similar to the type cutting boards are made of, colored brown / tan with an etched surface - functional, durable, and reasonably attractive, though not "pretty" or as nice in the hand as wood or bone). Everything lines up. The blade opens, closes, and locks properly. It was a little tight out of the box (not surprising given that the flexing part of the spring is only an inch long). I added a drop of light oil to the tang / hinge and it improved nicely and continues to do so with use. The blade came with an OK edge, but I found that I did want to give it a few swipes on an oil stone. It sharpened easily and is holding its edge OK. It has a liner-lock locking mechanism that is quite effective and well suited for the skinny penknife design - locks firm, no wiggle, easy to unlock with your thumb, though this is a two-hand open and close knife. The liner lock looks a bit ugly in some magnified close-up photos but doesn't detract from the appearance in real life. I can't say the same for the shield with the Old Timer brand on the side. This is a complaint I have with all Old Timer knives. I guess this branding makes sense for the company, but I wish it weren't there (or that they had a smaller, more attractive logo). I'm used to a more conventional small 2 3/4 - 3" (closed) lockback which feels a bit more solid when being used. However, this skinny one is growing on me. I've been carrying it for a couple months and like it's skinniness. It is incredibly light, almost completely unnoticeable in the pocket, and has the same length blade while still being a solid little knife.

I would give it a 3.75 overall, but the price bumps it to an even 4. For under $15, this is a solid, neat little knife, very light in the pocket, with a useful length, locking blade. I'm enjoying carrying it and would buy it again, but wouldn't pay much more than I did.

Note: If I were buying a regular 2-blade slip-lock penknife of the same style to carry every day (for which there are many choices), I'd get something nicer. But, that would necessitate tippling or quadrupling the price.