XT7B again ....

M

Mountainwind

Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
980
I already have a few of these, but was crusing Ebay, and caught one glaring at me, and thought "man, that's a good looking knife", so I bought another one. I really love this model, and don't understand why they haven't caught on more. I got this one for $21.15 plus shipping.
If I can find someone to do it at a decent price, I would like to have one serrated, as this would be a great knife to do a lot of different things with.
SchradeXT7B-01.jpg
 
I like them too. A really chunky knife that is absolutely a folding version of the earlier (relatively speaking) XT2B. Canadians cannot have them though. They are "flickable" ... POP!! Most I have handled have a nice tight lockup. One though had problems with the lockbar clearance and had to be forced. It was a minor annoyance and a bit of fiddling fixed it.

Why haven't they caught on? The entire X-Timer series is pretty well ignored. Like the "space debris" knives, they were among the last-born of the Imperial Schrade knives. Of the XT series, the XT7B lockblade was the last of the last, only listed in 2004. But even with the decent ergonomic design it was ill-fated in part due to the MSRP of $69.95. It is a great knife for around $20-25, but not that appealing at $70. Here is an excerpt from my X-Timer research:

XT7B - The “other” X-Timer folder, the XT7B lock blade, was only added to the X-Timer line in 2004, so it will likewise be uncommon on the market in a few years. The MSRP was listed as $69.95. This massive folder, 5" closed with a 4” drop point blade, is molded from a more rigid compound than TPR (a copolymer on the order of Zytel ), necessary since there are no liners, just a locking bar. It shares the handle size and design with the fixed blade X-Timers, and is a direct folding version of the XT2B Drop Point pattern. When the XT7B is open, it is a near twin of the XT2B. The 4" blackened Schrade+ stainless blade (Schrade called the finish “E-coat”) with laser etched “X-Timer logo, gives this knife an open length of 9", 1/4 inch longer than the LB8 Papa Bear and 7OT Cave Bear. Like the 7OTX, it has an ambidextrous thumb stud, but drum shaped and diamond textured on the face for traction. The butt of the plastic handle has a thong hole with an aluminum liner which provides a rear fixing point for the stainless lockbar. The lockbar runs the length of the inside of the handle and is curved to spring onto the rear face of the tang when the blade is opened. A serrated tab on the lockbar protrudes 1/8" below the handle to provide a release for the lockbar, moving it out of the way of the tang for blade closing. The knife came with a semi-rigid ballistic cloth belt sheath with a tricot lining, and a snap closure. The sheath has an “X-Timer” logo patch sewn to the flap. The tang stamp (blade left) is SCHRADE+ over U.S.A. XT7B.

The quantity produced and shipped is unknown, however it is not unreasonable to assume that the number was relatively small given the half-year it was marketed in the 2004 catalog. The other fixed blade knives of this series were produced just a bit longer. Here is the list:

The seven main patterns of the X-Timer series were:
XT1B - 2003-2004 Camp Knife Fixed Blade
XT2B - 2003-2004 Drop Point Fixed Blade
XT3B - 2003-2004 Fat Boy Skinner Fixed Blade
XT7B - 2004 5" Handle Folder w/sheath
6OTX - 2003 Lockback
7OTX - 2004 Lockback
24OTX - 2003-2004 (Wal-Mart SFO)
XT4 - 2004 - 9" Fixed Blade w/ Sheath (advertised, but not produced)

How will they fare on the collectable market? Dunno. I assembled a display of them for myself and have a few multiples as users. Yes, they are ugly compared to the classic patterns and materials. But first and foremost, they were intended to be tools, and to appeal to "Generation X".



Michael
 
I have the XT models, looks like I should go after the others to complete the set, then comes all the different color handles on the TX models, not including the 240TX.

Rusty1

dsc0095cj3.jpg
 
I don't have all the colors of the 60 and 70 series, but I do have everything in black. I'm glad I got the 240 when I did, as they seem to be harder to find now, and are going or a bit more money.
I think the XT2B would of been great in a 7 in blade.
 
I haven't paid much attention to this before, but even tho the blade profiles are different, the grind looks to be about the same on the X-Timers, from the XT to the 60 and 70 series.
Is this unique to the X-Timers, or did other models use it as well?
AND... I wonder why some are XT and some TX?????
 
X-T as in X-Timer and OT X... Oh tee eks as in Old Timer X! 24 OTX not 240x. And 6 OTX, 7 OTX.

A friend is still thinning his collection on an unmentionable auction site, and I tagged another ... XT7B. Meanwhile, he had two others, the XT2B and XT3B so after reviewing the situation, I tagged them too. Alas, the two rigid knives drew other bidders and I let them go. But I'll have yet another XT7B in the mail soon. At less than 1/3 MSRP.

I had an XT1B blade with finish flaws (that's the one that looks like a machete of sorts), so I applied a sprayon paint stripper to it and mounted it in a spare handle. They don't look bad with a shiney blade!

Michael
 
Hmmmm, I didn't know Rigid was making copies of the XT7B. I may buy one for comparison. Being USA made, it might be good quality.
 
Ahhh... no. Rigid as in fixed blade, not brand. Rigid brand knives were made by the Arrowhead division of United which is defunct. Here is my latest "get".

 
Arrowhead likely made this pattern for Taylor brands (don't know that for a fact), and also used a license to the design to make them with their own trademarks. I would not be surprised if they were decent quality. Arrowhead had some of the latest equipment and a new factory as well as some talented workers. In fact, they bought some of the equipment from the Imperial Schrade auction.
 
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