I picked up three Smith and Wesson folding knives today. They are all different. The first is marked on the cast scale, American Tradition 5th Ace. The other scale of the knife shows "1998 1 of 5000." It appears to be new in the box.

The second knife features a color scale depicting a wild turkey and has an etched blade that reads "First Production Run." The model number is SW370A. It too appears to be new in the box.

The third folding knife, model SW-370, has a faux ivory scale with a wild turkey scrimshawed on it. Its blade is etched with "First Production Run" on the blade and is like new in the box.

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The 2nd and 3rd are commonly seen, large production runs, made by a contractor for S&W knives, and made circa 20+ or - yrs. ago. The 1st knife is not seen as often. Do you have a question about them? Ed.

I was just curious as to others interest in these knives. I know they're not valuable but its fun to find them. The first one's box was intriguing in and of itself.

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By far the largest producer of S&W marked pocket knives ( folders) is Taylor Cutlery Co. It was their practice for many years, and may still be, to make dozens of different style S&W marked knives, send them to the S&W marketing staff for selection as to which ones would be authorized as S&W knives and put in the S&W Knife catalogs. A small percentage of submitted examples would be selected and authorized, the rest went back to Taylor, who sold them by the 100s to a S&W collector friend of mine and to other secondary market knife sellers. You see those knives on Ebay, at guns shows and as big box sporting goods "sale" items in the Sunday paper ads. $10 to $20, take your pick and worth the money, but they won't "letter" as official S&W knives. Ed.