[crutchtip]

Sam -

I think you are taking this way too seriously. I understand your affinity for this model, and where you came up with the idea that I don't care for it or have a "bias" (?) is confusing and argumentative. To the contrary, the very early examples are quite appealing to be frank.

That aside, whether or not Shepard carried one w/o scales on his flight means exactly what? Of all the Mercury and Gemini flights, there is no mention or suggestion that any other astronaut did so. Apparently Shepard took the scales off himself, as the photos of the original knives show them all with scales. So, I don't know how his individual decision (if true) on the one flight sets the bar. I have never seen a photo of Shepard (nor any other astronaut) with his knife and no scales.

Of course the cartoon depiction of Gus Grissom and the Liberty Bell 7 is wholly inaccurate as the knife has been recovered and it has the original brown micarta scales.

From Gaddis:

...as late as October 1960, the handle configuration had yet to be firmly decided upon. In a letter dated 19 October, Cooper mentioned, "i'm still debating about whether to build the entire handle of the knife with cord and survival items, or to imbed some of them in the Micarta, in the niches carved out inside."

From all available evidence, it appears the latter method was the one used on all flights. Most of the experimental knives Cooper world with were delivered from the Randall shop without scales (or slabs), but we know that the mens's personal knives, as well as those ordered by NASA, were shipped with Micarta handle scales attached."

So, did Shepard actually carry a scaleless knife on his flight? Maybe. By his statement, it seems the knife he carried in space was delivered with scales, and it is reflected in photos. Perhaps he decided to take them off for the flight. Who knows? Either way, again, any scaleless examples apparently were only used for development as it seems all preferred the micarta handle as supplied to both the astronauts and NASA.

One other thing to consider, aside from 3 options for handles, selling an Astro without scales and not hollowing out and shape the micarta handle, was a far less time consuming undertaking, and I believe could possibly lend itself to the catalog offering handles as a chargeable option, perhaps predicting high sales numbers for the "space knife" to collectors.

I suggest you read Gaddis thoroughly, because it is really is the "final word". Too long to type here, but on page 188, the whole thing in a nutshell is discussed. I beleve you could glean allot from studying that information.