Why do they call it “Winterbottom “

[QTCut5]

I picked up this Queen #51T off eBay with what I believed was an unusual color of Winterbottom Bone; however, after I got it in hand and compared it to my other Winterbottom handled #51s, I now think it's actually Winterbottom Delrin that's been dyed brown. Can't say as I've ever seen this color of Winterbottom handle before.

For comparison: Here it is between a "typical" WB Delrin #51 and a genuine WB Bone Dan Burke #51

[Sharpnshinyknives]

That’s a new one for me too Q. I like it, not as well as the bone but it’s nice to see it done like that in brown.

[treefarmer]

That is an interesting color, Q.
Could it be brown delrin? When I enlarged the 1st picture and noticed the handle material around the center pin doesn't seem to show any light colored material below the pin.
The color reminds me of the brown delrin handles on some of the Case knives.
Your 2nd picture very well shows the identical molded imitation Winterbottom jigging pattern on the regular Queen 51's.
Treefarmer

[bighomer]

I got a workhorse series that's dark chocolate.

[jerryd6818]

It reads like they were having handles made in both for over 10 years, and started using Delrin in the 50’s.

SSk

Not likely since the factory where they made/make Delrin wasn't finished until 1960.

Note the name of the factory. I wonder if that is where the Winterbottom name came from since the name at the top of the sign (as always click to enlarge) is "Winterbottom.Carter & Co". "Winterbottom is a surname originating in the U.K. (Winterbottom arose in the south-east corner of Lancashire, on the Cheshire and Yorkshire borders.) so that kinda makes sense to me.

[QTCut5]

Forgot all about this thread...but, I think this 1958-60 Queen #51 belongs here since it has a genuine Winterbottom Bone handle.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

That’s the nicest old Winterbottom Queen I have seen. Very nice Q, what a great addition to the collection.

[QTCut5]

That’s the nicest old Winterbottom Queen I have seen. Very nice Q, what a great addition to the collection.

Thank you, Mark. I'm discovering that all Winterbottom is not created equal; the faux WB Delrin is often quite dull or 'flat' and generally lacks the charm, magnetism and unique 'personality' that is more characteristic of genuine WB Bone. (IMO, YMMV).

Here's another Queen with a genuine Winterbottom Bone handle (the only one in my collection that is NOT a 51 Mini Trapper pattern!)

1983 Queen 6155 "Old Pattern LockBack"

[edge213]

That’s the nicest old Winterbottom Queen I have seen. Very nice Q, what a great addition to the collection.

Thank you, Mark. I'm discovering that all Winterbottom is not created equal; the faux WB Delrin is often quite dull or 'flat' and generally lacks the charm, magnetism and unique 'personality' that is more characteristic of genuine WB Bone. (IMO, YMMV).

Here's another Queen with a genuine Winterbottom Bone handle (the only one in my collection that is NOT a 51 Mini Trapper pattern!)

1983 Queen 6155 "Old Pattern LockBack"
PB060100.JPGPB060101.JPG

Q, you've been showing some really nice winterbottom.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

That’s the nicest old Winterbottom Queen I have seen. Very nice Q, what a great addition to the collection.

Thank you, Mark. I'm discovering that all Winterbottom is not created equal; the faux WB Delrin is often quite dull or 'flat' and generally lacks the charm, magnetism and unique 'personality' that is more characteristic of genuine WB Bone. (IMO, YMMV).

Here's another Queen with a genuine Winterbottom Bone handle (the only one in my collection that is NOT a 51 Mini Trapper pattern!)

1983 Queen 6155 "Old Pattern LockBack"
PB060100.JPGPB060101.JPG

Q, You really have an eye for nice WB knives. I always envy collectors that can focus on something in particular, seems like my attention is like a butterfly sampling cup after cup.

[QTCut5]

Thanks, gents.

Actually, I lied about the non-Mini-T Winterbottom handled knives in my collection; I forgot about these two fixed blades:

Queen 85 Bird & Trout

Queen 75 large fixed blade; however, as you can see, the handle on this one is Delrin WB, not bone...quite a difference IMO.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Big difference Q. Give me the bone handles any day. I don’t own a single delrin knife in my collection. Never cared for it much.

[Mumbleypeg]

What year did Queen begin using Delrin instead of bone for WB handles? Did they use both bone and Delrin concurrently?

~Q~

Q, check out that article posted on the first page of this thread. It says they transitioned over to Delrin by the late 60’s. It reads like they were having handles made in both for over 10 years, and started using Delrin in the 50’s.
That’s very helpful article, I’m going to bookmark that one.
SSk

According to my research DuPont Chemical obtained the patent for Delrin (which is a DuPont trademark) in 1956 after several years of research, and it went into production in 1960. It’s been my understanding that the first use of Delrin for knife handles was a few years later.

Some examples of Winterbottom from my pile.

Ken

[geocash]

There are some very nice looking bones on this thread. For a long time I didn't care for Winterbottom bone handles but now I've completely changed my mind.

I have this Queen EO with the "big Q" stamp & bone with colors that I don't recall seeing on another knife. The dye seems to be very stable & it makes me believe the handles were this color, or colors, originally. They look a little different with different lighting.

[knife7knut]

The Queen parade..............
Carving fork;Two carving knives and a steak knife;a #40 folder,and three steak knives(sorry for the dark picture_

[knifeaholic]

I picked up this Queen #51T off eBay with what I believed was an unusual color of Winterbottom Bone; however, after I got it in hand and compared it to my other Winterbottom handled #51s, I now think it's actually Winterbottom Delrin that's been dyed brown. Can't say as I've ever seen this color of Winterbottom handle before.
P3050018.JPG


For comparison: Here it is between a "typical" WB Delrin #51 and a genuine WB Bone Dan Burke #51
P3050036.JPG

Queen introduced that color of "Winterbottom" Delrin in about 2002, when they launched their lines of traditional knives with D2 blade steel.

They called it "Forest Edge"...sort of a green/brown delrin.

They also had jigged red Delrin and smooth red delrin on some of the early D2 releases, in addition to the bone and wood handled knives.

[QTCut5]

Queen introduced that color of "Winterbottom" Delrin in about 2002, when they launched their lines of traditional knives with D2 blade steel.

They called it "Forest Edge"...sort of a green/brown delrin.

They also had jigged red Delrin and smooth red delrin on some of the early D2 releases, in addition to the bone and wood handled knives.

Thanks for that info, Steve...good to know. Although I still think it looks like "Swamp Mud", "Forest Edge" is a much more appealing name!

[QTCut5]

Here's another Queen 51 with genuine Winterbottom Bone that I picked up from Lois & Clark's AAPK store. Since it has no tang stamp, only a blade etch, I would date this one from 1961-71.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Q, you have some really nice examples of Winterbottom bone, this last one is really nice.

The others posted look great also. Nice examples Ken of some other brands that used Winterbottom.

[QTCut5]

Thank you, Mark.

This is my latest (and probably the last for awhile) Winterbottom Bone knife: 1958-60 Queen Steel #73. I found it a bit unusual because it's a barehead style with no pommel, unlike all my other fixed blade Queens.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Q, that is an unusual knife. I like the looks of it. I haven’t seen one like that before.

[zzyzzogeton]

What year did Queen begin using Delrin instead of bone for WB handles? Did they use both bone and Delrin concurrently?

~Q~

Q, check out that article posted on the first page of this thread. It says they transitioned over to Delrin by the late 60’s. It reads like they were having handles made in both for over 10 years, and started using Delrin in the 50’s.
That’s very helpful article, I’m going to bookmark that one.
SSk

According to my research DuPont Chemical obtained the patent for Delrin (which is a DuPont trademark) in 1956 after several years of research, and it went into production in 1960. It’s been my understanding that the first use of Delrin for knife handles was a few years later.

Some examples of Winterbottom from my pile.

Ken

Dupont had "delrin" or something like it for a few years (re: the patent), BUT there were some issues with getting commercial levels of production going.

Commercial quantities became available sometime in late 1960. Cutlery companies implemented use of Delrin at different time. Western jumped on the band wagon early, replacing 90% of their stag and bone stag with it in 1961. No clue as towhen others started using it. There were other types of plastics being used prior to Delrin, but Dupont's Delrin itself wasa 1961 introduction product.

[JimmyH]

I've always admired Winterbottom bone but the only two I've ever picked up are a Queen City farmer's knife, and this trapper pattern.