Olcut (1911-1914) Large Coke Bottle With New "Antique Pearl"

[herbva]

This large folding "coke bottle" hunter arrived needing new clothes, and I just happen to have some large slabs of "antique pearl" kirinite that I have been meaning to try out for quite a while. According to Goins, these Olcut knives were made by Olean Cutlery between 1911 and 1914, and the picture in Goins (page 204) is of one of these. Depending on the light, this "antique pearl" kirinite looks anywhere from light goldish tinged pearl to almost regular pearl. Except for the scales, this knife is all steel, so when I reassembled it I used all steel pins. The last picture is the original celluloid scales that were on the knife. There were still no signs of outgassing after over 100 years, but they were starting to shrink and get a little bit deformed and, obviously, one side encountered something that was a little too hot for it to handle. I've actually seen this type of deep yellow/light orange celluloid on other knives of this age and have to wonder why this type of celluloid lasts so long while the some of the newer celluloid goes kaput in no time. Now that I look at the pictures, I think I'm going to put some more work into smoothing out those steel bolsters!

[Madmarco]

Herb! Wow, is that ever beautiful! Before I saw your pictures and was reading the info I was getting excited over the prospect of viewing a big coke-bottle with a spear-point blade and new faux MOP covers, but even with it's clip-point blade it's absolutely stunning! Well done my friend, great job! I've worked with that Kirinite, it's good stuff!

[Nev52]

Looks great Herb Beautiful knife great job.The pins are perfect

Nev

[FRJ]

Nice job on that hunter, Herb. A grand old stamp and a great knife. Even better now.

[Reverand]

Wow, that Kirinite is good! Very few faux MOP plastics look that realistic.

[Gunsil]

Nice Herb! I have never seen any proof that the Olcut mark began in 1911 and I know for sure the brand and the knife you show was made until 1937. There are no Olcuts in the winter 1938 price list and they are in the summer 1937 price list and in other 20s and 30s price lists. They did re-use the name on at least one model fixed blade post war.

[kris_kross]

those handles look fantastic, very nice work!

[Meridian_Mike]

That is a great old survivor!
VERY NICE job on the covers! That antique pearl kyrinite fit the bill nicely!

Beautiful work Herb!

[herbva]

Nice Herb! I have never seen any proof that the Olcut mark began in 1911 and I know for sure the brand and the knife you show was made until 1937. There are no Olcuts in the winter 1938 price list and they are in the summer 1937 price list and in other 20s and 30s price lists. They did re-use the name on at least one model fixed blade post war.

Thanks Gene! I appreciate the info and your kind words. P.S. - I'll have to send a note to John and Charlotte to get that Olcut information corrected in their next edition!

[Colonel26]

Herb, that’s beautiful! Well done!

[Gone2Three]

That turned out great Herb, those pearl kyrinite covers look exquisite on that old Olcut

Randy

[Gunsil]

Nice Herb! I have never seen any proof that the Olcut mark began in 1911 and I know for sure the brand and the knife you show was made until 1937. There are no Olcuts in the winter 1938 price list and they are in the summer 1937 price list and in other 20s and 30s price lists. They did re-use the name on at least one model fixed blade post war.

Thanks Gene! I appreciate the info and your kind words. P.S. - I'll have to send a note to John and Charlotte to get that Olcut information corrected in their next edition!

Yeah Herb, those Goins' and Levine's books were written a long time ago, like over forty years and those folks simply did not have the info that has come to light in that time. Like there is also no proof that the Case Tested mark began in 1920 (what, on 1-1-1920 they changed the stamps?) and we know for sure that the Tested mark did not end in 1940 since the pocket knives Case made for the military during WW2 bear the tested mark. Oh yeah, the KA-BAR K a bar letter from a trapper is BS too, I have proof of that but that is for a different thread someday.

Goins' and Levine also state Keenwell was a pre-KA-BAR mark of Union Cut like Olcut, yet Keenwell does not appear in Union Cut price lists until 1938 and the Keenwell hunting knives do not even look like early teens hunting knives. The most important thing I have learned from Levine is "read the knife, not the story" and I apply that to his book too, his book is not gospel.

[Jeffinn]

This large folding "coke bottle" hunter arrived needing new clothes, and I just happen to have some large slabs of "antique pearl" kirinite that I have been meaning to try out for quite a while. According to Goins, these Olcut knives were made by Olean Cutlery between 1911 and 1914, and the picture in Goins (page 204) is of one of these. Depending on the light, this "antique pearl" kirinite looks anywhere from light goldish tinged pearl to almost regular pearl. Except for the scales, this knife is all steel, so when I reassembled it I used all steel pins. The last picture is the original celluloid scales that were on the knife. There were still no signs of outgassing after over 100 years, but they were starting to shrink and get a little bit deformed and, obviously, one side encountered something that was a little too hot for it to handle. I've actually seen this type of deep yellow/light orange celluloid on other knives of this age and have to wonder why this type of celluloid lasts so long while the some of the newer celluloid goes kaput in no time. Now that I look at the pictures, I think I'm going to put some more work into smoothing out those steel bolsters!

Beautiful job Herb!
Jeff

[Ridgegrass]

Herb, Excellent! J.O'.

[glennbad]

I'm really liking this!