Clear Handled Knives

[just bob]

Just curious if anyone has any experience on these types of knives? They may have ads or bathing beauties on them. I am wondering about the process. Do you glue a picture to a pc of clear plastic? How does the picture not tear when you drill holes for a pin? I would like to make some handles and tear into a few of these but don't know where to begin. I have seen a few fixed with plexi-glass and they look bad. What are the secrets to the process. BTW I was reading in a knife book and the Novelty Cutlery Co of Canton, OH was the first to perfect this process. A lot of the knives you see like this are from them.

[tjmurphy]

Don't know anything about their manufacture, but they are very cool knives, and not too cheap either.

[Joe Dirt]

There's no glue under them. Just sandwiched between the scale and liner.
The pictures are "old school" screen printed. Pins are small enough to
press straight through them without damaging them.

I've been working on a couple of them on shell handle toothpicks. There's
no way to restore the origional image - I scanned mine and I am working on
reproducing them with the aid of Photo Shop.

Pretty fun work for me!

..... Joe

[muskrat man]

it was clear celluloid, that's why you see so many that are busted up. I use a different and more stable process for modern pictures (family members, pets, memorable events ect)

[singin46]

Boy Joe, that is some serious work right there! I wish I lived closer so I could drop by and watch you work on this. That's commitment right there man! Can't wait to see the finished product and I know what you mean about fun too.

[just bob]

Can you share with us the material you use and the basic process that you go through to create one of these knives - MM? I have seen some done in plexiglass and that just doesn't look right. Thanks

[just bob]

Just saw this on ebay. Looks like many of these were for individuals and not advertising.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1916-Print-Ad-C ... 35b9d1dd0d

[313 Mike]

I inherited a knife much like the one in that ad, it has the name of my great grandfather's brother inside the handle. He only lived from 1881--1907. The knife is worn but still in decent shape considering it is from the very early 1900's. The tang stamp on mine reads Morris Cutlery Co, Morris IL. Through doing a bit of research I found out that Morris Cutlery Co was a small manufacturer in the Morris IL area that was bought out by Aerial Cutlery Co of Marinette WI in 1912. According to what I've read, Morris Cutlery and then Aerial was one of the first companies to make "picture knives" with the clear celluloid scales with pictures behind them.
Mike

[just bob]

It was stormy here today so I put one of these together. I didn't take before and after pics becasue I never know how things will turn out. I have zero patience and many knives end up in my neighbor's yard. Anyway the material this handle is made of is Lexan. I took this knife with broken handles and blades to a glass shop and they suggested this. It is easy to work with and cleaned up nice with the buffer and 1000 grit. I see a few scratches in it since I brought it in under the bright light. The most time consuming asspect of this was finding a suitable picture and then formatting it. I have this on file and if anyone wants to try one of these knives I can email this picture. It is about 5/8 by 2½". It should be printed on card stock that is .010. This is the first knife of this type I've done but will help if I can.

[whitebuffalo58]

Excellent job JB! Looks just like the real McCoy! Right pose, right size, right era, couldn't have been easy.

WB

[trutemper]

Great Job with that Bob....looks great!

Bob from downstate Illinois

[bud332]

Morris Cutlery knives are hard to come by. I live in Morris where they were made and they are scarce here. Many of them were made to order and had a persons name and/or business on them. Being from Morris I am always on the look out to buy them. Morris Cutlery also made a straight razor but I have not seen very many of them.