All About Pocket Knives

Here are my four Schrade Cut Co small celluloid folders. From top left counterclockwise we have shell, chritmas tree, tortoise and psychedelic blue (at least that is what I call the blue). These are all in very high grade condition with very little evidence of use. These are all around 70+ years old. The celluloid is all like new with no evidence of shrinkage or deterioration. With celluloid good today gased out tomorrow I will enjoy them while they last but I think I will gas out before they do. Anyway thanks for looking, Lloyd

wow! those are very nice! Thanks for sharing!

Dave,
That big jack is French Ivory, a pattern of celluloid.
Keep an eye on it as French Ivory tends to be a celluloid that does offgas.

I really like those translucent celluloids, Duffer. It is a shame that celluloid is such an unpredictable problem. I have a couple that I like - I will enjoy them while they last and if they outlast me then they will be someone else's worry.

Those are beautiful knives, Lloyd, and a great picture.

Thanks for posting those beasties with cellulitis. I am fond of the disease myself. Here are some froggies that I have had good luck with so far.

Celluloid goodness!

Never get tired of seeing those cells, Lloyd.

As for the others shared here,

Beautiful celluloid on those, Lloyd! Very nice ones posted by Mr. Blister and Tongueriver as well!
Dan

Thanks gentlemen for your nice comments on the cells I posted! Also thanks Mr Blister and Tongueriver for posting pictures of your nice celluloid folders. I know the risks with celluloid but I just can't help myself when I see a nice one for sale. I probably have a couple of dozen all about the size of the Schrades from companies like Keen Kutter, Utica, Camillus, NYKC, Western, IKCO, Imperial, VanKamp, Robeson, J Primble, Shapleigh. Lloyd

Exactly how celluloid is manufactured affects it's stability. I have read that any slight variation in the 'recipe' will result in less stable celluloid that will gas off at some point. If the manufacturing of celluloid is done exactly right, the product is still not stable forever.
None of the few Schrade Cut Co. knives i have with cell handles show signs of off gassing. From the bright colors seen in OP knives one might infer that the celluloid used by SCC was 'good', i.e. properly manufactured.
Examples of poorly made celluloid can be seen with the Buck Creek or Fight'n Rooster knives made in 1980's-early ' 90's. Many of these have already off gassed.
If anyone has a cell handled Schrade Cut Co that has off gassed how about posting a picture here ? If no one here has such a knife, then my idea that the cell used by SCC is more stable than most others will be supported.
Regarding "French Ivory" aka "Ivory Celluloid", i have many knives, USA, Britain & Germany, with these handles and all so far have been stable. Hence it is my opinion that Ivory Celluloid is more stable than any other celluloid.
If you have off gassed Ivory Cell please post a picture and then i will stop promoting it as relatively stable.
kj

I see quite a few french ivory and slick black celluloid from Schrade in good shape so that supports KJ's assumption that either Schrade's stuff was better, or that those colors were better. We don't know anything about the ones that have already died!!! I see yellow and cracked ice as being the worst offenders in colors, and Western of Boulder, Colorado as the worst company (for celluloid). All of this is pretty speculative, of course (see sentence #2 above). At any rate, the ones which we still have are certainly lovely.

I don't know if I took pictures, but I can assure you that French Ivory does off gas, I have replaced the gassing handles on a number of French Ivory knives.

I also replaced the black celluloid handles, (usually the most stable color of celluloid) on Schrade Cut Co grafting knife. I do have pics of that I think.

Dale, your posting that you have seen French Ivory off gas is good enough for me. I don't need to see a picture.
It is likely that there was more than one manufacturer of ivory celluloid so all ivory celluloid may not be equally stable/unstable.
Dale do you see many cell handled Schrade Cut Co that have off gassed ?
kj

orvet wrote:I don't know if I took pictures, but I can assure you that French Ivory does off gas, I have replaced the gassing handles on a number of French Ivory knives. I also replaced the black celluloid handles, (usually the most stable color of celluloid) on Schrade Cut Co grafting knife. I do have pics of that I think.

That is good to know; thanks, Dale!
Here is a Schrade Cutco, 1904-1917. It is at least 99 years old.

Great EO Jack Cal !
The question i have is: does stable for 99 years mean it almost certainly will not off gas ? i.e. if it was going to off gas it would have done so by now ?
Since none of us can see the future we don't know.
kj

kootenay joe wrote: Dale do you see many cell handled Schrade Cut Co that have off gassed ?
kj

Off the top of my head I can’t say that I have seen more or less Schrade Cut Co celluloid handles that have off gassed, compared to other brands. But after reflecting on it for a few minutes if anything I think I have seen fewer off gassing Schrade Cut Co handles than other handles, especially Western handles. I’m with Cal when it comes to Western knives, I love their carbon steel and I think their fixed blades with the pretty yellow celluloid handle is gorgeous, but in my experience they are ticking time bombs!

I do remember one Schrade Cut Co I had with French ivory handles. The French ivory had the telltale dark spots on the handle in 2 or 3 places.
Usually a sign that the celluloid is unstable.

This is a black celluloid Schrade Cut Co on which the handles totally disintegrated.
The knife is all stainless steel so it was not terribly affected by the off gassing. It is generally held that the darker the celluloid the more stable it is which is why I was rather surprised by the severity of the destruction of this handle.


Cal-
The tortoiseshell type celluloid like on that Schrade Cut Co jack seems to be a pretty stable version of celluloid. I have an old Ulster with tortoiseshell celluloid and also an old New York Knife jack with the tortoiseshell celluloid; neither knife show any signs of off gassing.

Some real beauties posted!

In the 1950s Schrade Walden was selling 3 5/16" stockman knives, the 834Y and the 835Y in yellow celluloid. Not good. They continued to sell both patterns in Delrin when it became available. Good. Oh, btw, here's hoping your halloween is all that it's cracked up to be.

Here is a HSB toe nail that has survived, probably close to a hundred years.