All About Pocket Knives

Saw this one on ebay and was wondering the difference between 234 and 233. Now I'm a little confused with it. I thought the k signified celluloid but this one has bone scales. I also noticed the master blade sits a little short in the frame. It has no shield. I like it, worth the $12 but just wondering if it has been messed with, if the blade inadvertently got in a bone handle, or if this is a stock item. It is maybe 1/16 of an inch shorter than the 233.

I am no expert on this one for sure, but it looks like a frankenknife to me. No matter where the clip blade 'should' be, it has some sharpening loss. The bone does not speak Schrade to me.

Thanks Tongueriver. Nice little knife and occurred to me that it might be a cross breed.

It could be a rehandle, done long ago perhaps. The blades have seen a good days work or two.

Yes, looks like a rehandle.

Thank you gentlemen. I'm kind of glad it is rehandled. I really like the bone and for sure don't care for celluloid. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

A Schrade Walden 234K is my favorite to carry in the pocket... mostly on weekends now due to the "new" job doesn't allow pocket knives... but I digress... the "K" is for K-horn... SW's term for the newer resin substitute for the old "Butter & Molasses" celluloid version. Along with my favorite carry & my avatar that I have a thing for Butter & Molasses handled knives...

doglegg... It takes some getting used to seeing a 234K with bone handles... but that is some sweet looking bone on that one...

Thanks for the picture and the explanation of what k horn is. I am actually very pleased with the knife. Just ole dumb fool luck on my part to get such pretty bones. It is a knice sized knife. Thanks.

Nifty little magnifier you have also.

KAW wrote:... the "K" is for K-horn... SW's term for the newer resin substitute for the old "Butter & Molasses" celluloid version....

Schrade Cutlery Company (Schrade CutCo) never used the term "butter and molasses;" it is a collector term that surfaced probably quite a long time ago. Their description was "brown-lined cream pyralin." The newly formed Schrade Walden company was calling the same celluloid covers "K-horn" right from the first, in the 1947 catalog. When they moved to Delrin in (about) 1961, they kept the term. These were in the 'butter and molasses' pattern also, but they don't look the same as the old celluloid; they had a cloudy completely opaque appearance. However, they also, a little later, made some K-horn knives with Delrin covers that looked somewhat like a tan barnwood pattern, no resemblance in looks to the butter and molasses. I am open to corrections here as my memory is a little fuzzy on the subject.

Sounds right to me, Cal. Camillus, during the same time frame, called their butter & molasses celluloid "Agate Pyroxylin." Most likely identical material.