Bone handles -- durable?

[Phillip Reedy]

Hello all,

While perusing the latest Blade magazine, I noticed an ad for a small Case knife with "natural bone" sides (scales?). Does anyone know how well this type of handle material will hold up in a knife that would be purchased as an every day carry in jeans pockets (with all that other crap we guys tend to carry in our jeans pockets)?

Can the bone sides really be pinned/screwed loose enough to prevent splitting, and yet tight enough to stay put?

Lastly, is Shepard Hills Cutlery a reputable place to buy from?

thanks heaps,
Phil Reedy

 

[nifrand]

Shepherd Hills is a reputable place to buy knives.
Bone is a good and durable handle material.Been around for a long time.Will be around for a long time.
Just bought a HOBO Case in natural bone .Looks good and don't know why it has not been offered in handle material before.
Case knives are back on track and don't worry about the scales.They will stay put.

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have a"knife"day

 

[Revvie]

Hey Phillip
The very first knives were probably made of bone or bone and flint! Archeologists have found some over 10,000 years old (I think) - Couple of my "antiques" with Bone scales are probably over 100 years old and the scales are about as tight as the day they were made - lots of the "boy scouts" of the 1920's thru 1940's were made with "jigged bone" and they are still around - I have a Dwight Divine with bone and couple Remmingtion's and they are in fine shape worn but in fine shape.. this is not to say that bone won't "wear" and discolor.. it does but that adds to the 'character" of the knife... but it will break if dropped the wrong way - usually for me that is down .. on cement or rocks!

Enjoy it Case made an excellent knife I assume that they still do!

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[LabRat]

I highly recommend Sheperd Hills Cutlery. I've ordered from them many times and they have always treated me right. Sometimes I have had a specific Case knife on backorder for a couple of months, but that is because they are in high demand or have not been shipped from the factory yet. Sheperd Hills also contracts with Case to make very limited runs of particular handle materials. This should help increase the collectibility of these knives.

Don't worry about bone handles. In fact, the more stuff in your pockets to rub the scales the prettier they get IMHO. It's sort of like making your own "Pocketworn" knife.

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Brad Mixon-
Flick, Click, Snap!
Flick, Click, Snap!
Flick, Click, OUCH!!!!!!