Celluloid - A couple of questions

S

sharpsteel

Joined
Mar 4, 1999
Messages
83
I have quite a few old knives with celluloid handle material. Some are deteriorating. I've heard that once the celloid starts to go it gives off gas that will actually make a carbon steel knife rust. So if it was in a roll or a safe it would harm other stuff as well. True or false.

Second question how do you take care of celluloid to prevent it's deteriorating. I read that OIL can harm it. True or false?

Third question. The celluloid is shot. Where can celluloid be had to replace it with? If it can't and I decided to use bone instead where would I get authentic "jigged" bone so the look and feel is correct. Are there any books other than Kelley's, Harris's and Collins's that talk about knife restoration in a sensible way. I'm not talking to resell to some sucker. I talking about repairing a good knife with a problem.

I appreciate your thoughts and ideas.
 
I have never used celluloid, be I understand that care must be taken. The materials that you are looking for can be found in most knifemakers supply catalogs. Koval's, Texas Knifemakers Supply, K & G, to name a few.
Tom
 
sharpsteel,

Did you see the article about celluloid handle material on the Oregon Knife Collectors Club web site? As I remember, it was a pretty good article by one of the members. The web site is www.oregonknifeclub.org in case you haven't seen the article.
 
I appreciate your thoughts folks. I've got all the catalogs - no celluloid. Lots of other good stuff. I've had pretty good luck with Koval. Fast delivery and good service.

Well Bob, I went out to the Oregon Knifeclub site, read the article on celluloid and have suddenly lost ANY interest in it. That article also explains the strange rust patterns on some of my old carbon steel knives. Now I understand why ignorance is bliss. I guess the besst thing to do with deteriorating celluloid is rip the lovely, cancerous crap off and replace it with - JIGGED BONE.

As far the jigged bone I'd like, it's like this. The catalogs have "generic" jigged bone. Just fine for new knives. But if I'm repairing an old one I want the "right" stuff. Rogers, Winterbottom (???), Remington, Case, or Winchester style and color. The randomness of the jigging on these is part of their charm.

Barring buying it I'd be willing to try jigging and dying my own. (Hey, this is a hobby why not stink my wife out? Okay I'll do it in the garage on my camp stove). Some formulas for various dye colors would help. A pointer at some sources for the chemicals would be great although I suppose I can get whatever I need somewhere in Chicago - if all else fails I'll buy some chemistry set refills.

Again, thanks for your thoughts.



[This message has been edited by sharpsteel (edited 19 March 1999).]
 
I looked at a '98 catalog of Koval's and they had celluloid listed in it. I didn't look in the '99 catalog, the older one was handy, so I used it. You might have skipped over it, but it's there.
Tom
 
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