Celluloid query

Will Power

Will Power

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Jan 18, 2007
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This morning the postman rang the bell and handed over one of those nice little boxes that contain our daily bread for knifenuts:D

Inside was a Bulldog Teardrop Jack-Barehead, this is a favourite style of mine. 3 and three eights,2 carbon blades with the pulls on the same side(another plus) small swedge on the spear blade. An inexpensive knife,fit&finish very fair-good snap,no gaps or roughspots very slight blade wobble,really nice union shield set flush.

And the handles...beautiful dark colour with red and grey tints, Forest Floor or some such name. BUT the seler didn't know if it is celluloid or acrylic.I can't find out what Bulldog used in 2005 keep getting contradictory answers. How can I test if it is celluloid or not? I don't want to wait a few years and find it corroding other knives,shrinking and gassing:eek:

If it is celluloid I think I might have to section it and keep it away from other knives.Any suggestions for a test?

Very nice looking knife though:thumbup:
 
:pPut a match to it and if it flares up it's celluloid:D


Try briskly buffing with a piece of cloth and if it has an ether or mothball smell it is probably celluloid.
 
sceva said:
:pPut a match to it and if it flares up it's celluloid:D


Try briskly buffing with a piece of cloth and if it has an ether or mothball smell it is probably celluloid.
Click to expand...

Hmm.....I haven't smelled ether since..........ever.
 
Is this your knife with different scale material? If so, it is acrylic.
Greg

orig.jpg
 
YES! Darker colours ,that's it and I'm pleased it's acrylic frankly. I've heard some nasty tales about celluloid's potential behaviour....

While we are about it, how should you care for celluloid? Can it be impregnated with something to stop it reacting? Is it the brass in the liners that sets it off?
 
Everyone has had different experiences with celluloid and there are all kinds of personal remedys for taking care of it. Do a search here in the forums and you will come up with all kinds of info. None of which will provide a definite answer to your question. That is why it is considered unstable. I have some older pieces that look like new and some that are new ( new being 1995 and a bit older ) that are trashed. Some types of celluloid I have never had a problem with. I don't know of anyone that is currently using it for knives or has in the past 10 years. There may be, but none that I know of. I like to give them a rub with Renaissance Wax and store them in the open, on edge with the backsprings facing up and the blades open. Some open place like a closet shelf.
Do a search for more options and experiences.
Greg
 
You can call them and talk to them if you wish: 423-892-0448

IIRC somewhere someone is selling "new celluloid" knives that won't self destruct. If might be bulldog or maybe SmokeyMtnKnifworks.
 
Celluloid is simply nitrocellulose.
It was blended with camphor to make it semi-flexible, since nitrocell. itself is very brittle.
Over time the camphor evaporates off, leaving the nitrocell. much more brittle and prone to shrinking and cracking.
Other additives were added later to make it last longer than the original camphor-only version.
If you rub celluloid briskly to warm it up, you can usually smell the camphor.

Acrylic is a modern replacement for celluloid which ages much better...and won't burn like smokeless powder! :)
 
flashlife said:
Celluloid is simply nitrocellulose.
It was blended with camphor to make it semi-flexible, since nitrocell. itself is very brittle.
Over time the camphor evaporates off, leaving the nitrocell. much more brittle and prone to shrinking and cracking.
Other additives were added later to make it last longer than the original camphor-only version.
If you rub celluloid briskly to warm it up, you can usually smell the camphor.

Acrylic is a modern replacement for celluloid which ages much better...and won't burn like smokeless powder! :)
Click to expand...

Does acrylic shrink? The reason I'm asking is because I have a few Bulldog knives, 2004 vintage and I can't tell if they're acrylic or celluloid , but several have shrunk near the bolsters.
 
This is getting complicated/uncertain:eek:

Mckgreg stated in his picture post that he believes these are acrylic from that era(recent) Some sellers tell me it's celluloid other acrylic most don't know. How can I contact Bulldog to find out?

Any other non match/flame tests available:D
 
mckgreg said:
Everyone has had different experiences with celluloid and there are all kinds of personal remedys for taking care of it. Do a search here in the forums and you will come up with all kinds of info. None of which will provide a definite answer to your question. That is why it is considered unstable. I have some older pieces that look like new and some that are new ( new being 1995 and a bit older ) that are trashed. Some types of celluloid I have never had a problem with. I don't know of anyone that is currently using it for knives or has in the past 10 years. There may be, but none that I know of. I like to give them a rub with Renaissance Wax and store them in the open, on edge with the backsprings facing up and the blades open. Some open place like a closet shelf.
Do a search for more options and experiences.
Greg
Click to expand...

Cell is strange stuff. I've a 1920s LF&C that's as tight and clean as if it were made yesterday, and I've had countless 1970s Imperials that gassed almost immediately.
 
JPD1998 said:
Does acrylic shrink? The reason I'm asking is because I have a few Bulldog knives, 2004 vintage and I can't tell if they're acrylic or celluloid , but several have shrunk near the bolsters.
Click to expand...

I don't think pure acrylic shrinks. BUT, since "acrylic" is a generic term for a whole range of plastics, your mileage may vary, depending on what additives are in it.
One thing tho' is that acrylic won't smell like camphor when rubbed hard...I never heard of camphor being added to acrylics.
 
I guess "acrylic" is a catch all word for not being celluloid. The acrylic I am most familiar with is Plexiglass. Now, if you change the composition of celluloid so that it doesn't gas, can you still call it celluloid and why would anybody want to ? I would like to know what this new stuff is as much as everyone else. I was told it was a acrylic ( which covers a lot of ground ) on more than one ocassion so that is what I refer to it as. 3 different knife manufacturers could use the same material and give it 3 different names so you can't really go by that either. But you can rest assured that each company will tell you that their's is the best no matter what it's called or made of.
Greg
 
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Acrylic is stable.Kept away from Acetone or ketone type solvents. Plexiglas is acrylic.
I have my celluloid knives in a different drawer. I don't treat them any way, just keep them in my box with the drawer slightly open as to vent and away from sunlight. They go in my pocket on a regular basis.
My rule of thumb is enjoy them, don't worry about outgassing. Keep them seperate from the general population.I only have one with shrinkage, a black Camillus, and that goes in my pocket too.
 
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