Delrin or Bone?

Bigbobg

Bigbobg

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Oct 1, 2011
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I saw two case peanut knives on eBay. The number on the tangs were 6220. According to Case's website 6 indicates bone. The seller said 6 is for either bone or Delrin. He said he's been selling knives a long time and knows what he's talking about. Case says 4 is used for Delrin and other plastics. Who's right?
 
Straight from the Case College website. 6 includes all 3 of these. Hope this helps.


6 - Bone
Procured from Brazil, the shin bone of the Zebu cattle are the main source of bone suitable for Case bone handle materials.

Jigged Synthetic
Plastic molded covers with a jigged pattern.

Jigged Laminate
Laminated wood with a jigged pattern; such as used on the Folding Hunter.
 
I would argue if he has been selling for a long time that he should be able to ID the material. Bone has depth that delrin does not. Get a really bright flashlight and put it up against the spine or belly of the handle. Does some light permeate through the slabs? If so, then it is bone.
 
My apologies to all for not reading the website info more thoroughly. I stopped reading when I saw "bone". Thanks for your input and suggestions.
 
For whatever it's worth, in 1975 Case began producing Delrin knives without a circle around CASE on the shield. Shields have changed a lot since then but if the shield is the type of shield in my pic below, no circle indicates Delrin and a circle indicates bone. Again, as long as it's a 1975 or later knife with this type of shield.

1979 Case 6279 pattern with Delrin covers. The same knife with a bone handle would have a circle around the word CASE on the shield.
View attachment 747886
 
The source:

http://www.wrcase.com/case_college/handles/handlematerials.php

As far as Delrin/synthetic:
2 = black smooth
3 = yellow smooth
4 = any color of smooth other than black or yellow (so the oranges, blues, purples go here)
6 = jigged synthetic of any color

additionally,
6 = jigged laminated wood (but not jigged natural woods - that's a 7)
6 = smooth bone
6 = jigged bone except for vintage (V6) and bonestag (6.5)

Confused yet?
 
Using the shield to identify bone vs delrin (as posted by Railsplitter) only works for Case pocket knives produced from about mid 1974 through 1986.

After 1986 Case went to different style shields on all standard product knives, eventually going back to the shield with the oval on delrin handled knives (see the delrin handled "working knives" series in the current Case catalog).
 
jprime84 said:
I would argue if he has been selling for a long time that he should be able to ID the material. Bone has depth that delrin does not. Get a really bright flashlight and put it up against the spine or belly of the handle. Does some light permeate through the slabs? If so, then it is bone.
Click to expand...

Not only depth, but bone has sharp ridges that delrin just can't imitate, I think
 
I've heard you can heat a needle red hot (use pliers to hold it) then touch the cover in an inconspicuous place.
If it smells like burned hair it is bone.
Delrin smells like burned plastic, obviously.

Please note I am not suggesting you do this.

Personally, I would just enjoy the knife and not worry about it. :)
 
You can see the Haversian canals/small blood vessels in bone. Sometimes you may need some magnification. If the bone has a dark dye, it can be difficult to see them.--KV
 
This is a 1989 Delrin 62048 pattern, it has the Case logo inside a circle. Click on the photo for a full resolution version. It's pretty easy to see that it's Delrin.

 
And this is a 2013 Case Carhartt 6107W, with jigged synthetic

KhoiGq5.jpg
 
Thanks a lot! This thread is answering a question I was going to post. I bought a 6333 small stockman online (didn't pay much for it) and assumed it was bone - didn't think to ask otherwise. As soon as I received it I was sure it was Delrin. I guess I need to be more observant LOL, although I do like it and don't have a problem with Delrin.

Here is a Buck with bone scales alongside the Case Delrin stockman (and yes you did get me to shine a flashlight on them) ;)
 
JB in SC said:
This is a 1989 Delrin 62048 pattern, it has the Case logo inside a circle. Click on the photo for a full resolution version. It's pretty easy to see that it's Delrin.

Click to expand...

So has anyone with or without any gravitas decided to weigh in on the circle (means bone) debate?

What's not up for debate is that it's an oval, but that seems like nitpicking.
 
Biggie_Robs said:
So has anyone with or without any gravitas decided to weigh in on the circle (means bone) debate?

What's not up for debate is that it's an oval, but that seems like nitpicking.
Click to expand...

Personally, I would take Steve's comments in post #10 above as fact and completely disregard my comments in post #8.
 
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