Durability of bone handles.

Grateful

Grateful

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Oct 5, 2002
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I have avoided carrying my bone handled pocket knives to work because it is a hot and dirty enviorment. I regularly work for short periods of time in temperatures around 150 degrees Fahrenheit and sometimes see temps hotter than that.
I guess I have been worried that the high heat might cause the bone to crack. I have also wondered if I am selling the bone short and that it can withstand as much heat as I can.
Does anybody have an idea of just how durable bone handles really are?
Jim
 
The bones that come out of my oven from a good beef or lamb roast still seem pretty tough :) I'd think dropping them might do more harm than heat would.
Probably pay to put a little mineral oil on them now and again.
 
wow thats pretty damn hot:eek: I have an old cattle bone handled Utica barlow from the 40's that was my grandads, he carried and used his knives, was a house painter the scales have held up and they are beautiful, they arent flawless but nothing looks as nice as old bone:D
dunno its up to you but i wouldnt baby them too much, the strong will survive!
just my opinion
cheers
ivan
 
I hadn't thought about the bones that come out of the oven. Good point. I agree that old bone looks great. That's why I want to start carrying mine more. I want to give them that real pocket worn look.
 
The knife will only be experiencing short periods of high heat. Since bone is a very good insulator, the core of the bone shouldn't be experiencing too much of a temp change. Plus since bone is very durable, it shouldn't be a problem.
 
wintermute said:
The knife will only be experiencing short periods of high heat. Since bone is a very good insulator, the core of the bone shouldn't be experiencing too much of a temp change. Plus since bone is very durable, it shouldn't be a problem.
Click to expand...


Plus, the knife will be insulated by your hand or pocket. I work in some high temps as well. At 150º to 170º F air temp, whatever is exposed would probably only have a surface temp of 140 or so unless it is left in that heat for quite some time.

Even if your knife did get to the higher temps, you'd know it. At the very least it would be uncomfortable to handle and if it reached 140 in your pocket, it wouldn't be there long.

Carry that knife! Then come back here and tell us how glad you are that you did ;) .
 
Take a look at the Old Knives sticky...looks pretty durable to me:thumbup::) and....


14 more posts to go. :D
 
You guys have convinced me that my bone handled pocket knives will be ok. I will carry one to work tonight and get started on that pocket worn look. Maybe someday I can put one in the old knives thread.;)
 
I bet knives left in cars on hot summer days get that hot, not just on the surface, but all the way through. Some mineral oil now and again and I bet you're fine.
 
This may seem somewhat gruesome but give a thought to where or more appropriatly the animals that carried that bone, and how that bone is harvested and then changed IE. manufacturing processes ETC. It's tough or the makers of old wouldn't have embraced its use IMHO.
 
I think a more dangerous environment for the bone scales would be rapid changes in temprature and humiditity. Like radical changes in just a few minutes.

I don't see just 140 degrees of heat being bad for the bone per se. After all, its in your pocket, and that gives it some protection. I would caution you though about wearing your knife into a suana for extended periods, then jumping into a hole in the iced over river for the polar bear swim. That may be pushing things just a wee bit.:D
 
Grateful, the key is "Use not Abuse"...take care of your knife...enjoy it & leave it for the next generation to use & enjoy.
 
Timely thread:thumbup:

Just noticed a hairline crack around the pin of my CASE old pocket worn Mini Copperlock:eek:

Not dropped it, nor banged it,not exposed it to the extreme temps you mentioned, just gave it a mineral oil-dip and now this cracking happens:grumpy:
Really a shame as it's a very good colour.Only had it a year, but it is 10 years old but bought mint, bah!
 
judging from the state of some of the old pocketknives I have in my possession, I'd guess that bone is plenty durable.

My dad and my grandad I'm sure washed theirs off with gasoline pretty regularly, as they had a habit of doing that with most tools. I'm a chronic knife dropper, and I rarely have issues with bone handles.
 
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