How do you store your celluloid knives?

bdev

bdev

Joined
Feb 8, 2013
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Just curious. How do you store your celluloid knives?
I know they should be kept separate from non-celluloid but do you keep them separate from each other also?
Do you keep them together? Left open to the air in a sealed bag or box?
I only have a few and would like to store them properly.

Thanks.
 
I had a bunch years ago, then I read the Oregon knife club piece on off gassing and eventually sold them all. I kept a few on display in tightly sealed spice jars. The first to start off gassing seem to be the paper celluloid and you can see it coming. The colour changes and darkens then crumbles. In solids that are transluscent look for foggyness. Sometime you see the carbon blades darkening outside the slot. Glass jars work well for display and keeps them away from your non celluloid carbon steel knives.

Best regards

Robin
 
I thought light might actually promote gassing?

Maybe cigar tubes could be useful?
 
I leave mine in the open air. I would think locking the knife tightly in a jar, would only serve to contain the noxious gases being released by the celluloid.
 
Classic Case said:
I leave mine in the open air. I would think locking the knife tightly in a jar, would only serve to contain the noxious gases being released by the celluloid.
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They should be kept out of sunlight and heat. The reason for the bottle was to protect other carbon steel knives not the one in the bottle :D

Best regards

Robin
 
I keep all mine out in the open in a couple of those old printer trays, on the wall, so I can watch them. Never had any issues since doing this some 3 years ago.
 
Often it resembles ivory, together with the veins, which in the case are just straight lines. It's actually an older material dating the second half of the '800.
If you look at an old slippie with white handle with a yellowish tinte and faint stripes, it's celluloid (if it is not actually ivory of course). But can also have the look of mop.
 
I keep them separated from each other, in the open on a shelf away from sunlight... and in another room from all other knives (the last not necessary, but it makes me feel better).

ButterMolasses001_zpsqa2ulfsc.jpg


Christmas2_zpsd8aac7c3.jpg



The fish knife on the left is outgassing

outgassing01_zps22cb504b.jpg


outgassing02_zpsf2f43b40.jpg


outgassing03_zps9444d7fa.jpg
 
snippy said:
So, outgassing is like dying for these knives?

Very interesting.

Eric
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The gas they give off is corrosive to metal, both on the out gassing knives themselves as well as neighboring knives. So not only do the handles break down but they take the metal with them.
 
Actually, celluloid was still used regularly as recently as the 70's and 80's. I believe Bulldog used a lot of cell on their recent knives.

Examples of cell...










And some examples of outgassing...








I do have celluloid knives. I just keep a careful watch on them. They can go bad for no particular reason at any time. I have a knife that is a Schrade salesman sample, I've had it for years. No issues with it in all those years, clean as the day I got it. Then a month or so ago, I was inspecting it and discovered that it was starting to go. I had to take it apart to save it from going even further.







I like to store my cell knives on a shelf in my closet. It's fairly cool and dry, and the knives can breathe. I would not recommend glass cases or any exposure to sunlight.
 
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glennbad said:
Actually, celluloid was still used regularly as recently as the 70's and 80's. I believe Bulldog used a lot of cell on their recent knives.
...
Click to expand...

Current brand new Schrade Imperial knives are advertised as having celluloid handles; same stuff, right?
But current acrylic covers pose no threat of outgassing, is that right?

- GT
 
5K Qs said:
Current brand new Schrade Imperial knives are advertised as having celluloid handles; same stuff, right?
But current acrylic covers pose no threat of outgassing, is that right?

- GT
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Their site does reference celluloid covers. I don't know if this is the same "recipe" as the older stuff, but I would be wary of any knife that says celluloid. I have no evidence that Acrylic is in any way a volatile material, and haven't heard of any issues as compared to cell material issues.
 
glennbad said:
Their site does reference celluloid covers. I don't know if this is the same "recipe" as the older stuff, but I would be wary of any knife that says celluloid. I have no evidence that Acrylic is in any way a volatile material, and haven't heard of any issues as compared to cell material issues.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Glenn.

- GT
 
Very true Glenn! As well as Bulldog Brand knives you mentioned, there was also Fightn Rooster knives that used quite a bit of celluloid. And many of these also began to out gas or self destruct.
 
Thanks to GEC for making their amazing acrylics for old cell junkies such as I :D There's nothing neater than oneoff slippies.

Best regards

Robin

 
Case Classic knives used celluloid up until the program ended in 1998. Bulldog used it into the 2000's , and possibly still is.
 
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