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Does anyone have any idea why Scrade went soley to Delrin scales in the early 60's? Looks like they would have given the buyer a choice like Case between bone and a lower price point Delrin.
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Schrade Scales
- Thread starter winchester73
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Codger_64
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Delrin covers were/are less likely to break when dropped, don't wear as much during use, etc. However, from the manufacturer's standpoint, the Delrin covers were not nearly so prone to ing at the pins during assembly as bone, and could be molded nearly ready to mount as far as trimming since it is dimensionally stable. This resulted in a lower rejection rate, faster and easier assembly, more uniform appearances (once the molding and dye processes were ironed out).
During the sixties, buyers welcomed the "faux-bone" and "faux-stag" of Delrin. Most people were looking for futuristic materials in products and Delrin was a "miracle plastic". Previous plastics (such as stryene and celluloid) had problems with stability and wear/impact resistance. In other words, because the market accepted it, the manufacturers used it. Also, the Delrin covers became easier and less expensive to produce than jigged bone. Introduced circa 1958, very few Schrade Old Timer knives were produced in bone (excepting later commems and special editions) once Delrin became readily available upon the opening of the Dupont factory in 1961. IMHO, collectors/buyers wanting bone again is a fairly recent nostalgia phenom.
Michael
During the sixties, buyers welcomed the "faux-bone" and "faux-stag" of Delrin. Most people were looking for futuristic materials in products and Delrin was a "miracle plastic". Previous plastics (such as stryene and celluloid) had problems with stability and wear/impact resistance. In other words, because the market accepted it, the manufacturers used it. Also, the Delrin covers became easier and less expensive to produce than jigged bone. Introduced circa 1958, very few Schrade Old Timer knives were produced in bone (excepting later commems and special editions) once Delrin became readily available upon the opening of the Dupont factory in 1961. IMHO, collectors/buyers wanting bone again is a fairly recent nostalgia phenom.
Michael
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Well-said Michael!
I think you are right; the market drove the manufacturers in that era.
Many of the other companies made the switch to the new material, Camillus, Buck, Utica/Kutmaster, and Colonial switched to the new material. I dont know much about Case, but IIRC, even they used more of the new materials than they do today.
It seems to me, but maybe I have not had enough caffeine yet this morning to jump-start my brain, that it was really Jim Parker (starting in the 1970s) and his focus on collecting knives that pushed the market back to the more traditional materials such as stag, bone, horn and MOP.
Dale
I think you are right; the market drove the manufacturers in that era.
Many of the other companies made the switch to the new material, Camillus, Buck, Utica/Kutmaster, and Colonial switched to the new material. I dont know much about Case, but IIRC, even they used more of the new materials than they do today.
It seems to me, but maybe I have not had enough caffeine yet this morning to jump-start my brain, that it was really Jim Parker (starting in the 1970s) and his focus on collecting knives that pushed the market back to the more traditional materials such as stag, bone, horn and MOP.
Dale
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schrades " uncle henry " knives were mostly bone i think. 
Codger_64
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IIRC, (if I remember correctly), The return to natural materials (stag, bone, horn, Mother of pearl, woods) is, as mentioned by Dale, a fairly "recent" thing as far as production knives go. Earlier it was used as an "upgrade" on special presentation and collector's knives. Cell, as mentioned, fell out of favor as a cover material because, while it could be quite beautiful, it was unstable. Horn, bone and wood tended to split and . At least until the perfection of polymeric impregnation ("Wonda-wood", pakkawood, etc.) Even bone and horn are given such treatments now helping them to become more durable.
UH knives, as far as I can recall, have always been either some form of Delrin or impregnated wood. Yeah, excluding the presentation and some SFO pieces. I do have a bone handled UH SFO (a 162DU, I think) where the bone is jigged to look like stag. And I have a couple of stag handled UH folders too. But none of those were standard production items.
I still haven't gotten the home computer repaired (still need to find a power supply), and so haven't gotten internet back at home. Which... is slowly becoming a home... as quickly as I can remodel the old house on limited funds. Can't force myself to sink much money into a leased house, and the owner isn't inclined to make improvements. So I am doing what I can on the cheap room by room, mostly painting, papering, light fixtures and "movable" improvements. It keeps me busy and off the streets when I am not working anyway.
I haven't bought many knives recently other than just a few "run of the mill" OT and UH pocket knives that have been cheap and available locally. I still can't pass up a new 834UH for $15. My "mancave", the unused spare bedroom, is currently a storage room and until I can find a place to store all the odd stuff (like camping gear and extra furniture, out of season clothes), I can't really spread out my collection like I want to.
Michael
UH knives, as far as I can recall, have always been either some form of Delrin or impregnated wood. Yeah, excluding the presentation and some SFO pieces. I do have a bone handled UH SFO (a 162DU, I think) where the bone is jigged to look like stag. And I have a couple of stag handled UH folders too. But none of those were standard production items.
I still haven't gotten the home computer repaired (still need to find a power supply), and so haven't gotten internet back at home. Which... is slowly becoming a home... as quickly as I can remodel the old house on limited funds. Can't force myself to sink much money into a leased house, and the owner isn't inclined to make improvements. So I am doing what I can on the cheap room by room, mostly painting, papering, light fixtures and "movable" improvements. It keeps me busy and off the streets when I am not working anyway.
I haven't bought many knives recently other than just a few "run of the mill" OT and UH pocket knives that have been cheap and available locally. I still can't pass up a new 834UH for $15. My "mancave", the unused spare bedroom, is currently a storage room and until I can find a place to store all the odd stuff (like camping gear and extra furniture, out of season clothes), I can't really spread out my collection like I want to.
Michael
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I wonder why scrade neve offered other colors in delrin besides brown in the old timers and staglon in UH, although for a long time case offerd brown and brown trough the sixties and seventies. Like Henry For said any color you want as long as it's black.Cost I suppose. Don't get me wrong. i still love Scrades.
G'Day Michael, I really feel for you mate in your current circumstances however I have no doubt you will end up on top again <so to speak>....you are always more than welcome here in sunny Port Lincoln.....my wife just did her first parachute jump from 14,000 ft and survived....could you get your pilot brother to open the doors over Port Lincoln and we will get you before the white pointers do.....and I imagine you've had enough of sharks for a while......
When you are able I would love to see your knife collection spread out....you've been looking at mine past 4 years.....your knowledge particularly on contemporary Schrade continues second to none even without your puter and is always appreciated....Hoo Roo and my family's thoughts remain with you...P.S...are you boiling the Aussie "Billy" I sent you?
When you are able I would love to see your knife collection spread out....you've been looking at mine past 4 years.....your knowledge particularly on contemporary Schrade continues second to none even without your puter and is always appreciated....Hoo Roo and my family's thoughts remain with you...P.S...are you boiling the Aussie "Billy" I sent you?
Codger_64
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Well, if you look closely at both the OT and UH knives, you will see that the Delrin was not actually brown, but acent dyed brown on top of a lighter cream base.
As lrv and the others pointed out, there were orange, blue (FFA was one), green, maroon, yellow (both light and bright), black and "ivory". A true "white" is also seen occasionally. Red too (early commem... Revere?). Case has made a market for itself with collectors by offering their knives in a multitude of materials and colors, much more so than Schrade ever did, IMHO. They are after the "one-of-each" collectors of their knives. I have nothing against Case, but I find the brand :yawn:
Larry, things are indeed looking up for me. Imagine your house burned, your wife took most of what was left except the debts, and you had to start all over again. It wasn't so tough when I was a young sprout and could stick it out anytime, but when I passed the half century mark, getting it up and starting over became more of an effort. But I am doing it well, I think. I got tired of sleeping on a broken down twin bed and bought an antique bedroom suite, a "waterfall" set with exotic inlaid burl wood verniers from the 1940's (you can see it in the 1939-44 Sears catalogs). I decorated the room in tropical motif and now I feel right at home with my margaritas among the palm trees.
I still have it in my mind to make it down to Port Lincoln some day, but Continental Airlines only gets as near as Guam. I understand that it is still a pretty far swim on to Australia from there.
I haven't recovered enough of my camping gear yet from the future Mrs. ex, so I've not had a chance to use the billy tin yet. Both of my canoes were stolen before I got moved, so I'll have to try to find a good deal on a used one this fall if I am going to canoe camp this winter.
Michael
As lrv and the others pointed out, there were orange, blue (FFA was one), green, maroon, yellow (both light and bright), black and "ivory". A true "white" is also seen occasionally. Red too (early commem... Revere?). Case has made a market for itself with collectors by offering their knives in a multitude of materials and colors, much more so than Schrade ever did, IMHO. They are after the "one-of-each" collectors of their knives. I have nothing against Case, but I find the brand :yawn:
Larry, things are indeed looking up for me. Imagine your house burned, your wife took most of what was left except the debts, and you had to start all over again. It wasn't so tough when I was a young sprout and could stick it out anytime, but when I passed the half century mark, getting it up and starting over became more of an effort. But I am doing it well, I think. I got tired of sleeping on a broken down twin bed and bought an antique bedroom suite, a "waterfall" set with exotic inlaid burl wood verniers from the 1940's (you can see it in the 1939-44 Sears catalogs). I decorated the room in tropical motif and now I feel right at home with my margaritas among the palm trees.
I still have it in my mind to make it down to Port Lincoln some day, but Continental Airlines only gets as near as Guam. I understand that it is still a pretty far swim on to Australia from there.
I haven't recovered enough of my camping gear yet from the future Mrs. ex, so I've not had a chance to use the billy tin yet. Both of my canoes were stolen before I got moved, so I'll have to try to find a good deal on a used one this fall if I am going to canoe camp this winter.
Michael
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Michael;
Don't know your circumstances but hope things are gong better for you.
Don't know your circumstances but hope things are gong better for you.
Codger_64
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Thanks, Winchester73. I'm just going thru post-midlife changes, including a wife-ectomy. In the midst of it all, my youngest daughter got married and had a baby (not actually in that order). I apologize for getting off subject here in your Delrin thread. I just don't get to post here very often anymore, so took the opportunity to whine and vent a bit.
I did a post some time back which went deeply into the invention and first production of Dupont Delrin, and Schrade's earliest use of the material. It appears that Baer used the material to a limited extent even before Dupont got actual production up and running. How did he do that? Well, since WWII, he had been running with a pretty exclusive crowd of politicians, financiers and industrialists like Mr. Foster (molded sunglasses - Foster-Grant) and the Dupont family. He was a member of national think-tanks, including the one which "selected" Eisenhower to run for National office. I'll see if I can find that post for you. I have it on my home computer, but can't access that file just now (dead power supply thingy). I finally beat "cyber-nanny" here at the public library to get on the site which uses that bad word, "nife").
Also, I believe I did at least one post on their earliest use of phenolic resin impregnated woods. The earliest of these was called "Stratawood", then "Wonda-Wood" and was imported... from Germany if I remember correctly. Later, as the impregnation process was improved here in the States, they used the domestic source, the same as Camillus did (ever wonder why the handle material of Camillus produced Sears Craftsman wood covered pocket knives looked the same as the Schrade LB-7's?).
Michael
I did a post some time back which went deeply into the invention and first production of Dupont Delrin, and Schrade's earliest use of the material. It appears that Baer used the material to a limited extent even before Dupont got actual production up and running. How did he do that? Well, since WWII, he had been running with a pretty exclusive crowd of politicians, financiers and industrialists like Mr. Foster (molded sunglasses - Foster-Grant) and the Dupont family. He was a member of national think-tanks, including the one which "selected" Eisenhower to run for National office. I'll see if I can find that post for you. I have it on my home computer, but can't access that file just now (dead power supply thingy). I finally beat "cyber-nanny" here at the public library to get on the site which uses that bad word, "nife").
Also, I believe I did at least one post on their earliest use of phenolic resin impregnated woods. The earliest of these was called "Stratawood", then "Wonda-Wood" and was imported... from Germany if I remember correctly. Later, as the impregnation process was improved here in the States, they used the domestic source, the same as Camillus did (ever wonder why the handle material of Camillus produced Sears Craftsman wood covered pocket knives looked the same as the Schrade LB-7's?).
Michael
ea42
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Here are a couple of shots for you, the first is an 881 with just the base cream colored delrin. This one wasn't dyed at all. Another great advantage of the delrin was that any jigging style could be molded into the plastic, such as this peachseed jigging.
The second shot is a trio of 8OTs. The first is a bone handled model, only available the first year they were introduced, after which all OT's were delrin (I'm sure at a tremendous cost savings in the materials and labor department!). The second is a regular production sawcut delrin model (note how the underlying cream color is exposed through glazing, or hafting if you will. That's not a very thick layer of brown dye, infact, some well used old timers are nearly completely warn down to the original cream color.), and the third is another bone that was available as a limited edition red bone knife, part of a three knife set. Limited editions such as this were generally where Schrade applied the bone handles to the knives:
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Eric
The second shot is a trio of 8OTs. The first is a bone handled model, only available the first year they were introduced, after which all OT's were delrin (I'm sure at a tremendous cost savings in the materials and labor department!). The second is a regular production sawcut delrin model (note how the underlying cream color is exposed through glazing, or hafting if you will. That's not a very thick layer of brown dye, infact, some well used old timers are nearly completely warn down to the original cream color.), and the third is another bone that was available as a limited edition red bone knife, part of a three knife set. Limited editions such as this were generally where Schrade applied the bone handles to the knives:
Eric
That's what i NEED ! THE Original Bone 8OT. i have bought a 'bunch' of old poorly pictured 8OTs, but so far all turned out to be Delrin. even though i do 'love' Schrades, i don't really like plastic handles and have somewhat of an aversion to Staglon in particular. hence i prefer OTs to UHs, but like the bone handled Schrades the best. anyone else feel this way ?
roland
roland
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I do like bone handles, that is why I put bone on knives for me (and others).
I have a few sets of Schrade jigged bone handles.
I think they are from the Walden era.
I also have 3 sets of jigged bone for Craftsman knives.
I dont know if the Craftsman sets are for a Schrade or Camillus made knife.
Does anyone know which knives these handles go to?
Thanks for your input,
Dale
I have a few sets of Schrade jigged bone handles.
I think they are from the Walden era.
I also have 3 sets of jigged bone for Craftsman knives.
I dont know if the Craftsman sets are for a Schrade or Camillus made knife.
Does anyone know which knives these handles go to?
Thanks for your input,
Dale
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tongueriver
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Here is a sampling of Schrade Delrin. I am with Roland and Dale on a preference for bone and stag, however. Dale said when he gets one of those round Tuits he is going to put some antler on a 165 for me, but it looks like I am going to have to start another 165 box!
