thoughts on delrin?

[Camillus]

I've been thinking of picking up one of the new GEC 71s in delrin, but I didn't warm to my last (and only) GEC delrin knife, being this 74:






As you can tell, this is a really nice looking knife, but to me the delrin felt like I was handling an ersatz version of a GEC, and I couldn't help but think that if I wanted a plastic handled knife, I'd probably want it to be a modern folder with all the additional features that they offer.

So what do people think of delrin? Does it wear well? How does it work as an EDC?

 

[Dougluvn]

If I'm not sure, I pass. Personally I don't like orange. The craftsmanship is really nice. I guess in the end it comes down to person taste.

 

[LastRodeo]

I like delrin, wears well. Classic cover material IMO, think yellow Bucks. I got a good deal on an orange #74 from a guy from Australia, couldn't be happier.

 

[Planterz]

I like delrin well enough, but it depends on the knife and the delrin. For example, I don't care for it when it's masquerading as something else, like jigged bone. It seems tacky to me, like pleather or elevator music covers of real songs. I agree with you with that orange delrin on that 74. It just doesn't doesn't seem to fit. Like wearing $500 Gucci loafers with torn jeans and a stained t-shirt. A 71 Bullnose sodbuster however is perfectly at home in orange delrin (or black). I used to have one of the original Red Neck ones, but sold it (stupidly) because I preferred the thinner Nifebrite. I think you'll like the delrin on the 71 just fine.

 

[Jolipapa]

Ilike smooth delrin, (not jigged) but imho it is a better fit on smaller knives than the 71, where micarta rules

 

[supratentorial]

I much prefer delrin over acrylic. I don't like the way acrylic feels. I actually like the feel of delrin.

I've had a lot of delrin from Case but only two or three with delrin from GEC. I've also had a only a couple of acrylics from GEC....one was the glow stuff and the other was imitation tortoise shell. Never had acrylic from any other brand.

micarta>delrin>>acrylic

 

[rishma]

I like delrin, though I don't care for the look on your 74. The fancy bolster and orange delrin seems like a mismatch (to me). On a sodbuster? Delrin is a perfect material for such a working knife. Heck, I like jigged delrin like you see on usa Schrade, even when it's pretending to be bone. Different tastes.

 

[supratentorial]

Delrin = acetal resin
Derlin = rhomboid pseudoprotease

 

[jackknife]

Delrin is good stuff, and can last as long as the knife. Very rugged and wear resistant. I think the old Buck 301's from the 1970's were delrin, as were all those beat up Schrade Old Timers that looked like thee been through the war. Saw cut or jigged delrin gives good grip under wet conditions. I have luke warm feeling of the stuff when they try to make it look like stag, like in the Schrade Uncle Henry series, but I guess it's okay even then. At least the texture give a good grip.

I wish Victorinox would go to it and do away with the 'cellidor' stuff they use.

On a higher end knife like GEC, I'm not sure I'd like it. Paying that kind of money, I expect at least some nice wood or jigged bone.

 

[RobertK]

I like delrin. I have the orange 71 and it's great.

 

[black mamba]

Lots of comments I agree with, and some I don't. Delrin on an expensive knife is to me a turnoff. And I'm not sure why, but the only smooth delrin I care for at all is the yellow. I'm with Jack on the Uncle Henry Stagalon, it just looks waaay cheap to my eye. Jigged delrin is OK if well done, like on this '90s Kabar #1108 stockman.

My favorite of all the delrin is the sawcut variety, and I prefer the black over all others, as it doesn't show the color variation at the bolster ends of the covers. Here's a couple Schrade made Craftsmen stockmen with nice sawcut delrin. I like both the look and the texture.

 

[arizonaranchman]

I like delrin. I have the orange 71 and it's great.

That's a good looking knife!

My yellow Case Sodbuster is very utilitarian, I like it for rough/dirty work cuz it's a throw-down knife for me. The Delrin has held up well and I actually like the look of Case's yellow.

My Peanut is yellow and I really like it - very retro looking and I've found it quite durable.

 

[supratentorial]

I think the black plastic Buck uses for the 300 series is Zytel (Dupont)... I don't know if that was always the case going back to the 60s. Three different manufacturers made the knives. I know Buck did use yellow Delrin (Dupont) on some knives not long ago.

Edit: Or maybe it is/was black Valox.

 

[jackknife]

Here's a little delrin handled peanut that is the Remington branded Camillus. I've used the heck out of it for a few years now, and it's held up great. It even cleaned some trout up in the Sierra Neveada mountains at Mammoth Lake California. The jigged delrin was grip able even with fish slime and guts in the way. Some soap and warm water and a little oil and it was ready to go again.

I think delrin may be the best choice for a real working knife.

 

[black mamba]

I think delrin may be the best choice for a real working knife.

Carl, I do like the grippyness of G10, but if the delrin is sawcut then it too is very grippy. Hard to explain, but it also seems "warmer" than either Zytel or Buck's Phenolic handles, which both seem pretty slick and cold to my hands. Canvas micarta has a great feel as well; has it been around long enough that anyone has an idea which wears better, longer: micarta or delrin?

 

[deltaboy]

I like it especially sawcut.

 

[JustinR]

I think delrin has its place. I love the old jigged and sawcut delrin Schrade used. I'm definitely a fan of the earth tones, I know it may be a banning offense here, but I've never cared for the yellow delrin Buck and Case have used over the years. If I "collect" anything it is Schrade Walden era slipjoints and the vast majority are delrin.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[jc57]

Lots of comments I agree with, and some I don't. Delrin on an expensive knife is to me a turnoff. And I'm not sure why, but the only smooth delrin I care for at all is the yellow. I'm with Jack on the Uncle Henry Stagalon, it just looks waaay cheap to my eye. Jigged delrin is OK if well done, like on this '90s Kabar #1108 stockman.
...

This is pretty much my personal preference as well. I view Delrin as a budget handle material for budget-priced working knives that you don't mind getting dinged up a little. For some reason, perhaps because of the tradition created by Case, I like the yellow smooth Delrin. I have a number of Case knives with that material as well as a couple of Bucks. I like the looks, and the color, and the feel.

Like Jeff, I also accept the sawcut variant, though again probably because of the long history of Buck and Schrade using that so it's in my mind as "normal."

It's sort of like jeans. I have a mental picture of what jeans are, and that includes a particular range of colors of blue. In fact, my preference is the original, hard as a board, not pre-washed or stone-washed, dark indigo blue that they used to come in, and if you wanted them faded, you wore and washed them for a few years.

So just like, for me, jeans only look right in one color, Delrin on a knife looks best when it's yellow. No idea why, just how my narrow mind works I guess.

I've got one Case brown jigged Delrin knife, a discontinued pattern from the 70s. It's not bad looking and could be mistaken for a very consistently dyed jigged bone if you didn't look closely. It has the satin-finished blades that are also a signal of a working knife. It's a decent knife and feels fine in the hand. It's the only jigged Delrin knife I have bought, though, and I have had no strong desire to buy another.

 

[kamagong]

Delrin is non-reactive, making it a good choice for knives like the one you stash in your glove compartment or one you use for fishing. So delrin definitely has its place. It's just not on my knives.

 

[Modoc ED]

I like delrin. As shown in the pics in this thread, the way delrin is used/applied has a lot to do with it's looks/appeal. There are a lot of people roaming this planet with their knife covered with delrin thinking it's covered with bone. That knife Jeff showed (the Kabar) is an attractive knife - a great example as to just how appealing delrin can be. Another bonus is that it wears well. Most likely the delrin on a knife will out last a granite rock.