thoughts on delrin?

When I was a young guy working my way through school, all of the old hands carried sawcut or jugged delrin handled slipjoint knives. They thought that my German Eye in bone was taking a real step backwards! It makes me smile to see how times change.
 
I like it. I even like 'Staglon'. The only thing I don't like about it is when its reputation for being unbreakable and super tough etc turns out to be lie /marketing device:rolleyes:
This one constantly reminds me of that-
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That ,plus the constant reminder of what an idiot I am for trying to clean it up on a calico wheel on the the grinder:grumpy:
It melts -be warned!
On a positive note it hasn't lost any strength -merely disfigured.
I believe delrin is a trademark name-please correct me if I'm wrong-and maybe victorinox don't use it for that reason -costs /legality.
They could always make their own version and call it "Swissdel" or "Alprin" ..."flugel-rin"?
 
meako said:
I believe delrin is a trademark name-please correct me if I'm wrong-and maybe victorinox don't use it for that reason -costs /legality.
They could always make their own version and call it "Swissdel" or "Alprin" ..."flugel-rin"?
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"Delrin" is a DuPont trademarked name.
But there are generic versions with similar properties.
 
The "Wondawood" Delrin that was molded to have a "wood like texture" back in the 60's and 70's was really nasty looking. Camillus put out a lot of that stuff. I think that the best marketing claim was "indestructable." I often thought that they must have realized that the stuff will crack by the pins (a lot of smaller knives had hairline cracks by the backspring pin from the factory), but it did not split along the grain and fall off in bits once cracked (which at times happened on natural materials exposed to life in a sweaty pocket everyday). The old guys would always have a story from back when they were kids and broke a piece off a handle, usually involving Mumbly Peg or Chicken (games centering around throwing the knife into the the ground, a tree etc.).
 
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I think delrin may be the best choice for a real working knife.
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Exactly what I was thinking. Not the prettiest to sit around and look at. However, very tough and resilient.
 
Delrin isn't my preferred handle material but i settle on it if i like a pattern. Case doesn't offer a large sodbuster in Cv in anything but Delrin. I bought a slimline trapper in Delrin too. I like that it's easy to sand and reshape. You can dye it with RIT dye so that's a plus. It holds the dye pretty well but will eventually wear off. When it comes to synthetics I'm a Micarta guy all the way. Carbon fiber has some nice weaves sometimes but it's not as grippy as Micarta.
 
I like delrin, seems very durable..more so than some bone. Like others gave stated I really don't like with its jigged to resemble jigged bone. Looks too shiny most of the time.
 
I like it, think it goes well with the Sodbuster pattern :thumbup: I have a Case Soddie JNr with me today, and carried a #71 earlier in the week :thumbup:



 
been lugging around the same knife off and on for 40 years. the delrin on my western 854 has held up just fine. my pocket knife is a tool not jewelry, more interested in how well a knife works for me than what it looks like.
 
Bartleby said:
The "Wondawood" Delrin that was molded to have a "wood like texture" back in the 60's and 70's was really nasty looking. Camillus put out a lot of that stuff.
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What is this "Wondawood" you speak of? The only thing I can think of that fits your description is the brown wood grained Delrin® that was put on some of the #27 Electrician's knife. The handle descriptions for those knives ran from Rosewood in the '50s - '60s to "Brown" in the '70s - '80s and then "Smooth Black" in the '90s - 2000s. The (Delrin®) handles on other knives were labeled "Cabone", "Indian Stag" or simply "unbreakable". I searched the catalogs I have access to and came up dry on any mention of "Wondawood". Can you post a picture of it and a link to a source?
 
Here is what springs to mind Jerry - unfortunately I have no packaging for the woodgrain Delrin to see what it was called. OH
Ps I like Delrin - while it isn't as nice as jigged bone, it is certainly tough and makes for a good knife handle.

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One more comes to mind; in this line-up of Schrade USA Old Timers, there is one Schrade-Walden open stock knives - an 896K (same frame as the 897UH) - it has a molded woodgrain pattern in the Delrin. I do have the packaging for that knife - but it makes no mention of the handle material. OH

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I personally like Delrin. It is a durable handle material. It serves very well on a work knife but I personally think the Smooth Yellow is very attractive. There is just something about Yeller handles on a Traditional knife that look cool, IMO.

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