USA Old Timers - To Open or Not To Open?

[meako]

I hear ya Randy
I didnt want to open mine it just sort of opened itself.

 

[fishiker]

If you have several I would definitely open at least one to use. I have the male version of a hope chest set up for my son. There are several NIP knives similar to yours in it. Some of the plastic is starting to yellow but holding up okay. If you have family to pass them to they are a part of American knife history.............the do make great users!

 

[glennbad]

Count me in the "don't open them" camp. As was mentioned before, there are tons of these already out of the package, but fewer and fewer that NIP. I doubt they'll ever end up on Antiques Roadshow for being in the package, but you'll have something in your collection that not everyone has. If you're just going to open them up, consider moving them along to someone that would appreciate a NIP example.

 

[black mamba]

I'm firmly with Paul T. and Glenn on this one . . . DO NOT OPEN THEM!! There are very few left in that condition.

 

[Old Hunter]

Plastic was born to trash; open them up, oil the knives, and save the pasteboard from the inside if you like. Those are not rare knives, but they are excellent knives and deserve to be preserved. OH

 

[Hickory n steel]

Thank you all for your advice! As @knarfeng and @Gary W. Graley posts made me actually laugh out loud, I got a big decision to make. Since I already got a 34OT and 108OT already in my "users", it makes for an even tougher decision. Thank you for the input!

In that case I'd say collect them or let them go to be used, maybe someone who wants to get their kid an OT as they're first knife.

 

[edbeau]

Picked up these two from wallyworld after Christmas over ten years ago. A box of them got lost in the stockroom. I only bought these two but should have bought the whole box at that price. Yes, they are still in the plastic.

 

[AndreLinoge]

Never even thought of how bad those clamshells age.. excellent point in itself to any collector.

 

[Bob W]

I've purchased many that were new in the clampack. In the past I've always opened the plastic but kept the cardboard insert.
If purchasing one now I might just keep it in the plastic, a way of showing that this knife has never been messed with by anyone.

One thing to be aware of, it may not be a permanent solution. The plastic turns yellow over time and becomes very brittle, making it difficult to maintain and awkward to store.

If you want an Old Timer for using, I would absolutely not buy a NIB example. These knives are now at least 15 years old and no more will be made ever. They are true collectibles in every sense of the word. If you want a user, you can buy lightly-used examples for cheap all day long.

 

[Bob W]

The springs, in my experience, can become soft after time when stored with the blades in the part-open position.
But at this point it's already been 15+ years so...