Hibbard Spencer Bartlett 1711

[Sydres]

Bought this knife of eBay recently and am trying to find out a little more about it

It still has an etch on the blade but it's almost worn off

Hope it's readable

Also it was sold as cracked ice handles I guess that means celluloid but I am not sure. The scales are curling on it

[kootenay joe]

It is a pen knife: single spring with one blade at each end. The pattern is a "Swell Center Half Congress" ("Congress" has 2 springs and 4 blades).
It is one of the more fancy or upscale pen knife patterns and has not been made much, if at all, since WW II.
Handles are celluloid and probably should be removed (very easy) so that blades and frame do not get damaged when it off gasses.
I do not know which knife manufacturer made it, but likely someone else here does.
Age ? my guess is during time span between WW I & WW II.
kj

[Sydres]

Thanks this is exactly the type of information I was hoping to get. Hopefully someone recognizes the manufacturer.
I like the knife it's too bad I will need to remove the scales. But I have some red bone I can put on it unless someone can recommend some material that would look like what's on it now

[djknife13]

Unless I'm missing something in the pictures, I don't see any out-gassing. I have about 100 old celluloid knives and none of them have gassed yet. I've been collecting them for 25 years. I do watch them or check on them every couple months to be careful to catch them if they do, but they could stay that way for another 100 years. Some of my newer (70's and 80's) celluloid knives have been more prone to fail and a few older Western cracked ice fixed blades. I'm keeping my old ones original and enjoying them, and maybe I'll have to have some scales replaced someday, but not until, or if, it ever becomes necessary. Some people are scared to death of them. Just my opinion. ____Dave

[kootenay joe]

Dave i agree that no damage from out gassing can be seen but they have shrunk a fair bit and in shrinking gas is released. I have had knives with cell handles that are starting to break down but with no scarring of blades but when handles were removed the brass liners were nearly eaten through. Such knives are beyond salvage.
With OP knife i see it as a toss up between observe regularly and remove handles now.
kj

[tongueriver]

I have many celluloid knives; the ones with shrunken handles make me nervous; the ones that look great do not frighten me yet. All of mine are pre-1960 and most are pre-WWII (not WW11, as I occasionally see; lol). I would tend toward removing the handles from the OP knife.

[glennbad]

Nice one!

At the very least, I would keep this knife away from other knives, and I would let it breathe (like on a shelf or something), but not in direct sunlight.

Although there is shrinking, I don't see any outgassing (yet), so I prefer to leave knives in their original state as long as possible, unless they are in danger of incurring damage.

However, the warnings given are justified. A perfectly solid-looking cell knife may just start deteriorating suddenly for no apparent reason.

[Sydres]

I took the scales off and found a bit of corrosion under them so I think it was a good idea. The brass liners were black with some green spots but should clean up.

[kootenay joe]

Sounds like you did make the right decision. It was not going to 'get better' on it's own, would only get worse.
kj

[Dinadan]

That is a nice little knife, Sydres. Too bad about the handles, but I think you did the best thing. Once a handle has noticeable shrinkage then I am not too fond of it, anyway.

I have one HSB knife, and I have never found out much about the knives or who made them. I have read that HSB got out of the hardware business in 1962, but I guess that someone else bought the brand and issued a few more knives since mine looks newer than 1962.

[Sydres]

I just need to figure out what to replace it with. I was thinking MOP but I am ok with bone and wood but don't think I am up to Mother of pearl.

[FRJ]

I just need to figure out what to replace it with.

I would suggest black paper Micarta.

[whitebuffalo58]

That pretty much looks like a scaled down version of the Schrade SS700 Melon Sampler, they used a handle material very similar to that on some of those too. Very prone to shrinkage, but not so much to full blown off-gassing. Regardless, shrinky dink handles are a problem and like others, think you made a good choice in removing them.

I kinda like FRJ's suggestion, it would give it that nice 'slick black' look, very much suited to that style of knife.


WB

[deo-pa]

I have one HSB knife, and I have never found out much about the knives or who made them.

There is a lot of detailed information available about the history of HSB. For example: http://www.thckk.org/history/hsb.pdf

If you know the name True Value Hardware then you know something about the history of HSB.

Dennis

[Dinadan]

I have one HSB knife, and I have never found out much about the knives or who made them.

There is a lot of detailed information available about the history of HSB. For example: http://www.thckk.org/history/hsb.pdf

If you know the name True Value Hardware then you know something about the history of HSB.

Dennis

Thank you. Dennis. To be honest, I am not very knowledgeable about True Value, though I have been in one a few times. Not for decades, though.

[Sydres]

I know this is an old post but i just found time to work on the knife did some black G10 scales

Used escutcheon pins because the are the perfect size and have nice heads on them

Unfortunately it has to come apart as the one of the pins in the scales let go