Celluloid Handles

jfarmer · Post by **jfarmer** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:21 am

Thats a nice toenail. I love candy stripe handles

James

4ever3 · Post by **4ever3** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:46 am

Thanks James.

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:14 am

orvet wrote:Those are nice Ken!
Are they for sale? Do you know who put the handles on them? I don't think they are factory are they.??

Dale

Yes these are custom knifes. I will tell you more later ok.

glennbad · Post by **glennbad** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:07 pm

Wow, guys, there are some real beauties posted...

A few pages back some shell handles were being posted. I have a few more to add, if you don't mind...

I have recently been seeing alot of in-the-package knives offered. While shell handled knives don't have alot of collector value in the mainstream, finding a mint example still in the package is pretty thrilling to me. This Imperial is a mini fixed blade, the sheath measuring a whopping 4 1/2" long:

This next one is a set that I recently acquired in trade from MM. It is a shell handle set commemorating the 200 year anniversary of the Army, Navy, and Marines. The blades are the faux hammer-forged look, and each knife carries the same serial number. Worth a ton? No, but a neat set that you don't see everyday...

Here is the exact same knife, but in a Bicentennial:

Glenn

jfarmer · Post by **jfarmer** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:01 pm

Glenn, I would love to have that little Imperial fixed blade of yours. Here is my Imperial Toothpick in a gift package. Its never been opened.

James

jfarmer · Post by **jfarmer** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:02 pm

Here is what the back of it reads.

James

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:18 pm

Nice shells Glenn!

I love the one in the package!!!

Here is another Shell handle fixed blade, made by Imperial.

Dale

glennbad · Post by **glennbad** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:08 pm

Sweet toothpick, James! I was never one to collect knives new in the package, but lately, if the price has been right, I have been purchasing a few. I have to be more patient, and not open them like it was Xmas or something.

Dale, I have been looking at those Imp. FB for awhile now. I have heard that they are light-weight. Are they full tang construction? The handles look like they can get dented easily.

Glenn

glennbad · Post by **glennbad** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:50 pm

Okay, just got this one in the mail today. The box is not in pristine shape, but very "intact", and the knife itself is beautiful:

Just had to share...

Glenn

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:51 pm

glennbad wrote:Dale, I have been looking at those Imp. FB for awhile now. I have heard that they are light-weight. Are they full tang construction? The handles look like they can get dented easily.

Glenn

They are light weight & I supposed the handles could get dented, but it wouldn't be easy in normal use. I can't tell for sure, but I think the tang goes back as far as the last rivet.

BRW- Very nice Jackmaster! Score!

jfarmer · Post by **jfarmer** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:54 pm

Nice Glenn. Very nice.

James

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:53 pm

glennbad ; (While shell handled knives don't have alot of collector value in the mainstream,)

Well that’s what collecting is all about. Getting some things others don't think are any good to save. Then 20 years go by and they all say I had one just like that. Wish I had saved them too. Just take a look at jfarmer's Hammers and Display.

Did you see the price on them? They called them safety knifes back then.

I fell Cell handles mite be just the thing to save. If I can keep them for gassing out. But that mite even be better cuz their will be less of them too.

O well I not mean to beat on you glennbad I am just adding my 2 pennies worth. I know shell handles are different then Cell handles.

I am so glad I posted this Cell post and got to see some real super knives. I want to THANK YOU ALL for taking time to share your sweet girls with us all.

4ever3 · Post by **4ever3** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:42 am

Nice knives fellas, love the packages and displays

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:23 am

I had to add another to this thread, it is too just good to let die.

This is a knife I got off ebay recently. The celluloid is broken on the mark side (as you can see) but notice the tang stamp. ULSTER/NKIFE CO/N.Y. I talked to Rich Langston about it and he said that after Albert Baer took over Ulster from the Divine family, (early 1941) he had all new tang stamps made. One of the stamps had the first letters of the second line reversed. Some knives were stamped with it and were shipped from the factory unnoticed. He said they are rare, but do show up now and again. I had purchased the knife with the intent of re-handling it. Rich said it might be worth more as an oddity. Both blades have the same NKIFE stamp, but it is fainter on the pen blade.

Just thought I would share it with a few people who could appreciate a messed up tang stamp, even if the knife isn't in the best of condition.

Dale

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:28 pm

orvet I know how you fell too about this post.

I am going to stick out my neck and go along with what Rich Langston said. If it was my knife I would only use REN wax in her and keep it just like it is.

One more thing. How old do you think she is?
See some Cell's last a long time too. For what you paid for this keep it like this PLEASE. Its a KEEPER.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:21 pm

The price was certainly not much, about $15 w/shipping.
Dating it is fairly easy. Albert Baer ordered the new tang stamps when he took over the factory in January 1941. So the knife would have been made shortly after that date.

As you know, the demand for war supplys curtailed a lot of the knife production, due to lack of steel. So, there were far fewer knives made for the public during the war. Of course this knife was made before the the US entered the war officially on December 7, 1941. After that point I think most of the steel went to war production.

Based on what Rich said & on what I have found as to the dates of the sale, I would say the knife was made in the first few months of 1941.

Glad you liked it,
Dale

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 11:11 pm

Great knife there Dale. Nice to know that Rich is still helping others out with questions on schrades. He is the only real Schrade expert any of us know.

Someone asked to see my cell abalone handled toothpicks, so here they are. Some of them anyway. Top two are real abalone, second one down is by Wendell Carson. Others are Winchester, BullDog, Paul Henckels, Parker, ect.

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 11:29 pm

Those are SWEET Phil

How many Toothpicks do you have?

Dale

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:19 am

Gr8Scout very nice of you to gang them up like that.

I see how much they all look ALIKE and how much they are all DIFFERANT all at one time.

Super thanks Phil.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:39 am

I sure enjoyed seeing those toothpicks. Any knife by Wendell Carson is a nice knife to own. I carry one of his on a rotating basis, of course I have one of the same pattern/scales that is to look at only.
I've noticed lately that the Bulldog toothpicks, the one on the bottom with the longhorn etch, you can get these fairly cheaply on eBay. I've noticed that the prices seem to be a bargain lately, except the rarer ones I bid on.

Seems like I can't get one for less than $100, but they are 1 of 2, 1 of 5 etc. I guess I can't really complain.

nmikash · Post by **nmikash** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:33 am

I just got this one today and I think its pretty cool. I don't think I've seen one before. It's an old Imperial celluloid shell handle with a "beverage can opener" tool. It works off a 3rd backspring(actually a frontspring-see the last pic). It's beefy for a Jack knife at about 5/8" thick and 3 1/2" long. Too bad about the small burn mark on the handle. It still has great snap and was never sharpened.

Nick

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:47 am

that's cool. are any of you guys old enough to remember opening cans with a church key?

p.s. thanks ken for helping me with my spelling. remamber:oops:

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:14 am

nmikash ; Very nice find indeed. that's my first time seeing one like that too. THATS KOOL

jonet143 ; I do remamber opening cans with a church key !

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:20 am

When I was over seas our beer came in rusty steel cans...........rusty like everything else in SE Asia.

We used a church key if we had one, but likely as not I opened them with my Camillus TL.

You are making me feel really old.

Dale

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:49 am

Dale.. According to my records: Just shy of 100.

The can opener blade on the IMperial... I have seen that on the two blade fishing knives, but this is a new one for me. Nice find. Thanks for showing.

Alike but Different is right. My favorite celluloid is the abalone. Camillus had a line of so handled knives a few years ago, every one I have seen was excellent. Yes, the bulldogs have gone down in price. You know you can spend more on an old Imperial/Hammer 4 1/4" tin shell cell toothpick than you can on one of the 'Dogs?

Wendell Rocks!

Phil