shell handled knives

[singin46]

Yeah, especially one this clean Gino! You would have the best luck at a major knife show I think. You would have to pay top dollar for it though,,,,I would guess.

[justold52]

Congratulations on achieving your new status, singin'
You can really work wonders on those old knives!
Here is my feeble attempt at gaining a little of "Ken's status entitlements".Gotta get him in his soft spot ......... Joe

Well Joe you did find my soft spot. You must admit she feels and looks like a lady.

Perhaps in time I will share my DANDY status with you but not yet.
I just don't give that to any one that comes along with hot looking chicks.

I will add 2 more YELLOW ones to this tread just for you Joe.

Ken

[singin46]

HaHa, that's Ken, you're a hard nut to crack man! I'm pretty sure tho that Joe hasn't broken out his big chicks on ya yet Ken! DANDY OUT! Ken, that first serpentine Jack you showed is SUPER CLEAN! NICE!

[testcase]

I pick one up once in a while...

[singin46]

Hey Tod, those are all very clean, great examples of the Little Jewels we speak of!

[edgy46]

Tod
Great shells

[Joe Dirt]

Tod, what's the one in the bottom right?

I don't think I've seen that bolster before!

Great little knives!

....... Joe

[testcase]

Tod, what's the one in the bottom right?

I don't think I've seen that bolster before!

Great little knives!

....... Joe

joe,
Its an Imperial. I hadn't seen one like thet either, when I first saw it I didn't think it was a shell handle.

[Joe Dirt]

That's a cool knife, Tod! What's the year of the stamp on it?

Here is a uncommon Hammer Brand fish knife.
It's the only Imperial shell handle with an etch that I have ever seen.
Also the only one that is defetanly made with stainless!
And it's got the 4 finger/USA stamp to boot!!

I found this knife many years ago and it had a broken blade spring.
That's probably the reason it's in the condition it is in!
I found a second one a couple of years ago with a worn etch.
They both sat in a box until about a week ago. I swapped the blade and
shells to the knife with the good springs, with a little polishing along the way.

I've got to blame "singin46'" for my renewed interest in cleaning these old things up .
(Thanks a lot, Perry, as if I didn't have enough to do already )

........ Joe

[singin46]

WOAH JOE!!!! You did a great job pullin that knife back together man!
I can't do that kind of work, at least not yet. I'm really stunned at the outcome!
FANTASTIC! Did you also clean the celluloid with the process you showed me?

[justold52]

Yup pers it is time to see a knife that Perry takes apart cleans and puts back together.

What tools will Perry need?

Perry please remember to take a photo of before first.

Perry the satisfaction you will get out of doing some thing with your hands will only increase your singing...

Joe Dirt if you get Perry to do this. Your status of mine will go up for sure... from "Imperial Master" Your getting closer to a DANDY...

Your job on that knife helped you !!!!

Ken

[Joe Dirt]

O.K., Ken.
The following is a list of ALL the tools required to remove a "shell" from the frame

(1): one small screwdriver (3/32" wide)

This particular example has been HIGHLY modified.

The tip has been ground to a 15 degree angle, to ease the use.

This tool is appropriately named "a shell shucker".

(This IS NOT made in China. It says W GERMANY on the handle!!!)

I think Perry is fully capable of using this type of tool, and should be well on his
way to shucking shell handles in a matter minutes.

...... Joe

[Jacknifeben]

They sold these for a quarter at the UNION STOCK YARDS in CHICAGO.

[singin46]

Thank you Joe! Ken, you will be pleased to know that I have successfully taken apart my first Shell handled knife. This was a trick knife Bill gave me that had some rust under the celluloid. I did use Joe's method for taking it apart and it was very easy to do however, some of my other shells don't look as easy to get to the tabs on. Here's the first pic of parts!

[singin46]

Now here's the pieces after a quick wash and also after taking the cell off the shells. I also cleaned and polished the metal shells cause there was some rust (nothin major) that needed a little bit of orvet's rust eraser love to get off. Then I polished to a shine with the micron papers.
and reattached the cell to the metal handles again. I'm gonna let Joe tell you how to remove the cell from the shells cause he knows better than me and has all the inside dope. None of this would have been possible without Joe Dirt's help and guidance. Thank you Joe! Now tell me how in the heck I get these tabs to fold back into place please

[singin46]

I'm talking about the metal tabs at the ends of the handles. The whole knife needs to go back together now. I hope I don't need some special tool for this job cause I can't figure it out. I'm sure I'm missin something really obvious here Joe.

[edgy46]

Looking good Perry.
Joe is the man, but i'm thinking pliers with a pad on the bolster to protect it. A pair of stout needle nose might do it. Be careful not to crush the tin bolster. Good luck

[singin46]

Yep. that seems to be the only way to do it that I know of too Bill.

[justold52]

O my looks like 46 is improving he singing life... (press and clip) just mite work.

Man I am so proud of you Perry for trying this. You are a DANDY Perry. Small things in life make it GR8.. By this your self esteem has gone up and will walk with you in the singing life. Trust me I know what I am talking about...

Looks like I have to give Joe Dirt a DANDY status from now on.

Thank you so much for passing on your talent to Perry.

Ken

[singin46]

WOOOOHOOOO! Double DANDY! Dandys in tandem..... Ok, I'll shut up now, congrats Joe on makin DANDY status.
Thanks Ken, I didn't think I could do this cause usually I screw these things up, out of lack of patience.
luckily, this time it was not the case, thanks mainly to Joe's guidance. Not the easiest thing to do but once you get it you remember for the next time. Honestly though, there may not be a next time cause I felt I got very lucky for the first time out.
Joe talked to me about splits in the cell when trying to remove it from the shells and having trouble with various other problems that can occur.
All part of the fun though if you look at it that way I guess.

[testcase]

That's a cool knife, Tod! What's the year of the stamp on it?

The dates on the pattens on the blade are 1938... Is there another more accurate way to date Imperials?

The etch on the main blade is Imperial with a crown over it, with PROV R I A under it

[singin46]

I think I would have to see the actual stamp to give an accurate year test.

[singin46]

Here's a few new ones that arrived today! 1st is an Imperial Pen knife, dated between 1945 and 1955 stamp. Gray pinstripe. My wife's favorite BTW! It came to me as a very clean knife but did have glue on the handle that I was able to get off pretty easily. And a fresh oiling of course.
Check out the swedge on the main blade, never knew they did that on these little jewels.
The second is a Hammer tiny toothpick, 2 1/2 incher. Had to clean this up quite a bit but still a fine one for the collection I thought. It will go on the Topsy card. I wish I could tell you more bout the tang stamp but just can't read it very well.

[testcase]

I think I would have to see the actual stamp to give an accurate year test.

Here ya go...

[testcase]

Another yellow one for Ken

A tiny toothpick, about two inches long closed