Celluloid. Probably more than you wanted to know

[Owd Wullie]

but here it is anyway.

Celluloid was manufactured commercially in England as early as 1866, when the Parkesine Co. was established by A. Parkes (Kaufman 1963, 119). The company was liquidated in 1868, but the manufacture of celluloid has continued to the present. In the United States, celluloid manufacture began in 1870 with the formation by J.W. Hyatt of the Albany Dental Plate Co. (later the Celluloid Manufacturing Co., which became part of the Celanese Corp.) (Kaufman 1963, 38). The use of the word “celluloid” to describe these plastics was patented by J. W. Hyatt. Most celluloid objects were made between 1846 and 1950. (See table 1 for a history of celluloid invention and usage.)

http://cool.conservation-us.org/jaic/ar ... 2-003.html

[jerryd6818]

Thanks Willie. Good to 'see' ya. I hope all is well.

[Jacknifeben]

All I know is that I have about 30 Cattaraugus "celluloid" handled knives and not any of them are going bad.

[djknife13]

I've had a couple mint or near mint Western fixed blades (cracked ice) go bad and rehandled them. I have two large knife pacs with 60 to 65 celuloids in each and store them in a large safe and in 10 years none of them have gassed. I check them monthly. I've had two Remington re-pops (cartridge series) stored in their boxes gas and had them rehandled in bone. I don't know if my luck with the knife pacs full stay stable because they are in a cool dark place, or if I've just been lucky so far.

[Capt. Farrel]

Cool and dark is definitely a good idea but ventilation wouldn´t hurt too!

[Meridian_Mike]

From what I have been reading in the posts on different threads I thought you had to avoid celluloid like the plague!!

Now, I am really confused.
SO.... some celluloid CAN last and be OK on a collector knife????
Keep it in a controlled environment.
Keep it in the dark.
I am a newbee so be gentle.
Is celluloid REALLY bad?

I just bought a Fighting Rooster that had the scales replaced because of "celluloid damage"......



Still learning

[Capt. Farrel]

Celluloid is a tricky beast! I usually store my knives in pleather briefcases / folders which are lined with synthetic felt. I wouldn´t dare to store my cello-handled knives in them thought! Those knives are stored open in a cupboard so that I see when they start to go boom! this doesn´t mean that any cello-knife will gass out - but they can. A good idea is to watch the bolsters and shield - if they go brown or black the cello is gassing. Having said that, I have cello knives that had those dark brown shields and pins and I just polished it away. Then a coat with RenWax and they are stable up to now.

[tendots]

Frank,aber heidschi bumbeitshi.........

[Capt. Farrel]

...boom, boom!

[tendots]

Richtig.

[Miller Bro's]

All I know is that I have about 30 Cattaraugus "celluloid" handled knives and not any of them are going bad.

Yet

[tongueriver]

I have had good luck with cell knives. I do try to follow the advice given. I have read (and believe) that slick black is the most stable of all the colors, and cracked ice and yellow may be some of the worst. I theorize that the very old cell may be the best risk, as its more vulnerable comrades have already succumbed, and so it may have proved its mettle, so to speak.
Here is a knife generally believed to have been manufactured between 1904 and 1918. The cell is fine.

[knife7knut]

I have had both good and bad luck with celluloid scales.I have had knives less than ten years old deteriorate very rapidly and have a couple old picture handles nearly a hundred years old that look as good as the day they left the factory.There really seems to be no rhyme or reason why(or if)they go bad.I had one picture handle knife that was in great shape when I got it but when exposed to a bit of lubricating oil that got beneath the scales started to deteriorate badly.
I have had cel knives that one side was completely eaten away(including the brass liner)and the opposite side unmarked! I have had them go bad under the scales but look great on the outside only to break apart down the road.
I now keep all my celluloid handled knives in an aluminum fishing lure box with dessicant bags inside and it seems to keep the deterioration at bay somewhat.I still check them every month and wipe them down with Mag Wheel Polish if needed.

[Miller Bro's]

[tongueriver]

Tippecanoe!

[Capt. Farrel]

Oh well, that canoe looks like it had sunken long ago....