All About Pocket Knives

Q, that is an unusual knife. I like the looks of it. I haven’t seen one like that before.

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sun May 23, 2021 8:59 pm

Sharpnshinyknives wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2019 11:12 am

QTCut5 wrote:
What year did Queen begin using Delrin instead of bone for WB handles? Did they use both bone and Delrin concurrently?

~Q~

Q, check out that article posted on the first page of this thread. It says they transitioned over to Delrin by the late 60’s. It reads like they were having handles made in both for over 10 years, and started using Delrin in the 50’s.
That’s very helpful article, I’m going to bookmark that one.
SSk

According to my research DuPont Chemical obtained the patent for Delrin (which is a DuPont trademark) in 1956 after several years of research, and it went into production in 1960. It’s been my understanding that the first use of Delrin for knife handles was a few years later.

Some examples of Winterbottom from my pile.

Ken

Dupont had "delrin" or something like it for a few years (re: the patent), BUT there were some issues with getting commercial levels of production going.

Commercial quantities became available sometime in late 1960. Cutlery companies implemented use of Delrin at different time. Western jumped on the band wagon early, replacing 90% of their stag and bone stag with it in 1961. No clue as towhen others started using it. There were other types of plastics being used prior to Delrin, but Dupont's Delrin itself wasa 1961 introduction product.

I've always admired Winterbottom bone but the only two I've ever picked up are a Queen City farmer's knife, and this trapper pattern.