All About Pocket Knives

Hello: I am a fairly new collector, but I have loved knives and guns ever since I can remember. I bought my first knife in 1972 when I was 12. A Western leather handled fixed blade sheath knife from a local drugstore here in Phoenix Az for $8.95. Paid with saved allowance and lawn mowing money.

Quick Sidetrack - Hey Forensic Jim, Bought a Northwoods Stag Gunstock from you a few weeks ago on ebay. It is a beauty. Thanks for the good deal.

My current favorites are Case & Winchester USA, and S&M & Queen.
My favorite pattern to carry is the Mini Trapper. followed closely by the Case medium stockman, 6318 or 63032 CV. Of course, the same patterns in Stag are tops on my list. I own several but currently carry at all times a Dark Red Jigged Bone Queen City Cozy Glen mini trapper. Incredable snap, sharp and finely honed blades. Great fit in your pocket, you hardly know shes there, and when you need a little mental boost, shes great to look at. Feels good just to take it out and rub it for a while. Am I the only one that thinks about knives this much? Anyways.....

My question: One of my current interest are the older jack knives, like the 6231 and the 6235 patterns. I am having trouble telling the difference between bone and delrin handles on these knives. I read on this site under articles and research, handle materials for delrin that in 1975 they stopped putting the circle around Case on the shield. But I have a 6 dot 6235 1/2 making it a 74 model with no circle. ? The article goes on to say even a trained eye can have a hard time.
I notice on some of these knives I have bid on, the seller doesnt say if bone or delrin. Probably cause they dont know either?? I bought a couple of junkers just to examin and still am not quite sure?

Any tricks to the trade? Any pointers or other things you can point out.?

I have been a AAPK member for several months but this is my first post, other than entering the monthly drawing, which I intend on winning one of these days.

Have to go to work, but look forward to any replies.

Thanks Again, DP

ps I'm voting for Perry. I hope that was ok to say.

Roaddog, Welcome to AAPK! I thought I remembered that name. I'm glad you liked the Northwoods knife. You should tell the other members a little bit about yourself in the new members postso you can get the official welcome from everyone. You'll like this site alot. Very informative, and a lot of good people.

Other than seeing small pores in bone...and none in man made material...

Take a thin, sharp blade (no burr)...hold it perpendicular (90 degrees) to the knife in question...rest the edge of the thin blade on the handle material, and gently try to slide it to the right or left. If it slides very smoothly (hard material) it's bone. If it drags or catches (softer material) it's Delrin, plastic, composite.

I think Charlie brought this up once upon a time, and it works for me.

Bill

a jeweler's loop is a good investment. on most bone, under magnification you can see the veins at the surface.

The delrin shield change actually started in 1974. I have only in my life seen one example of a 1974 knife that was delrin but that had the older shield with the oval around CASE. So it must have started early in the year. You will see some 1973 dotted knives in delrin without the oval as well, since blades from one year were leftover and used the following year.

hi and welcome to the forum. it can be hard to tell but usually i look at the shield first for the circle and also most of the time, i look for color in the handle. if the handle has a good variation of color or a reddish tint, its bone or if theres no color variation or the handle looks just plain brown, i think delrin........it works for me.

Roaddog, I have to agree with you on favorite patterns. I love the minitrapper followed by the 6318 of Case. My two edc that I rotate is a 6207 and a 6318 CV. I just bought one of them Queencity 1095 minitrappers. Havent gotten myself to carry it yet.

One factor I don't think anyone has mentioned above is,
examine the handle material on top or bottom edge next to liners.
Usually easier to tell bone or delrin than by trying to view on jigged surfaces. Old Timer delrin for example, edges just about all uniform shade of tan, no grain or texture.
If I can't tell and seller doesn't know, buy as if delrin or pass.
Or if you LIKE it, BUY it!

THANKS TO ALL FOR REPLIES - A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE OUT THERE AND I HAVE MUCH TO LEARN. I WILL TAKE NOTICE WITH ALL OF THE TIPS AND KEEP ON KEEP'N ON. THANKS AGAIN, DP