All About Pocket Knives

Hi! This is a different 6233 SS Pen then I previously asked about. This one is 1970 from the tang stamp. Is this Bone or Delrin? I'm posting both some overall and some close-up pictures that are as close as my equipment phone can take. I might have to dig out my old Canon & a macro lens...

I'm thinking this one is bone, no?

Looks bone to me.

espn77 wrote:Looks bone to me.

I agree.

Me too. In the 6th picture down from the top I see what appears to be Haversian canals. If you have a loup or other magnifier you should be able to clearly see them in other areas.

Ken

Even from pictures I can tell it's bone. Get yourself one of these microscopes and erase all doubt from your mind. They're two bucks out of the Far East and work great. ---► https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat= ... pe&_sop=15

I believe the delrin knives shields didn't have a circle around Case.I don't know if that is an absolute or not.

It's supposed to be an indicator but there are more knives in this world than Case.

As usual, You Guys ROCK!

peanut740 wrote:I believe the delrin knives shields didn't have a circle around Case.I don't know if that is an absolute or not.

Case is believed to have started using Delrin on a few patterns in the late 1960s and expanded the use of Delrin significantly in the early 1970s. The "composition" shield with no oval circle around Case wasn't introduced until 1974. It was also used on other composition handles (black, yellow, and white) as well as Pakkawood.

Ken

peanut740 wrote:I believe the delrin knives shields didn't have a circle around Case.I don't know if that is an absolute or not.

Hello my friend Roger. Hope life is well.

That applies to very few 1973' knives that are scarce on selected models for some reason as I understand. In that SAME year, you will also find some with composition shield (no circle around CASE as you stated) and some with the circle around CASE shield. I have CASE swing guards from 1973' that have both. In that instance the shield did match the handle type, bone versus delrin.
The real roll out according to what we know and have observed, of the composition shield with 6 handle designation model stamp occurred in 1974' for Delrin across likely all patterns. Never have personally seen a bone handled CASE in 1974' or beyond with composition shield.They may exist, who knows, never seen one. Things happen. No idea when or if CASE stopped using it as I do not follow newer CASE knives.

The OP knife is from 1970' and the composition shield did not exist yet as far as we know. Also, delrin was used on select patterns even in USA era, circa 65' to 69' as well as pre-1973' as I recall but with the "bone shield" with the circle around CASE.

My two cents.

Regards, Jerry

Mumbleypeg wrote:

peanut740 wrote:I believe the delrin knives shields didn't have a circle around Case.I don't know if that is an absolute or not.

Case is believed to have started using Delrin on a few patterns in the late 1960s and expanded the use of Delrin significantly in the early 1970s. The "composition" shield with no oval circle around Case wasn't introduced until 1974.

Ken

Hello Ken,

What you said. But there were some 1973' examples as stated in my last post. I have examples to prove that and the Pocket Trader also reflects this in the 7 dot section at the beginning, at least in Volume 9.

Regards, Jerry

Hi Jerry.

I don't doubt it a bit. As usual with Case there are few absolutes. We know they and other cutlery makers were very frugal. They could easily have introduced the new shields while still consuming blades stamped with the prior year's date codes.

Hope you had a great Christmas!

Ken

Regarding microscopes, I just remembered we have several killer microscopes at work that the engineers use to examine tiny components on circuit boards. Those should work a treat - and they are hooked to a computer so I can take screenshots!

Now all I have to do is buy a new knife that I need to identify...

Mumbleypeg wrote:Hi Jerry.

I don't doubt it a bit. As usual with Case there are few absolutes. We know they and other cutlery makers were very frugal. They could easily have introduced the new shields while still consuming blades stamped with the prior year's date codes.

Hope you had a great Christmas!

Ken

Hey Ken,

Agreed. Likely scenario. Book shows it on a few knives only but who knows if used on others. Leftover blades and new shield likely, makes sense. Oddly, book only shows this on 6111-1/2L and P172 Buffalo but likely occurred at random on other knives likely due to any leftover blades if any as you stated. Never observed one though. Who knows.

Hope your Christmas was well also.

Regards, Jerry

The OP knife is an example of a very easy one to spot as bone from the photos. Note the chestnut/reddish color at the edges. Delrin will never have any red in it like that. Case delrin varied from dark brown to amost black (in the hafted areas) to dull gray (if areas faded due to light). Never any red or light brown.

I know this sound crazy..!.. But the 'quick' test I use to id between bone and delrin is the "tooth" test. If you 'tap' the handle on one of your teeth (providing you have more than one) the difference become quite obvious.

knivestemplar wrote:I know this sound crazy..!.. But the 'quick' test I use to id between bone and delrin is the "tooth" test. If you 'tap' the handle on one of your teeth (providing you have more than one) the difference become quite obvious.

Tis true KT and I have used that method. It's great for a "field test". However, it also takes some experience to get to the point where you don't need another knife for comparison, or at least it did for me. That's why I keep beating the drum for the Pacific Rim $2 microscopes. They take no training or experience to immediately tell the difference.

Where do you suggest a hillbilly like me can find such magic??

knivestemplar wrote:Where do you suggest a hillbilly like me can find such magic??

I suggest you go to the first page of this thread, 5th post down.