All About Pocket Knives

Anyone have suggestions on how to prevent handle shrinkage?
I have a few old knives I have noticed over the years the handles have shrunk from the Bolsters.

Thanks!

Welcome SFC ADP!

What type of handle material(s) are you having trouble with?

If leather is one of them, like stacked leather handles...one of our members here, who makes leather goods, has suggested light, repeated applications of neatsfoot oil.

For unstabilized wood, or dried out bone or stag, I use light applications of mineral oil. The bone and stag should not really shrink as such...but they do dry out. Another product I've used for wood is called HOWARD Feed-N-Wax. Lots of folks use RENAISSANCE Wax.

For celluloid.....sorry, I don't think there is any help.

Others here may have other good ideas as well...so, stay tuned.

Bill

I read this from another site:

I soaked the knife in vegetable oil for a day, and after two weeks, the bone has expanded slightly to make the gaps between the scales and bolsters almost imperceptible.

Let us know what happens


Sunburst

All I'm gonna say is...

That vegetable oil will go rancid , that's why I suggest mineral oil. You can soak/submerge if you like, as that probably will be just fine for an infusion of moisture to dry scales...but, no vegetable oil for me, thank you.

Bill

Stinky !!!!!

Thanks Bill, it does make a lotta sense....I'm sure my wife would understand if I made the house smell like the dump...


Sunburst

I will have to try the mineral oil,
As for handle types, One is stag, or possibly imitation stag,
Others are celluloid or some type of composites.

Another which is some type of plastic composite I think, looks like a layer of plastic over metal that has a textured service, I imaginethis is defined as a type of composite handle as well.

SFC ADP,

Can you post some pictures?

Bill

will do, been at the hospital most of the past few days, we just had a new born, but will try to get some time this weekend to show ya.

Take heart! Many collectors will not buy an older knife with celluloid scales if it doesn't show some shrinkage. This shrinkage is many times used to verify age. If it don't show shrinkage some folks will swear it's been rehandled.

Blade runner, MAN you hit it right on the head. You have to be careful these days and a small thing like that can mean a big difference to the trained eye.

Good post