All About Pocket Knives

Hi all,

Does anyone know when colonial and imperial stopped using celluloid on their knives? Thanks

The first Delrin factory was opened by DuPont in 1960. The last of the American knives in celluloid would have been some time after that, how long I don't know.

Schrade and Camillus both started using Delrin in the early 1960s. Schrade in 1961 and Camillus shortly thereafter. I think it would be difficult to find any US knife maker who was still using celluloid on a large scale after about 1964 to 65. I think any celluloid production by US companies after that time would essentially be using up leftover celluloid or perhaps a special issue like an SFO.

I'm not certain about Colonial but I would think Imperial changed over around the same time Schrade did because of the relationship between the two companies.

Out of interest does Delrin shrink and is Camstag on Camcos Delrin ? On the well used Camco I have its covers have shrunk on both sides and on both covers , is this normal ?

Delrin does not shrink.

tongueriver wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 7:21 pm Delrin does not shrink.

Thanks , so what is Camstag made of as mines defantly shrunk

Don't know about Camstag, but early composition handles were made of a reinforced nylon and some were variations of plastic. These do have a tendency to shrink over time depending on many factors such as heat or in some cases even certain chemical reactions within the materials. Case used some black sythetic handles that I think was referred to as Plastag. There was also a black composition that some knife companies used back pre 60's that was a hard rubber mixture but I can't remember the name of it, but it was basically a thermoplastic rubber from a tree.