All About Pocket Knives

Just borrowing a line from an old joke but check out the photo I borrowed off the Bay. It is what I believe to be an original and authentic cracked ice handle on that old Imperial. It is broken up mother of pearl encased in some sort of clear resin or such and I believe it is the first of its kind I have seen. I'm guessing that our newer cracked ice handles kind of evolved from this.

Ray

Here is a link to the listing... https://www.ebay.com/itm/313571184864?h ... Sw5ARgzNub

Excellent condition. Marked, tight, great snaps. Celluloid scales.

Excellent condition? Seriously? It's in horrid condition. And $99.99 is a pipe dream. I wouldn't give a dollar for it if someone gave me the dollar and said, "Here. Go ahead and buy it." I was born at night but it wasn't last night.

Someone has been out in that Arizona sun too long.

Interesting the way it deteriorated. It looks like there might have been silver paint(possibly nitrocellulose lacquer) applied to the underside of the clear handles(don't think it is celluloid though)and it started to separate possibly due to heat or sunlight.The curvature of the handles may have created a "magnifying glass" effect. Someone will likely pay the price unfortunately.

knife7knut wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 4:32 pm Interesting the way it deteriorated. It looks like there might have been silver paint(possibly nitrocellulose lacquer) applied to the underside of the clear handles(don't think it is celluloid though)and it started to separate possibly due to heat or sunlight.The curvature of the handles may have created a "magnifying glass" effect. Someone will likely pay the price unfortunately.

That was my first thought because there's no rust on the blades but I couldn't wrap my mind around the obvious damage to the handles. It looked somewhat like celluloid but it didn't look like celluloid deteriorating. I'm going with Ray.

That is actually a common handle material to find on vintage Imperial and Colonial knives.

Here is an Imperial that I have.

Thanks for the clarification, Steve. I couldn't imagine someone would take the time to doctor up a common Imperial. Being offered by the "Everything for $**9.99" guy.

Steve:It looks like yours is experiencing a bit of out-gassing.The OP knife doesn't look that way unless the bolsters have been polished.It's hard to tell from the pictures but it doesn't look like it has ever been sharpened either. The blades;although showing some age spots don't appear to have been the victim of cel degradation.Curious.

jerryd6818 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 3:32 pm I was born at night but it wasn't last night.