All About Pocket Knives

Need some opinions on this knife. Is this knife worth the effort to repair if it is Ivory? It cost me a whole $3.00

The back spring is solid but the blades have no snap open or close. The large blade will not stay straight open. It springs forward as the picture shows. The small blade has some spring forward also. From what I have read I am guessing that the distance from the pin hole to the round end of the tang is the SAME distance to the back square portion of the tang making the whole end round.

The knife looks to be Ivory?? and is Stamped RODGERS/SHEFFIELD/ENGLAND on both blades with the Star / Cross and ENGLAND on each backside. It measure 3 1/8" closed.

Thanks

If the scales are indeed Ivory, I'd get it repaired.

As Scott said, ivory covers would give it more value. Looks like repairing it might require welding some metal back on each tang or at least one of the tangs. That is probably the reason for the lack of spring tension.

Then of course, there's always the risk of damaging the covers during this process.

Generally when you see tip bolster knives such as this, they are some of the cheapest knives given away with advertising on them. Would someone really put ivory covers on a tip bolster knife? Easy to tell, just do the hot pin test.

Personally, I am not a fan of the hot pin test because it will leave a mark on the handle. If the handle is celluloid, it is conceivable that it could catch on fire.

A 45X or a 65X pocket or field microscope is only $2-3 on eBay.
Ivory has a bit of grain to it,
Bone has pores in it,
Celluloid is an early plastic and has neither unless it was made with grain, like French ivory.

Hope this helps.

orvet wrote: ↑Sun Mar 27, 2022 3:42 pm Personally, I am not a fan of the hot pin test because it will leave a mark on the handle. If the handle is celluloid, it is conceivable that it could catch on fire.

A 45X or a 65X pocket or field microscope is only $2-3 on eBay.
Ivory has a bit of grain to it,
Bone has pores in it,
Celluloid is an early plastic and has neither unless it was made with grain, like French ivory.

Hope this helps.

It doesn't leave a mark if you do it correctly. I touch the hot pin to the material being tested in an inconspicuous place and it will quickly become apparent even with the lightest touch if the surface will yield or not. Then quickly rub the area with a shop rag and you will never be able to find it. It's not necessary to make a divot. The celluloid ones I have tested did not burst into flames either.

As Orvet says, it's very easy to differentiate ivory from plastic without using a hot pin.

Thank You everyone for your comments, OLE CUTLER comment makes since as to why would they put Ivory on a cheap knife.
My gut tells me it is NOT Ivory so my next step is to get a better magnifying glass and if I am still in doubt I will give it the Hot pin test..

There are plenty of tip bolstered knives handled with genuine ivory. Tip bolsters and premium handles such as mother of pearl, stag, tortoise shell and ivory were quite common in old knives c. 1900.

I agree with Wayne that some knives with high quality handle material had tip bolsters. Certainly some had MOP.

I do not think that David's knife is ivory because it appears that the handle has suffered some shrinkage. It could have been made that way, but but I think shrinkage is more likely.

Not ivory.
Not bone.
Plastic.