J.D. Case, Kane PA Barehead Jack - Opinions and Thoughts Please

[herbva]

I recently snagged this J.D. Case jack on a non-fleabay auction (or maybe it snagged me). As you can see in the attached pictures, the imitation ivory (celluloid?) scales have shrunk, leaving UGLY gaps next to the bolsters, and are starting to curl away from the liners (last pic). I have given thought to just trying to fill those gaps in, but that would just be a temporary fix, and probably would look like crap. I do hate looking at those nasty gaps, but I assume this is a somewhat rare knife, and maybe I should probably just leave it alone. Thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. I did find a picture of what looks like this exact knife on page 21 of Tom McCandless's book OLD KNIVES, XX,AND MORE

[djknife13]

I would not mess with that old knife and would enjoy it. It's an amazing survivor.____Dave

[edge213]

X2^

[rea1eye]

Actually the gap does not bother me as much as that curl. Could you
just fix the curl?

Bob

[Mumbleypeg]

Please don’t mess with it. If it was outgassing I could see putting new covers on it but that’s a rare knife. If I could look that good at as old as that knife is ………………..

Ken

[cody6268]

Nice knife!

It's been my understanding that imitation ivory celluloid is very unlikely to outgas, so I don't think the scales will need to be changed out.