All About Pocket Knives

Does anybody know the history of this knife?http://cgi.ebay.com/CASE-TESTED-XX-RARE ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/CASE-TESTED-XX-RARE ... dZViewItem

I have no clue. Just posting a link.

The color on the bolsters (pile side) seems a bit odd, as do the copper looking pins. Could be tarnish or the lighting but thats what jumped out at me. Not saying its a fake. Just curious and hope to learn from someone that knows.

Chris

must be a serious reserve, the two bids have up to $500 already. Fake,prototype or just a rare knife?

The tarnish looks a lot like the type that occurs when celluloid breaks down. I wonder what's up with that knife.

Worst yellow metal corrosion I have ever seen on a knife! I don't know the details of why, but I would say that upnorth is likely on the right track.

I will add something here....it almost looks like a corrosion cell occured where the "brass-copper" migrated to the back bolsters. My guess would be that the knife was stored in a very humid environment and I would not count out Upnorths contribution.

Just did notice something else The bail appears to be copper, From the results of this I would say not a good choice in bail material. The more I think about it the bail may be the cause of much of the devistation.

Pen & Toothpick wrote:Just did notice something else The bail appears to be copper, From the results of this I would say not a good choice in bail material. The more I think about it the bail may be the cause of much of the devistation.

I think it might have been chrome plated at one time. Steel is usually coated with copper before chroming. Seems the chrome may have been worn or "eaten" off the bail.

Time for another noobie lesson -

Another question - With the tarnish/corrosion seen on one side more than the other, is it possible that the knife was stored with another that had Celluloid scales? Wouldn't there be celluloid evidence on the blades as well? Do the blades look like they've been cleaned?

Thanks,

Chris

i wonder if this one he has listed could of had something to do with it
http://cgi.ebay.com/CASE-TESTED-XX-LARG ... 8638643203

He seems to have a couple more cracked ice handled knives as well. Maybe he doesn't know which one it is, but the coke hunter looks the worst. The pics of his small knives are blurry! Intentional??

"SOME TARNISHING ON THE BACKSPRING AND BACK OF THE MASTER BLADE MINT EXCEPT FOR SPECKING" from the sellers description and consistant with celluloid outgassing. The bolsters are also iffy. There are spaces between the handles and bolsters. Copper is usually chrome plated or other silver metal so it may show copper from poor plating of a lot of handling. lots of ???

My understanding is, they did not plate the fittings on those knives. It is an extra, expensive, and un-necessary step in producing them. They did try some experiments with plating blades however, in the dim past, but not on this knife.
Since nickel silver or German silver contains large amounts of copper in its alloy, the right acids will tarnish it like copper as it affects the accessible copper molecules. I have seen several celluloid handles "composting" and that brownish copperish color is the result. This knife has had the blades rubbed to take off the first blush of rust that occurs when cell goes bad, and now he's trying to recoup some of the high price he's paid for that rare (and soon to be garbage) knife.
It's a shame, because the knife is indeed rare, IMO.
I asked Tony Foster to look at it, and he waved "Bye bye" at it also !!
I hope some fool doesn't pay the reserve for it, but it is NOT OUR PLACE to interfere with auctions!! Please no-one be a bigger fool and mess with it. Warn your friends though!!

the corrosion he mentions is consistant with cell gassing, I don't think the bail is copper but discolored from the outgassing of the cell and the gaps are consistant with shinkage of cell gassing too

I may have seen this knife a 2 or 3 years back at a knife show. If it is the same one(it likely is). To me it appeared to be gassing then.

One of the first things to discolor from celluloid breakdown is the pins. Many times everything will look right, little or no shrinkage on the handles but the pins have started to darken. I tend to stay away unless I intend to make it a project. Either it won't make reserve or some poor guy is going to get stuck.

it looks good to me, But only one known to exist and near mint usually dont go together. i'd be scared of it.

does it have 9254R stamped? or is it a trapper with a bail added?

The felt lining in a lot of display cases will turn nickel silver to that color and could have also affected the bail. I'm sure gassing had a lot to do with it as well. However, those do not look like tested era blades in the knife to me. Of course I'm not holding it in my hand but, in the pictures, they don't look right. You will see some very odd patterns with bails from the Tested and XX era. While they are uncommon, they're not unheard of.

What makes this guy think that an imitation MOP handle knife is rare. If I was going to pay that kinda money for a knife, it would have real MOP handles. According to Case XX the number 9 represents imitation MOP. Also a bail can be put on any knife, i do believe. Just my opinion.