Thread: Duck Shrinkage!

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Oh, the horrific things I've seen celluloid do.

Tomorrow, when the sun's out, I'll try and get some pictures.

I HAVE SUCH SIGHTS TO SHOW YOU.

Oh BOY!
I can't wait to see!!!
I bet there are some messed up pieces.

Originally Posted by engine46

Very possible! I never knew they would shrink, especially that bad!!!

I don't think he cut it. Looked like original pin and washer.
Spacing was the same between pivot and third pin.

Behold, the fate of all such celluloid!

^^^^ OH MY !!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Behold, the fate of all such celluloid!

Celluloid is some nasty stuff if you don't use caution with it & for those who DON'T know, please keep them in coffins away from the rest of the herd or you'll be doing this!

Originally Posted by Voidmonster

Oh, the horrific things I've seen celluloid do.

Tomorrow, when the sun's out, I'll try and get some pictures.

I HAVE SUCH SIGHTS TO SHOW YOU.

Here's a view of cell rot from a big Case pocket knife that went South.

The knife as bought.




After I pulled the scales, I left them in the sun for a couple of days and this what happened.




Funny thing about that yellow Case cell. It doesn't eat steel, it eats brass. I had another old Case pocket knife that the yellow cell went South on and it ate the brass liner in two.

The one pictured had a lot of green goo on the brass, but it cleaned up nicely and is now wearing a set of elk horn scales.

That is CRAZY!

Originally Posted by Wullie

Here's a view of cell rot from a big Case pocket knife that went South.

The knife as bought.




After I pulled the scales, I left them in the sun for a couple of days and this what happened.




Funny thing about that yellow Case cell. It doesn't eat steel, it eats brass. I had another old Case pocket knife that the yellow cell went South on and it ate the brass liner in two.

The one pictured had a lot of green goo on the brass, but it cleaned up nicely and is now wearing a set of elk horn scales.

Nice work on the elks scales Wullie! That must be some really good grade steel.

Wow looking from the first pic you see something wrong but only shrinkage not totaly deteriorating
Great reminder to check all the cell scales this week

Scales shrink? Whatever do you mean?



I have seen Goldedges rot, not shrink that much! The pivot end of the top one looks suspicious to me. The scales seem to lack the taper on the end. ALSO, by holding a caliper up to the pics, the top blade is longer from the tip of tail-to 1st stabilizer than the bottom one by the width of the stabilizer. The tail seems meatier as well. Perhaps the top blade is a larger 6/8 model and is in some smaller blade scales? Dunno about Goldedges, but Satinedge 6/8's are MUCH longer than 5/8 models!

Anyhoo, it seems to be academic. Pop the blade, save the inlays, Get it ON!

Originally Posted by engine46

Nice work on the elks scales Wullie! That must be some really good grade steel.

That's a pre-1970 Case. It was made when Case built knives to use rather than collect. I bought that knife knowing the scales were going South on it. The guy selling it had no idea what he had but he knew something was bad wrong with it. I paid $8 for it as it was shown in the top two pics. It was obvious that something was wrong, but the knife was sound otherwise.

I bought it to use and not collect although that pattern in that condition ( without scale rot) is a very collectible pattern and usually bring good money. That knife was unused. It had never been sharpened or carried. I popped the scales off of it and took it to a buddy of mine that I helped get started in the knife making business. He scratched around in his pile and came out with that old elk antler and asked if I wanted that or yellow Corel put back on it. I went with the antler. The knife's no longer as collectible due to the scales. I carried the big thing for a while but it's just a bit too big to carry comfortably.

I don't know what that yellow stuff was made of, but it doesn't rot steel. I've seen several Case knives of that era with similar issues and the blades are always good, but the brass liners take the hit.

FYI, it's been my experience that German made cell is some of the worst on the planet. ESPECIALLY that which was produced in the '70's and '80's. I've seen some really nice pocket knives turned into piles of red rust from inattention. Several of them went to the happy hunting ground peacefully inside the boxes they were purchased in. I've seen lots of US made knives in the same situation, but it seems that the German made stuff still holds the prize for being unstable.