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Colorful plastic by any other name

Jim Frost called it Corelon. Michael Prater put in Case knives from Jim Frost and sold it at a premium price. In the old days it was called end of day celluloid. I tend to call it swirly plastic. I'm not a big fan of it, especially when it is marketed as something special or valuable.

When it is all white, it is called Cracked Ice or Imitation Pearl. I've also seen and own Imitation abalone. And then there is tortoise shell. Who doesn't like Imitation tortoise shell!

I know today's celluloid is much more stable that what was used in the past. I'm of the understanding that much of what is called celluloid today is actually acrylic resins. But at the end of the day, it is plastic, a cheap replacement material for higher priced natural materials. (bone, stag, hard woods, precious stones, etc.) So why does it demand a higher price tag than Delrin, another thermoplastic?

Is there anyone out there who is collecting modern celluloid, such as Case Corelon?

Is there anyone who collects older celluloid, specifically swirly or end of day material?

U.S Classic Tiger Eye Swirl.

Rough Rider Blue/Brown Swirl (top) and Tortoise Shell (bottom)

Imperial Cracked Ice (often sold as MOP)

Wenger Snife (Rhythm)

Case Corelon (stock photo) - I don't own any Corelon.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on October 13, 2013 at 22:29

Ha, ha yes I see that Tobias! Where do you find knives like this? "an Italian Lobster with scissors!"

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on October 14, 2013 at 6:06

Steve, all I can say is when you cross a knife obsession with an eBay addiction you end with some interesting as well as strange finds. I'll put the Italian Lobster in the interesting category.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Scheuerman (Manx) on October 14, 2013 at 13:08

Would that be an obdiction then?? LOL...a new word for the knife community!

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on October 15, 2013 at 2:49

Just because it's plastic doesn't mean it's cheap ;-)

In fact, a small run of specialised plastic may very well be more expensive than most natural materials.

In general I'm not a fan myself. But I've seen some Canal Street Cutlery knives that looked REALLY nice with Corelon or similar plastics. And there are some plastics out there that've gotten more populair with the custom knifemaker crowd that are looking fairly good.

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Permalink Reply by Brad T. on October 15, 2013 at 11:21

Actually the term "Addsession" would be more descriptive. At least I believe that appropriately describes my condition.

Steve Scheuerman (Manx) said:

Would that be an obdiction then?? LOL...a new word for the knife community!

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on October 15, 2013 at 11:34

I'm going to go with the label "passionate cutlery conservator" It makes me sound like a qualified and dedicated professional instead of lunatic with a psychological syndrome in need of an intervention.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on October 15, 2013 at 18:08

I confess,I own this one and a few other Case Classic celluloids.
You gotta watch these,though, this celluloid can gas and rust out
a carbon steel blade overnight. I have already lost 2 to this.
Thankfully, they were not in a display case with other knives or
the losswould have been far greater. BTW, I have little or no use
for Frost corelon knives .

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on October 15, 2013 at 19:38

Well Tobias here is some more of those "End of Days" knives. Nicely done John!

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on October 15, 2013 at 20:24

Steve, I'm not sure they would do an "End of Day" prototype unless it was purely for COLLECTING! funny isn't how what was originally something done on the cheap becomes a collectible and then a collector item!. End of Day celluloid was to plastic what "second cut" was to stag!

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on October 17, 2013 at 6:47

More pretty plastic. This time an Emerald Green Raging Bull Guardian Angel Toothpick.

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Permalink Reply by Brad T. on October 17, 2013 at 10:03

Geez Tobias. For someone who is not a big fan of Swirly plastic, you seem to have quite a few. Are you sure you're just not a closeted swirly plastic lover? I'm not trying to "out" you, just want you to know if you are, it is okay.