Plastic, Bakerlite and Arabian Arms

David R · 29th August 2020, 12:33 AM

Re "synthetics", German WW1 sabres had Bakelite grips, (shortages forced them back to using Walnut wood) I have an Afghan Kukri with a Gutta Percha hilt, and Belgian pinfire pistols of the 19th C often had grips made from compressed blood and sawdust. Casein dates from the 1830s, and Amberoid goes back to the Bronze Age. Celluloid is another 19th C product, and appears as fake Rayskin on WW2 Shin Gunto..... You have to look at stuff on a case by case basis. Sometimes the synthetic (not plastic) outperformed and had a higher status than the natural material.

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29th August 2020, 12:33 AM	#12
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,114	Re "synthetics", German WW1 sabres had Bakelite grips, (shortages forced them back to using Walnut wood) I have an Afghan Kukri with a Gutta Percha hilt, and Belgian pinfire pistols of the 19th C often had grips made from compressed blood and sawdust. Casein dates from the 1830s, and Amberoid goes back to the Bronze Age. Celluloid is another 19th C product, and appears as fake Rayskin on WW2 Shin Gunto..... You have to look at stuff on a case by case basis. Sometimes the synthetic (not plastic) outperformed and had a higher status than the natural material.