Are these knife handles Catalin?

In my many years I have not, until today, ever come across Catalin. Are the knife handles made of Catalin?

In addition to the random brown colour, they appear to have an internal grain running throughout it's length.

@wlwhittier Thanks for your posting, or life would have passed me by without ever heard of Catalin.







Thank you.

 

Horn, perhaps?

 

Appear more like cattle horn

Catalin is just another name for Bakelite and would have the same formaldehyde smell

 

I don't think those are horn; the collars look like "tin". Horn would have better quality metal. I think bakelite/catalin would too.

 

@Bakersgma @terry5732 @evelyb30

Well, I have tried the hot running-water test, the thumb rubbing test, the creme cleaner test, and the the knocking of two handles together. The knocking test produced different sounds depending on the volume of material, the running-water and thumb test were negative, and the creme cleaner test took a lot of dirt away but no yellowing.

That said, you have opened up a whole new can of worms. The knife blade is marked is marked "five-point star" EUROPA "five-point star" second line "Inox Rostfrei" with a third line "Depose"

Inox in French is stainless steel
Rostfrei in German is stainless steel
Depose in French is deposit, and in German it is deposited.

I cannot find a Brand EUROPA.

There is an interesting article about Rostfrei knives at https://knifebasics.com/what-is-a-rostfrei-knife/?expand_article=1

All of which doesn't answer my original question. Dear, oh dear, oh dear.

 

I'm in the horn camp.

 

Depose means the design was registered. Like a patent in the US.

 

To my eye, they appear to be imitation horn, would suggest either acrylic or galalith...

~Cheryl

 

If they were perhaps galalith, would not the internal grain that Brian Warshaw noticed not rule this out?

 

could I bother you for a clear shot of the end , butt...of a couple of handles///?

 

Similar 'horn' has been produced in both acrylic and galalith for decades, both also used for cutlery handles, though often misidentified as bakelite, not sure why internal 'grain' or streaking would eliminate those materials. If natural horn, personally would be surprised to see that shape, all appearing identical and apparently molded and/or machined, and though the streaking is random, the consistency in color over five pieces would be a bit unusual for natural horn.

Would be nice if images of the pieces in entirety, and perhaps the marks as well were provided - can often be helpful in researching...

~Cheryl

 

@komokwa @DragonflyWink Photos attached.

I have communicated with a seller on Etsy who is selling some knives with similar looking handles as mine [tone not shape]. They say they believe it is horn.

 

thank you....

to my eye the butt ends are more consistent with man made material....not horn.