Bought some new guns

[funkychinaman]

Originally Posted by Nyles

Well, bakelite isn't quite the same as modern plastics - it's got more of a glassy texture, and tends to break more easily than modern plastic. Oddly this doesn't have the same texture as other bakelite items I've handled, it's much closer to modern plastic.

That's why I was surprised they'd use it in something like a sword, especially the grip.

[commando552]

Originally Posted by funkychinaman

That's why I was surprised they'd use it in something like a sword, especially the grip.

The grip material doesn't really need to be that strong, it is the metal tang inside that provides the strength of the sword. Also, this material isn't actually Bakelite, that is just what people generically call it. The trade name for the plastic that was actually used on the sword was either Gryphonite or Dermatine, but I get mixed up on which way round they were. I think the way it worked is that the very first swords had a wood handle which splintered easily and are very rare these days, then they switched to the black synthetic Gryphonite handle (which I believe is sort of like Vulcanite/Ebonite), and then it was the orange/brown Dermatine handle (broadly similar to Bakelite) which I think are the final, most common type.

I don't know if this was done to the handle in the p1908, but you also got "composite" bakelite of various types which was more resilient and had a different texture, which was made by forming the resin on a textile base of some sort such as linen or canvas.

[funkychinaman]

I posted screencaps of the P1908/1912 sabers on the War Horse page. No good images of the grip though.