xcelite tools

Those handles were made of Cellulose Acetate Butyrate plastic, which is now decomposing. Butyrate plastic is very tough, molds well, and is cheap. It was very common in screwdriver handles back in the day.

Joe Gwinn

A lot of plastic handle tools off gas a musty mildewey odor.

I have some old Craftsman screw driver handles that stink.

This isn't a musky or mildewy smell. This is _really_ bad. What gets me is the case isn't sealed. I'd think the stink would have dissipated.

I have some of them. Yes, some of them stink (all Craftsman tools stink, but...) but not like this!

You're likely right but these are _really_ bad. They don't feel like they're decomposing. I know some plastic gets tacky or gooey when it ages. I've thrown away several tools and even computer keyboards because the plastic or "rubber" is decomposing.

I think it was a matter of price - the material was cheap and easy to mold. They likely had tons of it on the market before they found out how poorly it stood up long term and how bad it stunk. They were also not counting on the tools hanging around for 50 years!!!!! (although they were bad enough adter 10 or 15!!!!!

Yeah. Mouse pads too.

One thing - the Butyrate handles clean up well using only hot water and a bit of soap. I have not had any smelly ones lately, so I don't know if this also eliminates the smell.

There were few alternatives to Cellulose Acetate Butyrate plastic 50 years ago. It is still widely used today.

Apparently, what is used today is Cellulose Acetate plastic (no butyl group).

Joe Gwinn

In my experience, all of the old-school Xcelite transparent yellow handles wind up with a cloudy coating, sometimes sticky, but always smelly over the years. I've probably got four of five that fit that description in my shop right now. I'm not sure what plastic they used but it definitely had some bad characteristics.

I'll give it a shot and report back. It's a nice set and works really well (hollow shaft). I'd like to keep it but not with that skunk stink.

Sure, but how many were suitable? The various screwdriver manufacturers will have done trade studies.

Joe Gwinn

Into the sixties it was still the most economical and easy to mold plastic generally available to industry that was impact resistant enough to use for tool handles. (also somewhat resistant to chemicals likely to be encountered in use)

Being most economical is not the same though as being "what was available".

Let me rephrase it -

Into the sixties it was still the most readily available economical and easy to mold plastic that was impact resistant enough to use for tool handles. (also somewhat resistant to chemicals likely to be encountered in use)

Yes, there were better plastis available, but they were either one or more (and often all) of the following:

More expesive, more difficult to mold, less impact resistant or less resistant to some common chemical likely to be encountered in use.

The more advanced polymers in use today were NOT in common use in the late sixties and early seventies for low value articles like knife and screw driver handles.

Lucite is quite extensively used today for these objects - but it is CASTm not moulded as it is not thermoplastic. It became available during the second world war and was used for aircraft windows and canopies etc - and it took a while for it to perculate down to small parts manufacturing, where injection molding was the common method of production.

Top end screwdrivers are now made of nylon. Those used by mere mortals are made from polypropylene.

The fancy soft touch grips are polyurethane in the nylon handles and PP/EPDM allow for PP handles.

Hard grades of polyurethane or "Hytrel/Arnitel" type elastomers could also work very well.

PVC will be susceptible to chemical attack from some chemicals typically used in automotive workshops. They get gummy and uggly in a hurry when subjected to petroleum products, solvents like acetone and brake Kleen, or even many electronic contact cleaners.

You clearly have never made a canopy for a homebuilt aircraft if you think acrylic is not thermoplastic.

I stand corrected.. - and it can even be injection molded and extruded - at least certain formulations

You clearly are being an ass.