Case knife quality

[SHOOTALL]

I visited Smokey Mt. knife works and wanted to add to a modest knife collection . While looking at several case knives it was apperant they were lacking in quality as the blades were loose , wiggled side to side . Anyone else experinced this ?
I picked up a Marble's folding hunter for around 20 bucks that was well built and another brand from Alabama that was the equal to Case if not better , Can't remember the brand name but was told it was new on the market . I will look when i get a chance.

[flintlock]

I'd bet it was Bear, I picked up their model like a Scherade Sharp Finger last year and it became my favorite skinning knife during this past deer season...

Graybeard knows about them...

[Graybeard]

Bear is hardly new. They are in Jacksonville, AL just about 7 miles there from my house. They have a community knife sale each November to sell off over runs and factory seconds. Those Case knives sound like factory seconds to me.

We make the short trip each November and usually wind up bringing home a sack full of factory seconds and many times discounted full quality in the box stuff as well. If you look them over closely a lot of times you'll be hard pressed to figure what a second is called that. I've bought some I've never found an imperfection on and some that a minor scale fit issue is all and the rest of the knife is perfect.

They make as good a knife as any mass produced product.

[Siskiyou]

At my age I have accumulated a good collection of working knifes that double as hunting knifes.  Case is well represented with a Stockman and a Lock Back.  The one shown appears to be the same model I carried many years as a wildland fire fighter, LEO, and hunter.

Without a doubt the knife was more critical as FF (fire fighter), it was used for cutting seatbelts to get people out of cars and as needed otherwise.  When using ropes on steep slopes in was always an option if things go bad.  But it was well used on the fireline; after hose is used from the engine additional hose will come in from a warehouse.  The rolls of hose are held together by heavy twine, which must be cut before the fireman can lay the hose.  Supplies delivered to the fireline by helicopter sling load normally have a lot of 100 Mile an Hour tape on them or held together with twine.  If a fire camp was established to support a major fire, the knife came in handy over the plastic knifes provided to cut the food served.

I have Buck, Case, and Shrade.   My Shrade knifes are from a time long past and I understand they are now made in China.  Buck folding hunters were very popular with FF and smokejumpers.  My Bucks are U.S.  Made.  I understand that part of the Buck production now comes from China.


http://www.wrcase.com/knives/view_all/browseview2.php?Family=%22Lockback%22&View=1&Item=0174

Three years ago I purchased a folding lock blade Gerber as a retirement gift for a friend.  After getting it home found that it was made in China.  The Gerber folks in Portland, OR must be part of the front organization.

Currently when I have my pack out hunting the Case or a Buck is in the pack.  On my belt is a Leatherman Wave.  It is a multi tool that is very handy.  I have used it on helibases, and hunting.  It fills a lot of needs.  I have gutted and skinned out a couple of deer.  The knife blade holds a good edge and I have not had to stop and sharpen it.  The little saw blade came in handy for cutting bone so a deer could be backpacked out.  I have used the can opener to open a 3-pound can of coffee.  You can over do it with multi-tools, but the wave is just right for me.  I was given a large Shrade Multi-tool what is good around a fixed work site but too much for out hunting.

[Swampman]

Many Gerbers & Bucks are still made in the USA.  Current Case knives are not as nicely made as they used to be IMO.  I like the Bear knives.

[bobg]

I am still useing the Case my father bought me 50 years ago. It is to bad if there quality has gone down the drain.

[Dee]

About the only issue I have with some Case knives is the stainless ones. But then again, I like carbon steel. I like the way it takes an edge, holds an edge, and the color it gets when it ages. I sitting here now looking at a Case stainless fixed blade that was made in Solingen Germany. It is a XX, and I gave $180.00 for it about 10 years ago. Holds a razor edge and is a beautifully made knife. I wish it were carbon steel instead of 440C.

[mechanic]

I hate to see Case go downhill.  They were I thought the last holdout.  Like Dee, I like carbon steel knives.  I have never cared too much for Buck, as I think they are too hard, but have always liked Schrade until they went over the water.  I have several Schrade, and some old Case knives in carbon steel that I would put against any. 

I'm going to have to remember what Bill said about Bear knives.  I'm only 2.5 hours from there.  Might make a good field trip next November.....

[Dances with Geoducks]

Im sure most of the name brands have been bought out, and all come from Chinese founderies

[Joel]

I don't find the Case folders to be any better or worse than they were 50 years ago as far as fit and finish go. Their stainless blades never were any good, and based on the one I just tried(Sodbuster) still aren't.  The only folders, except special runs in "real" stainless, that have a decent edge holding blade are the Vanadium ones(52100 steel).  In fact the only carbon blades I own are those; I much prefer the better grades of stainless.  I have a little yellow handled single blade trapper that I carry a lot.  It's slim,small and actually holds an edge more than 15 minutes.  As far as "foreign" manufacture goes, the reason they're made there is because people love a "bargain", so that's what they get.  If we insisted on American made and refused others then I expect something would happen.  So look at your fellow knife owners when you bemoan China...not the companies or the Chinese for that matter.

[SHOOTALL]

Flintlock , yep it is , the knife was a new line they just came out with and has another name on the side but Bear and sons on the blade.
GB its the new line i assume the counter guy was refeering to. To be honest they seem to copy several old case styles .
Dee this was the first Case knives that were not good , I have collected them since about 1971 . They had some new designs that were not up to case standard ie; loose blades .

[Dee]

Kinda like whining about the government as you drive down the road in your new Chevy Joel? Your right. GM is makin some good deals now, and some of the loudest whiners about the government in my family, went down and got a "good deal" on a new Chevy.
I have all the knives I need, and then some to last me the rest of what's left of my life. I really don't care if they make the new ones out of corrugated roofin tin, so you youngsters need to quit buyin that junk, and they'll quit sellin it. Joel is right.

[Siskiyou]

When I go out of service and they start digging in my stuff they will confirm what most family members already know.  I have a fair share of knifes. 

Like Dee I have a life time supply and more.  When my wife’s father passed away I got his knifes, when my father passed away I got his knifes.   The only knife I did not take from dad’s place was a Randall fighting knife he bought in or before WWII.  It was a great knife, but I have a middle brother that has a habit of destroying knifes.  He put it to a grinder and took off about a third of the metal.  That reminds me he also broke the tip off the first knife I bought down at the feed store.   I spent a summer collecting soda bottles along the roadside to pay for it.

When we were young adults he barrowed a Case Stockman’s knife I had and messed it up.  I exploded and he was not welcome in my house.  He made up for it one day showing up with a fancy stockman what I carried for years.  And a Buck rescue knife designed to cut seat belts; it has a sliding blade in a handle.  It is extremely sharp.  That was thirty years ago, I guess we might have to give him something other than a plastic knife at the dinner table.

The point is a knife is a personal item to a man; the value goes beyond a piece of steel.  I was given a very good knife many years ago for hunting when I transfer from one job to another.  A little bit sad, because I have never carried it because it is too nice to lose.

[SHOOTALL]

Joel I agree with muck of why you posted but the knives are not the same really in some cases ( no pun intended ) . I have about a dozen cheatas the blade is much thicker on the ones from the 70' s than the new ones , the shape is a bit different also as the older ones had a spine like ridge down both sides i assume for strength .
 Theres new ones had a thumb stud on the blade and looked like a nice work knife . I have 2 that are a couple years ld and there is no blade wobble but the 3 i looked at in SMKW's werte loose just not what i want to spend money on . The Bear and son knives were 1/2 the cost and as good of quality or maybe better as far as todays knives . I hope it was a less that normal run that got pass inspection as i like case knives .

GB you are a lucky man with the factory that close , if it were me i would spend way to much money 

[bobg]

  I have a knife that belonged to my father. It is the only one i ever seen him carry. It say UTWELL on it. There could be a letter before the U. If there is i can't read it. Anyone ever heard of this? I just checked. I have 3 more Cases i forgot about. I think i will stick to Case. Don't need anymore anyway. Anyone know what the x stands for on the Case blades?

[SHOOTALL]

I have heard the number of X's desinates the quality of steel used . XXX is best I have seen a few that were old with XXX . Most I have are XX and can't remember seeing a single X . But I would like to know if this is correct .

[bobg]

  Sorry for the mistake SHOOTALL. There is nothing on the 2 old ones. The newer ones have a double x on them.  I have one that a fried made for me from and old file. It will hold and edge forever. I sure have skinned a lot of squirrels with it and have never sharpened it.                

[bobg]

That was suppose to say a friend. Don't think he is fried. Oh darn he could be. He passed way a few years ago.

[SHOOTALL]

I have a shrade waldron i got back in the 70's that has never been sharpened and you could shave with it . I got it in a hardware store in Nags Head NC for 11 dollars in the late 60's, 10 years ago a dealer offered me 150 dollars so now all i do is use it at the steak dinner we have the night before deer season starts .

[Joel]

Kind of a coincidence, this thread.  I had a guy call me yesterday to come and look at some of his knives.  He'd found out I was a knifemaker and he's wanting to sell at our annual township yard sale.
"Some" turned out to be about 500.  He's in his late 70's and he collects EVERYTHING.  He had some old Case knives that must date back to the 30's and 40's(plus newer ones) and there's really no comparison in the quality between them and today's. First off they were kinda heavy for their size and a little larger than the ones you see today.  They were meant to be used very day, not collected.  Second, all the blades were, of course considering the years of manufacture, carbon and very  sharp.
Had a bunch of imperial shrades(he gave me a barlow:)), old Remingtons, Buck's, Cattaragus, Kutmaster's etc and they were truly beautiful.  He also had a bunch of "junk" knives from Pakistan, China, Taiwan etc(like I said, he collects everything).  He planned on selling them for a buck or two. When you look at the old knives and look at the newer plastic/unknown steel types the Knife Magazines just drool over, you realize we've been had...by the advertisers, marketing people and factories themselves.  Still a couple of decent companies out there and a whole slew of custom makers, but that's it.  Sad.

[Joel]

  I have a knife that belonged to my father. It is the only one i ever seen him carry. It say UTWELL on it. There could be a letter before the U. If there is i can't read it. Anyone ever heard of this? I just checked. I have 3 more Cases i forgot about. I think i will stick to Case. Don't need anymore anyway. Anyone know what the x stands for on the Case blades?

There's a British company called Cutwell that has been around for over a hundred years.  They've made just about every type of knives imaginable; mainly cooking, kitchen, utility etc.  Nowadays it's mostly industrial knives.  Wouldn't doubt they made your Dad's.

[Siskiyou]

Joel:  You hit a button.  The last few months I have been carrying an old Barlow in my pocket.

I carry the Barlow because it has a different profile than some of my other knifes.  It is a conversation piece being it is a little different.  It has two sturdy blades the longest 2.5 inches.  The blades are carbon steel.  The hilt of the large blade is stamped Imperial USA PROV RI. Looks like a crown over the small i.

I believe the Barlow pattern was made by a number of companies?  This is what I found.

http://www.barlow-knives.com/logo/knives/barlow%20style/case_barlow_knives.htm

http://patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/2006/03/the_barlow_knif.html

I am not sure if the knife was in my Dad’s or father-in-laws things.  I decided I would carry this knife because I no longer carry a work knife, and it looks like it can do a job without appearing offensive.  The “offensive” idea came to me when I took my cousin and her husband to see a large gold collection.  We had to pass a security screening before entering.  At the screening point they kept our knifes for us, and returned them on the way out.  I was rather proud of my 65 year old cousin when she pulled her knife out of her purse.  Go Girl!

I doubt if the knife cost more than two or three dollars.  It is tight, and sharp.  It has more value knowing that it has been in the family a long time.

[bobg]

   You are right Joel. I think it is a Cutwell.  Thank you for the info.

[Dee]

First off they were kinda heavy for their size and a little larger than the ones you see today. When you look at the old knives and look at the newer plastic/unknown steel types the Knife Magazines just drool over, you realize we've been had...by the advertisers, marketing people and factories themselves.

Joel, you are exactly right. Not just the knife makers, advertisers, and marketers. I have a 52 year old Winchester Model 94. You pick that rifle up, and heft it in compared to the later ones, and there is no comparison. You can literally tell the difference blindfolded.
Calibers are the same. New expensive super go fast calibers that cost more, but don't really do more. Knives or guns, old world craftsmanship is hard to come by, and harder to beat.

[Graybeard]

I have heard the number of X's desinates the quality of steel used . XXX is best I have seen a few that were old with XXX . Most I have are XX and can't remember seeing a single X . But I would like to know if this is correct .

I can give you only a dim memory of what the XX means. I do not recall the year but Case made a transision in their knives and likely it was when quality took a hit. The change was ten years long. The first year as best as I recall it had XX and below that a dot and each year after another dot was added so you could tell the year of manufacture.

As best as I recall it the provision for this was only for ten years and what's happened since I don't recall. I think that was likely back in the '70s or '80s perhaps but memory fo it is foggy and it could have been earlier or later.

I seem to recall that XX meant quality in those days but today is likely just a hold over from days gone by.

My personal daily carry knife is a case Model 31048 SS which I believe carries the name of mini trapper. It's a single blade knife of rather thin profile which fits comfortable in any front pocket of any pants I wear. The blade is about 3.3" long.

It has a strange pattern of markings on it that makes me believe they are still carrying on the tradition I mentioned above regarding year of manufacture. I've had this particular specimen at most five years I think. It's as close to like my original of it from a great many years ago as I can recall of that old one.

The markings are: X.X above the the name engraved as CaseXX and then below the name is: X X.X My best guess is the current pattern of Xs and dots still tell the date of manufacture if you have access to the code sequence. In effect tho it is still a Case XX as shown in the name and the other exta Xs and dots are a date code of some sort.

[Dee]

Click to enlarge on the pic I have posted and it will tell you what you want to know about dating the Case knives in regards to Xs and dots.

[Graybeard]

So my dim old memory wasn't all that far off. I couldn't recall if a dot was added or subtracted and I was in error as I thought I remembered them added rather than removed.

That's probably as I remember most things from those days. 

[Dee]

Just go ahead and admit that you mind is gone GB. Your old!

[Graybeard]

Two days older than dirt is all I am. As to my mind being gone that's cuz the government did sumpin to me and made it go away. 

[eye shot]

I have a 6 3/4" Ka-Bar carbon steel that my dad made the handle and sheath for aboard ship in ww11, very sharp. On the farm he always carried a Case. At the fish house I notice all the guys cleaning fish use carbon steel blades, a couple of wacks on a steel and there sharp again.