70's Case Canoes - Show and Tell time!

[Magus]

Been collecting some Case canoes from the 70's over the last few months and thought I'd finally show them off. Just one of those patterns I've just fallen in love with....so here we go.


First one here is a 1975 Canoe in a brown bone...nicely worn. This one was obviously used when I got it and it's been riding in my pocket. Really great knife.

Next is another 1975 Canoe in brown bone. This one is near new condition...plan on using this one though(long story). Another great knife.

This one is yet another 1975 but in red bone. This one is a bit of a safe queen.

And last but not least. This one is a bit of a unicorn. This one was made in 1973, but what's unique about it is that my understanding is the Indian etching wasn't introduced until 74(correct me on that if I'm wrong). Transition model possibly? It has some really beautiful red/brown bone scales. This one is pretty much a show piece. Don't have the heart to scuff it up.

Anyway, hope you guys like them. Feel free to share some 70's Case canoes if you've got them.

 

[TLARbb]

I don't have any 70's Case canoes, but you've got some really nice ones. Thanks for sharing with us.

Ed

 

[sunnyd]

These are fantastic Gents EDC's if you ask me.. I have had over a dozen of these as users over the years since I was first introduced to them in the late 1970's.. I am down to only two right now though.. One 1974(my favorite and well broken in Canoe EDC) and a 1978 model that is still unused at this time.

I very much prefer these earlier model # 62131 Canoe's to the later ones for several very valid reasons.. However, the most important of all being the nice slim profile of the 1970's productions had her two blades operating on only one back-spring, as opposed to the later 1980's and subsequent productions that operated on two back-springs(one blade for each spring) instead, thereby doubling the overall frame profile thickness and doubling the net weight as well.

Here is that one '74 previously mentioned I still use and carry in my right hand watch pocket pretty often which is very sharp and will dry shave your arm hair lickety-split. Shen't much to look at but as cutt'n tools go, she's a Dandy.

Anthony

 

[NirreBosse]

Nice pattern. I havent seen one in real life, but for me the single backspring ones seam to be bastant penknifes with the bolster covering the corner of the blade. It must be a development of a little bigger penknife? Do we know the history of the pattern, is it a modern variation or is it one of the old basic patterns? Is the intian stamed into the steel or just etched. Its hard to see on the pictures. For ex magus 1 seams to be a woren etch but magus 4 has the feeling of being stamped into the steel?

Bosse

 

[Will Power]

The single spring is my preferred type. Too bad CASE abandoned it, mind you, it's a tricky job getting those two blades in without problems. I much prefer a single spring Muskrat too.

At the moment, Böker Germany do a single spring carbon Canoe. Don't know of others.

 

[Ray5118]

1976 Case Canoe, single spring, slim profile compared to today's model.
If you get a chance to buy a 70's or older Canoe, you will not be disappointed.
Of course that's just my opinion.

 

[Magus]

Nice pattern. I havent seen one in real life, but for me the single backspring ones seam to be bastant penknifes with the bolster covering the corner of the blade. It must be a development of a little bigger penknife? Do we know the history of the pattern, is it a modern variation or is it one of the old basic patterns? Is the intian stamed into the steel or just etched. Its hard to see on the pictures. For ex magus 1 seams to be a woren etch but magus 4 has the feeling of being stamped into the steel?

Bosse

What the process is or was for putting the etching on I'm not 100% on. What I do know is that pre 1985 the indian is actually engraved into the metal. But once it was done, they'd fill in the "engraving" with what appears to be some sort of black enamel to make the etching stand out more.

The enamel will of course in time with use wear away and you end up with what I have in the first pic. The engraving will always be there though which I think looks really cool once the paint has faded away.

The new way they do it is essentially is sorta like embossing I guess or laser etching. The current "etching" can be buffed off and will totally disappear over time. The reason for the change is probably directly related to the change in Case's design of the canoe...going from a single spring to duals. The main spear blade of the dual design is a good bit thinner than the single spring design. My assumption is that the current thinner blade isn't strong enough to handle the etching actually being "in" the blade, so they just put it "on" the blade using a different process.

 

[TLARbb]

I've got a few Bulldog carbon steel canoes. I like them and do carry them some. I find the canoe pattern to be very useful and handy and works well in the pocket and in the hand. But, I don't own any Case 1970-80 models. Have you determined if the indian is stamped or etched?

I find myself carrying my avatar canoe by Jeff Mutz now when I get the urge to carry a canoe. I need to dust off one of those Bulldogs and sharpen it up for the pocket.

Ed

 

[Magus]

I've got a few Bulldog carbon steel canoes. I like them and do carry them some. I find the canoe pattern to be very useful and handy and works well in the pocket and in the hand. But, I don't own any Case 1970-80 models. Have you determined if the indian is stamped or etched?

I find myself carrying my avatar canoe by Jeff Mutz now when I get the urge to carry a canoe. I need to dust off one of those Bulldogs and sharpen it up for the pocket.

Ed

Still unsure on what the process was getting it in there. The older ones are definitely what you would call "engraved." The new ones I'm guessing may be laser etched onto the blade. It's basically just on the surface metal of the blade. The old ones though with the engraving like I have...it's pretty much there forever.

I've got a contact at Case I may send an email and see if he can shed some light on how it's done now and maybe he'll know too how it was done during the 70's.

 

[Magus]

Okay, I just got a message back from my contact at Case as to how the etching/engraving was done in the 70's and how it's done now. Pretty interesting.

Here's his quote:

"The older blades were done by a process we called deep etching. It is a photo/chemical process that actually ate away blade material causing it to look recessed. It was then filled with paint by hand. Today we use a electro-etch process that just etches the surface. The reason for the change was primarily safety. The old process used chemicals that are frowned upon today. It was also very labor intensive."