A confession.

kamagong

kamagong

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2001
Messages
10,940
I've never owned a Case knife. Okay, that's not entirely true. I did own a granddaddy barlow a few years ago, but it was bigger than I like to carry so it never got used. I don't have a good reason why, other than Case no longer made knives that interest me. I don't like Tru-Sharp, nor do I like their interpretations of common patterns like stockmen or trappers. There are the Bose collabs, but I'm largely past wanting pricey slipjoints. About the only knife I liked was their sodbuster, but I don't do synthetic.

I guess it's a good thing that they're now making sodbusters with chestnut bone covers. I'm getting the itch for a new knife. Doesn't happen very often anymore, I've actually carried the same knife for a couple of years now, but I'm still a knife nut who hangs out on BladeForums. I want some new steel even if I don't need any.

Are the bone soddies made any better than the yellow ones?
 
Don't have a yellow one. I have a black one, though. Not sure what you mean by "made better". I have a Case Chestnut CV SBJr. Seems to be made about as well as other Case knives. The flat slabs tend to result in a very nice looking bone since they don't have to grind away the coloring and jigging in the hafting process.

The main difference I notice is that the blade on the black-handled version is a thin hollow grind with a satin finish while the bone is flat ground with a mirror polish. Both are good slicers. But the hollow ground synthetic is more of a laser.
 
Christian - Oh man, I did have a Stag Case Soddy ( small ) I wish so much I still owned that - as it would be in the mail to you this moment.
 
Take a look at Rough Rider, Colt sodbusters. As good as Case IMHO and a whole lot less expensive.
Rich
 
As long as we're into confessions, I may as well say that I've never had a sodbuster. But there are so many threads talking about them, I really should try one out.

There are a number of traditionals that I have tried out in a less expensive brand first, just to see if I would really like it. Just like RichS suggested above. I have more RR's and Colts than I can count, but still no SB in the bunch.

I guess its shopping cart time. [emoji56]. By the way, my wife really hates bladeforums. The forum is responsible for many thousands of dollars of expenses. But shhhhh, as far as my wife and knife habits go, they are "investments". [emoji86][emoji85][emoji87] [emoji41]
 
My guess is that the bone sod busters are just like the others except in bone. Why would they be any different?

I have never owned a sod buster either. Don't think I will ever as they tend to be single bladed and I prefer two blades in traditionals. I don't generally just buy knives for the sake of buying another knife. However, next time I go to a particular knife store, I am planning on really looking and handling the Taylor Schrade Old Timers with the intent of probably buying one that I think would be useful (and trying out).
 
jc57 said:
Not sure what you mean by "made better".
Click to expand...

I've seen a few yellow soddies with unevenly ground blades and pretty big gaps. Understandable in a $20 knife, but the chestnut bone versions are $40. I want better. I don't know how much better, but I do want better. Maybe I'll hold out until I can cherry pick one out in person.

Campbellclanman said:
Christian - Oh man, I did have a Stag Case Soddy ( small ) I wish so much I still owned that - as it would be in the mail to you this moment.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the thought Duncan. :)
 
Why not get a GEC Bullnose? Your standards may be higher than Case knives can deliver.
 
My son has the Case Sodbuster in CV steel and chestnut bone. His is a good example in terms of fit & finish. Pull is nice, no gaps, and the blade grind is even on both sides. Served him well for a couple of Scout trips. Sadly his interest is starting to go more toward modern one-handers now.
 
I have a chestnut bone CV Sodbuster Jr that I cherish, but it's certainly not perfectly built. There's small but perceptible horizontal play in the open blade, and neither liner is "welded" to the backspring - plenty of light visible between spring and liners.

22-rimfire, I'm also a multiple blade guy by nature, but I was surprised how much I actually like this Sodbuster Jr that I won in a BigBiscuit GAW. I no longer reject out of hand the idea of using a single-blade knife, and I think a drop point blade is now my second favorite blade shape!

RPWknfZl.jpg


- GT
 
I have a Yella Soddie Jr. in CV that has held up to some close scrutiny:



In all seriousness though, it's made as well as you could hope. Blade is a hair off center, but not enough to worry about. Scales to springs are about as tight as any GEC I've owned. I can't imagine how they could make it much better.

That being said, if I were to buy another I'd probably want to hand pick one.
 
5K Qs said:
22-rimfire, I'm also a multiple blade guy by nature, but I was surprised how much I actually like this Sodbuster Jr that I won in a BigBiscuit GAW. I no longer reject out of hand the idea of using a single-blade knife, and I think a drop point blade is now my second favorite blade shape!
Click to expand...

I am not totally without single bladed traditionals. Have a couple one blade Northwoods Madison Barlows and a Queen Mountain Man. They have their place. I just have too many to really use any more.
 
FWIW, I've had three Case sodbusters over the past 9ish years, one large, and two Jrs. One yellow in CV, and two black in SS. All have been rock solid and gap free out of the box. But I've also Never had a Case with anything more than hair line gaps, nor less than imaculate fit/finish... Thats one reason why they're pretty much my favorite brand.

Personally I'm still Very unsure of the Sodbuster. I love the blade shape, and single blade knives, and the handle is comfy enough... but as a whole package, they just don't 'click' for me... yet.


22-rimfire said:
My guess is that the bone sod busters are just like the others except in bone. Why would they be any different?
Click to expand...



The only difference I know of is that the bone ones are thinner in the handle-- was mentioned recently, with pics in another Sodbuster thread. Why? I figure only Case knows that...

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1324445-Thin-Sodbuster?p=15201342#post15201342

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1324445-Thin-Sodbuster?p=15201595#post15201595

pics;

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1324445-Thin-Sodbuster?p=15205871#post15205871


Ahh! Looking again now, I see another difference; the bone handle models have a 'normal' sied pivot pin, not the large headed cutlers rivet like in the composite models.
 
Case Barnboard Bone with Damascus steel, in my pocket as we speak. It's my first Case Sodbuster, and when I first got it, thought it was okay. Now, it's probably my most carried traditional--small but robust, cuts and works like a champ. Highly recommended. If you feel like throwing down a few extra dollars, this is a nice knife.
 
I have some Case knives, vintage & current but my interests in collecting & using lie elsewhere. That said i did carry a Case Seahorse Whittler a few years ago. Only comes in stainless i think, but i really enjoyed holding it & using it.
If you are wanting a Case just to see what they are like, the Seahorse comes up on the secondary market regularly and then sell well too if you don't like it; but you will.
kj
 
IMG_1963.jpg


There certainly is a difference in F&F, nice bone, good pin-work and snap, no play. However, it is a MUCH thinner knife than the delrin version so if you are looking for a thicker handled knife (like say a Stag 73) it won't please. I think mine is remarkable value and something different.

How about one of their single-blade Swaybacks in Damascus? A tidy knife!

Thanks, Will
 
My newest knife is a Case Sodbuster Jr. in chestnut bone/CV. I love it and have a hard time getting it out of my pocket. To Will's post above, I was aware that the bone ones are thinner than the Delrin handles, which appealed to me, plus I wanted CV. It also nicely complements my chestnut Swayback jack. Like the OP, I'd been reading so much about Soddies that I was compelled to try one and I'm glad I did.
 
major_works said:
My newest knife is a Case Sodbuster Jr. in chestnut bone/CV. I love it and have a hard time getting it out of my pocket. To Will's post above, I was aware that the bone ones are thinner than the Delrin handles, which appealed to me, plus I wanted CV. It also nicely complements my chestnut Swayback jack. Like the OP, I'd been reading so much about Soddies that I was compelled to try one and I'm glad I did.
Click to expand...

You're certainly right about the SBjr/SBJ pair, major!! :thumbup::thumbup: This photo (scan, actually, I think) gives some indication of what major pointed out, but doesn't really do the pairing justice.
3HfZiXfl.jpg
 
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