After a few months, a coupla quibbles about Case

StuntDouble

StuntDouble

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I've owned a couple of Case Trappers for a few months now, and though I like them I can't help but nitpick at them a little bit.

1. The main thing that bugged me was that neither one really came with a sharp edge. They were rather thick and obtuse, and took a bit of re-profiling to cut well.

2. The back of the blade where it meets the lock face is rounded. It's not really a functional issue, I just like seeing nice square angles and a nice thin line where those two surfaces meet.

3. On the clip blade on both of my trappers, there is a small dent in the edge about halfway up. For the life of me, I can't figure out where it came from, as there doesn't appear to be anything inside the knife that would cause it. Weird...

Well, that's about all I've got. Other than that I love my Trappers:D
 
I like knives with a sharp point, though I don't buy knives with rounded tips, I have handled many Case knives lately with rounded tips. Just a pet peeve of mine. That and the many colored bone scales that I have seen on Case knives that still have white spots. I know people have this thing against Ontario now because of the RAT issue, but I get a lot better quality out of the Queen slippies that I buy.
 
In my experience, with very few exceptions, most all Case knives come with better ground bevels and edges than those on my Queen knives. (And yes, an occasional tip that could be sharper/pointier.)

Oftentimes fit and finish (other than edges), and scale material/jigging is superior on the Queen products and I have recently become enamored of some of the Moore Maker knives though none of mine are newer than 2006.

Hopefully the issue with RAT Cutlery will be amicably resolved so that I can countenance the idea of continuing to purchase Queen's slipjoints. (But that issue is for another forum.)
 
Chris Mapp said:
2. The back of the blade where it meets the lock face is rounded. It's not really a functional issue, I just like seeing nice square angles and a nice thin line where those two surfaces meet.

3. On the clip blade on both of my trappers, there is a small dent in the edge about halfway up. For the life of me, I can't figure out where it came from, as there doesn't appear to be anything inside the knife that would cause it. Weird...

Well, that's about all I've got. Other than that I love my Trappers:D
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I've noticed some less than perfect mating between backspring and tang on mine. As you say, it's a cosmetic issue.

Take a strong light and shine it in the well (trough) of the knife on an angle and see if you see a slight line or incision on the inside of the backspring. It could be your blade edge is hitting the backspring which will cause the flat spot.

I've had that issue more with Queen's knives than Case, however.
 
Blues said:
Take a strong light and shine it in the well (trough) of the knife on an angle and see if you see a slight line or incision on the inside of the backspring. It could be your blade edge is hitting the backspring which will cause the flat spot.

I've had that issue more with Queen's knives than Case, however.
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I have the same issue with a Parker Edwards small trapper. The springs are relatively soft and letting it slap shut seems to be the problem.
 
They stick blades into tumblers these days.It rounds over any sharp corners and on knives its not pretty.I haven't found a pocketknife yet that didn't have something I didn't like about it. You have to focus on the good qualities of the knife or you'll go crazy.
 
Another way to tell (if the light does not help) is to take some thin paper and try to slide it between the blade and the backspring with the knife closed. If the edge is against the spring you will be able to tell, just make sure you keep the paper next to the spring. Sometimes you have to fold a trough in the paper to make it work.
 
Nice one, Gus. Now I know why you always have those Zig-Zag papers with you. And here I thought it was for something else. (Old suspicions die hard in my former profession. :p)
 
My fiance bought me a case trapper for christmas, and it is by far the best ground, best finished case I have ever handled. Go figure, must have been a wednesday knife :)
 
Blues said:
Nice one, Gus. Now I know why you always have those Zig-Zag papers with you. And here I thought it was for something else. (Old suspicions die hard in my former profession. :p)
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Never actually thought of using Zig-Zag's. No wonder they sell them all over the place around Bastidville. :D.
 
Blues said:
Nice one, Gus. Now I know why you always have those Zig-Zag papers with you. And here I thought it was for something else. (Old suspicions die hard in my former profession. :p)
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For those "yeller handle knives" they also have Zig-Zag wheatstraw...at least they used to...I mean I read that somewhere onetime, I think...:o
 
It's weird, I tried everything, and haven't been able to figure out where it's hitting. Ah well, it doesn't seem to have an effect on actual cutting, so I'm not worried about it.
 
For a Sunfish or larger knife paper test, would a guy need to bust out the EZ-Widers?
 
If you let a folder snap closed, often the blade will flex downward enough that it hits the backspring puting a mark on the edge. I think that when it snaps closed the spring is flexed outward just a little from the force allowing contact for a second. This can't be checked by checking for clearance with the knife closed.
Try pressing down on the top of the closed blade with your thumb and see how much movement there is before contact and how easy it is to make the blade contact the spring.
 
One thing I have noticed about new knives. The tangs are not rounded very well. A lot of knives have a feel of a "soft" half stop or a flat. They just don't feel as smooth as older knives.
 
I've noticed that about the tangs too. I also noticed that top of the locking area seems to have not been ground flat. It looks like there's some leftover slag on top. Again, not something that seems to affect it's ability to hold the blade open, just a cosmetic issue.
 
Chris, just out of curiousity sharpen out the dings at the half way point, and then for a while whenever you close the knife do it gently, easing the blade down. if the dents don't reapear then you have a problem that will disappear in time as the blade gets sharpend over the course of the next few years.

It could be the blade kick is a bit too short to keep the blade from hitting the spring when snapped shut. It will cure itself if that is the case, no pun intended.:D

Or you could wedge a matchstick in the end to catch the blade.
 
jackknife, I think you may be right about the kick being a bit short. I'm not going to worry about sharpening it out yet, as I'm sure it'll disappear over time. I'll just take it easy when I'm closing it from now on.
 
I have peened a kick to keep the blade from bottoming. It usually doesn't take much. The tang (and kick) is usually softer than the rest of the blade.
:confused:Now don't go pounding on your knife and blaming me for the resulting shrapnel!!:eek:!:D!
 
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