Case 6347 CS vs SS

[jampak]

Hi everyone.
I’ve recently been moving away from the flippy, modern folders and have been falling in love with stockmans, Barlows and trappers. My first purchase was a Case 6318 CS and I’ve been really impressed with how sharp I was able to get it! But, I have been considering getting the slightly bigger 6347(or other 47 pattern). Case doesn’t seem to have any in CS, especially here in Canada.
I’ve got my eye on a unique 47 pattern but it is in SS. I’m hesitant as I’m not sure if it will still be screaming sharp and maintain a descent edge.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences

 

[SharpBits]

Most will say the stainless is a bit softer than the CS. To me, it reminds me of the steel used on Victorinox knives. Neither steel, CS or SS will be able to compete with more modern steels. The thinner blade stock will help it to cut even as it dulls, however.

 

[knarfeng]

Most will say the stainless is a bit softer than the CS. To me, it reminds me of the steel used on Victorinox knives. Neither steel, CS or SS will be able to compete with more modern steels. The thinner blade stock will help it to cut even as it dulls, however.

That's about right. The alloy used by Victorinox is similar to TruSharp. Both companies run their blades at ~56HRC, which is on the soft side.
I'm not sure about Case CS, but they ran the CV a bit harder than Tru Sharp.

 

[black mamba]

I just bought this Case #47 new a couple of months ago, and it is a beauty! The covers are what they call 6.5 Bonestag and the steel is their Tru-Sharp stainless.
The hollow ground blades get extremely sharp and the 3⅞" size is about my favorite. The slightly down-turned clip main is typical of the pattern, and in my opinion
actually improves its cutting performance.

 

[jampak]

I just bought this Case #47 new a couple of months ago, and it is a beauty! The covers are what they call 6.5 Bonestag and the steel is their Tru-Sharp stainless.
The hollow ground blades get extremely sharp and the 3⅞" size is about my favorite. The slightly down-turned clip main is typical of the pattern, and in my opinion
actually improves its cutting performance.

it’s a great looking knife! I got the amber bone 6318 and I really like it. I like the slightly bigger blades on the 47 pattern though!

 

[Grip]

They are both fairly close, easy to sharpen and strop back quickly. If you are chasing patina or want lower maintenance would better guide one's choice of one over the other.

 

[afishhunter]

I don't have an x347.
However, I do have a 6375cv and a 10375ss stockman.
First, full disclosure:
("Old News" to some folk here) When I was taught how to hand sharpen roughly 65 years ago, by my dad, paternal uncles, grandfather, grandmother, and great grandmother, and my maternal uncle, grandfather, grandmother, great gandfather, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother (Great-Great grandfather passed young, roughly 30 or 35 years before I arrived ) they were unanimous on a couple points:
1) Strop before introducing the blade to a stone. 80-90% of the time stropping (dry leather or canvas stop, no polishing compouds) will restore the working edge.
2) A knife's edge angle should be between 10° to 12/12.5° per side. (20 to 25° inclusive)
3) "Shave" the stone, and always push the edge; NEVER pull the edge. "Pulling creates burrs! If you to get a burr you (many naughty words) screwed up!!!"

I reprofiled all the blades on both knives to 10° per side/20° inclusive, using a guided rod sharpener that can go that keen, using a digital angle finder to set the angle for each side.

I have not noticed any practical difference in edge retention between Case's CV/CS and True Sharp SS.
Both hold an edge a reasonable amount of time. I have never had an edge roll or chip, either.

Both CV/CS and True Sharp are easy to sharpen. (use a light touch on the stones, forget a "micro bevel", and lightly strop at roughly 15° per side on a dry strop after sharpening, to eliminate any burr/wire edge.

Personally, I prefer CV/CS, because it will patina.

 

[jc57]

I am not shy about it - I love Case's Tru-Sharp stainless, almost as much as I love their CV. I have not had any experience with the newer CS 1095.

The 6347 is one of my favorite patterns. Just about the right intersection of size, pocketability, and functionality. Here is one of my most used knives. Case 6347 in Amber Bone SS:

 

[Will Power]

There have been other threads on this subject but the consensus from users rather than steel junkies...is that both are very close to each other in performance and sharpening. One patinates the other doesn't . So it's a context/preference thing and both steels are more than up to the job of a pocket-knife. Reliability of CASE steel is not in doubt. I like stainless for many uses but would prefer if CASE sent them all out matte or glaze finish rather than crocus, polished. You can of course matte them with paper but it takes some time (done it) and with a Stockman can offer certain bloodletting hazards





Both of these were wonderful gifts via outstanding contributors from American to me in Europe

 

[CVamberbonehead]

I have used a lot of Case knives in carbon and stainless, and I have never seen a huge difference between the steels. The stainless is a little harder to sharpen for me, and I don't think it holds an edge quite as well, but it is pretty close. I slightly prefer the CV knives if they are available. The patina they get is kind of cool too. Either steel is good to go in my book for a pocketknife.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Case's 'Tru-Sharp' stainless is 420HC. And as others have mentioned, they spec its hardness at around 55-57 HRC, which makes it very similar in performance to Victorinox's stainless at 56 HRC, by their own spec. It sharpens up easily on most any abrasive medium (natural stones, aluminum oxide, diamond, etc.). It's very fine-grained, which means it'll take a screaming sharp edge. I think it performs best and maintains most easily with a medium grit finish to the edge, as from a Norton Fine India stone at around ~400 grit, give or take, or something like DMT's 600 grit, which will leave the edge more aggressively toothy. A highly polished finish on an edge in this steel might leave the apex a bit too thin to be durable. But a medium grit toothy edge is a great match for this steel. And it's even better in combination with Case's thin, high hollow grinds, which makes touching up the edge a breeze when it needs it.

Case had posted years ago, on their own Case Collectors Club forum, that their CV steel - a 'modified 1095' by their description - was heat-treated to a hardness '2 or 3 points higher' than their Tru-Sharp stainless. With their stainless being spec'd at 55-57 HRC, that would imply their CV was hardened to ~57-59, maybe 60 HRC. I'd found it performs very similarly to the older Schrade USA blades in 1095, which Schrade hardened to near-60 HRC or so. I haven't tried Case's newer CS yet. But I'd not be surprised if they're still hardening it higher than the Tru-Sharp.

 

[hornetguy]

I have a 5347 in stainless, and a 6247 (two bladed version of this knife) in CV.... I haven't seen much, if any, difference in the edges I can get on them. Both of them take a really nice edge, and hold it relatively well.

This is the 3 blade, Bradford, made by Case.... I tweaked the blades a bit to make it more ergonomic....


and the two blade....

 

[jampak]

Thanks everybody! Love the beautiful knives and your experience with them!