Case Bolsters

M

MarkPinTx

Joined
Aug 21, 2003
Messages
801
I have two Case knives that are both from 1998. One is a small stockman that I EDCed for probably five years. The other is a yellow CV mini trapper that hasn't seen near the pocket time (ive managed to keep the blades shiny with some effort). The bolsters on both have lost their luster. They aren't scratched but more like fine pits. I normally use nevrdull, but flitz and white compound on a muslin wheel brighten but do not restore a shine. I'm not too surprised on the stockman due to it's level of use. I am a bit on the trapper, but the butt end bolsters are worse than the joint. I have sweaty hands.

Others in my accumulation don't have this problem for example my 30 year old Ulster Scout. My 50 year old grandfathers knives polish right up.

Is this a Case problem? Or maybe from that era which was not their greatest? Anyone else observe something similar? I have newer Case Queen and other knives that shine right up but haven't seen the use that the stockman has although probably as much as the trapper.
 
I've noticed that some CASE bolsters can be a bit thin, in that you can see the pivot ghosting under them. You don't seem to get that with Queen knives though, must be a difference in manufacture.

I use my knives as much as possible, but I have a rule that I follow zealously: right pocket has a knife, nothing else. Keys,coins, etc all live in the left bin-they can really pit bolsters badly.
 
Thanks for the responses. I had thought it wasn't normal scratching but maybe it is. I also have a blue bone mini copperhead with wharny that has this problem. Shame cuz it's such a pretty lil thing.

On the subject of pins on these knives the pins are still shiny or shinable. Case must use a different alloy for the pins.
 
neeman said:
Case bolsters are rolled stock
Queen bolsters are solid bar and milled
Click to expand...

Hi neeman. The more I thought about this the more questions I have. A solid bar is likely rolled stock. Then it is cut or stamped to final shape or dimension. Then ground or otherwise machined to final fit.

Indeed rolling tends to provide excellent material characteristics due to grain alignment.

So I'm not sure your comment answers any questions. Not trying to pick a fight.
 
I understand what you were saying and why, but I don't see a material difference between Case and Queen's purported mfg methods. I looked up nickel silver and it's primarily a copper alloy with zinc or nickel or both. It appears to me that the starting stock would likely be rolled sheet or bar.

I have to guess that the difference if any is in the alloy. Queen's is harder?

I'm an engineer with an interest in materials so I geek out on this stuff.
 
I suspect that Queen employs a thicker 'covering' to their bolsters than CASE does. Only a guess, seen pin ghosting on Schrades and even some very old C19th knives too. We need a cutler to explain here....
 
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