Case knives? Really that popular?

Eliteone2383

Eliteone2383

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I just bought the smokey mountain knife works exclusive pbj trapper. Soon after I bought it they were completely out of stock again. So I guess I got lucky. Are case knives a high demand brand? It's my first case knife so if I like it I guess I need to know how difficult their knives are to come by. I guess I never thought about traditional folders being in high demand.
 
Certain collector-focused Case knives will be hard to acquire, but Case in general is pretty easy to come by - I can go into several local hardware stores and outdoor stores around here and browse through the Case knives they have in stock.
 
Just wait until you look into Great Eastern Cutlery 🤣 But in all seriousness, Case used to be more popular than they are currently. That being said they are still very popular with many collectors and average joe's buying them.
 
Eliteone2383 said:
I just bought the smokey mountain knife works exclusive pbj trapper. Soon after I bought it they were completely out of stock again. So I guess I got lucky. Are case knives a high demand brand? It's my first case knife so if I like it I guess I need to know how difficult their knives are to come by. I guess I never thought about traditional folders being in high demand.
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Definitely seems to depend on the particular knife, some of them disappear quick but some of them sit around on dealer sites for a good long time
 
Case may not seem to have the ravenous collector base as GEC, but they still pump out a bazillion knives every year and have them in nearly every hardware store in all 50 states. And in a strip stretching the entire Appalachian mountains, every boy, man, and grandpa owns a few (or more).

At a few knife shows I was at in Kentucky and Tennessee, guys will push past a table full of GEC's to check out the Case knives.
 
If it's a limited run or dealer excusive or anything else low numbers production then they usually sell out quick. But there's always a selection available at a wide array of online dealers and the usual brick and mortar locations. As in my local Tractor Supply always has a handful stocked.

And to be clear, the PB&J series were I think a SMKW exclusive and not in high volume as they sell out in minutes.
 
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Rookie82 said:
Case may not seem to have the ravenous collector base as GEC, but they still pump out a bazillion knives every year and have them in nearly every hardware store in all 50 states. And in a strip stretching the entire Appalachian mountains, every boy, man, and grandpa owns a few (or more).

At a few knife shows I was at in Kentucky and Tennessee, guys will push past a table full of GEC's to check out the Case knives.
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Yep. I'd never heard of GEC until I joined this forum, and I'm pretty redneck. Everybody remembers Case, Buck and Schrade from way back. Spyderco has a big following.

But I'd say Case has the largest collector club in the world.
 
I think Case is a good all around collector and user brand. For the most part their knives are easy obtain unless you are looking for some rare bird. It’s not a mad dash when a particular model is released which to me is a plus.

There is a lot of information out there regarding their history.

One thing to watch is if get into their older knives is for forgeries. Sometimes folks will cobble together a knife from different Case knives and try to pass it off.

Some people complain about Case quality but I honestly think in comparison to other US brands you get a lot for the price. Just my opinion and I might be a little bit bias.😂
 
Eliteone2383 Eliteone2383 - For vintage knives, Case is tremendously popular. The knives have been discussed and dissected to an unbelievable degree for many decades. Also, the history behind the brand is unparalleled. The fact that they are still producing knives today while all of the other great factories are long gone, makes Case even more special. The best part is that if you look carefully and choose wisely, some of the modern production knives are also excellent. GEC is a neophyte compared to Case. We won’t be around to see it, but in a hundred years Case knives will still be at the forefront of the collecting world. It remains to be seen if GEC will have staying power despite their current popularity. Don’t get me wrong, I am a GEC collector and big fan. But Case is still the leading brand of them all as far as I am concerned.

Case is still using the factory where some of the excellent 1970’s knives were made. The tour they offer is fantastic. Plus they have a museum and factory store nearby. The knives in the museum will make you forget GEC real quick! No knowledgeable collector would disagree that Case made incredible knives from the late 1800’s through 1979. That is quite a run.

I am carrying this Red Bone Big Whittler from the XX Era today. It is probably the knife I carry the most. Thank you Charlie! waynorth waynorth

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Smkw has a couple of the nicest "exclusive" cover options that sell out fast. The PBJ is one. I wanted the sowbelly and it sold out too quickly. Ended up getting one here on the exchange lol.

Their version of autumn Bone is also excellent and popular. Smokey something something something autumn bone
 
for a long time classic case was one of the main collected pocket knives brand. but others have come and gone and new ones have come as well. Case's popularity and price point appeals to quite a bunch!
 
As other posters have pointed out, CASE has both continuity and pedigree unlike any other American brand. Most days, as a European, I carry one of their knives as a no question piece of American authentica matched with a European Traditional and this surpasses all my needs 😍

Thanks, Will
 
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