Case knives

wbsneed

wbsneed

Joined
May 15, 2008
Messages
105
In general, I have quite a few knives for my age (15).
Most of them are slip-joints, with a few "tactical" Benchmades and such.

My question is, what is the difference between Chrome Vanadium and their "surgical stainless" steels? I have a yellow handled stockman that has a little rust on it, and I know it's because I didn't really take care of it, but is Chrome Vanadium sharper, or easier to sharpen, or what?

I'm planning on buying two peanuts (both possibly CV) soon, one for dad and one for me, and a Lansky system...speaking of those, does anyone have any experience with 'em?



Thank you,
Will
 
Chrome Vanadium is a carbon steel which most of us find not only sharpens up easier than Case's stainless steel, but it also takes and holds a sharper edge as well.

The tradeoff is that Chrome Vanadium (CV) requires a bit more maintenance. You'll need to keep a light film of oil on it in order to prevent rust and pitting.

Many of us, myself included, prefer the CV knives to the "surgical stainless" and seek them out where we can find them.

Welcome to the forum, Will. You'll learn a lot from the members here.

(A Lansky or GATCO sharpening system works fine. Other highly recommended sharpeners are the Spyderco Sharpmaker and DMT's Magna-Guide system.)
 
wbsneed, you done come to the right place! :D I don't have much time now, so I'll be brief and trust that some of the other guys around here will be along directly to pontificate.

First, Case makes a rather good stainless. I used to be a huge skeptic, but these days I carry a ss peanut and it's a GREAT cutter and holds an edge just fine.

Now, with that said, Case's CV steel is fantastic, imho. You will get a bit of rust from time to time 'till you develop the knack of caring for it. Mainly, just keep her dry and wipe down the blades after use. And from time to time, dab on a little oil. Over time, your CV blades will develop a stain called patina. This is a good thing. A) It looks cool and shows other knife geeks that you're one of us ;) and a good even patina also helps to inhibit rust.

As to the yellow CV peanut, I'll just get out of the way before I get stampeded by other guys coming here to sing their praises. LOL. There are a LOT of yellow CV peanut fans 'round these parts.

Lastly, for a sharpening system, I'd suggest either just getting a quality stone, or investing in the Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpening System. I used to have the Lansky and sold it after a month. On the other hand, I've had my Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpening System for two years now and love it. Still, I grew up sharpening knives on a stone and I think that's the way to learn. You really develop a feel for the process then.
 
Hello Will.

The Case true sharp is a 400 series stainless steel, similar to what you will find in sak's, and the old Schrade Uncle Henry line of knives, but I suspect is heat treated a bit more carefully. It's pretty good stuff for a day to day pocket knife. I've had both, and both made a good knife. The CV is a carbon steel, and requires a bit more care than the stainless, and in time the blades will take on a nice grey or blue patina. The CV will hold an edge longer, and alot of purists like it for a hard working edc pocket knife. You just have to be a bit concientous about wiping the blade off after use. Untill very recently I had two peanuts, one true sharp stainless with bone stag handles, and a yellow one in CV. Both cut well, and in a normal day I could not tell the difference. The only time I could is when I was breaking down some cardboard boxes.

At the gun club I am a member of, we get regular shipments of White Flyer clay birds for our skeet, trap and sporting clays range. After filling up all the launchers at all the trap, skeet and clays stations there is alot of boxes to break down for our recycle dumpster. I run a sharp knife down the side corners of the boxes to flatten them out for stacking in the recycle. On clay bird shipment days I may be breaking down cardboard boxes for an hour strait. I've used a wide variety of pocket knives for this, and sometimes I can tell the stainless blade is pulling a bit by the end of the job. No problem, I'll sit down at the picnic tables and touch up the knife with the diamond hone in my wallet. Only takes a minute or two. I've found in the end, how the blade is shaped and profiled is as or more important than what the blade is made of.

I have no experiance with any sharpening system at all. I've always done it free hand.

Peanuts, a very special little knife. Be warned though, peanuts are very habit forming. They are the pocket jewlery of the pocket knife world. Low profile and non-threatning, everyone seems to like them. I've even had the church ladies comment on what a pretty knife it was. It seems so small when you first get it, but think of it as the little knife that can.

Peanuts, you can't have just one!
 
Thank you all for your input, I think I've decided on a yellow handle for dad in CV, and a pocket worn red bone in SS for myself. As for the sharpening system, I just wanted to try something new, possibly easier or better. It seems foolproof to me.
By the way, we use a whetstone for any sharpening tasks with 3-in-1 oil.

Thanks again,
Will
 
Blues said:
The tradeoff is that Chrome Vanadium (CV) requires a bit more maintenance. You'll need to keep a light film of oil on it in order to prevent ... pitting.
Click to expand...

This might be overstating it a wee bit. I've been carrying carbon steel knives 'bout all my life (until age 24 in the hot, humid state of Florida -- I'm an old man of 39 now :) ) and my post-use "maintenance" routine generally involves an dab of spit and a wipe-down on whatever's handy: tissue, napkin, handkerchief, tee-shirt, cuff of jeans ... and never ever had any pitting at all. Rust, sure, but that's nothing - comes right off.

Only time I ever oil my carbon blades are when I'm putting in storage for a spell. But when I'm carrying one from time to time, I just do my best to keep the blades dry.
 
wbsneed said:
Thank you all for your input, I think I've decided on a yellow handle for dad in CV, and a pocket worn red bone in SS for myself.
Click to expand...

Stellar choices! Here's hoping both of you use them in good health for a long long time. Stick around. This is a great little forum.
 
You can't go wrong with either CV or SS. Case make a darn good knife, I've a dozen or so, CV and SS and I'm happy to carry any of them.
 
Hey Will, I'm around the same age as you... i'm 14 but i usually EDC a Case SodBuster SS. Holds an edge great as i used to be a skeptic, but over at Case they really upped the bar on SS. CV generally holds and edge better ( not to much) than SS, but the CV's all have yeller handles, so if you like that style you should go with CV, you like more of a variety, go with SS. CV is carbon steel, so it takes a better edge to, but more work is required e.g. Wiping the blade everyday with some type of oil. Purley choice, They both have benefits, me? I'd go with the SS. :]
 
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Anyone ever heard of this. CASE CIGAR - THE MASTER BLADE IS STAMPED WITH CASE BRADFORD AND THE SMALL BLADE IS STAMPED CASE TESTED XX WITH THE LONG TAIL C.

Never seen one with two blade from two eras. Trying to get a picture but if you have any thoughts, please let me know.
 
Yep, it's the small cigar 055. just can't imagine why there would be two different tang markings on the blade. What do you think is the most logical answer...someone pulled it apart and switched out one of the blades?
 
cnas122 said:
Yep, it's the small cigar 055. just can't imagine why there would be two different tang markings on the blade. What do you think is the most logical answer...someone pulled it apart and switched out one of the blades?
Click to expand...

I'll let others more qualified than myself help you out with that one.
 
cnas122 said:
Anyone ever heard of this. CASE CIGAR - THE MASTER BLADE IS STAMPED WITH CASE BRADFORD AND THE SMALL BLADE IS STAMPED CASE TESTED XX WITH THE LONG TAIL C.

Never seen one with two blade from two eras. Trying to get a picture but if you have any thoughts, please let me know.
Click to expand...

That would be a transition knife....they always used to use up parts when stampings were changed, and its also likely that stampings changed over time rather than abruptly...so certainly possible and seen relatively often.
 
I'v always been particular to CV. In my opinion it does take a better adge and hold it longer. It does require a little more maintrnance though.
 
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