Case quality control?

Guys,

All good comments for sure... I agree. We as collectors and users today have many expectations. Years ago it was not the same as today. Back then, I am sure there were some knives produced that were less than par, But in the big picture I do not believe there was the focus on quality today. Today, most of us expect perfect with automation. That said there is no perfect, its impossible. I have gifted some awesome Case knives recently and been happy with the quality but when there are a infinite number of blades being produced we can expect some bad ones that slip by......

Case for the Volume they produce, Still is one of the best in the business........................TD
 
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TinyDog said:
Guys,

All good comments for sure... I agree. We as collectors and users today have many expectations. Years ago it was not the same as today. Back then, I am sure there were some knives produced that were less than par, But in the big picture I do not believe there was the focus on quality today. Today, most of us expect perfect with automation.
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Quoted for truth. The pocket knives I had in the 60's had "imperfections" that people today scream to the heavens about. But we considered them just everyday tools, so the "imperfections" didn't matter to us.
 
knarfeng said:
Quoted for truth. The pocket knives I had in the 60's had "imperfections" that people today scream to the heavens about. But we considered them just everyday tools, so the "imperfections" didn't matter to us.
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Exactly knarfeng... We all should give some consideration to the evolution of knives... For the most part my thought is that they are not purchased as tools today, but more so as memories as tools from years gone by, that are still very capable, but have to be perfect! Myself included.

Still I Love blades and always will.....
 
Folks have different perspectives on the purpose of knives.

I recently looked at a review of a modern knife and the reviewer discussed flippability or something like that for a long time. He considered flipping the knife open and shut repeatedly as a toy to be normal use. He even suggested that they might have left off the swedge on the blade to make it more blade heavy and easier to flip. The swedge also reduced the thickness of the blade at the tip but that functional purpose was ignored. I'm not sure if the manufacturer would agree about the importance of flippability.

They are still tools but there seems to be a large interest in knives as toys or jewelry.

For me, they are tools. The old ones also have historical value to me. Some were junk and some were incredibly well crafted (same as today). Forging blades was a sign of quality 100 years ago and there were articles written about the poor results of the cheaper stock removal method that is widely used today. Steels and heat treating have improved. There are some old knives that I don't think could be made today with the same level of craftsmanship in any factory that wanted to remain profitable.

The modern knife market has changed quite a bit. But for many they are still just tools. I think Case does a pretty good job making quality traditional knives at a wide range of prices to satisfy a broad range of customers.
 
Well I certainly agree with your statement that knives are tools. However tools should be properly fitted and assembled. For example, I wouldn't buy a new axe with a loose head and say "oh well it's just a tool"..

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jakeman said:
Well I certainly agree with your statement that knives are tools. However tools should be properly fitted and assembled. For example, I wouldn't buy a new axe with a loose head and say "oh well it's just a tool"..

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Lol.


I love bladeforum


Agree with you.


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jakeman said:
Well I certainly agree with your statement that knives are tools. However tools should be properly fitted and assembled. For example, I wouldn't buy a new axe with a loose head and say "oh well it's just a tool"..

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Of course, not. You'd want the axe well fitted to the pearl handle. ;) :p :D

Sometimes people will say something like it's okay that it has a fault because it is a user. But I only buy new knives to use. And why would I want to use a knife that has a problem? That's not my thinking at all.

I enjoy quality tools and I think Case makes quality tools.

Sure they make mistakes. Every manufacturer makes mistakes. Some get culled. Others sneak through but Case will take of them if you send the knife in. The mistakes are NOT representative of my experience.

My point was that knife buyers have a wide range of interests. But I don't think anyone wants a wobbly blade.
 
jakeman said:
Well I certainly agree with your statement that knives are tools. However tools should be properly fitted and assembled. For example, I wouldn't buy a new axe with a loose head and say "oh well it's just a tool"..

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Jakeman, notice how the thread has morphed, and how my answers have addressed different issues as they arose in the thread. Your knife has a functional issue. It needs to be returned and I said so. Other knives have cosmetic issues which in my youth would not have been considered issues at all.

jakeman said:
t has significant blade play and will be going back.
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knarfeng said:
I have not bought any which had blade play. I'd send yours back.
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Then this...

Received this case, there is a gap between liners and bone.
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knarfeng said:
The pocket knives I had in the 60's had "imperfections" that people today scream to the heavens about. But we considered them just everyday tools, so the "imperfections" didn't matter to us.
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Sorry jakeman. The conversation has taken many turns. Other examples have been given and broader comments have been made. My comments were responding to one of those tangents, not your original post.

I had to reread the first post to remember the original problem. You should definitely send your knife in.
 
For the record.


I love case knives.

What keep me going back to case knives are some of the hard to find, limited production knives.


Not to mention their rich history in American cutlery.

They make helluva good quality tools

Sure i have gotten a few lemons, they are improving !!

i cannot complain ,they have outstanding customer service.

It may be an inconvenience to some, to send a knife for a tune up or repair but it is what it is

Long live case!

I am ordering an axe with a pearl handle



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knarfeng said:
Jakeman, notice how the thread has morphed, and how my answers have addressed different issues as they arose in the thread. Your knife has a functional issue. It needs to be returned and I said so. Other knives have cosmetic issues which in my youth would not have been considered issues at all.






Then this...
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Just to add: Case isn't always perfect, but they are pretty good about fixing/replacing knives with real issues.
 
I decided that I was done with Case, until I was given a gift card foot Christmas.
I spent it on a Texas Jack, and it's realy close to perfect.
 
LOL The pearl axes are a limited run... comes with an Ertl truck. ;) For what it may be worth, I've bought at least six of the yeller delrin sowbelly and have been very pleased each time. If I nit pick, I could point out that Case tumble polishes the blades and doesn't round the handles. But that and the delrin covers and CV steel are really the only thing separating these $50 knives from knives that cost twice as much. The blades are nicely off set. They have strong pull and snap. No wobble at all. No gaps. Really nice knives. I've bought other recent examples as well but that is the most that I've bought from any one run.
 
Searched this thread out just to vent. I’ve had pretty good luck buying Case knives sight unseen (online) over the years. Sure, I’ve received a few that I wasn’t exactly thrilled about in the F&F department, but for the price, I’ve generally been satisfied. I’ll also mention that I’ve bought a few with impeccable F&F and, for the most part, feel comfortable buying Case online.

ALL that being said, I received a bone stag Tribal Lock in the mail last week. I picked it because the covers were beautiful with a ton of figuring and color. I’ve had more than a few Copperlocks pass through my hands over the years and wanted to try a bigger, beefier Case back lock; I’m also a fan of the Bose-designed production knives. After seeing it, it was a no-brainer. I figured at $65, the quality would likely be good. I have a Swayback Gent that was around the same price range that is excellent.

Upon receipt I took it out for inspection and was immediately thrilled with the covers. They looked great. BUT as soon as I opened the blade, I immediately noticed the blade play. And I’m not talking the standard amount of wiggle you’ll find on most traditional back locks (even GEC). No. You can hear the blade play. And it’s both horizontal and vertical. The last Copperlock I owned had zero movement. This one literally felt unsafe.

Upon closing the blade, I realized that it’s so loose that it rattles in the blade well. It literally rattles and hits the sides. This is not something I’ve ever seen on any knife. How could this even happen? I understand Case manufacture a lot of knives, but I’ve no idea how something like that makes it through QC.

Since I like the covers so much, I’ve opted to send it to Case for warranty/repair work instead of returning it to the vendor. But a big disappointment to me.

That’s all. End rant. Anyone else have a Tribal Lock with these issues? Case say repairs will take 6-8 weeks. Has that been accurate in anyone’s experience?
 
I have a mini copperlock in the patriot kirinite material. Centered blade, smooth action, good lock-up. I also have a tribal lock in the same kirinite. Again I can find no flaws with it. So Case can turn out a good product.

While visiting the Case factory last summer another one of the guests on the tour said they had a knife from a relative that had been passed down to them. The knife had a broken blade. He asked if it could be repaired and they told him to retrieve it from his car and they would happily try. Unfortunately the pattern did not suit any of the blades they currently have in production, but I could tell they were sincere in wanting to help him out.

,,,Mike
 
In the last year I've had two mini copperlocks and three tribal locks that have been impeccable. And, I despise blade wobble and off center blades. As for how that made it past QC not every single knife can be inspected. We couldn't afford them in that case. No pun intended.
 
I sent a couple in at the beginning of the year and i think it was right at 8 weeks when I got them back. But it was well worth the wait. They did a great job.
 
I have accumulated 6 of those tribal locks. Of those, I would say 3 were very good F&F all around. As for the others: One had slightly more side2side blade play than I was comfortable with, but was able to fix with some gentle DIY hammering on the pin to tighten it down. One seemed a bit too tightly peened together, and the action was suffering, but I was able to loosen it with some work. And one where the bone scale was separating some because one of the handle pins was either not peened at all on the outside or any flare that had once been there was ground off in hafting/polishing. A touch of superglue solved that. I have heard similar issues, and I am kind of chalking it up to being a new pattern in the Case lineup. I don't typically see those issues on more established patterns. All within my skillset to resolve, but would have otherwise been returned if not. I guess my point is they were minor, but all flaws that would justify not keeping, and 50/50 is not a great ratio. At the same time, the only one that was inexcusable is the separating scale. That should not leave the factory, and it is not a pattern-specific tweaking issue.
 
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I'd say 3 out of 4 modern era Case's I'll keep. I'm fairly picky & the 2 things I can't deal with is lazy snap (some I can work in & work ok after some elbow grease) and ANY side to side blade wobble ... if either is present, it is a deal breaker & those go back on the 'bay.
 
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