Case Quality Issues

Maniacal Pete

Maniacal Pete

Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
5,902
I just purchased 3 case folders and had to send two back as defective. I received a small yellow toothpick that is perfect, I ordered one in key lime jigged bone, and when it arrived it was grinding as I opened it. Opened it a few more times and it ground until it bound up altogether. I received a Yellow Trapper today and it has a black ding in the handle as well as a scuff on the bolster.

These were both bought off the internet new through what is perhaps the largest internet retailer.

I sent the toothpick out today to Case to be repaired as it came through a second party seller to whom it would be difficult to return. I am sending the Trapper back to the retailer for a replacement which is now going to come from an Ace Hardware distributor.

I just thought I would share my experience here in case it has any value in the future. I do intend to replace the defective knives with good examples and keep them. They are good looking knives and I am pretty excited about owning them. But I was a bit surprised that two out of three knives purchased had to be returned. I wish there was a retailer locally who stocked a decent selection of knives so I could see them in person before making a purchase.

Bill
 
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Maniacal Pete said:
I wish there was a retailer locally who stocked a decent selection of knives so I could see them in person before making a purchase.

Bill
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I know what you mean. There is a local knife shop that I used to work at about ten years ago that I visit every once in a while. I was there today in fact and was turned off of the Buck 301 because of how I was able to see how high the spey blade was.

I then went down to a local pawn shop which actually just recently got a large supply of Case knives from a collector who wanted to get rid of them and start an arrowhead collection. Go figure.

In the end, however, I always feel bad going to a retail store just to look at a knife when I know that I can and will get it online for cheaper. If I had more money, I would love to be able to pay extra and help out the little guys.
 
I almost feel safer buying Case knives from forums members or ebay sales where the condition of the actual knife is disclosed. When you by a new one from a retailer you never know what you're going to get.
The first two out of three Cases I bought were worse than yours. I've had a string of 4 good ones in a row lately so I know Case can still build a knife properly.
 
I am fortunate enough to have a real nice Case dealer close enough to me to shop regularly.
I wanted a CV Texas Jack, 1 of 2 he had in stock was acceptable. The second had a really weak spring (no snap at all) as I recall.
I wanted a Chestnut Bone CV Stockman to see if the pattern could grow on me (not a fan). He had three, and all of them had issues like a heavy blade rub, or scuffed bolster. So I thought OK, how about a Mini Trapper in Chestnut CV? The one he had was snappy, with straight blades and nice scales so I bought it even though the Spey blade doesn't open quite all the way. I figure I will file the end of the spring, or the run up? on the blade to allow it to open a little more.

I like Case knives and will surely buy more. The special knives like the Bose collaborations, and knives like the Swayback are sweet, but the average quality of the everyday production knives is really sub-standard and wildly inconsistent IMO.
 
A lot of this sounds like polishing compound in the joints. Case is not alone in being bad about this. Until you flush that sucker out, all kinds of grindy, weak springs, no-closing or opening defects can seem to appear.
 
I've got a Case in the mail - my first one. I hope I get a good one.

What's the best way to flush out the pivots? WD-40? Will that damage the bone scales at all?
 
WD40 works pretty well, hasnt ever hurt bone, but might be careful if its a real light color. A lot of folks use warm water and dish detergent to really ream out a new (or old) knife. I've done that too.

I also have a humpback whittler in G10 that has the "as ground' satin finish blades. That seems to be "for real" as it is coarser than the normal satin finish and made the blades tough to open for a few dozen cycles until they wore in.
 
This one started out feeling like there was metal scraping on metal and then it quickly went downhill.
After a dozen or so tries it locked up would not move, I'm thinking that it may have been assembled improperly.

The other two I received were as smooth as butter.

Bill
 
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I've been lucky recently. The one's I've gotten were all very decent.
One ebony small toothpick was smudged up and pretty dirty looking, but it cleaned up fairly easily and functions well.

There are a lot of commnets about the apparent lack of QC in what goes out the door and that is troublng, particularly when you have so many folks who are valiantly trying to buy Amercan.
When you get more consistent quality from the much cheaper Rough Riders, something is just not right.

Of course, Case will fix any product your not happy with but who wants the hassle. I realize QC is a pretty high cost item, but Case's aren't exactly bargain basement knives.
 
Planterz said:
I've got a Case in the mail - my first one. I hope I get a good one.

What's the best way to flush out the pivots? WD-40? Will that damage the bone scales at all?
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l like to give them a darn good flush with plenty of soap suds and hot water...followed immediately with a compressed air blow -out to get out ALL water..then a good dose of WD-40...because of it's water repelling qualities...then I clean as much of that out and use mineral oil...After that this should be as dirt free and as lubricated as you can get! :thumbup:
 
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Campbellclanman said:
then a good dose of WD-40...because of it's water repelling qualities...then I clean as much of that out and use mineral oil...
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Dumb question, but how do you get the WD-40 out? I've never used it on a pocket knife.
 
maybe I'm in the minority but I've never received a Case with these issues being described and I own several. Mine have a few F&F gripes likes slight gaps in the liners or slight asymmetries in the scales but for the price point, it's not a damn sebenza. My case/bose Norfolk is as perfect as a sebenza, incidentally.
 
Planterz said:
Dumb question, but how do you get the WD-40 out? I've never used it on a pocket knife.
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You don't really have to - it largely evaporates on its own (that's why you don't want to use it as your primary lubricant). I usually wipe a knife down to get all the excess off (inside and out) and then wrap it up tightly in a paper towel for a while to absorb any that might be left. In my case, I usually use Militec-1 as my main lubricant since it mostly forms a dry film after a few hours and doesn't attract and hold dust and lint - I also wipe carbon steel blades with it. If you're wanting patina, you wouldn't want to do that since that will pretty much stop any forming.
 
I am way more inclined to buy a used case than a new one. Only ever bought one new and it had to go back. Fixed, but it should have been right the first time.
 
The newer Case patterns like the Swayback and the Humpback were excellent.

The older low end patterns in yellow CV or chestnut, I have had to fiddle with them all.
The blades were significantly not in line with the bolsters, or the blades were too high when closed.
I don't mind, I prefer to have the knife as I like it, but.........
 
zerogee said:
You don't really have to - it largely evaporates on its own (that's why you don't want to use it as your primary lubricant).
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It does evaporate some, but I think the problem is more whatever is surrounding the knife...wrap, sheath, pocket cloth...tends to have a greater affinity for the oil than the metal does, and tends to leach it off.
I use BreakFree which like most any of the silicone based lube/protectors, tends to stay on the knife and not be leached away by surrounding material. Which makes it very preferable if your storeing the knife.

Both are good lubes, but I think the Breakfree provides more protection. Not really a huge deal; with an occassional wipe down with either your unlikely to have problems in a carrying knife.
 
I got a Yellow Handled 2008 trapper and it came with the polishing compound all over the back of the tangs. Only other issue with it I had was that the spey kind of rubbed the liner a little bit, but otherwise I thought the craftsmanship was terrific.
 
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