Case has increased their quality, from what I've seen. I carry two Case knives daily, a Damascus peanut that was a gift from Jackknife, and my first Case Bose collaboration, an ebony Tribal Spear. The ebony Tribal Spear had gaps I could fit a sheet of paper through, I contacted Case and they fixed it for me. No issues with the Damascus peanut. I have gone through quite a few Case knives, I have one or two old XX models, one with wood handles that have disintegrated to where they feel like Swamp Thing must. The others are all from the Case Bose annual designs, I did have a Yukon years ago but like an idiot traded that:
-antique bone dogleg jack,
ebony Tribal Spear, antique bone Tribal Spear, Damascus honey oatmeal bone Tribal Spear,
chestnut coffin jack,
chestnut Lannys Clip,
antique bone wharncliff trapper and
antique bone cattle knife.
All were bought brand new except the dogleg jack, which was part of a trade.
I've had quite a few of the Bose CV and SS models, and the regular CV and SS models. I'm guessing the Bose and non Bose design 154CM blades out there are most likely going to have the fit and finish of the Bose annual designs.
Bose designs such as the backpocket, panama trapper, swayback jack, swayback gent, saddlehorn and sowbelly, all models I've owned, have the highest level of fit and finish in CV and SS, in my estimation because knife nuts will know who Tony is, and will appreciate the revival of old patterns and Tony's own creations. Also, Case collectors will go nuts for them.
Afterwards, CV appears to be given the most attention to fit and finish and grinds. I'm guessing that they realize most users will carry a CV model, even though SS can take a fine edge. Even though you will not find as many patterns available in CV, although Case is doing better with that, the models you do find are of pretty high quality lately.
I've found that the knives with SS steel aren't as bad as I once made out, certainly no reason for me to have an aversion to Case's version of 420HC steel, presumably 420HC and not 420J2. While I have heard their RC is not as good as what Buck uses, it is a useable steel and not just for display cases as I once opined.
Resources are tight, my tastes have become quite snobbish, Case will make me a pauper if they find a small trove of BG42 for their Bose slipjoints (hint hint Tony...). Nothing like being the guy on the corner sleeping under yesterday's newspaper with a couple midtech slipjoints in your pocket...
