Case Sodbuster Junior Quality

I

ironworks

Joined
Jul 17, 2023
Messages
9
Hi all around!

For many years, I have had and used this small folder made by Case in 2012. It is a fairly good utility knife, reasonably priced in it's category. Construction is solid and the delrin handle holds up well after years of use. The only annoying issue is with the blade material. After getting wet, the blade develops surface rust within only a few hours that, even when cleaned off and dried, leaves the blade tarnished and stained (see photo). You almost cant be fast enough drying the blade. Sometimes out in the open or camp, first opportunity may come only in the evening or next morning.

Does anyone know what exactly is the blade material on these otherwise very solid quality knives?

and just because I noticed: Case, an old and historic producer of all kinds of knives, does not have it's own Forum in the manufacturers section.

Thanks, Ironworks
 
Last edited:
ironworks said:
Hi all around!

For many years, I have had and used this small folder made by Case in 2012. It is a fairly good utility knife, reasonably priced in it's category. Construction is solid and the delrin handle holds up well after years of use. The only annoying issue is with the blade material. After getting wet, the blade develops surface rust within only a few hours that, even when cleaned off and dried, leaves the blade tarnished and stained (see photo). You almost cant be fast enough drying the blade. Sometimes out in the open or camp, first opportunity may come only in the evening or next morning.

Does anyone know what exactly is the blade material on these otherwise very solid quality knives?

and just because I noticed: Case, an old and historic producer of all kinds of knives, does not have it's own Forum in the manufacturers section.

Thanks, Ironworks
Click to expand...
If it’s Carbon steel, it’s CV steel on the older models. It’s like modified 1095, pretty standard for Case.

A couple of options to prevent the rust are waxing the blade with oil, or forcing a patina. Otherwise, the surface rust really won’t be a problem. I have a sodbuster from the same timeframe that I left to get as rusty and nasty as you can get a knife.

A few months later I cleaned it up and left the patina and now it won’t rust at all.
 
ironworks said:
and just because I noticed: Case, an old and historic producer of all kinds of knives, does not have it's own Forum in the manufacturers section.

Thanks, Ironworks
Click to expand...
Someone from Case needs to contact the site owner Spark Spark and request to have a manufacturers sub forum in order to have one.

The only requirement is for them to provide a employee to handle moderator duties.
 
Your Sod Buster Jr. has a Carbon steel blade.
Based on the year of manufacture Case's "CV" Carbon Vandium. 1095 carbon steel modified with the addition of a small amount of Vandium, but not enough to make it stainless.
It is normal for carbon steel to take on a patina ("tarnish" or "staining") with use.
A patina is NOT harmful! Quite the contrary! A patina protects the blade(s) from active red rust.

If you want your blade to look "new" regardless of age, your best option is to get another Sod Buster Jr with "SS" on the tang stamp after the model number (or below it). Case "True Sharp" is 420HC. Be aware Case runs their 420HC (and 1095) a couple points lower on the Rockwell C scale than other makers.
The second option is continue to polish the blade after each use and apply a light coat of mineral spirits or other oil to the blade.
The blade should get as light of oil coat as you would give a blued firearm to prevent rust.
Over the last 65 years (received my first knife in 1960, at age 5) I have used fresh and lets say ..."well used" ... motor oil, transmission fluid, and hydraulic fluid, as well as 3 -In One, Olive Oil, various Cooking oils, and 2 stroke oil to lube the joints and lightly coat the blade.
There isn't enough oil on the blade to matter if the knife is used on food.

There are several threads here showing off the patina. Here are a few of mine.
Once the patina forms I don't oil the blades. No need to. I do oil the joints every now & then, however.

Pre bankruptcy Old Timer 8OT, and an 2019 Guardians A. Wright & Son Lamb Foot.
IMG_20241115_153900.jpg

1911 to 1921 Robeson 622119 "English Jack" with the same Lamb Foot.
IMG_20241117_163526.jpg

Stockman is a Case 62375CV from 2014.
IMG_20241127_034431.jpg

Pre 1977 Western 742 stockman, and 1930's to 1947 Camillus Easy Open Jack/"Navy Knife"
IMG_20241111_145853.jpg

Western by itself.
IMG_20241018_155733.jpg

2022 BF Bunny Knife with the same Lamb Foot.
IMG_20241016_100918.jpg

GEC Tidioute 828318 Dixie Stockman.
IMG_20241115_144019.jpg

I have some knives with stainless blades, but I prefer carbon steel, because it will patina, and generally speaking, it will take and hold the keen 10° per side (20° inclusive) edge angle with no micro bevel, I was taught to sharpen to by four generations (to great-great grandmother) on the maternal side, and three generations on the paternal side.
They were unanimous on the angle, and to always push the edge across the stone like your're trying to shave it -- NEVER pull the edge across the stone, since that caused a burr and a wire edge. They were also unanimous about stropping before using a stone, since stropping usually restored the working edge. (That "razor edge" many strive for is gone after the first or second cut, so why bother?)
The keener the edge the longer the blade remains sharp enough to use. I've field dressed, peeled, and butchered 4 whitetail deer using a Buck 110 with a 420HC blade (Buck has an excellent heat treat) that I re-profiled to 20° inclusive, and roughly 3.5 of them using a Old Timer 6OT or 7OT also at a 20° inclusive edge angle (depended on the year we went hunting) with nothing more than stropping when necessary. I gave each 2 or 3 light swipes each side on a "medium" Arkansas Stone after the deer season closed.

(Edited to I.D. the knives in the pictures.)
 
Last edited:
I ironworks you can't start a thread like this without pictures. There are rules, you know ;).
IIS39o3l.jpg
 
Thanks for this very informative post. I will treat the blade with light application of plain mineral oil from the drug store until a sufficient patina develops. I like the carbon steel. My other few carbon steel knives have a blued blade, one with a TiNi coating that prevented a lot of immediate surface rust.

Thanks!
 
Zornhau said:
I ironworks you can't start a thread like this without pictures. There are rules, you know ;).
IIS39o3l.jpg
Click to expand...
Zornhau Zornhau : I tried to upload the photo from my Imac desktop, but could not figure out how, although in other forums this is a simple matter of just clicking the icon that says "insert image". But here I don't get the usual drop down menu to choose a file from.

Anyway, the Sodbuster in your pic is exactly the one I have, even with the same yellowish delrin handle. According to Case's markings, mine left the factory in 2012.

Best, ironworks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top