Case stainless steel

E

embeth

Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
70
I've been thinking of picking up a full sized Sodbuster which only comes in SS. Compared to Bucks 420HC how does it hold up? Easy to sharpen?
 
I don't remember the exact numbers but i'm pretty sure that case runs their 420HC steel at a lower Rc hardness than Buck.But by all means the Case 420 is still good.
 
My opinions are based my own experiences and you know what they say about opinions... :)

Case's SS is just fine for light duty EDC work. It also seems to do fine whittling etc. It is easy to sharpen but doesn't hold an edge as long as Case CV does. I would not carry any Case knives in SS for a long time but have recently started to carry a couple from time to time. Like I said....just fine for light duty but when I start in on card board, the edge is gone pretty quick. I just use another knife which is fine because I usually have 2 in my pockets anyway.

When compared to Buck's 420HC, I'd give Buck's 420HC the win hands down. I've been a little shocked at how good Buck's 420HC performs.
 
The Buck will beat out the Case. Having had both of them, and loving the looks and style of the Case, I have to admit my Buck's hold an edge longer. But that's nt to say the Case is bad. The Case is fine for everyday use on a pocket knife, and it shapens up fast and easy on any available coffee mug.
 
jackknife said:
The Buck will beat out the Case. Having had both of them, and loving the looks and style of the Case, I have to admit my Buck's hold an edge longer. But that's nt to say the Case is bad. The Case is fine for everyday use on a pocket knife, and it shapens up fast and easy on any available coffee mug.
Click to expand...

Coffee mug?
 
embeth said:
Coffee mug?
Click to expand...

It was a trick of many old timers, to touch up thier pocker knife on the unglazed bottom of a coffee mug. Dad used to drive mom nuts by doing this on her matching set of coffee mugs she had on the shelf in the kitchen.

Also the top edge of a car window will do in a pinch.

Contrarry to popular opinon, you don't need any gadgets to sharpen your knife.
 
As a steel snob, I'm not even going to give an opinion on Case's SS blade steel. What I will do however, is relate something that was said by a former co-worker that picked up a Russlock when our local Lowe's store opened up. During the grand opening, he got a "deal" on the Russlock by filling out a credit form or somesuch. His exact words escape me but his comments (and keep in mind, this dude had never carried anything but Pakistan crap prior to this purchase) were along the lines of "...it's a sweet looking knife but it goes dull in my pocket..." and "...man, I love the color of the handles but it won't stay sharp. Not even for a day..." and "neat opener, takes some getting used to but the darned thing won't cut hot butter..."

Or words to that effect...
 
I have a lot of both SS and CV and Buck knives. Yes I'm a collector, but I'm also a pretty hard user. I own a lawn/landscape company and work a knife pretty hard on equipment, in landscapes and in my own garden.
I'm by no means a fan of Buck knives 420.
I've been a Case CV dedicated user for a while. But this year I've carried a SS Sodbuster Jr a lot. I've been extremely happy with it. If its sharpened properly its held an edge very very well.
I know I'm probably in the minority a little on this, but I'm not talking about cutting open my mail and cardboard, but working it pretty hard and its performed very well.
 
embeth said:
I've been thinking of picking up a full sized Sodbuster which only comes in SS. Compared to Bucks 420HC how does it hold up? Easy to sharpen?
Click to expand...

Buck is hella lot better. Buck runs theirs a little harder. Just depends on what you are going to do with the knife. Both are easy to sharpen.
 
embeth said:
I've been thinking of picking up a full sized Sodbuster which only comes in SS. Compared to Bucks 420HC how does it hold up? Easy to sharpen?
Click to expand...

As others have said, the Buck 420HC holds an edge significantly better.
The Case Tru-Sharp is very easy to sharpen and works fine as a light duty daily knife.
 
It seems that some have had good luck with the CASE stainless blades or they wouldn't keep making them. (They wouldn't, right??? :eek: )

At any rate, I am one that has had no luck with CASE stainless in pocket knives. Owned a nice trapper, (IIRC) a medium stockman, and something else in stainless years back and back then it had the hardness of a butter knife. The knife was beautiful, but I had to go back to carbon.

Buck 420HC isn't the best steel around, but it is excellent for a hard work knife, and the way Buck tempers it, it is also a great value.

Easy to sharpen, too.

Robert
 
jackknife said:
It was a trick of many old timers, to touch up thier pocker knife on the unglazed bottom of a coffee mug. Dad used to drive mom nuts by doing this on her matching set of coffee mugs she had on the shelf in the kitchen.

Also the top edge of a car window will do in a pinch.

Contrarry to popular opinon, you don't need any gadgets to sharpen your knife.
Click to expand...

I've only recently learned to sharpen. I only use a benchstone at home and an EzeLap pocket stone to replace my cheap one from Canadian Tire.
I asked my dad he never heard of it, but a few First Nations said you can also use the underside of bracket fungi. (That might still be beyond my skill level).
 
midnight flyer said:
It seems that some have had good luck with the CASE stainless blades or they wouldn't keep making them. (They wouldn't, right??? :eek: )
Click to expand...

Maybe Case uses it because it's cheap to work with and takes a good polish? Remember that a lot of people think of Case as a manufacturer of collectibles first, and knives second. Tru-Sharp stainless is as good as anything else in that application.

- Christian
 
"Remember that a lot of people think of Case as a manufacturer of collectibles first, and knives second."

Beg to differ. Every case knife I have had or given as a gift was bought as a user and performed as a user. The tony bose collaboration line is Case's flagship for traditional pocket knives, they are very collectible, but the knives are definitely using knives first and collectibles second...well maybe not the pearl and ablone handled ones :)
 
I have a Case Sodbuster JR. in SS and I used it to cut drywall. Dulled it like crazy, but the edge came back with just a little work. SS is not CV and vice versa, but I don't mind the stainless in Case knives.

Dave
 
Can you say the same for everyone else? There are several Case lines that are obviously marketed for collectors. Here's a quick sampling -

Texas Special
John Deere
Masonic
Lawmen of the Old West
Brooks & Dunn
Sturm Ruger
Johnny Cash
John Wayne

- Christian
 
I have yet to notice much difference in actual use between 420HC from different manufacturers. On paper, and apparently in anecdotal tests, Buck seems to be the winner here. My anecdotes say they're all pretty close, except for a Kershaw in 420HC, which seems to have some magical property involved.

The biggest difference in usability I seem to notice between the stainless and CV is that the latter is truly a dream to sharpen. But it's not as if their stainless offers much difficulty. I have plenty of pet peeves with Case, but the quality of the steel, stainless or CV, is not one of them.
 
Where I live, some of these knives, such as those with John Deere and Masonic logos, are considered EDC by some and collectible by others.
 
shecky said:
I have yet to notice much difference in actual use between 420HC from different manufacturers. On paper, and apparently in anecdotal tests, Buck seems to be the winner here. My anecdotes say they're all pretty close, except for a Kershaw in 420HC, which seems to have some magical property involved.

The biggest difference in usability I seem to notice between the stainless and CV is that the latter is truly a dream to sharpen. But it's not as if their stainless offers much difficulty. I have plenty of pet peeves with Case, but the quality of the steel, stainless or CV, is not one of them.
Click to expand...

In actual use cutting card board, I find Buck's 420HC to hold an edge longer than Case's Tru-Sharp.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top