Case Traditional Pocketknives; can I get any further from Microtech?

Lucky Dog

Lucky Dog

Joined
Oct 2, 1998
Messages
693
Some of you from the Auto Forum know me as an avid Microtech Collector. I've amassed a very nice high-end MT collection if I may be so bold. But just recently the Traditional Pocketknife bug bit me.

I just ordered a Tony Bose/Case Slimline Trapper, three other Case folders, and one Cattaraugus folder. Does anyone have one of the Bose/Case knives? What do you think of it? What other brands should I look at? Please help out a newby to this category. (Wow I'm a newby again!!!
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LD
"Every Dog Has His Day"
BFC Member Since October 2, 1998

 
You might like 'Antique Knives' by Voyles, a book that I picked up this last weekend. I was looking for something like an older catalog with all of the line drawings of different knives, like I use to browse when I was a kid, and this has that plus history, suggested values, tips on collecting, blade styles, etc. I'm not really interested in collecting but I have come to like a lot of the traditional style of pocket knives.
 
If you really like Case, you should join the Case Collector's Club. That hat they send you looks real traditional.
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You can see the Case web site at www.wrcase.com

I too have a traditional pocketknife bug which I can't seem to get rid of!

Both Voyles and Levine's books give you a good look at the different patterns in traditional pocket knives.
 
Lucky Dog,
I too have quite an extensive MT collection however, I have been collecting Case Peanuts for about eight years now. I think they are kinda neat.
It seem's that my collection has a mind of it's own. Just when I think it is headed in one direction, it changes lanes.
I hope you have fun with the new direction your collection has taken. As far as I'm concerned, you can never have to many knives. Someone has a Signature line that goes something like "How many times do I have to tell you, There investments?" I can relate to that.

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For the Weapons of our warfare are not of this world but mighty through God to demolish strongholds
 
The older ones are for me. I've collected tons of them over the years but thanks to ebay, I've "whittled" my pile down to a couple hundred. The old American cutlers, CASE, Cattaraugus, UNION,Utica, New York Knife and all the Connecticut makers produced a SUPERIOR product 70-100 years ago. It's great to find a near mint old jack that's almost 100 years old and see the quality that went into it. The steel, the fit and finish are hard to beat, especially considering most of it was hand done. The "investment" value of old folders is tough to beat too. If you buy only "excellent or better" condition knives, you can't do any better as far as I'm concerned. With more and more people getting the knife "bug", supply and demand will only drive the values of these knives skyhigh. There's only a finite supply of good ones out there and EVERYONE is looking for them. Only recently, I've bought a few modern "tactical" folders. They are certainly things of beauty in their own right, however, in my opinion, they just don't have the "character" of vintage knives. Of course as Dennis Miller says," that's only my opinion and I may be wrong".
 
LD, of factory knives I collect Case and Microtech too. Although my favorite knives in my collection are custom.
I was pretty lucky to be able to get a few of the Case/Bose for some members of TKCL.
Mini review.
Handle – the bone looks quite a bit like some of the bone that Tony uses on his knives. Fit to the bolsters was excellent for a factory knife (best I have seen) but naturally not as good as one of Tony’s. The inlay of the shields on the 7 that I handled was also impressive. The heads of the peens holding the handle material to the liners could have been finished more consistently, but they are more than acceptable.

Bolsters, Springs and Liners - the rear bolsters looks integral to the outside liners. The front bolsters look attached (soldered).
There are no gaps at all between the handle material, the liners and the springs. The seams between the liners and the springs almost meld to invisible at the rear of the knife. Never seen fit this nice on the springs and liners of a Case (or any other factory slip joint for that matter.)

Blades - The grind is as centered as it gets to the shoulder of the tang. The swedge grinds on the blades are nice also (not quite perfect but pretty darn close). Both blades walk and talk to the half-stop and full-open positions. At the half-stop the springs are flush against the liners (something I have only seen on customs). I think this is Case’s first use of ATS-34 in a knife. They could have done a better job in the sharpening department, since there are slight burrs on most of the knives that I saw. Not bad but they could have done better here. My only other “complaint” is that although they do have a very distinctive “walk and talk” they are a little stiff.

All in all I was very happy with the knives and reports from those who ordered them from me have been positive also.




[This message has been edited by Gus Kalanzis (edited 30 November 1999).]
 
Thanks for the info guys, but don't let me stop you now.

One knife I would like to get my hands on is a Case Texas Toothpick, in a larger version then they offer now; it's only 3" closed. I thought it would make a fine companion in the spring for trout fishing. A.G. Russell offers a Arkansas Toothpick in ATS-34, that size wise seems to fit the bill, but I think the Case has nicer lines. Any ideas on where I might pick up such an animal?


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LD
"Every Dog Has His Day"
BFC Member Since October 2, 1998

 
L.D.
I'm not an expert, and I hope you don't mind an opinion. I think you got the Pick of the Litter, (for new Case knives) when you ordered the Case/Bose Trapper. I'd be willing to bet, the A.G. Russell, Arkansas Toothpick, would surpass in quality, most if not all production made knives. Why? Because if A.G. puts his name on something, that's good enough for me.
 
A good information source on Case knives with lots and lots of pictures of old models is The American Premium Guide to Knives and Razors by Jim Sargent. The Case section of the book is over 240 pages long. Also has good sections on Remington, PAL, Browning, Keen Kutter, Western States, Queen, and Winchester knives. A huge book I think should be in the collection of any lover of traditional pocketknives.
Jim
 
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