Case

It can be both "new in box" and outgassing. Celluloid does that as it ages (some never does, some sooner than others). Has nothing to do with whether it was used or not.
 
I don't recall what Parker called the pattern but it fits the description of a Eureka cattle pattern. Those Queen made Case "Classics" and Winchester "black box" knives were very close to the oldies. Some say they were made from old dies but I don't know if it is true. If you want, I'll dig up a photo of an old Eureka cattle for you to compare. Neat knife and cover materials on your knife. The celluloid is unfortunately deteriorating and causing corrosion of the metals as others have said.
 
supratentorial said:
I don't recall what Parker called the pattern but it fits the description of a Eureka cattle pattern. Those Queen made Case "Classics" and Winchester "black box" knives were very close to the oldies. Some say they were made from old dies but I don't know if it is true. If you want, I'll dig up a photo of an old Eureka cattle for you to compare. Neat knife and cover materials on your knife. The celluloid is unfortunately deteriorating and causing corrosion of the metals as others have said.
Click to expand...

Real pisser. I have a bunch of 93s and about 20% of them have the same problem. I just pull them out of my collection and start carry them daily. People love to see and hold them. I've tried everything to stop it, but nothing really works. They actually do better sitting on my dresser waiting their turn to get carried. Life can suck.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
pretty knife, before you freak out contact case see what they say about the scales, i was under the impression that the "bomb grade" celluloid wasn't used anymore, I've got quite a few but they are way older than '90s vintage. The old celluloid was hazardous to even use for the knife maker as it was flammable etc.
could be a modern take on the candy striped celluloid look of old.
modern acrylics etc tend to be more stable
when you get it if its outgassing you'll notice corrosion on the back springs etc.
good luck
gene
 
IVANKERLEY said:
pretty knife, before you freak out contact case see what they say about the scales...
Click to expand...

It was made for Parker by Queen, not Case. I'm not sure who you would contact for warranty info. But I don't think it would be Case since the knife was made independently from Case.
 
supratentorial said:
It was made for Parker by Queen, not Case. I'm not sure who you would contact for warranty info. But I don't think it would be Case since the knife was made independently from Case.
Click to expand...

Are you sure Case wouldn't help? My experience with them has been very positive, they even called me up about a knife. I think they'd do what they can since it's a Case product.

I think Bulldog has advertised celluloid knives that do not deteriorate, so there may be other materials that are more stable.
 
brownshoe said:
Are you sure Case wouldn't help? My experience with them has been very positive, they even called me up about a knife. I think they'd do what they can since it's a Case product.

I think Bulldog has advertised celluloid knives that do not deteriorate, so there may be other materials that are more stable.
Click to expand...

I don't know for sure. I said "I don't think". Are you sure Case would repair the knife? I thought the knives were made independently from Case, not for Case. If they do repair the "Case Classics" then I have one that I'd like to get rehafted.
 
I don't have the interest in Parker to dig up references but from what I recall Parker's use of "Case Classic" branding was negotiated during bankruptcy and the sale to River Associates in 1990. The OP's knife was made in 1993.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
Here's a web pic of what seems to be the same pattern (spear main, pen and spey secondary blades). Stamp on spear blade's tang indicates 1993 year of manufacture.

case-classic-glitter-stripe-3-backspring-whittler-knife-1993-rare-1-of-148-nr.jpg


I think this pattern shape is also sometimes (in general) identified as a 'swell center' whittler, indicated by the hump at the backspring anchor pin.


David
Click to expand...

This photo shows the Case branding was licensed by Blue Grass Cutlery. You could also try to contact Blue Grass and/or Queen for repairs.
 
Railsplitter said:
Didn't Jim Parker own Case at the time the Case Classics were made?
Click to expand...

Quoted from a copy of 'Pocket Knife Trader's Price Guide' (2007), by James "Buzz" Parker & Ed Henly ("Buzz" Parker is Jim Parker's son):
"...the Case Classic knives were first issued in 1990 and production ended in 1998. My father, the late Jim Parker, was instrumental in the direction and implementation of the Case Classics. His idea for this program started in 1988 as the first Case Classic Prototype knives appeared in the 1989 Centennial Catalog in color."
Click to expand...
and...
"The idea behind the program was for some of the earliest periods of Case knives to be represented, not only in style and stampings, but in quality. The earliest period to be represented was the Case Brothers era, 1889-1905, the W.R. Case & Sons period from 1905-1915, the Case Bradford era from 1915-1920, the Case Tested era from 1920-1940, and the Case XX 1940-1964 era."
Click to expand...


David
 
Last edited:
Thank you, David. That gives dates. ...and only the flattering side of the story, of course. ;) It was a pretty sweet deal. He sold the company and got to take what he really wanted... anything of value that was not nailed down, including the Case factory collection (sold to his brother iirc) ...and license the Case brand for knives made for him. I heard that he had considered having his Alabama facility make Case knives instead of the Case factory. And I heard that some of the manufacturing was done in part at his Alabama facility during the very short time that he owned the company before bankruptcy. So it would seem that he got what he wanted by using the Case branding on knives made for him by Queen.

I'm happy that Zippo was able to resurrect the company after all the damage.

There's a lot of not so flattering stuff that can be read about him in Levine's forum for those who are interested. The knives made by Queen for Parker were nice knives. Queen did nice work on the Winchester and Case Classics. Queen continues to use some of these patterns for their own brands. They should have the resources to repair the Case Classics but I don't know if they would.
 
Last edited:
For comparison to the Case Classic, here's a vintage Eureka cattle. I no longer have this knife. Enrique Pena bought it and patterned his custom Eureka cattle after this knife (with many improvements to the original).

The handle shape on the Case Classic is a very close reproduction of the oldies. Queen did a nice job.


 
I agree, it's a one-sided representation. That's why I just posted the quoted text, and didn't throw in any of my thoughts on it. The 'price guide' I referred to also listed 'values' of the Case Classics that were likely heavily inflated and arbitrarily assigned, I think. He'd mentioned that, for a time, the Case Classics were selling like crazy on eBay, and somehow extrapolated values based on that activity. The cynical side of me could see a lot of online shoppers believing they'd stumbled upon a genuine, old-era Case, and I could see online auction prices escalating based on that misconception. But having said that, it's about the only book I've seen that has any details at all, on the line and specific patterns produced. I bought that book, only because I'd acquired a 5340 Case Classic 'Jumbo' stockman sometime prior, and myself (as with the OP) was trying to figure out it's origins, age, etc.


David

supratentorial said:
Thank you, David. That gives dates. ...and only the flattering side of the story, of course. ;) It was a pretty sweet deal. He sold the company and got to take what he really wanted... anything of value that was not nailed down, including the Case factory collection (sold to his brother iirc) ...and license the Case brand for knives made for him. I heard that he had considered having his Alabama facility make Case knives instead of the Case factory. And I heard that some of the manufacturing was done in part at his Alabama facility during the very short time that he owned the company before bankruptcy. So it would seem that he got what he wanted by using the Case branding on knives made for him by Queen.

I'm happy that Zippo was able to resurrect the company after all the damage.

There's a lot of not so flattering stuff that can be read about him in Levine's forum for those who are interested. The knives made by Queen for Parker were nice knives. Queen did nice work on the Winchester and Case Classics. Queen continues to use some of these patterns for their own brands. They should have the resources to repair the Case Classics but I don't know if they would.
Click to expand...
 
David, I like that pattern a lot. They still use the handle die for knives made for Moore Maker. The blades are very similar but the clip blade has a different shape. That one and the sowbelly are my favorites from the classics.
 
Thank you to all who have shared their knowledge here!

I just stopped by to see what folks said about the cool looking Case in the photo, and didn't expect getting an education on celluloid decomposition and the parties involved in the Case Classics line.

None of this pertains to my current collection, however it will now be stored forever in the data banks when looking for new additions.

To the OP, I thank you for sharing this, and I really hope it all works out well. It is a very nice knife, and I can see why you bought it.


Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
supratentorial said:
David, I like that pattern a lot. They still use the handle die for knives made for Moore Maker. The blades are very similar but the clip blade has a different shape. That one and the sowbelly are my favorites from the classics.
Click to expand...

My favorite pattern in general is a large stockman, and that's what interested me in the 5340 initially. I also can't knock the manufacturing for that one; it's a pretty nicely built knife, regardless of the ambiguous and colorful 'history' of the line and it's originator. I need to dig it out and look it over again; I've never decided if I should actually carry and use it, or just keep it as a curiosity.


David
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top