Case??

P

Psycho

Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
44
What is the general thought on Case knives around here?? I have a Case fixed blade that's about 30 yrs. old that has been used as a hunting knife since my dad bought it when he was a teen. Are they still as good as they used to be???
 
I like them quite well.They have lower end offerings and very nice quality also.My favorites are the Copperlock,Swing guard,and Russlock to use,collect, and carry.I also have a nice collection of the 6347 stockman.They are fine knives IMO.
 
This morning, before heading off to work , I was looking over a couple of Case knives I bought last summer while on vacation.

One is a Wharncliffe Trapper and the other a Pocket Worn Seahorse Whittler. IMO these knives are probably one of the best buys out there. I paid about $90.00 for both ( $50 for the whittler and about $40 for the trapper).

Let me explain a little more... recently I bought a bunch of imported Rough Rider knives and yes they are very good knives especially for the low price charged. But is a Case knife worth approximately 4 times more? I would say yes, the fit & finish of these two examples I own are noticeably better than the cheaper imports.

Here's what I noticed....

The backsprings ( including the inside) are polished better on the Case knives. The fit of all the layers is better too.

The Case knives have a radius edge on most of the sharp edges ( including blade spines, bolsters and brass liners) Some have commented that this creates a slightly "rounded" appearance where the tang meets the backspring ( when opened) , and it does , but that's how I realized there was extra finishing on all the edges.

The bolsters are all evenly finished.

The blades are perfectly ground and polished too, I can't even begin to explain this , but I noticed the blades on the trapper are slightly concave as you look down the blade.

Lastly the scales fit perfectly.

Of course this is only my opinion and I'm sure others will comment....

Maybe on the weekend I'll start another thread in the Traditional section and post pictures
 
Psycho said:
What is the general thought on Case knives around here?? I have a Case fixed blade that's about 30 yrs. old that has been used as a hunting knife since my dad bought it when he was a teen. Are they still as good as they used to be???
Click to expand...

If you like Old School folders (I do) and fixed blades, I think Case is a great option. I'm a big fan of the knives they've been cranking out over the past few years. I should note that - save for a few family heirlooms - all the knives I own are users. No safe queens for me.

BTW, Psycho, you should drop by the Traditional Folders and Fixed Blades subforum.
 
I have a Case Mini Trapper made in the mid-90's and the quality is top notch. I don't really care for the "collector appeal" of their knives, especially some of their funky colored handles (I like a more utilitarian working knife)- but Case does make a solid, smoothe, quality American made traditional knife.
 
Have about ten Cases, Mostly the large Old swing guards in Stag that I got from Parker in the early 90s...Great well made knives
 
Case makes a very nice knife, they're durable and have a very good fit and finish... But isn't there anybody at the Case factory that can SHARPEN a knife?? In 40 years I've yet to see a single one of their knives that would shave hair out of the box. (I second the chrome vanadium comment - it's much better than the stainless)
 
Odd...in the past couple of years all of the Case knives we've gotten at the shop I work at have been insanely--nearly stupid--sharp. The only knives that were close to that level of initial sharpness were the Microtech Socom Elites--and we stock tons of Benchmade, SpyderCo, and more. I've always been impressed by the edges on their offerings.
 
+1 on new Case knife very sharp out of the box. Twinbladed tiny toothpick in ss shaved hair with both blades.
 
My father-in-law gave me a Case Baby Doc for Christmas. Sharp as heck out of the box. I've sliced many a fruit and it's still sharp. On this forum I've seen many references to Case knives not being sharp from the factory. My Baby Doc is the only Case I've owned and I'd give it a thumbs up.
 
Thanks for the replies. I ordered a peanut last night in ss and harvest orange. Can't wait to put the little guy to work..:cool:
 
Case folders make good EDC knives for office environments. I carry a tiny Texas toothpick (CV, red bone) and usually use it several times a day. It's reasonably sharp and easy to keep that way. It's an effective, non-threatening user. If I recall... it cost about $30.

Warning... once you purchase one, you'll want to try others.
 
don't buy one, you'll never be able to stop. knives should come with a warning about the possible addiction. i'm now addicted to benchmade, spyderco, SAKs, and case.
 
Psycho said:
Thanks for the replies. I ordered a peanut last night in ss and harvest orange. Can't wait to put the little guy to work..:cool:
Click to expand...

Harvest Orange is a great color and much better looking in person.... The seahorse I mentioned in my earlier post is "pocket worn harvest orange", I bought it without knowing what the name of the color was, it was just beautiful at the store. Later on I read the box.
 
+1 on Case addiction. My first case was a MOP coke-bottle, and I've been itching to get many many more. Next on the list is a red bone cv peanut. :)
 
The standard production stuff from Case nowadays can't hold a candle quality wise to stuff they made way back when. Take a look at some of their Tony Bose collaborations- that kind of quality used to be standard in the first part of the 1900s.

JPD1998 said:
The backsprings ( including the inside) are polished better on the Case knives. The fit of all the layers is better too.

The Case knives have a radius edge on most of the sharp edges ( including blade spines, bolsters and brass liners) Some have commented that this creates a slightly "rounded" appearance where the tang meets the backspring ( when opened) , and it does , but that's how I realized there was extra finishing on all the edges.
Click to expand...

There's not extra finishing on Case knives to make 'em that way, there's less. It's because they're tumble polished (like a rock tumbler), which is cheaper than traditional methods.

I could go on belly achin', but I think it'll suffice to say I'm not interested in 'em any more. If I were looking at getting a Case, it would either be a Bose, or an antique in decent shape.
 
Psycho said:
Thanks for the replies. I ordered a peanut last night in ss and harvest orange. Can't wait to put the little guy to work..:cool:
Click to expand...

Great minds think alike! I have this exact same knife and carry it every day. :D

JPD1998 said:
Harvest Orange is a great color and much better looking in person.... The seahorse I mentioned in my earlier post is "pocket worn harvest orange", I bought it without knowing what the name of the color was, it was just beautiful at the store.
Click to expand...

Amen. I had the same experience. Based on what I'd seen online, I never thought I'd like the color. But when I saw one in person at a Bass Pro Shop, I had to have one (so I went home and bought one for a lot less on Ebay ;) ).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top