Caught the bug - want some advice

[ThirdEdge97]

Alright, It happened I caught the traditional bug and can't shake it

Seems like every time I see one I want more and more, I've looked at a few traditional folders I considered buying
All of ones I looked at where made by Case, I have handled a fair share of traditional folders
Some Buck, some Case.

I looked at some Case knives at a store, both trappers
One a Yellow Trapper and the other Old Red Trapper, they both seemed to be good quality, no blade play, solid locking, pretty sharp

Here's my question
What's the longevity of Case knives?
I read somewhere (I think on BF) that Bucks quality has stayed about the same where Case has cut corners
Also from reading comparisons between the two companies most but not all prefer Buck over Case

Is that true?
I'd like my first traditional folder to be a good quality knife.

Thanks :thumbup:

 

[Planterz]

Case does their steels (both stainless and CV) pretty soft, so if you use the knife a lot and sharpen it a lot, eventually the blade(s) will dwindle away. But with proper maintenance and sharpening, it'll still last you a good long time.

Buck probably has more consistent QC than Case. Buying a Case online can be a gamble, so if you can handle a knife before you buy it, that's always good.

 

[TLARbb]

I've got quite a few Case knives, but not too many Bucks. Case has a bewildering variety of traditional knives in their lineup and you are sure to find one that will strike your fancy. I've bought many Case knives sight unseen with just a few that had any issues. I had QC issues years ago with the Buck knives I bought and was turned off by them then. The few I've bought recently have been fine. I much prefer the old style flat grind to the new style grind, but the knives are fine regardless.

Of the (Buck) ones I've bought recently, the 302 single blade is my favorite:

My Case accumulation is an order of magnitude larger than my Buck group. My latest Case trappers:

If you order over the internet just make sure you have a dealer that will let you return a knife that does not meet your expectations for QC. It is the manufacturer's and the distributer's responsibility to manage QC not the consumer, though some dealers will duck the issue on you. Case will not. Buck will not.

Ed J

 

[jc57]

I've got a number of Case knives, mostly bought online, some from dealers, some from individuals through an auction site or forums. So far I haven't had any that had QC problems worth sending back to the factory. I've had couple where the blades weren't perfectly centered causing some marks on the blade from closing, and one where the backspring didn't sit perfectly flush when the knife was fully opened, and one where the scale on one side was just slightly too small so you could see and feel the edge of the brass liner.

For a user knife, you're going to want to sharpen it when you first get it. Especially on their stainless steel blades, the factory grind, while sharp, is rather coarse and they don't strop off the burr. If you have a strop (I use the back of an old belt with some green polishing compound rubbed into it) you can fix that pretty easily. Or you can just sharpen it with your favorite sharpening method (I use a Spyderco Sharpmaker).

I don't have any recent production Buck knives so I can't really compare for you.

 

[Grateful]

I own more Case knives than anything else. Most of them were bought sight unseen and I have never had to send one back. Some of them do have minor cosmetic or fit issues but not enough to affect performance at all. There stainless is fine for edc pocket knife chores once you get a good edge on them. There cv steel is excellent imho and possibly my favorite of all. I suppose a Case knife would last as long as you will if you don't lose it or misuse it.
Buck slip-joints are bomb proof and would last a lifetime I don't care for there blade grind and there backsprings tend to be on the weak side tho everyone I have handled opened smoothly. They really have a different feel to me than say Case knives do.
Jim

 

[PaulBosley]

Unless you have only one knife and you use it all day every day you will not wear out a new knife in your lifetime by normal cutting and sharpening. Case or buck. They both feel very different. But one is not necessarily better just a matter of taste. You really can't go wrong with either. It doesn't matter anymore anyway, you are infected, you WILL get both. And an Opi, some cripple creek, a few GEC, some Hen and Roster, Bokers and a bunch of brands you haven't even heard of yet. Sorry bout your wallet but welcome to the club. Lol

 

[Planterz]

I only have one newer production Buck (a 301), and while it's well made, will get the job done, and I expect it'd last a long time with daily use, there is absolutely nothing about it that endures itself to me. The blade grinds aren't "sexy", the shield is uninteresting, and the fact that it uses 3 springs and non-crinked blades (leaving a ton of unused space in the handles) makes me shake my head.

As for Cases, they're mass produced as well. But they have more character, or will develop it over time. Every knife handled in bone is unique in its own way. The dye, the jigging, the way it'll eventually smooth out in years of carrying it...no two knives halfted in bone will be identical. Or, if you get a yellow delrin handled one in CV steel, the patina that develops will be unique as well.

Case makes the kind of knife that, if I owned and used it for many years, but then lost or I snapped a blade, I'd be heartbroken. I could properly just get another, but it'd take that many more years before it felt like a proper replacement. But if it were a Buck, I'd just get another, without any emotion or sense of loss.

I also don't care much for the bass ackwards placement of the spay and sheepfsoot blades. I have no idea why they decided to "buck" the trend on that, and I don't like it.

 

[Planterz]

Oh, and don't neglect to look at Great Eastern Cutlery. They're more expensive than Buck or Case (or most any traditional knife manufacturers), but are without a doubt worth the extra money. GEC is one of the rare instances where spending twice as much actually gets you a knife of twice (or more) the quality. Most of their knives are made with 1095 carbon steel and carbon steel springs, so they'll require more upkeep and attention than one made with stainless steel (they do make some in stainless steel - look for an acorn shield). But properly maintained, they'll last you a lifetime. Pretty much any Tidioute line GECs will run you less than $100. The Northfield UN-XL-D line is fancier and will cost more. The extra money might sting a bit now, but weeks, months, and certainly years from now, the extra cost will be long forgotten and you'll be happy you spent the extra money, which these days amounts to a family lunch at McDonalds or a movie at your local theater.