Does anyone have an early 1900’s reference to Case saying their knives would last 3-5 years of hard use?

Macchina

Macchina

Gold Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
5,212
I recall this being said back in the early days of Bladeforums. I might be making it up in my mind but I swear there was an old Ad that Case bragged their knives would last up to 5 years with constant use on a farm or something like that…

Or I might be crazy.
 
……….much depends on ‘hard’ use perhaps.?!

Interesting question though :thumbsup:
 
I thought it was Case. I think the context was farmers were sharpening their knives on grinders and the softer steels needed much more sharpenings. But with Case (if that was the brand I was thinking of) they needed less sharpening and would last 3 years.

It might have been an article or testimonial, but as I remember it, it was printed and at least 100 years old…
 
It would be interesting to see if there was small print defining hard use,was just thinking of any jobs I had were 3 to 5 years would of worn a blade to a toothpick blade and can only think of possibly 2.
 
I believe it was Remington who in the early 1900's (pre-1910) determined the "average" life of a pocketknife (regardless of brand and price point) was between three to five years.
Loss, sharpened to a "toothpick", broken blade(s) were the main reasons.
Recall, back then the "average" "person" owned one pocketknife, and if a "sportsman" (partook in hunting, fishing, camping, etc.) possibly a fixed blade (or folding) hunting knife or fillet knife.

Obviously there are some pocketknives that were properly cared for: lubed regularly, stropped more than sharpened on a stone, grinder, or using a file, etc. that have lasted much longer with minimal blades loss, and no broken blades.

I have a 1911 to 1921 Robeson 'English Jack' which from what I can tell has little to no blade loss.

Recall: Back then the "average" "person" used their pocketknife as a tool several times a day, regardless of profession.
For the most part they didn't have several knives to spread the wear over.

I also "think" many of the surviving early 20th century knives had (have?) a stiff/hard pull, were put in a sock drawer, and replaced for a knife they didn't have to fight to open ... tho I may be mistaken on that.
 
afishhunter said:
I believe it was Remington who in the early 1900's (pre-1910) determined the "average" life of a pocketknife (regardless of brand and price point) was between three to five years.
Loss, sharpened to a "toothpick", broken blade(s) were the main reasons.
Recall, back then the "average" "person" owned one pocketknife, and if a "sportsman" (partook in hunting, fishing, camping, etc.) possibly a fixed blade (or folding) hunting knife or fillet knife.

Obviously there are some pocketknives that were properly cared for: lubed regularly, stropped more than sharpened on a stone, grinder, or using a file, etc. that have lasted much longer with minimal blades loss, and no broken blades.

I have a 1911 to 1921 Robeson 'English Jack' which from what I can tell has little to no blade loss.

Recall: Back then the "average" "person" used their pocketknife as a tool several times a day, regardless of profession.
For the most part they didn't have several knives to spread the wear over.

I also "think" many of the surviving early 20th century knives had (have?) a stiff/hard pull, were put in a sock drawer, and replaced for a knife they didn't have to fight to open ... tho I may be mistaken on that.
Click to expand...
I'm somewhat surprised by the old adds that would describe so and so knife would be perfect for your collection,so I'm assuming alot of knife collecting started early.but the one knife was more in line with my mindset,the fact I could lose 3 in a winter without trying kept me from having one knife for 3 to 5 years,then there were others who had a special knife and a beater knife which was disposable and sharpened with whatever,but keeping the same knife for 3 to 5 years was hard to do unless your work was stationary.
 
I too remember hearing something of the same but I believe it was Remington conducting a 'survey' into pocket knife lifespan, a ploy for sales ? ;)

I believe modern sharpening devices are more precise than certain aggressive stones or grinder use and the concept of a 'knife collector' means you will have an arsenal of knives to choose from.

Take a look here ?

S

Thread 'Lifespan of a knife--what am I doing wrong (or right)'

In a video posted by a fellow member, a member of the Case family stated that the average expected lifespan of a pocket knife was 3 to 4 years before the blade got too thick to be a useful edge. As I am sitting here, I am looking at my grandfather's Case knife which he carried for 70 years. That knife went through WW2 and beyond, and it still has plenty of life in the blades. Jackknife has tales of his Buck 301 being carried for 25 years. I myself have yet to wear out a pocket knife.
What am I missing?
 
I have too many knives to worry about wearing one out, hard use or not. But even then, some of my knives get used harder than others. My Sunday go-to-meetin' knives, or those with sentimental value, get a lot of care lavished upon them. They'll never get worn out by me. But I have a handful of beaters. One, a Kissing Crane Brown Mule gets all the nasty tasks that I come across. When it dulls I give it a few licks on a coarse stone. As a result it shows the most wear of my knives. But it still has decades of life left in the blade.
 
As I recall, Remington did a study of pocket knives, in their start-up years! They questioned how long a knife would last when used regularly!! I believe it was a market study, to help predict and guide their project of getting into the manufacture of knives!!
 
I don't have many old knives, but on the ones I do have, the steel seems softer than found on knives made today. Softer blades won't hold an edge as long and require more frequent sharpening. That extra sharpening will accelerate blade loss and reduce a knife's useful life.
 
I've always heard that it was Remington back in the 1930's who projected the life span of a knife at 3-4 years. However, I have no substantiation to offer.

kamagong said:
I don't have many old knives, but on the ones I do have, the steel seems softer than found on knives made today. Softer blades won't hold an edge as long and require more frequent sharpening. That extra sharpening will accelerate blade loss and reduce a knife's useful life.
Click to expand...
I have heard similar that the life expectancy was based on softer blade steel and harder, more frequent, usage.

These days packagers tend to put thought into how to open a package without using a blade. (Clamshell packaging to the contrary.) That is a relatively new development. Used to be they just worried how to keep the package intact until the end user opened it -- with a blade.
 
This would confirm a theory that I have. I remember when I was a young lad in the 70's and early 80's, many knives were carbon steel, and most were not really seen as collectibles but rather as something to use and abuse as a tool.
Eventually the tip would get broken trying to pry with it, the blades would rust or get sharpened away, and the pivots would rust up and you would no longer be able to get the blades open. So people would throw them in a junk drawer and go buy another one and start the process over again.
This was the business model of early Schrade, Imperial, Colonial, etc. When advancements in Stainless steel and handle materials came along, and people started buying knives that if you took care of them they would last for decades, then those companies started to lose the repeat customers and volumes dropped off.
I have often heard that the death of Imperial Schrade, Colonial, and Camillus was attributed to imports, increased regulations after 9/11, etc. but I can't help wondering if the longevity of new knives wasn't a major contributing factor.
The fact that we continue to buy knives now is out of a desire for the latest steels, new designs, and to add to our hoarded collections and not because we need them because we wore out and used up our old ones.
It was a different world back then.
 
Macchina said:
I recall this being said back in the early days of Bladeforums. I might be making it up in my mind but I swear there was an old Ad that Case bragged their knives would last up to 5 years with constant use on a farm or something like that…

Or I might be crazy.
Click to expand...
I carried/used my Peanut from 1991 til now.
My heavy duty knife was a 1984 Buck 307.
I retired my Peanut & now carry a Buck 303 which is taking over as an everything knife.
 
knarfeng said:
I've always heard that it was Remington back in the 1930's who projected the life span of a knife at 3-4 years. However, I have no substantiation to offer.
Click to expand...
It was in the 1930's???? 🤯😳
Dang. I wonder why my 1911 - 1921 Robeson 622119 English Jack doesn't have significantly more blade loss or signs of abuse.
The pulls on both blades are (IMHO) a smooth "5" (despite the half stops), so the original owner would not have to fight with it to open it. No wiggly-wobbly blades, either.
Perhaps it was his/her hunting knife?
IMG_20240910_082847.jpg

Maybe I should carry it more often?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top