Early 1980's Case stainless

JC972

JC972

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Mar 17, 2015
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I've been searching all over and can't find anything. Does anybody know what kind of stainless Case used in the early 80's?

I should be getting this in the mail today
b64b9af824a60ed634217fe0712a4e6e.jpg


And I'm just curious if it's Tru Sharp or something else. It's a 6235 1/2 from 1982. I'm pretty sure those are Stamina wood handles too but if anybody could confirm that'd be cool.

I finally got a leather pocket slip so I plan to carry this knife, even though its the only one like that I own. I'm ecstatic [emoji2]

The blade steel is of little importance to me in the broad scheme, as I'm sure I'll love the knife regardless. I'm simply curious. My boss has a Case stockman from the early 1990's that he gets me to sharpen for him every now and then, and it's easy enough to sharpen in my opinion, and it makes me wonder if this is very likely the same kind of stainless.

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I wouldn't worry too much about the stainless in post-1980 Case knives. I sometimes think some of their earlier stainless blades (1970s and earlier) might not be as good, as I've not been able to reproduce the same results in sharpening those, using my same tools and methods as with later knives; they haven't seemed to hold or take as fine an edge that remains durable. As for post-1980, I have a 1981-vintage Folding Hunter (6265 SAB SS), and it has sharpened up as easily and to the same fine and reasonably durable edge as my later knives (into present day) in Tru-Sharp; so, no surprises and no disappointments there. If based only on that example's behavior in sharpening up, I'd bet the stainless is very similar, if not identical, to today's 'Tru-Sharp' in 420HC (which they have verified publicly, in recent years).

I sort of expect that any maker will improve heat treat methods and practices over time, as the tools and technologies for doing so improve with time. Even if the same raw steel type might be used, it's possible and even likely that manufacturing quality (steel purity, consistency, etc) and heat treat quality should improve over time, for this reason.


David
 
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Looks similar to mine. Mine is made from jigged brown Delrin. I have no idea what the steel was.



 
Case has never been open about what stainless steel's they use or have used - you can find much speculation as to what they used. Handles are most likely Delrin, not wood, in that series of knives. OH
 
Yes, the handles do look like Delrin on the OP's pictured knife. Staminawood handles, being laminated & stabilized wood, always will show some wood grain to them. Case's brown Delrin always has a complete lack of that visible wood-like grain, looking something more like chocolate milk or dark coffee in color.


David
 
As David said, post 1980 is all good. I have an early 70s Case in stainless that seems to be a bit softer than it ought to be, softer than CV I have from the 70s even. But they aren't useless, I carry mine from time to time.

Connor
 
My early-mid 70s Cases all appear to be carbon steel. I have a 1982 appy Barlow in stainless and a very similar 1979 appy which is a safe queen. The '82 takes a sharpening just fine and does not appear to be any softer than any other Case knives I own. The blade steel appears identical between the '82 and the '79, though I can't speak to sharpening the latter. I imagine there may have been some weak points during the transition to majority-SS blades but my own sampling of the period does not seem to be affected.

Here's my '82 appy.





 
IMG_1834copy_zps5045327c.jpg


Mine is from '83 and has brown jigged delrin covers. The steel has performed well and I wouldn't be concerned with its actual composition - that would be like splitting hairs. None of Case's stainless is necessarily noteworthy, but it is functional.
 
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My only complaint witg the 71 steel I have is that after whittling some sticks and cutting twine there was a large flat spot curved in.

Connor
 
I really appreciate the replies! It came pretty dull. It seems a bit harder than the Tru Sharp knives I own. No complaints from me! After being able to see it in person it was easy to see the handles are delrin, which is just fine by me. I love it!

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