Glued in shields on a traditional really takes away from the traditional...

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Aug 4, 2013
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So, there I was yesterday giving a present to a friend. This gift was a traditional patterned pocketknife. He opens up the box and smiles as he starts to remove the knife from the paper wrapping. Then, it slips and falls onto the table. Not a major drop... maybe six or seven inches from hands to table top under him. Anyhow... shield comes flying off the bone handle scale! Okay, does not matter what pattern, the maker, or any such thing, because, as we all know... too many have went this way, using glue for shields. Not all do this, but too many do. And though it can work, it simply is not traditional, and is not the equal of a properly pinned in shield. Yes, my friend will glue it back in, but what a cheesy method of putting a shield on a traditionally patterned knife, ugh!!! :( Rant off :-)
 
I totally agree with you, Jimmy!

If the maker is not going to pin the shield, then just leave it off. In fact, I would prefer this approach, especially on the smaller knives like peanuts, mini copperheads, and pen's. I'd rather have no shield rather one that I'm half waiting for it to fall off. I once had a nice stag handled Boker stockman. It was a very nice knife, with grab stag. One day I take it out to cut something, and the shield was gone. After a moment of panic, I found it in my pocket. Some super glue and the problem was fixed. But it lowered Boker in my view. I can't even imagine being in your spot, gifting a knife to someone, and the shield falls off. Bad.

And shields on nice stag should be a flogging offense while we're on the subject of shields.

Carl.
 
My peanut lost its shield :grumpy:

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Ya that is really distracting when the shield is missing like that. Will Case mail a new one if you contact them?
 
As petty as it might sound, this bothers me so much that I will not buy a knife with a glued on shield anymore. The only Case knives I now buy are 1970's or earlier.
 
Sorry to hear about that awkward incident. I also dislike glued shields. I have a few Case knives with glued shields but basically abstain from the brand due to this reality of production alone. Knowing that the shield is just glued in is information that nags at the back of my mind whenever I look at/carry them. It's a shame that an otherwise handy pocketknife would have such a cheap flaw.
 
It's a shame but it happens. One thing someone can do when they get a knife with a glued in shield is to pop the shield out using a sharply pointed pin and then reglue it with a gel type super glue. One that come to mind is Duro Quick Jel. You shouldn't have to do it but sometimes ya gotta do whatcha gotta do.

Case has been know to send out a shield. Provide them the measurements of the cavity and they may send out two maybe three shields. Someone was on here a week or two ago talking about it.
 
My absolute biggest pet peeve about the traditional knife market these days. Too many manufacturers glueing in shields. I get it and I dont get it. I think that the market for traditionals has become less a quantity and more a quality game. Manufacturers should recognize that trend and start making better, albeit more expensive traditionals by going back to pinned shields.
 
I guess I expect it on a $40 knife but I won't spend any more than that on a knife with a glued shield anymore. When the shield fell off my AG Russell Peanut I was so mad I just gave it away to a coworker.
 
I lost the shield on this trapper while cutting calves. I thought it must be in the coffee can that held the antiseptic but when I dumped it out, no shield. My dad, who tinkers around making jewelry, offered to stick something in the hole for me. I didn't expect sterling silver and 14k gold.

B9D421DC-7320-43CB-A1AF-0344223F8063_zpsk2quncnt.jpg
 
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I lost the shield on this trapper while cutting calves. I thought it must be in the coffee can that held the antiseptic but when I dumped it out, no shield. My dad, who tinkers around making jewelry, offered to stick something in the hole for me. I didn't expect sterling silver and 14k gold.

B9D421DC-7320-43CB-A1AF-0344223F8063_zpsk2quncnt.jpg

That's really cool! I bet there's a market for shield bling ;)
 
Glued on shields don't bother me. If glued properly they are quite durable. And if not glued properly I am quite capable of gluing it back in.
 
I do wish they'd use decent glue at least! Such stuff does exist.

Looks like GEC are the only ones pinning shields. Queen say their new range is pinned but I can't see any pin hole on the liners....they also sent me a range of shields to replace a lost one which including the latest type - that should be pinned, no spike on that one anyway.
 
Glued in shields is one of the reasons I think that some companies are going to the wayside. Think about it. A company spends extra cost to make the cut and to produce shields that are glued in with mediocre glue. This extra cost is to make the knife look more traditional but at a cost. Then at the same time they cut the cost by skipping the pin which is important for a quality pin. So by following a process they make their knives look traditional at the cost of having a inferior product. Sadly our beloved knives of yesteryear were build to function first and show second. I feel the opposite is true for some of the companies of today. Why not just skip the shield all together? Save cost and the quality would be increased.
 
Glued in shields is one of the reasons I think that some companies are going to the wayside. Think about it. A company spends extra cost to make the cut and to produce shields that are glued in with mediocre glue. This extra cost is to make the knife look more traditional but at a cost. Then at the same time they cut the cost by skipping the pin which is important for a quality pin. So by following a process they make their knives look traditional at the cost of having a inferior product. Sadly our beloved knives of yesteryear were build to function first and show second. I feel the opposite is true for some of the companies of today. Why not just skip the shield all together? Save cost and the quality would be increased.

Where do I sign the petition? :thumbup:

I'd love it if Case and other traditional companies would skip the shield. They have the name on the blade where it counts, how many places do they need it?
 
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