I am impressed...

[ms3902]

While at Gander Mountain today I noticed some clam shell packages from Bear and Son Cutlery, traditional slipjoints at that. Upon closer inspection I was intrigued as well as leery. In the past my Bear and Son experience was just mediocre. After looking at all models I bought their farmhand model (sodbuster). Even grinds, no blade play what so ever, paper slicing sharp, better fit and finish than most of my cases. My only two complaints are the blades is not dead center, and it is a little gritty to open. The off center blade is not bad so it does not touch the liner. Plus the blade is 1095! Great knife for twenty-five dollars. Also USA made.

I will post some better pics when I get home. :thumbup:

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I took a look at the Bear and Son Cutlery site to look at their product line. Something interesting I noticed, the last two digits of their model numbers correspond directly to Case pattern numbers.

http://www.bearandsoncutlery.com/in...irectory&view=Products&category=4THGeneration

For example:

The 'Farm Hand' (sodbuster) pictured above is model #C337 (to Case's 2137 small sodbuster)

The 4" stockman w/yellow delrin is model #C347 (to Case's '47 pattern large stockman)

The large trapper is model #C354 (to Case's '54 pattern trapper)

The Folding Hunter is model #C365 (to Case's '65 pattern FH)

and so on....

I'm just guessing that Bear is licensing these patterns from Case? Maybe even using Case parts? Who knows...

 

[ms3902]

That's interesting
Whatever the case may be I am very happy with this knife.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

It looks pretty good. I personally think it could be a good thing if they're getting some help from Case on these. I have a small handful of Moore Maker folders produced by Bear & Son (after Moore Maker's original supplier, Camillus, shut down). The fit & finish on the knives built by Bear on their own tooling was disappointing compared to the original Camillus versions. So I hope these will be better...

 

[Sword and Shield]

I took a look at the Bear and Son Cutlery site to look at their product line. Something interesting I noticed, the last two digits of their model numbers correspond directly to Case pattern numbers.

http://www.bearandsoncutlery.com/in...irectory&view=Products&category=4THGeneration

For example:

The 'Farm Hand' (sodbuster) pictured above is model #C337 (to Case's 2137 small sodbuster)

The 4" stockman w/yellow delrin is model #C347 (to Case's '47 pattern large stockman)

The large trapper is model #C354 (to Case's '54 pattern trapper)

The Folding Hunter is model #C365 (to Case's '65 pattern FH)

and so on....

I'm just guessing that Bear is licensing these patterns from Case? Maybe even using Case parts? Who knows...

They're handing Case the steel, then. CV isn't 1095.

 

[ms3902]

So who it grinding these blades if it is case steel? This knife has a very high hollow grind on it. Slices like crazy. I cannot believe it came from a factory this way.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

So who it grinding these blades if it is case steel? This knife has a very high hollow grind on it. Slices like crazy. I cannot believe it came from a factory this way.

I have a current generation Case 2137 SS sodbuster (black handle). It also has the high hollow grind. Very thin at the edge.

I think the CV Case version is a flat grind (not sure, I don't have one yet), but the stainless version definitely has an arc to the grind. It's relatively subtle, but still noticeable.