Just a thought about Case

johnwaynesandw

johnwaynesandw

Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
2,753
I love my Case knives, and will continue to buy them until I can't afford it any more. There is something that has been bugging me about Case knives and that is the fit and finish on some of their knives. I have some older Case knives that are about perfect in fit and finish, then I have even more Case knives that look like a monkey put them together. Some the blades sit lower than the back spring, some with unmatching scales (mainly in stag), others with poor ginds, and then there are some with all these issues.

My question is how can knives such as rough rider and Swiss army knives have great fit and finish and cost a fraction of the Case knives. I know that RR's are made in China where labor is cheap, but they still have nice fit and finish using similar materials that are used in Case knives.

I only bring this up because the last Case knife I bought was a Case stag peanut. The main blade would not sit down in the handle fully leaving the blade's tip sticking up ready to cut your hand. This knife should have never left the factory, but it did and cost a pretty penny (to me any way). I sent this knife off in the begining of April anf half way through April (when I thought I would be getting my knife back) I recieved a post card from Case stating they had my knife and please allow 6-8 weeks for repair. Am I crazy for thinking this is too long to wait on something that should not have left the factory to start with?

Please do not think I am bashing on Case, I just wanted to express my feelings.


John
 
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The peanut was bought off of the forums here. The person that sold it, did not mention it. I guess I will know to ask more questions next time.

The knife was made some where between 92 and 94 (I can't remember what the date code was on that one). It was sold as being in new condition, so I did not think to ask about issues like that. I mainly asked if the stag matched and if the blades were flush with the back spring (where they were).
 
Hmmmm, I'm thinking that maybe the spring could have been sprung by the seller.

While I'd like the turn-around time to be faster from Case, I don't think it is unreasonable. Remember, they don't have just your knife to work on.

Oh, an afterthought. Could there be something laying on the underside of the spring not allowing the blade to close all the way? Maybe a piece of grit, sand, paper, etc.?
 
I looked for anything that could have gotten in between the blade and back spring, but it was clean not even lint.

I know they don't just have my knife, and I hope that the large number of knives they do have in shop is due to use and not factory flaws.


Thanks,
John
 
It's not just new Cases...some older ones have problems as well. This Case from the mid to late 60's has spring that stand very proud when the blades are closed but are flush when open.

casespring9.jpg
 
johnwaynesandw said:
The knife was made some where between 92 and 94...).
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I won't hesitate to buy Case knives sight unseen on the web, but only those made in the past five years or so. Their QC these days is a lot better than the knife you're describing (though still not up to Victorinox standards).
 
In my opinion, the late 80's and early 90's was let's just say about the worst period for Case in my lifetime, maybe even Case's. The knives have improved quite a bit since then.

I'm no expert, but from a 10,000 mile height they were in trouble as a company at that time. The company had changed hands 3 times during that period. Since Zippo absorbed it, the quality has been in a different ballpark. The next step that increased their quality was working with Tony. You can look back over the last 20 years and see quite a bit of difference as well as those two steps of Zippo and Bose.
 
I've noticed an improvement in the past few years, and any I've bought in the last two years were top notch. The Chestnut CV Swayback Jack is the last I bought, and it's quality is amazing for a knife this price.
 
I hate to say it because I love 'em, but almost every one of my Case knives, obtained from a wide variety of sources going back fifteen or so years up to last year, exhibits workmanship quirks of one sort or another that wouldn't be tolerated on a Chinese slipjoint. Warped blades, sloppy pivots, general asymmetry, galling backsprings, uneven grinds, edges that dull themselves on the backsprings, and lockbacks that disengage like slipjoints, only without warning. Interestingly, most of these flaws do not affect their usability. They do add an air of handmade-ness. Perhaps it's because I never paid more than about $45, so my exposure is limited to their lower end. Nonetheless, they are by no means cheap, they're totally blown away by Victorinox, and even by some ROC knives at a fraction of the price. Even so, I find it increasingly hard to carry water for Case's actual user knives. One might get the impression they are more interested in making shiny trinkets for collectors than actual working tools. I'm not leaving Case. But they might be leaving me.
 
It's true, they can be hit and miss. As to whether a Case knife was bought off the internet or in person shouldn't matter as the quality should be the same without any goofy little issues as lack of attention to detail. Sure it is nice to be able to go through several to chose the scales or the one that talks to you, but you should be able to get an excellent Case from the net and realize it might not be as visually pleasing as one hoped or saw on the ad-but still it should be very acceptable in terms of attention to details.
I have one in particular that I got at a knife store, and we bought it as I was so enamored with it visually, I should have paid more attention to the fit, actually it is the back springs-they allow the blades to be very lazy with little or almost no snap, and I should have passed on it. It is a beautiful blue pocket worn 6318 medium stockman, and I do love it otherwise but this knife shouldn't of made it out the door at Case. The sheep's foot and spey have a little snap due to use, but the clip is snap free and unimpressive.
I have one recent stockman stag knife that snaps and acts like a Case from the 70's and all the attention to detail is great, but it had better be for $100. I have a red bone Marble's MSA that is a large stockman, and it has all the beauty and function of my mint 10 dot Case 6375. Those blades snap with authority and one needs to take care in closing them as well!
Hopefully my fliker photo will be viewable..... the lazy bladed 6318 is in front along with 3 excellent detailed knives from Smokey Mountain, a Case 6292 Texas Jack, a Case medium stock R53032, and a large stockman Marbles MSA Gladstone Red Bone.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/30358440@N07/4582870453/
 
I don't buy current production Case knives. Even though its sounds like the qc has really been stepped up to where it should have been all along imho...

I've only had to send two knives to Case for service, but when I got them back, about 5-6 weeks later. I was happy with the work they had done...

Shirley who has since retired, even took the time to call me to verify what it was, that I wanted done.

Good people and they make great knives. I just wish they weren't so busy
 
Also, It's important to remember one very important fact....that folding knife
technology has essentially not changed in over 400 years. It is an invention
of timeless magnitude. That cant be said of electronic technology. This is
important because what makes a quality knife is workmanship, and attention
to detail....and CASE XX did'nt get where they are today by being sloppy.
But ... I agree, they have had era's where quality was substandard (ie 1989 -1994)
 
"Almost every one of my Case knives, obtained from a wide variety of sources going back fifteen or so years up to last year, workmanship quirks of one sort or another that wouldn't be tolerated on a Chinese slipjoint."

Interesting statement. What do you mean by Chinese slipjoint? Did you know that there are Ron Lake designed slipjoints out of China for $250 to $350? I've seen them and they are as good as the Case Bose line...custom quality.

If you mean the cheap chinese made lines <$15, my experience is the opposite, every one of my Case knives over the last 10 years is fine but I have yet to find a cheap chinese knife that I would even buy.

With Case's repair service, I sent in a Bose collaboration knife and I got the postcard saying it was received the day after I got the knife back. Turn around time, including shipping time was 12 days. Maybe when you spend a little more, Case gives you a little quicker service.
 
johnwaynesandw said:
The peanut was bought off of the forums here. The person that sold it, did not mention it. I guess I will know to ask more questions next time.
Click to expand...

And not buy any more of this person's knives. Seems like he might have known of the issue and was pawning the knife off because he was not pleased with it? I would have asked for my money back and send it back to him. In a heartbeat.
 
johnwaynesandw said:
My question is how can knives such as rough rider and Swiss army knives have great fit and finish and cost a fraction of the Case knives.
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I don't think there's a fair comparison between Victorinox and Case. Victorinox bangs out over 34,000 knives per day using a modular design that requires very few parts that are unique to particular models and almost no hand finishing. You can make a traditional knife at the same price point or of the same quality, but you would be hard pressed to see both regardless of the country of origin.


brownshoe said:
With Case's repair service, I sent in a Bose collaboration knife and I got the postcard saying it was received the day after I got the knife back. Turn around time, including shipping time was 12 days. Maybe when you spend a little more, Case gives you a little quicker service.
Click to expand...

I had a similarly quick turnaround on a cv slimline trapper, so it's probably not a price issue. I think if a knife is new enough to still have in stock, they replace rather than repair unless you tell them not to. It's understandable that repairs take longer to get through than replacements.
 
thawk said:
And not buy any more of this person's knives. Seems like he might have known of the issue and was pawning the knife off because he was not pleased with it? I would have asked for my money back and send it back to him. In a heartbeat.
Click to expand...

I PMed the seller to inform him of my concerns. His reply was "It sounds like your issue is with Case not me".


To be honest I do not know if he knew before or not, but I noticed it in less than five minutes. He said he had the knife for many years (do not know the exact number maybe 12 years) so I find it hard to believe he did not notice it (which he never said he did not know the blade stuck up) he just avioided the issue more or less.

Now I am hoping that it was just a one time thing as I never read anyone unhappy with him .
 
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JW, as you already know, its an unwritten rule that a deal isn't complete until both parties are happy with the transaction. Most here conduct themselves in that manner.
You might mention this to him, and the fact that you are not happy with your end. It would be different if the defect was mentioned and you bought it knowing that. IMHO it doesn't matter if he supposedly didn't notice the problem, you did and your not happy with it.

If he blows you off after telling him his, I would definitely leave negative feedback for him. Even though he hasn't had any bad feedback before, it doesn't mean his attitude hasn't changed, or that there were other deals that members weren't happy with, but didn't bother leaving negative feedback for.
 
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