Let's see your Traditional Case knives, old to new.

Just picked this one up this afternoon. Absolutely pristine, not a scratch on it, came from the local knife shop who bought it from a collector. Most evenly ground factory blade I have ever seen on a Case knife. Very nice stag. I have long admired the mini copperlocks and thought I might like one, but never have seen one in person before this. (Any streaking you see is from being freshly wiped down with mineral oil.)

A question for the experts: The tang stamp is 1993-99 and I'm interpreting it as 1998, but all the examples I can find show the dots under the USA, not beside it. The box says "CASE 90'S ERA" so wondering if this is a later production with a "vintage" tang stamp? The original SMKW purchase receipt was inside the box and was dated 11/06/09. (Maybe a SMKW SFO? 🤔 ) EDIT: Has been confirmed to be a 1998, see #5849 below.

Just last week I almost ordered a single blade Wharncliffe copperhead but decided against it. Glad I did as that left me enough knife budget that I didn't feel bad about getting this one!

51876009258_8021a7b846_b.jpg


51876009073_cf7d941a46_b.jpg
 
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Ace Rimmer said:
Just picked this one up this afternoon. Absolutely pristine, not a scratch on it, came from the local knife shop who bought it from a collector. Most evenly ground factory blade I have ever seen on a Case knife. Very nice stag. I have long admired the mini copperlocks and thought I might like one, but never have seen one in person before this. (Any streaking you see is from being freshly wiped down with mineral oil.)

A question for the experts: The tang stamp is 1993-99 and I'm interpreting it as 1998, but all the examples I can find show the dots under the USA, not beside it. The box says "CASE 90'S ERA" so wondering if this is a later production with a "vintage" tang stamp? The original SMKW purchase receipt was inside the box and was dated 11/06/09.

Just last week I almost ordered a single blade Wharncliffe copperhead but decided against it. Glad I did as that left me enough knife budget that I didn't feel bad about getting this one!

51876009258_8021a7b846_b.jpg


51876009073_cf7d941a46_b.jpg
Click to expand...
I'm getting 1998 also, but you are right, it doesn't exactly match up with any tang stamp chart I've seen. That's a real beauty pepsweetie.gif
Need pics of the pile side nod.gif
 
Ace Rimmer said:
The original SMKW purchase receipt was inside the box and was dated 11/06/09. (Maybe a SMKW SFO? 🤔 )
Click to expand...
That's a great looking knife.... is it Red Stag? It really looks like it to me... or, I suppose it could be burnt Sambar....? Very nice. Wish I could help you with the tang stamp, but I'm certainly no expert.
A call to SMKW might be in order....
 
Ace Rimmer said:
Just picked this one up this afternoon. Absolutely pristine, not a scratch on it, came from the local knife shop who bought it from a collector. Most evenly ground factory blade I have ever seen on a Case knife. Very nice stag. I have long admired the mini copperlocks and thought I might like one, but never have seen one in person before this. (Any streaking you see is from being freshly wiped down with mineral oil.)

A question for the experts: The tang stamp is 1993-99 and I'm interpreting it as 1998, but all the examples I can find show the dots under the USA, not beside it. The box says "CASE 90'S ERA" so wondering if this is a later production with a "vintage" tang stamp? The original SMKW purchase receipt was inside the box and was dated 11/06/09. (Maybe a SMKW SFO? 🤔 )

Just last week I almost ordered a single blade Wharncliffe copperhead but decided against it. Glad I did as that left me enough knife budget that I didn't feel bad about getting this one!

51876009258_8021a7b846_b.jpg


51876009073_cf7d941a46_b.jpg
Click to expand...
Great score!
 
A Ace Rimmer for some reason on the lock back Case Knives there is variation in dot placement (you can find it on the Copperlock, Mini-Copperlock, Hammerhead, and Mako to name a few I have seen). I think I have heard them referred to as “floating dots“ before. Your knife is a correct 1998 Case (It follows the dot layout of the 19080’s SS blades). I have the same knife in a 2000 - by then Case seems to have standardized by using the same layout as their slip-joints. OH
Ps. Beautiful stag handles on yours.
Case_51749_LSS_Mini-Copperlock_-_2000.jpg
 
hornetguy said:
That's a great looking knife.... is it Red Stag? It really looks like it to me... or, I suppose it could be burnt Sambar....? Very nice. Wish I could help you with the tang stamp, but I'm certainly no expert.
A call to SMKW might be in order....
Click to expand...
Thank you! Looks like we have an answer from Old Hunter Old Hunter further down the page. I need to go look at the box again (after some coffee this morning), but I believe it's burnt sambar.
 
Old Hunter said:
A Ace Rimmer for some reason on the lock back Case Knives there is variation in dot placement (you can find it on the Copperlock, Mini-Copperlock, Hammerhead, and Mako to name a few I have seen). I think I have heard them referred to as “floating dots“ before. Your knife is a correct 1998 Case (It follows the dot layout of the 19080’s SS blades). I have the same knife in a 2000 - by then Case seems to have standardized by using the same layout as their slip-joints. OH
Ps. Beautiful stag handles on yours.
Case_51749_LSS_Mini-Copperlock_-_2000.jpg
Click to expand...
Thanks very much for solving the mystery! Really happy that I found this one.
 
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