problem with Case edge grind

[lobodelanoche]

I got my new Blue Bone Stockman from Case and the edge grind is HORRIBLE. I s this a common problem with case?

 

[knarfeng]

I know it happens occasionally. I do not believe it is common.

Fortunately, the alloys Case uses are VERY easy to sharpen.

 

[Bob W]

I've commented on this recent Case characteristic previously. Almost as if they skipped a finishing step.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/709101-Case-Quality-slipping-recently
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/725901-Recent-Case-knife-purchases

 

[lobodelanoche]

yes, it almost looked like they didnt sharpen one side

 

[Smaug]

I got my new Blue Bone Stockman from Case and the edge grind is HORRIBLE. I s this a common problem with case?

Yes. Their quality control isn't what it used to be. Now, the "XX" is just part of their trademark, rather than an indication that each knife has been personally checked twice at different points in manufacturing before leaving the factory.

About half of my new Cases have flaws that they shouldn't have: gaps in the backs, uneven dye jobs, dented blade. It's sad to see.

But let me ask you this: would it be worth double your money to not have the occasional flaw? If so, look at Great Eastern Cutlery.

To be fair though, I have one GEC knife, and if I let it snap closed, the liner puts a dent in the cutting edge. Poor design, IMO.

 

[lobodelanoche]

I've looked at GEC and am intrigued but don't have the money for one at the moment. I decided to give Case another chance and ordered a CV peanut so fingers crossed

 

[goodeyesniper]

My only two had what I would call "reasonable" edges for average users. In that they were sharp. sharp enough to shave arm hair in fact (if not make the hair "pop" off). But they were quite obtuse. easily in the 45 degree plus range....

 

[midnight flyer]

About half of my new Cases have flaws that they shouldn't have: gaps in the backs, uneven dye jobs, dented blade. It's sad to see.

But let me ask you this: would it be worth double your money to not have the occasional flaw? If so, look at Great Eastern Cutlery.

To be fair though, I have one GEC knife, and if I let it snap closed, the liner puts a dent in the cutting edge. Poor design, IMO.

I didn't get the point of the commentary. Your CASE knives are don't provide the fit and finish you seek. So you suggest that at double the price, the OP should check out GEC.

But then you come back and say that if you let your knife close, it damages the blade. How is that an endorsement? Lesseee... spend double the money and get a knife where the blade self destructs.

That situation has been discussed here before. If you knife is hitting the blade first (dent, ding, tiny chip, etc.) on the point, or edge before it hits the kick, you get damage. It is almost impossible for the blade to overtravel/overpower the spring to distend past the kick and dent your blade. You can probably sharpen this out by reducing the blade profile, but if this is the case, this is a knife that should never have passed inspection.

Push down on the blade that you have to "gently close" to keep from damaging the knife. Did the blade go down a tiny bit and move the backspring? If not, no doubt the blade is sitting on the backspring, not the kick.

That knife isn't any different from the CASEs you describe with their "out of the box" problems.

Disclaimer: I am not saying that all CASE knives made have poor fit, finish or sharpening. Nor am I saying that about GEC. I know that many here personally have fine examples of knife making art from each of those two, and that their personal experiences are exemplary. No doubt this is could be a rare occasion of bad luck from both manufacturers.

Not looking for a flame war from the staunch defenders of the brand. I just don't understand how suggesting that spending twice the money to get another problem knife as did Smaug helps resolve or provides a resolution to a problem.

Robert

 

[mnblade]

I know it happens occasionally. I do not believe it is common.

Fortunately, the alloys Case uses are VERY easy to sharpen.

Fully agreed. Grab and stone and put an edge on it. Should you open a box and find a brand new knife like that? No. But assuming you bought the knife to use, you'll need to sharpen it before long anyway.*

-- Mark



* This is not a dig on the quality of Case steel, by the way. If you use a knife, it's going to need sharpening.

 

[markpmc]

I usually re-profile my users. So I'm never that concerned w/ the factory edge. I'd prefer the company (case or gec in this case) spend more QA on the final finish, not putting on a razor edge. Just my opinion but, I'd just even out the grind.

 

[Humppa]

My Case´s came all sharp ootb. But not as good as it could be.

And here comes the BUT

Sharping a knife is also part of the hobby and every self-made-edge cuts better than the best-factory-made one. So I think... For sure, you want value for money, that´s alright. But Case makes good knives. There are other that worse and others that are better.

My two Cent!

Kind regards
Andi

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Most of the post-2000 vintage Case knives I own have pretty good edge bevels (good symmetry/geometry). They do, oftentimes, also have some pretty big, honkin' burrs or wire edges on them, sometimes both at the edge AND at the shoulder of the bevel. But that's easy to fix with a few passes on a ceramic or fine/ef diamond hone. What's left behind is usually a very good bevel, and the simple Tru-Sharp stainless will take a wickedly sharp edge.

The more consistently ugly edges I've seen on Case knives were mostly of '90s vintage. I avoided them back then, for the most part. But that was also before I got a handle on how to re-bevel, so even those ones don't bother me as much anymore. They still will re-bevel and sharpen up quite easily.

 

[Modoc ED]

One thing I can say with certainty:

I've never seen a knife come from Case with a blade that wasn't sharp enough to slit your throat if you weren't happy with it.

I know I'm the odd guy out here but I don't see buying a knife before you have a sharpening stone to sharpen it. If you don't have a sharpening stone, buy one or order one when you buy or order your knife.

Thanks for listening -- errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, reading. Just my .02¢

If it's carbon steel and some stainless steels, even a cinder block, brick, piece of flat stone, etc. is capable of putting a nice edge on a knife.

 

[Will Power]

True about CASE's sharpness for sure. Throat poppin True some have some unpleasant burrs but their steels, as stated, are not difficult to deal with.

Can't say the same about a lot of Queen's D2 though...training knife sharp and a job to get them where they need to be for sure.....:grumpy:

As for recommending a GEC, well I would ,and yes they do cost more but they are almost always sturdier, better finished and usually..sharp. As for the blade hitting the backspring, it's not right and I'd be annoyed with that! None of my GECs have had problems SO FAR.

 

[Modoc ED]

Throat poppin

I like that!!! Mind if I use it?

You got that right when it comes to Queen's D2.

I think once he sharpens it a couple/three times "Smaug" will find the flat spot on the blade issue will disappear.

 

[Smaug]

Robert, I guess my point was supposed to be that most folks are happy with their GECs as is. And if they want a perfect knife, get a GEC with a slimmer blade.

I agree that mine shouldn't have left the factory. But I decided I'll just keep re-sharpening until the problem goes away. Each time I do, I'll start with a carbide sharpener to aggressively remove some metal, then move to coarse stones, then to fine.

I just hate to have to buy supplies and spend another $5 just to send it back and have them do the same thing.

 

[Spongebobby]

My new soddy had a beautiful hollow grind till it reached the very edge, where it was obtuse, and jagged edged, but a minute or two on the finestone and strop and its the sharpest i own. My biggest beef is the uneven handles, one is like and eighth of an inch higher than the other.

 

[midnight flyer]

Robert, I guess my point was supposed to be that most folks are happy with their GECs as is. And if they want a perfect knife, get a GEC with a slimmer blade.

I agree that mine shouldn't have left the factory. But I decided I'll just keep re-sharpening until the problem goes away. Each time I do, I'll start with a carbide sharpener to aggressively remove some metal, then move to coarse stones, then to fine.

I just hate to have to buy supplies and spend another $5 just to send it back and have them do the same thing.

I wasn't trying to a wise guy, and I am glad you didn't take it that way. I just didn't know why you would suggest one goofed up knife over another.

I am sure your strike point will sharpen out.

BUT IN MY OPINION, it is a real shame we have all been trained to accept the fact that we may have to work on our knives to get them up to a good factory standard. Sadly, I count myself in that group. I like Queen knives, but jump with joy if I get one with a good edge. It has happened, but not often.

Like some here, I am old enough to remember when you could buy certain brands without opening the box to inspect the contents. The snap was crisp, the grinds were good, and the knife was sharp. Man, those were the days. Back in the late 60s through the mid 80s, I wouldn't own any other folder but CASE. I had a couple of Bokers that were gifts, and they approached the CASE knives I had in quality, but still weren't CASE.

Smaug, I have to say, I only buy from a couple of vendors on the net anymore, guys I can trust to get me a good product. Any other knife I buy, I won't do it unless I can see it and handle it in person. I am sick of being disappointed with bad product, and if I keep buying it is my own damn fault.

I will sharpen a knife without complaining now as it is the norm to do so. Sadly, we all laugh about how piss poor edges are, but then dance with glee and strut like a rooster if "our" knife comes "hair popping sharp" out of the box. We know what we want and expect, we just don't do anything to make sure we get it. With that in mind, anything other than sharpening and it is back to the vendor. My job is not quality control, nor is it final finishing, nor final inspection for quality control.

Robert

 

[DrPenguin]

I usually re-profile my users. So I'm never that concerned w/ the factory edge. I'd prefer the company (case or gec in this case) spend more QA on the final finish, not putting on a razor edge. Just my opinion but, I'd just even out the grind.

This is sort of the camp I'm in. To me part of the ritual I have for a carry knife is carefully setting the shoulders at the angle I want and bringing a nice edge to the blade. I'm not real concerned with the knife's factory edge and, tbh, really don't want one at all past that of rough finishing since that leaves any angle I want as an option without having to remove excess material to get rid of a bevel.

I never understood the concern over factory edges until a buddy of mine bought a new knife after lusting over a well worn mini-trapper I've got a lot of carry time on. Once the factory edge was gone he was at a loss. Never sharpened a knife in his life. I helped him get set up with a Lansky set and after a few verbal lessons he dove in and sharpened it. At work the next day I complimented him on his work. Told him he had put a nice sharp edge on the knife... several in fact.

I guess there are lots of reasons to care or not to care about what edge it comes with.

Will

 

[lobodelanoche]

well, I bought a CV Jr. Sodbuster and it did have a sight burr but i stropped it a few times and its a VERY nice user edge. I am just disappointed in the fact that a manufacture would not bother grinding both sides of the blade (if their going for that kind of edge, Emerson is a different story). As far as paying more, i could probably go with a number of more expensive manufactures in ALL things and still find mistakes. company are made of people and people make mistakes. I did fix my stockman and am very happy with it.