Question about Case Quality

wolfeknives said:
I have only purchased one new Case knife recently, the Bose / Case lockback whittler. It is a crappy knife with many problems. The worst is a grinding main blade, due to an unfinished section on the tang. The other is the clip secondary blade rubbing the liner for 2/3 of its length. It rubs so badly that it has to be pushed closed if released gently. I am keeping it because I purchased it mainly for the interesting locking mechanism. Returning any knife from Canada is too much of a pain, so it is the last new Case I will be buying.

Wolfe
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Sorry to hear your bad experience with that Case Bose whittler. I have both the 2005 (clip master blade) and the 2014 (Wharncliffe master blade). They are both fine knives. I will say the springs on the 2005 secondary blades are a little weak for my liking, but I still use it and liked it well enough to keep buying the yearly knives.

My 2014 is about perfect. If I were you I'd call Case, as brownshoe suggested. Their warranty is second to none and the yearly collaboration knives are expensive, as you know. They will make it right.

I own quite a few Case knives. I have never received one that would make me not want to purchase more. That's my experience, for what's worth.

My only beef with Case is they don't do a very good job with stag.
 
Yea, I am new to this forum as well but you won't believe the knowledge you will gain from this forum. I like Case knives. True, they for the most part do not have the fit and finish of GEC knives but they are a little less expensive and have a great selection and are easier to find. I only buy ones that I can see and hold and have found some patters seem to be a little better than others. I usually only buy CV and have found the Texas Jacks, Large Stockmans, yellow handled Trappers and the Peanuts to be a little better overall than say the Muskrats, mini-trappers or medium stockmans. I have about 75 cases and most are great but I have never bought one sight unseen.
 
Peregrin said:
Sorry to hear your bad experience with that Case Bose whittler. I have both the 2005 (clip master blade) and the 2014 (Wharncliffe master blade). They are both fine knives. I will say the springs on the 2005 secondary blades are a little weak for my liking, but I still use it and liked it well enough to keep buying the yearly knives.

My 2014 is about perfect. If I were you I'd call Case, as brownshoe suggested. Their warranty is second to none and the yearly collaboration knives are expensive, as you know. They will make it right.

I own quite a few Case knives. I have never received one that would make me not want to purchase more. That's my experience, for what's worth.

My only beef with Case is they don't do a very good job with stag.
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Gary, I am certain that Case produces many great knives. I have a number of older examples, and am happy with those. What makes me hesitate to purchase again is the fact that a "Premium" knife with many problems left the factory. It shows a lack of quality control, making any purchase hit and miss in my eyes.
As mentioned, my main reason for getting this knife was the interesting locking mechanism and spring arrangement. This knife demonstrates this very well, the rest is just attached clutter. Had I purchased the piece for my collection, I would certainly return it.
Wolfe
 
Case generally makes a pretty good knife, but the Fit and Finish aren't as consistent as GEC. That being said, I carry Case more often than my GECs. Something about those classic patterns that they must have gotten right.
 
Although I don't have a ton, every new Case knife I have purchased was in perfect condition. However, I have heard a lot of stories similar to yours, about new knives shipped out that should have failed inspection.
 
The last one I bought was a Mini Copperlock. It would not even lock open. One Trapperliner's blade literally wobbles side to side when locked open and a John Deere version did not even have a detent. However, I have 3 Mid Folding Hunters from various years and all are perfect (just wish the red bone was CV). I like Case designs but get frustrated at spending money and not getting as good a knife as I can get for less than half the price.
 






So I bought this large sod buster today and I'm not happy with it at all. The blade is seriously off center, one scale is almost double the size of the other kinda sick to my stomach over it. What can I do about this should I contact case and tell them how disappointed I am or am I just being too picky what do you guys think.


-Keith
 
Wouldn't bother me. I can't even tell from the pics that the blade is particularly off-center. I have a black synthetic Sod Buster Jr with similarly mismatched scales. I noticed it, but it feels just fine in my hand, has a super sharp blade, and cuts well. That's what I bought it for.

If that knife bothers you, I suggest you avoid Case knives in the future to save further disappointment. If you want to contact them, they have contact info on their web site, wrcase.com.
 
You can find some nice Case knives buying new old stock, or 2nd market oldies. I haven't gotten a modern Case that I liked yet. Aside from the Case Bose collabs, I plan to avoid them entirely.
 
I like Case knives. I've got a few dozen and have found them to be an affordable knife of sufficient quality for my needs. I like their steel, their functionality, and of course their classic looks. I also feel strongly about only buying knives made in the U.S.A.

Ya I like GEC but I can't afford GEC, at least not in any quantity. Quite frankly I'm getting a little tired of GEC and all their SFO's and trying to find one only to watch the prices go crazy as everyone scrambles to get one, or to get several so as to put them on the Internet auction site. At least with Case I don't seem to have that problem. Also, because I prefer certain patterns, with Case I'm able to collect more to my tastes than with GEC, which comes out with various patterns in a few handle choices and then moves on to another pattern, perhaps never repeating the pattern I happen to be interested in.

I'm quite happy with Case knives. I've only ever had one problem and that was with a shield that fell out. Other than that, I've never had a problem, and I buy most of my knives via the Internet.

Just my two cents...
 
I've been pleasantly pleased with the Case knives I've bought in the last couple years. But I have ranted before about the duds they've let fly, and how it breaks my heart. Stuff like that sodbuster is just sheer sloppiness.
 
I have three Case knives in my small collection of traditionals. In acquisition order:

Medium yellow stockman (CV)
Swayback jack (chestnut bone, CV)
Sodbuster Jr. (chestnut bone, CV).

I have little to complain about with any of the three. The stockman has a bit of a gap between one liner and the spring, and the spey and sheepsfoot blades rub a little. Neither of those small defects detract from my enjoyment of the knife. My understanding, as a noob, is that with stockmans, blade rub is almost expected, and you're pleasantly surprised when there isn't any.

The swayback jack is the best of the three, even though both blades are a hair off center (no rub). Otherwise it's perfect (except for a tiny ding from dropping it... grrr...). I've read that the Tony Bose affiliation may have spurred Case to pay a little more attention to detail with this model. Whether or not that's true, it's a really nice knife with beautiful snap and a solid half-stop.

My Sodbuster Jr. also has the little gap between the pile-side liner and spring. Again, the blade is a bit off center with no rub. Aside from that, it's put together quite well.

So overall I'm very pleased with my Case knives. I'd buy more and probably will eventually.
 
I have several Case knives that have no issues at all, but after a recent trip to a couple of knife shops to look at Case, I've decided I won't buy another one for a while unless I can personally inspect it. I've walked out of three shops in the past year without buying because of irregular covers, off-set or wobbly blades, dings and scratches, bad jigging, and horrible dye jobs on every knife I was interested in. Don't get me wrong. I'm a Case fan, but I can't justify paying those prices for a knife I'm just very happy with. My Rough Riders may not be as highly polished, but not a one of them has had the problems I've seen recently in Case.

I have bought a couple of Case knives this year from the local big box bass store that were near perfect. But with the volume of irregularities I've seen over the last few years, I just won't buy without inspecting first.
 
I only have 5 Case knives. Three were new that I bought. The other two are old that were left to me or gifted to me.

Of the 5, the only one I have with any issues at all is one of my old ones, a peanut that the main blade sits high in the handle when closed causing the tip to be exposed above the scale. I don't know if the knife came to my Great Uncle this way or it developed this flaw at some point.

Anyway, I do inspect my knives upon purchase and have not ordered any Case knives online, so I was able to pick ones that were perfect for me.
Having said that, the only knives I expect to be flawless are customs or production knives I pay over a hundred bucks for. Everything else I can live with their little flaws here and there. Of course, I can't tolerate blade play on any level on a brand new out of box knife. I just can't. Blade play goes against my philosophy that to be a a true folding knife the blade has to be stationary. Otherwise it's a one bladed scissor. Lol

I do have a few other knives where the back springs aren't flush with the scales, but those knives were designed that way.
 
MadTrapper said:
I like Case knives. I've got a few dozen and have found them to be an affordable knife of sufficient quality for my needs. I like their steel, their functionality, and of course their classic looks. I also feel strongly about only buying knives made in the U.S.A.

Ya I like GEC but I can't afford GEC, at least not in any quantity. Quite frankly I'm getting a little tired of GEC and all their SFO's and trying to find one only to watch the prices go crazy as everyone scrambles to get one, or to get several so as to put them on the Internet auction site. At least with Case I don't seem to have that problem. Also, because I prefer certain patterns, with Case I'm able to collect more to my tastes than with GEC, which comes out with various patterns in a few handle choices and then moves on to another pattern, perhaps never repeating the pattern I happen to be interested in.

I'm quite happy with Case knives. I've only ever had one problem and that was with a shield that fell out. Other than that, I've never had a problem, and I buy most of my knives via the Internet.

Just my two cents...
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The way GEC and Case make knives is pretty different. Case generally runs large numbers of a few patterns and GEC puts out something different each week in small batches. IMO, I think it's great they are so different.
 
gonebad395 said:






So I bought this large sod buster today and I'm not happy with it at all. The blade is seriously off center, one scale is almost double the size of the other kinda sick to my stomach over it. What can I do about this should I contact case and tell them how disappointed I am or am I just being too picky what do you guys think.


-Keith
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I didn't really see anything wrong with the pictures until I read your explanation. As long as it is functional and comforatble int the hand, it's a $30 knife...

Return it to who you bought it from if you don't like it.
 
Yes, well those scales certainly don't look almost twice the size of each other...Sodbusters are comfortable because they have thick scales. Nor does the pic show it seriously off centre, but I must take your word for it, you are the owner. As brownshoe says, return it for a refund.
 
as stated its a 30 dollar work knife so i put my ocd to the side and used the crap out of it last night getting our second indoor garden set up worked perfect
 
I only have 5 Case knives. 2 Copperlocks, 2 Russlocks and a Seahorse. All 5 where bought new on the internet.

The Seahorse I bought in 2010 is good. The 2015 Copperlocks F&F is very good and they both lock up very solidly.
Earlier this week I got 2, 2015 Ruslock SFO's. One has a nice centered blade but with a wobble. The other one is not centered. Its danger close to blade rub against the liner. Both have gaps at the spring and liner. These 2 are going to Case for repair hopefully.

Two weeks ago I got a 2000 Russlock (never used) off the Bay with blade play. I sent it back. I think I'm done with Case.
I have more luck with RR and GEC.
 
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