Surprised by Quality

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Apr 23, 2000
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This may sound a little off, but this last week I've been surprised by one of my knives that I pulled out of the "safe queen" lineup. It is a Case recent production (2003) 6.5383 Bonestag Whittler. I've been carrying it around for about a week, using it, fondling it (only knifeknuts understand) and looking at it.

This knife is really put together well. Everything is right where it supposed to be. Excellent tolerances between the bolsters and scales. Excellent tolerances on the springs. Very slight rub between two blades.

Why is it Case can put together a knife that is close to perfect, looks, works and feels great in the hand; but still has a bunch of almost, not-quite, wish that wasn't like that knives that make it out.

My Case knives run the gamut from perfect to what happened here?

Anyway, I don't want to miss the point here. Kudos to Case for a really well put together knife. It's the bottom one in the photo below.

Dean

Whittler83s.jpg
 
What happens is they are fighting a battle of time vs proffit. Being a production knife with very reasonable prices for the product, they only have an X number of man hours they can put into that product before the needle starts going into the red. They try hard as they can, but without a massive price hike, there is only just so much perfection they can afford to give you.

Schrade fought that same battle and lost.

So what if there's a little rub?

Either you can pay another 50 dollars for the same knife or be a bit more forgiving. It is a production knife after all.

Having been a production machinist, I was under and felt the same frustration.
 
jackknife,

The little rub doesn't bother me. Hope I didn't come off as complaining as I really didn't mean it to sound that way. I really do like the knife.

I understand what you are saying about the economics. With increasing labor costs and increasing cost reduction pressure because of imports, I can understand the economics of time vs. quality.

I'm glad I have several that are top notch. I was trying to praise the quality of the knife and got sidetracked.

Dean
 
When a person opens a blade they push the blade sideways as it opens causing it to rub the blade beside it. It happens a lot. To see if it is rubbing close the knife and use a small piece of paper like a feeler gauge. If ot slides easily between the blades then it's not rubbing. care must be taken not to push the blade sideways when you lift the blade. Myself, I think that's overkill on a $50 knife. It's a tool.
 
When a person opens a blade they push the blade sideways as it opens causing it to rub the blade beside it. It happens a lot. To see if it is rubbing close the knife and use a small piece of paper like a feeler gauge. If it slides easily between the blades then it's not rubbing. Care must be taken not to push the blade sideways when you lift the blade. Myself, I think that's overkill on a $50 knife. It's a tool.
 
I think in some cases (pardon the pun) they simply need to set the "go/no go" line a little higher. All the knives get QC'd, they just seem to let some through that should have been held back. This is true of many makers. But yeah, it does become a matter of economics. Still have to Ship Those Units. They are a public company, after all. Nothing matters but sales numbers these days.

-- Sam
 
Great to hear about your positive experience. We usually hear about the ones people are upset with. I've been very fortuante in my Case acquisitions. I've even bought most of them from dealers on eBay without asking them to handpick one. Most of mine have also been 2005 and 2006 production, with a few more being 2003/2004. And, a few have been in the 99-2002 time frame. Older Cases are a different matter. I've found that the ones from the last few years seem to have improved as they go. Like they say, your mileage may vary.
 
Yes this has been my luck....I am so enammered by the beauty of the case yellow handle stockman that I want it perfect. Ive had to return 2 of them because of the master blade is rubbing. It sure is a beautiful knife isnt it?? Just a work of art that has tested the hands of time with its own XX.
he he
 
Case QC is very hit and miss. So is Queen, moore maker, Hen and Rooster, Buck Creek, and all the other German marks.

Case is no worse than the others.

Production slip joints are always hit and miss.
 
Case QC is very hit and miss. So is Queen, moore maker, Hen and Rooster, Buck Creek, and all the other German marks.

Case is no worse than the others.

Production slip joints are always hit and miss.

Yeah but too much hit and miss WILL lead to a customer exodus. If you sell a knife for say 30-60 dollars it should be possible to maintain quality standards,just don't let out the half finished or shoddy examples because they will be the company's un-doing.

I have just 2 Case. A stag 6.5 saddlehorn and a sodbuster, I am delighted with both of these knives and they came on excrement-bay with NO problems.

Maintain standards at all costs :thumbup:
 
I received my first Case whittler today. Mint 6308 5 dot. Nicely matched red bone scales, damn strong snap to the blades. It's my first Case and I am impressed with the workmanship that went into this little knife.

It's got one interesting defect. The tang is double stamped - looks like it got stamped twice really close together. I don't mind, I still think it's a keeper.

Anyone else have a knife with this defect?
 
Yeah but too much hit and miss WILL lead to a customer exodus. If you sell a knife for say 30-60 dollars it should be possible to maintain quality standards,just don't let out the half finished or shoddy examples because they will be the company's un-doing.

I have just 2 Case. A stag 6.5 saddlehorn and a sodbuster, I am delighted with both of these knives and they came on excrement-bay with NO problems.

Maintain standards at all costs :thumbup:

I'm not sure what you are trying to say.

All of the production brands have QC problems. Every single one of them.
 
I'm not sure what you are trying to say.

All of the production brands have QC problems. Every single one of them.

My point is, they should NOT be palmed off on the public!

Mcusta would not sell knives that are not up to scratch so why should others think they can? Same with Japanese cars for that matter:D

Recently got a Buck with finish problems on the scales = more work for me getting it up to snuff. (Mail order)

Anyway, the 2 Case I have are a credit to the company but maybe I was just lucky?
 
I'm not sure what you are trying to say.

All of the production brands have QC problems. Every single one of them.
That's what I said earlier: They need to raise the bar higher. (The "go/no go" QC bar, that is.)

But these days the bean counters/MBAs run everything, and the only concern is shipping units and making sales. Customer satisfaction be damned.

-- Sam
 
I can't help but wonder just why it is that QC isn't a bit better than it is. There is really no good excuse except poor management. Considering the relatively low production volume, there seems no reason why there can't be a much higher production standard and still hold costs down. Looking back 80 years, Remington was at its peak making some 700 different patterns and 10,000 units a day. The quality of those knives was always top notch, and they are still as good as or better than any made today. That was in an era of fairly primitive early machine technology, some of it dating from the 19th century. Why is it in an age of computer controlled design and production thats supposed to give a better end product with less production costs, someone can't make a few hundred or a thousand knives a day and still keep the rejects out of the hands of the end user?
 
I agree with what the last 2 posters say.Bean counters and short termists have pulled things down a lot.As for the rewards of superior modern technology in manufacturing,the bean counter will whisper "Those shiny new machines cost so much,doesn't matter if you let crap slip through because most people won't complain! Keep the profits up!" Yes, but the wily customer doesn't get caught twice.
 
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