Review There's something strange with case steels (new models)

J

Jake Dawson

Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
30
This is a review of the mini trapper, blue Barlow and jig bone stockman .
I've been making posts online about this exact issue but people mostly acknowledge the blade play.

Let me explain: their SS steel is not sharpening well. For starters iv sharpened all kind of steels all the way up to s35vn and i never had this issue.
It simply won't get sharp.
I use everything, ceramic rod, strop stones and just.. NOTHING . I mean seriously.. what are they doing over there? If there's anyone from. Case listening this is the ONE qc thing you shouldn't ignore, all knives have to be functional. This is a serious violation of your brand reputation
 
Is it only one section of the blade, or the entire length? Both sides the same?
 
There's a thread in Knife Review and Testing where a couple of our newer members could probably do a hardness test on the knife if you weren't planning on sending it back to Case. They're looking for more knives to test. Have a look.
 
Jake Dawson said:
This is a review of the mini trapper, blue Barlow and jig bone stockman .
I've been making posts online about this exact issue but people mostly acknowledge the blade play.

Let me explain: their SS steel is not sharpening well. For starters iv sharpened all kind of steels all the way up to s35vn and i never had this issue.
It simply won't get sharp.
I use everything, ceramic rod, strop stones and just.. NOTHING . I mean seriously.. what are they doing over there? If there's anyone from. Case listening this is the ONE qc thing you shouldn't ignore, all knives have to be functional. This is a serious violation of your brand reputation
Click to expand...

So, which blade steel are we talking?

Case typically runs Tru-Sharp (420HC) at about 55-56 HRC. It has a definite tendency to develop a wire edge due to being softer. I find that stropping on my pants after sharpening to bend the wire edge is effective at removing it. Once you do that they sharpen up OK. Case has traditionally run their CV harder than Tru-Sharp and it has less of a wire edge issue.

I have one of the new Case S35VN Sodbusters, and it is crisp on the diamonds when sharpening. Sharpens with no issues.
I also have a Case stockman in 20CV. It also sharpens well.
 
knarfeng said:
So, which blade steel are we talking?

Case typically runs Tru-Sharp (420HC) at about 55-56 HRC. It has a definite tendency to develop a wire edge due to being softer. I find that stropping on my pants after sharpening to bend the wire edge is effective at removing it. Once you do that they sharpen up OK. Case has traditionally run their CV harder than Tru-Sharp and it has less of a wire edge issue.

I have one of the new Case S35VN Sodbusters, and it is crisp on the diamonds when sharpening. Sharpens with no issues.
I also have a Case stockman in 20CV. It also sharpens well.
Click to expand...
O i don't mean its fully dull, it tears the papers up. For me it's considered dull.
 
knarfeng said:
So, which blade steel are we talking?

Case typically runs Tru-Sharp (420HC) at about 55-56 HRC. It has a definite tendency to develop a wire edge due to being softer. I find that stropping on my pants after sharpening to bend the wire edge is effective at removing it. Once you do that they sharpen up OK. Case has traditionally run their CV harder than Tru-Sharp and it has less of a wire edge issue.

I have one of the new Case S35VN Sodbusters, and it is crisp on the diamonds when sharpening. Sharpens with no issues.
I also have a Case stockman in 20CV. It also sharpens well.
Click to expand...
There's no wire edge its a myth.
The wire edge people are referring to is coming from the belt grinder at the factory.
2 days ago i sharpened a civivi with 14c28n . It only took me 250-1000 grit and some stripping. Took the hair shaving test and i got cut twice
The 3 case blades i sharpened couldn't even tear paper, let alone slice it.
It's a world of difference
 
Jake Dawson said:
There's no wire edge its a myth.
The wire edge people are referring to is coming from the belt grinder at the factory.
2 days ago i sharpened a civivi with 14c28n . It only took me 250-1000 grit and some stripping. Took the hair shaving test and i got cut twice
The 3 case blades i sharpened couldn't even tear paper, let alone slice it.
It's a world of difference
Click to expand...
ummm...no. A wire edge can develop during manual sharpening. It's common with lower hardness stainless steels. From the unofficial numbers I've seen, Civivi runs their 14C28N considerably harder than Case runs Tru-Sharp.

Not sure what's up with your Case knives. I've had no problem sharpening mine.

SharpBits said:
I’d try a courser stone for softer steels, if you haven’t already. Otherwise, contact Case customer support and they should have you send it in so they can check the blade.
Click to expand...
I think I'd follow the suggestion of SharpBits.
 
Wait, Case is using higher end steels like 20CV and S35Vn in traditional knives?? What rock have I been sleeping under...time to go shopping!
 
Taz said:
Wait, Case is using higher end steels like 20CV and S35Vn in traditional knives?? What rock have I been sleeping under...time to go shopping!
Click to expand...

I have a 20CV 6318 stockman. They also made the 6254 trapper with 20CV. Good luck finding one. The S35VN 6318 stockman shows up on the exchange once in a while.
The S35VN Barlow and Sodbuster Jr are in stock at a number of retailers. Look for Case Crossroads.
 
knarfeng said:
Case typically runs Tru-Sharp (420HC) at about 55-56 HRC. It has a definite tendency to develop a wire edge due to being softer.
Click to expand...
I run our sharpening service at work. We sell Case knives and a few times lately I've had to get rid of the wire edges on new Case knives one of our customers just bought. Once I get rid of the wire edge and touch them up they have all taken a good edge.

That said, I'm told it can be difficult to tell by looking whether a stainless blade has been through heat treat or not, because I have gotten stainless knives from makers in the past that were soft and obviously not heat treated or at least not done properly at any rate.
 
lambertiana said:
I have a 20CV 6318 stockman. They also made the 6254 trapper with 20CV. Good luck finding one. The S35VN 6318 stockman shows up on the exchange once in a while.
The S35VN Barlow and Sodbuster Jr are in stock at a number of retailers. Look for Case Crossroads.
Click to expand...
We've sold Highbanks and Longhouses in 20CV where I work as well
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top