What does Case need to do to survive?

[knarfeng]

I couldn't agree more with this comment! Recently, I received the latest catalog from [a case Dealer] and it was shocking how many differently themed scales/runs there were. :barf:

IMO, that would be Case trying to appeal to folks who are interested in those themes, rather than interested in pocket knives in and of themselves. They are reaching for customers outside the realm of pocket knife collectors.

As an example, I used to know a fella who collected Coca-Cola memorabilia. He would buy anything he found with that theme. That would have included a pocket knife.

As P and Fausto said, a lot of these posts are looking at Case from the perspective of knife knuts, instead of as business folks who understand the niche Case and Zippo have carved out for themselves.

 

[richstag]

Fausto,

I agree with you. That's why I always try to project my opinion as just that...one man's opinion. Fairly inconsequential in the grand scheme, especially in regards to a company as large as Case.

Kevin

 

[Modoc ED]

As I stated earlier, I made a broad statement that Case is fine just as they are. Take a look at [that Case dealer] catalog that "67nick" refered to. It has everything all of you guys have been asking for - Special steels, limited editions, custom everything you can think of. It's phenominal (sp?). They don't need a custom shop - they've already got one.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

As I stated earlier, I made a broad statement that Case is fine just as they are. Take a look at the Shepherd Hills catalog that "67nick" refered to. It has everything all of you guys have been asking for - Special steels, limited editions, custom everything you can think of. It's phenominal (sp?). They don't need a custom shop - they've already got one.

That's a very good point. So many of the SFOs (Special Factory Orders) Case produces for [famous Case Dealer] and [other famous Case dealer] have already done, to some extent anyway, what a 'custom shop' might otherwise do for another company.

 

[TheGent]

I love Case, but one thing I think they should do is hire a guy to match bone scales so we don't get one dark red scale and one half dyed, pink scale on the other side. That is kind of disappointing when you order a knife online and for some reason it happened to me all the time. I don't buy a Case knives in bone unless I can see it first hand. I will order delrin, g-10 and stag though. Never had this problem with any other company. I know Case has good prices for their knives, but I still want my scales to match or be somewhat close in color. Some people tell me that it's just a pet peeve, but I disagree. It's about putting out quality work based on a diehard work ethic. That is what it is supposed to mean to make something in the USA. When I make furniture for someone, I make sure the stain matches on the whole piece. I shouldn't have to buy the knife, have it shipped, then have to go to the hobby store to buy dye. They should also get someone on the belt sander to sharpen the knives that has a steady hand. I work hard for my money and when I buy a knife branded "USA", I expect quality to be there in every respect. There quality control is getting better. In the last two years I have seen less of what I have mentioned and believe me I keep up. We have two master dealers and a platinum dealer with fifteen miles from me, not to mention the other four hardware stores with small dealer displays.

 

[Peter Parker]

I'm a bigger fan of Case now more then ever, and I think they do a great job of appealing to the collector and user a like. I mean like look at the sowbelley pattern, now offered in nicer materials then ever! I never thought they would make a delrin Sowbelley, and offer it in SS & CV. I think they're really kicking butt right now, and hope they keep on with what they're doing!

 

[whetrock]

IMHO Case needs to stick to tight quality control and not worry about the price. Real knife enthusiast and users will pay for the Case name if it is on a quality product. All in all I'd say they're fairing pretty well given these strange economic times. But still quality is very easy to loose and hard to gain back when it comes to anything in mass production. But then again Case may want to cater exclusively to the collector or lower end knife market. It's their company they can pick their customer base and I don't have to be a part of it.

 

[mnblade]

They don't need a custom shop - they've already got one.

Can you get a Johnny Cash knife with CV blades? What about an amber bone peanut with CV blades? What about a 32087 pen knife with bone handles instead of yella? What about an Eisenhower without the autograph on the blade? Any Barnboard Series Ocean Blue knife with CV blades?

IMHO Case needs to stick to tight quality control and not worry about the price. Real knife enthusiast and users will pay for the Case name if it is on a quality product.

There's a lot of truth to this. I think what Case does is pretty much fine. It's the how they need to work on. Drastically cutting down on the number of clunkers that get out the door would go a long long way toward bolstering Case's rep with both users and collectors.

-- Mark

 

[Modoc ED]

I love Case, but one thing I think they should do is hire a guy to match bone scales so we don't get one dark red scale and one half dyed, pink scale on the other side. That is kind of disappointing when you order a knife online and for some reason it happened to me all the time. I don't buy a Case knives in bone unless I can see it first hand. I will order delrin, g-10 and stag though. Never had this problem with any other company. I know Case has good prices for their knives, but I still want my scales to match or be somewhat close in color. Some people tell me that it's just a pet peeve, but I disagree. It's about putting out quality work based on a diehard work ethic. That is what it is supposed to mean to make something in the USA. When I make furniture for someone, I make sure the stain matches on the whole piece. I shouldn't have to buy the knife, have it shipped, then have to go to the hobby store to buy dye. They should also get someone on the belt sander to sharpen the knives that has a steady hand. I work hard for my money and when I buy a knife branded "USA", I expect quality to be there in every respect. There quality control is getting better. In the last two years I have seen less of what I have mentioned and believe me I keep up. We have two master dealers and a platinum dealer with fifteen miles from me, not to mention the other four hardware stores with small dealer displays.

Until very recently, Case never sold their bone covered knives with a color specified for the bone. It's not an indication of quality - maybe asthetics but not quality. Were a knife to be covered exactly the same, it would not perform any better than one with mis-matched covers.

I understand your point perfectly and I can understand why some don't care for mis-matched covers. However, if I'm buying a Case knife from say the 1940 through 1964 era and I have two knives of the same pattern in front of me that are exactly the same in all respects except that the covers are mis-matched on one and exactly matched on the other, I will buy the mis-matched one.

Oh, and before I leave, I'd also buy the matched one too but mis-matched first.

 

[supratentorial]

I like Case's yeller delrin, antique jigged bone and ebony. They should only make knives with these handle materials... Oh... And they should only make the Tony Bose patterns... And I want to pay less than $50.

 

[Modoc ED]

Can you get a Johnny Cash knife with CV blades? What about an amber bone peanut with CV blades? What about a 32087 pen knife with bone handles instead of yella? What about an Eisenhower without the autograph on the blade? Any Barnboard Series Ocean Blue knife with CV blades?

You might have to go to the collector market or the bay but you can get an Eisenhower without the autograph on the blade all day and all night long and for a very reasonable price.

As for the rest of it, no commercial manufacture with a custom shop to my knowledge can/will give you everything you might want. It's unrealistic to expect it.

If you ever get a chance to get a copy of a Cae Catalog with everything they offer I think you'd be surprised at what you can get and that's not even including all the SFO options that are on the market.

 

[Stray Round]

To me Case success boils down to QC or the lack of it. I'm a user and not a collector and think that Case is catering to those who put them on the wall and don' care about user fit or finish.

I have a Case large stockman that was bought in 1970 and it grew up with me on the farm. Although the blades lack any resemblence to how they were new it still has great walk and talk and if I decided to put it back in use it would keep working until I die.

That to me is what Case and its name should mean.

 

[zippofan]

As a long time Zippo collector, I honestly don't know about them anymore. When smoking began to decline, they wisely targeted the collector market with limited editions, special runs, sets (State Quarters anyone, yep, got 'em all) and anything else designed specifically for the collector market. They've since pretty much given up on that market, got rid of the collector's club and associated limited editions, and have chosen instead to appeal to the casual buyer of something "hip", most likely not a repeat customer.

I understand the focus on the butane lighters because those who still use a nice lighter (cigar smokers) don't usually care for the distinctive smell of naptha and the taste imparted to an expensive smoke. The candle lighters are unfortunately junk, I have a few and have had trouble with them all, including their 'heavy duty' outdoor version. I stopped actively collecting new Zippos and only look for my "grail" pieces anymore (Zildjian Cymbals/musical instrument advertisers, RCA Victor, Reddy Kilowatt, vintage railroads, Japanese editions and of course Disney) that aren't priced in the stratosphere.

Even National Zippo Day is now a bi-annual event

Anyway, back to Case. If they continue to make knives like the one I received today, a Case Select Barlow in snakewood, they'll always have a customer in me. Fit and finish is just about perfect, no gaps, blades perfectly centered, pull is a nice even 6 on both the clip and pen with half stops, swedged, long pull on the clip, sharp out of the tin and good figure in the snakewood. It was not inexpensive, priced about the same as a snakewood White Owl I was considering until Barlow month started. But with FnF like that I don't mind paying the premium to get a great knife.

I can't wait to get my Tested Red Barnboard Barlow in ATS-34 and I will continue to look for the Case Select models.

 

[jstloui2]

Im not sure if they really need to do anything different to survive. I just bought a blue bond mini copper lock and am thinking about getting a regular size one as well. Haha they have my money