Why does Case get a pass on "surgical steel?"

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22-rimfire said:
On the value department, I would put up my Vic Small Tinker against any Spyderco. Case knives generally cost more. I tend to buy GEC stuff now over Case, but I did buy a Case slip joint last weekend at a knife show. Oh... bought a GEC two blade #14 as well.....
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You added a 3rd category halfway through the discussion. We were talking about relative value between case and spyderco. Hell, my edc knife right now is my cheap r2d2. But that doesn't have anything to do with it. For the price, the spyderco will have superior materials. And that's all that needs to be said. Not, "hey I prefer slip joints, so screw spyderco. Someones preference for inferior materials in no way makes those materials better than the superior materials.
 
22-rimfire said:
As Jill said, it is an apples and oranges comparison. I don't really consider most modern knives superior to a good slip joint. They're just different.

The Trapper pattern is very popular by the way and probably the biggest seller. Boker makes a modern knife that they call the "Urban Trapper" and I own one.
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Well how about this? Can you compare the steel on each of the thier blades? Do you like 420 NC better, or vg10? Actually lets not get into your PREFERENCE. Which is the better steel, period?
 
It boils down to some folks like modern knives and some like traditional knives. I like both myself and I like to use both. Again, it's apples and oranges, peas and carrots discussion on the value merits. I think Rough Ryder makes a pretty good slip joint knife overall and they use 440A. Cost is generally sub $20 and they are made in China for SMKW.
 
John L Smith said:
Oh bull. You can decide which one is a better value based solely on the materials if nothing else. I can compare vg10 to 420 hc. You want to see which is the better value, if they are both the same price?
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I believe what people are trying to tell you is that materials are only one factor that determines value. Some people will pay more for craftsmanship. You dismiss this as "you want a pretty knife in shitty steel" as if the only thing that matters is the steel hardness. You are posting on a knife enthusiast forum, man. Stop trying to tell everyone that apples are better than oranges.

John L Smith said:
Why not? Just don't tell me the case is as good a knife in terms of materials. That's all I ask.
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Wood and bone are better materials than FRN plastic.
 
John L Smith said:
So you want me to trade a modern knife with modern ergonomics and a superior blade and modern blade geometry and a lock for a TRAPPER? Because it's a TRAPPER? Are you even being serious? Spyderco doesn't make a trapper, and for good reason.
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Nope, not what I want you to do at all. I want you buy a TRAPPER made by Spyderco out of VG-10 steel so we can compare cutting cardboard on even ground, pattern for pattern, grind for grind. Then we can find out who makes the better trapper.

If I wanted a modern one handed opening lockback with decent steel I'd pick up an Endura (and have one). If I wanted a trapper pattern knife with jigged orange synthetic scales, I'll buy a Case. They are both knives, they both cut things, but the Spyderco is a TERRIBLE trapper pattern knife (because it is 100% not a trapper pattern). So if I want a trapper pattern knife, I guess I won't be buying a Spyderco.

How about this, since that wasn't a fair comparison. I'll take my low end Shun Sora (VG-10 cutting edge) and place it head to head with your VG-10 Delica to prep 20 lbs of carrots, 20 lbs of celery, 20 lbs of green bell pepper, 10 lbs of andouille sausage, and 5lbs of shrimp. I guarantee I'll finish first. Equal steel and everything, the kitchen knife is (not surprisingly) better at kitchen stuff. Does that make it the 'better knife', only in that circumstance.

So, in comparing your Delica to my trapper, can you say your Delica is the 'better knife'? A better knife for what? Nope it's not better, it's a different knife. So going off all half cocked about how you can buy a Delica for the same price as some Case knives, and the Delica is obviously the better knife because it has a different steel and a lock is not only non-sequitur, it's absurd.
 
What I like about Case is their experience and dependability as well as their style. I like their CV best but enjoy the stainless too. It’s not a super steel, but works well, and I use it hard. They’ve been at this awhile, and know how to make a good product. Some others can’t say that about their track record, and that’s where to worry about stuff like this.
 
jstrange said:
I never said that you did. I simply said they do cut and you should try one and see if you like it.
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That's fine, and perfectly reasonable. But when people tell me a 420 hc knife that is the same price as a vg10, is of comparable value, i balk at that.
 
John L Smith said:
Oh bull. You can decide which one is a better value based solely on the materials if nothing else. I can compare vg10 to 420 hc. You want to see which is the better value, if they are both the same price?
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A Case Seahorse whittler has 3 blades. One main thick pointed blade and two very thin blades. It costs 50 dollars, compared to the Spyderco's 65. It depends on the purchaser and what they want to do as to perceived value. You can't impose your values on another.
 
I have a G10 mini trapper in stainless and its a great knife. Easy to sharpen and stays sharp. One of the best F&F case knives I've owned.
 
John L Smith said:
Why not? Just don't tell me the case is as good a knife in terms of materials. That's all I ask.
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Everything depends on how well it cuts. Case slip joints cut very well as do Victorinox and GEC slip joints. It primarily has to do with blade thickness. I don't see Spyderco making any multiple blade knives; some people like multiple blades in a single knife.
 
John L Smith said:
I simply said for the price a 65 dollar delica is superior to a case knife in all ways, except maybe looks of the handle.
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Unless the job to be done requires, say, a spey blade. Then that Delica is decidedly inferior to any number of Case knives in the same price range.
 
Primitivepete said:
What I like about Case is their experience and dependability as well as their style. I like their CV best but enjoy the stainless too. It’s not a super steel, but works well, and I use it hard. They’ve been at this awhile, and know how to make a good product. Some others can’t say that about their track record, and that’s where to worry about stuff like this.
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That's a good point. But I dont know anyone who couldnt say the same about the spyderco. And with the added bonus you don't have to sharpen it every time you use it. That is an improvement over the case. Period. And that's why I say case should cost less than it does.
 
John L Smith said:
That's fine, and perfectly reasonable. But when people tell me a 420 hc knife that is the same price as a vg10, is of comparable value, i balk at that.
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They actually make a couple models with 154CM and some kind of fancy Damascus, but those are substantialy more money.
 
22-rimfire said:
Everything depends on how well it cuts. Case slip joints cut very well as do Victorinox and GEC slip joints. It primarily has to do with blade thickness.
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Have you used the delica? You think the case is superior in terms of blade geometry? Dont know about THAT.
 
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