wondering about a Case

[Rsmith_77]

So many of you have seen this pic from a few weeks ago, its my amber bone case mini-trapper (in stainless)

its very pretty, fit and finish are perfect (which isnt always the case with errr Case ) Its about the perfect size, and i love having the two blades.
The problem is this.

1) Is case's stainless good steel? I mean for a working knive/edc or is it too soft, i've heard alot of folks say they prefer bucks 420hc over cases tru-sharp. But i havent actually put Case tru-sharp to work to see. If the blades were CV i wouldnt have any worry.
2) Alot of folks around here (not necessarily knife knuts, just folks who work and carry a knife for work) say cases dont make good working knives anymore (specifically the true-sharps) that you buy a case and put it somewhere to look at.

so for the last few days i have considered returning it, i've kept the box and the receipt and i have stropped but not sharpened it yet. Perhaps use the money for something else. But I wanted to ask around. What are YOUR experiences with case's SS blades in real working conditions. I know it will open boxes, cut string, use for food, but is that all that i should ask from a knife like this? Or am i underestimating it?

 

[Railsplitter]

That's a nice knife. I say try it out for a few days and form your own opinion. Depending on your intended uses, you might find that you are overthinking things a bit. Besides, you owe it to yourself as a knife enthusiast to try out Case's stainless. Especially since you already have the knife. I wouldn't sell it or return it unless you just don't like the knife. You will never really know until you try it yourself. Just look at it as a great opportunity to try something new.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

1) Is case's stainless good steel? I mean for a working knive/edc or is it too soft, i've heard alot of folks say they prefer bucks 420hc over cases tru-sharp. But i havent actually put Case tru-sharp to work to see. If the blades were CV i wouldnt have any worry.
2) Alot of folks around here (not necessarily knife knuts, just folks who work and carry a knife for work) say cases dont make good working knives anymore (specifically the true-sharps) that you buy a case and put it somewhere to look at.

Case's Tru-Sharp steel is fine. Quite good, in fact. The comments about it being 'too soft' to be of any use are misleading and uninformed. Case has made & sold millions upon millions of Tru-Sharp blades for decades. I guarantee the vast majority of them got used, and used hard (not put up for display). I have a bunch of them, and use them all. Tru-sharp (and 420HC in general) has a tendency to form wire edges when sharpened. If those wires aren't properly cleaned up and removed, they can roll over (as happens with any wire edge on any steel). This gives the impression the steel dulls quickly. But, if the wire edges are cleaned up carefully, the steel left behind holds up better than the 'low' RC numbers might imply. The implication that Case doesn't make good working knives is flatly false. There's way, way too much evidence to the contrary. Case hasn't survived this long by selling junk to uninformed customers.

There's nothing wrong in preferring one steel, like CV or Buck's 420HC, which is very good, over another. But all-too-often, some people seem to fall into the fallacy of 'I like this particular steel/brand/etc., therefore everything else is lousy'. Don't fall for it.

 

[Kbrasmodeler]

I have a full size trapper in CV, and it is a workhorse. I don't have experience with Tru Sharp or mini-trappers, but Case has been good to me so far. Incidentally, Tru Sharp is 420HC according to some sources. It is tempered a little softer than Buck's, so that it is easier to sharpen, but many here seem to love it. I say use it and enjoy. You are unlikely to hurt a knife by using it to cut things, as long as you are not cutting cinder blocks. Cardboard, string, food, letters, packages, even wood/whittling should be no match for that knife.

 

[Rsmith_77]

just for clarification, for "work knife"

i mean cutting lots of cardboard, pallet ties, plastic and Seran wrap (however you spell that) pretty much whatever else in the warehouse + all the normal edc uses, food, opening letters, string, more cardboard etc etc.

they work hard, but i DONT use them for prying or trying to cut cinder blocks

 

[markpmc]

Nothing wrong w/ tru sharp blades from case at all. My tru sharp stockman gets wicked sharp and holds the edge just fine. I do concentrate on using fine stones on my tru sharp blades, seems to lessen the chance of rolling an edge for me. Assuming that you're not battoning through firewood with your trapper, it'll cut just fine.

 

[Rsmith_77]

The implication that Case doesn't make good working knives is flatly false. There's way, way too much evidence to the contrary. Case hasn't survived this long by selling junk to uninformed customers.

heh the man at the Ace Hardware store where i bought this knife, literally told me if i need something for "work" to get one of the frost brand knives, they are workers, the case knives are just for looking at these days....

not saying he is right, just saying

 

[billym]

Case SS is perfectly good knife steel. Use it!

 

[jwh]

I think the True Sharp blade would work for you. I also feel if you have stropped, sharpened, carried or otherwise did anything other than gently look at the knife it should not be returned. When a person buys a new knife it should arrive new, not messed with by someone wanting a free look at the knife. That's just my opinion. Was the ACE store north east of Brookhaven? I am in a western state but order some knives from a store by a relative in Bogue Chitto (spelling).


jwh

 

[popedandy]

You shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet. Case TruSharp is just fine - I have it on several knives. IIRC it is 420HC. And Case makes good knives. They don't make sharpened prybars, but they do make knives that slice well. The quality of all my Case knives is just fine. If I were you and I bought the knife because I like it, I'd at least use it for a while to see how I liked it.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

heh the man at the Ace Hardware store where i bought this knife, literally told me if i need something for "work" to get one of the frost brand knives, they are workers, the case knives are just for looking at these days....

not saying he is right, just saying

Might be a distinction between what he calls a 'worker', and what I would view as 'disposable'. In that sense, any cheap knife could be used and abused to a very quick demise, for any dirty job, without worries about the 'pretty ones' getting all scuffed up. If scuffs are the worry, that's what a Case Sod Buster was tailor-made for (in Tru-Sharp or CV). And it'll keep right on working.

BTW, if my previous reply seemed a little harsh, it wasn't directed at you. More-so, at the guys recommending cheap knives as more 'usable' over the quality brands we know and like around here.

 

[jwh]

I think you can safely say this guy at the store should not be allowed to reproduce. Today's gene pool has no room for that kind of stupidity.
LOL

jwh

 

[Rsmith_77]

QUOTE=jwh;10679360]I think the True Sharp blade would work for you. I also feel if you have stropped, sharpened, carried or otherwise did anything other than gently look at the knife it should not be returned. When a person buys a new knife it should arrive new, not messed with by someone wanting a free look at the knife. That's just my opinion. Was the ACE store north east of Brookhaven? I am in a western state but order some knives from a store by a relative in Bogue Chitto (spelling).


jwh[/QUOTE]

hehe feel pretty strongly about returning a knife dont ya?
no, i wasnt offended or anything

and no, it was here in jackson, although i have been the the ace hardware in brookhaven (pretty nice, lots of new shrades, got excited until i realized they were NEW and not OLD shrade/uncle henry's)

Case SS is perfectly good knife steel. Use it!

Nothing wrong w/ tru sharp blades from case at all. My tru sharp stockman gets wicked sharp and holds the edge just fine. I do concentrate on using fine stones on my tru sharp blades, seems to lessen the chance of rolling an edge for me. Assuming that you're not battoning through firewood with your trapper, it'll cut just fine.

You shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet. Case TruSharp is just fine - I have it on several knives. IIRC it is 420HC. And Case makes good knives. They don't make sharpened prybars, but they do make knives that slice well. The quality of all my Case knives is just fine. If I were you and I bought the knife because I like it, I'd at least use it for a while to see how I liked it.

Believe it or not, thats what i wanted to hear

 

[jwh]

jwh[/QUOTE]

hehe feel pretty strongly about returning a knife dont ya?
no, i wasnt offended or anything

and no, it was here in jackson, although i have been the the ace hardware in brookhaven (pretty nice, lots of new shrades, got excited until i realized they were NEW and not OLD shrade/uncle henry's)

I feel strongly about returning an item that is not new (having been stropped) and has nothing wrong with it (blade steel one decided he may or may not like). The real problem is that so darned many people buy something just to check it out knowing they can easily return it. If I were in your shoes the only options would be to keep the knife or put it up on the boards for just what it is , a like new, slightly used knife. This is not aimed at you in particular, it's the buying public in general and it's fueled by internet sales/returns policies that are too leniant. If there is a problem I think returns are appropriate.

The town of Wesson is worth a stop if your in the area.

Please don't be offended by one old farts thoughts.

jwh

 

[yablanowitz]

I've used a lot of Tru-Sharp and a lot of CV over the years, and I honestly don't see much difference in performance between them. I see more variation between individual knives of either steel than between the differing steels. For the uses you describe (which for me would be light to medium duty) the Tru-Sharp should be just fine.

 

[Rsmith_77]

thanks for your imput...

and what would you consider to be hard duty for a pocket knife? Just out of curiosity

 

[Django.cj]

Case's Tru-sharp is perfectly good steel. It takes one of the best edges out of all my knife steels. Buck's steel may be a little harder, but really there's not a thing wrong with the Case steel.

 

[brandonc]

I would return it and order the same one in CV. Stainless is OK but CV is better.

 

[Rsmith_77]

i have the case mini-trapper in CV
remember when i said hit or miss...

gaps, blade wobble, wayy off centered blades
and whats worse, when i tried to tape the bolters to tighten up...well i must have tapped to hard cause the blades got real hard to open and close
i am honestly thinking of calling Case and sending it back, wondering if i voided the warranty or not and if so how much its gonna cost me

 

[jwh]

i have the case mini-trapper in CV
remember when i said hit or miss...

gaps, blade wobble, wayy off centered blades
and whats worse, when i tried to tape the bolters to tighten up...well i must have tapped to hard cause the blades got real hard to open and close
i am honestly thinking of calling Case and sending it back, wondering if i voided the warranty or not and if so how much its gonna cost me

This sounds like one that needs to be returned.

jwh