When I lived in Kentucky, there was quite a few places that sold nothing but Case knives.

One store was owned by two brothers, and neither one of them hunted.

So am I missing some kind of Americana lesson here, what the hell is the point.

I have handled a few and they seemed kind of like Zippo lighters, a half ass attempt and marketing the same piece of crap in a different box.

What is the story?

Now a days with them it is more of marketing and collecting. More people collect factory knives such as case than any other knives.

People collect all sorts of things. If you have more than two of anything you are a collector of said item even if you do not admit it be it guns, knives etc. I have a client that collects land mines, one that collects military tanks, or coffee cups etc.

That being said, as far as knives and performance it is kinda like fishing lures, they catch more fishermen than fish.
www.jerryfisk.com
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I kind of like the Case Bulldog for carrying around. A bit big, but sharpens and cuts well.

I have two Case knives. The folder is over 55 years old, and the fixed blade is 50 years old. Both good knives, but not my "go to" knives. They are mainly of sentimental value to me.

Long time ago; Case was the standard. Now; so-so knives in a hundred colors.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:


I have handled a few and they seemed kind of like Zippo lighters, a half ass attempt and marketing the same piece of crap in a different box.

What is the story?

BWW,


Know the difference between a hippo and a Zippo,

one is really heavy, the other is a little lighter...............................



I kinda like Zippos,



make great props













one can even light a stogie with em'






By the way,





ever seen a $1,300 Zippo??


JAPPFT,


GWB

I'm a Case Copperlock collector, yes they all work the same way.

lockback,
two bolsters,
different color scales,
SS blade
carbon steel blade,
wharncliff or clip point.
hi polish or satin

To each his own I guess. I like knives, I have a lot of them. The most expensive knives I have right now are ones made by Anza out of blade files.

I had a full-custom Blade Magazine Roger Bergh for a number of years and never used it. I paid $600, and sold it for $1300.

I need more using knives like what the Menafees and such.

FWIW, Case is not necessarily Case, if you know what I mean. I have a "set" (all three of the set but different years) of the old Shark series, and I would submit you will go a long time before you find a better knife for the price than the old Shark Tooth. The Mako and Hammerhead not so much, but that Shark Tooth is quite a piece of cutlery. Still BNIB, as are all of them, and they are going to stay that way. Someone else can use them; I won't.

It's kind of like, "If you have to ask, you will never understand."

Case was the standard from about 1900 or so (as Case Bradford knives, etc.) to about 1980 when they started cutting costs and changing the recipe that had been successful for generations.

Many people, myself included, have Case pocketknives that were used for decades (or a lifetime) and passed down to sons, grandsons, etc. They are prized heirlooms, having been seen daily on fishing and hunting trips and doing routine chores all our lives in the hands of our loved ones.

I have one Case "Circle C" Whittler that my grandfather gave to my Dad at age 10, c. 1931. It's seen some heavy use, being in the hands of a kid/teen, but still takes a razor edge with only a few strokes of a good Arkansas whetstone.

The other is a Case XX red bone, half-whittler that my Dad got when he retired the first one, and carried through WW2 and into the 50's before he retired it. It also takes a razor's edge easily, and the quality of the fit/finish, blade steel and jigged bone handle, are obviously high -- lots of hand work.

A couple of years before he died, my Dad gave me a Case Barlow, red bone handles. Not a pattern I'd pick, myself, but it performs great and has tremendous sentimental value. I carry it every day.

Other older Case knives I've used and loved include a 1977 Stockman (the year I graduated high school), a 1940's/50's clone of my Dad's WW2 knife which I bought brand new out of a collection and carried daily for over 10 years, and a mid-70's large Trapper. All have performed beautifully in daily use.

Personally, I won't consider buying one made after 1979, but that's just me. They offered a ton of quality for the buck, back in the day.
The large Trapper that cost $13.50 in the local hardware store c. 1976, kept in mint condition, can easily set you back $100-125 with no gouging involved. Other patterns bring more -- some of them, much more.

If you use traditional pocketknives frequently on a daily basis, you know many brands that just sort of suck, for various reasons. Not so with older Case knives. Do not judge the quality of the Case knives that made the brand universally loved by the crappy Case knives of today. That'd be like judging the quality of a prewar Colt Woodsman or Hammerless Pocket Auto by looking at some of Colt's recent garbage guns.

Of course, there are many higher-dollar non-traditional knives such as Benchmade, or custom traditional pocketknives that are basically functional art-work. They have steel that is much-vaunted as being superior to the old carbon steel Case used. But in day to day use for myriad chores, the Case gets the job done quite well and holds up forever, if not badly abused.

Thus, they get passed down as family heirlooms, worn smooth from decades of daily pocket carry, and with a natural patina that develops spontaneously with honest use. And they're still just as functional as they day they were purchased -- like a holster-worn, but well-cared-for Colt Woodsman or Pocket Auto. What company makes pistols of that quality, today? Well, it's kind of the same with older Case knives.

If you want something high-tech, artistic or made of steel from the Space Station, it's out there. But if you use the good, older Case knives, I believe you'll be well satisfied, as have millions of others before you.

John

John, you are right about the older ones.
Case had a branch shop in Nashville Arkansas for years. I worked for a machine shop during some of those years and I did the tool and die work for their knife patterns. When they wore out I would make the dies for the blade or the left/right handle sections etc. they would give me to keep the old dies. I lost them or used them for stuff over the years except for the complete die set for the Case Stockman. I gave those to a Case collector that I knew about 10 years ago.

The old Case scissors plant was finally sold for scrap about 2 years ago here in Nashville.

You are right about that change, that occurred when I was doing that contract work.

quote:

Originally posted by John A.:
It's kind of like, "If you have to ask, you will never understand."

Case was the standard from about 1900 or so (as Case Bradford knives, etc.) to about 1980 when they started cutting costs and changing the recipe that had been successful for generations.


John

Nice rant!

That wasn't the topic I was covering, but that's cool that spent 45 minutes telling us about knives prior to the 1980s.

Mr. Fisk,
Thanks for sharing your experiences and observations with us!

John

"So am I missing some kind of Americana lesson here, what the hell is the point."

A-hem.

Actually, when I first read the post, I started to answer it and decided not to, because... well, some folks are just.... well, you know...

Later, against my better judgement, I tried to explain it for you. Turns out, I was right the first time.

John

It must be an east coast thing. You are saying people buy them because they used to be good?

Of course it makes no sense. Then the average loon that lust over them is really lusting over a piece of shit in a box? So they are all hype like 1990's John Deer or Harley Davidson?

When I was a kid people in the West collected Coors stuff.

People seem to be more into sports memorabilia now.

I was in the military for 20 years, I don't even have a single military item displayed. I guess I am not much of a collector.

What I am saying is I don't have that "needful things" personality when it comes to name branded junk, I'll never take out of the box.

Have two Case knives, one a pocket XX, not sure of model, bought it when I was in the Navy, 1969 aboard ship. Best knife I have and it has seen some use. I have skinned 3 deer, one after the other and never touched the edge. Still my go-to knife when I am hunting.
2nd was a butcher knife I got from a friend. modified the blade to a drop point, added a brass hilt and cherrywood handle and my son has it. Holds one heck of an edge. So yes, there is a reason to hold on to the older knifes. New ones - not so much.

I bought a couple Case knives some years back- not so much for the blade, I got them because they had Mammoth tusk for grips.

Case scissors -- I have one made for the chicken trade .Straight blades without any gadgets , and serrated edge to grab the bones .Somewhere I also have one with a ball on the end so you can't puncture the skin .[and your wife can't stab you with it !]

quote:

Nice rant!

That wasn't the topic I was covering, but that's cool that spent 45 minutes telling us about knives prior to the 1980s.

If it took you 45 minutes to read that post, it's easy to see why you don't know anything about the history of Case knives.

If you don't want answers, don't ask questions