Case Knives

[LoopCutter]

Thank you Steve! 

[nate j]

Pilot test run 18 pattern medium stockman in amber peach seed jigged bone and 20CV…

[Farmer X]

More beautiful amber bone!

[Aloha]

Good on Case.  I think premium steels on trads make sense.  I see a lot of trad at the flea market.  Many have such worn blades from decades of use and sharpening.  More premium steels could mean longer life.  I rarely see worn blades and worn bone or bolsters in the same way.  The blades usually go first from what I see. 

Can't imagine 20CV wearing out in a lifetime.

[LoopCutter]

Worn and brutalized blades only mean that previous owners were never educated on sharpening techniques or proper care of their tools.   

Yet, the handles, scales, covers or what you call them, did handle the abuse. Looking good after AWL that abuse.

On the farm I worked, we had a large grind stone wheel, used it for sharpening axes, hatchets and field knives.  Not so good for Jack knives.   Few folk invested in quality sharpening stones let alone learn to use properly.

[GA1dad]

Pilot test run 18 pattern medium stockman in amber peach seed jigged bone and 20CV…

Great looking stockman!!

[Aloha]

On some of the knives I see I completely agree they were abused.  On others it looked like just good hard work and sure lack of real skill sharpening.  Some are recurved so it looks like just bad technique but honest.  I've seen grinder abuse and its ugly.  The bone or delrin on most I see are worn just not beat to within inches of their lives. 

Today I picked up a Old timer Middle Man.  It was left to die.  I can tell it was used but at some point it was left unused.  Rusted, mostly surface thankfully with very little sharpening done.  These old timers sure come up with a little work on the ceramic stone. 

All three blades slice magazine paper with ease. 

Didn't see much else worth taking home. 

[LoopCutter]

That is good. You can not save them awl.  I learned that after a couple rough looking ones.

[Aloha]

Most of the Case knives I see are abused.  I can see the very rough grind marks.  Pretty sad actually.  I had to learn to leave well enough alone.  I thought to buy them up and sell for parts or make knives from all the parts.  Lot of work, time, money tho. 

[LoopCutter]

Three of my favorite Case models, Stockman, Copperhead and Tribal Lock. 

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AWL convenient for a quick snap🤪

[Aloha]

Top choices. 

[Farmer X]

 

[LoopCutter]

Most of the Case knives I see are abused.  I can see the very rough grind marks.  Pretty sad actually.  I had to learn to leave well enough alone.  I thought to buy them up and sell for parts or make knives from all the parts.  Lot of work, time, money tho.

Well,     I was postured for a challenge!   Found a Yellow Soddy Jr on the auction site, seller was asking $22, and had buy it now option.  After a few days, I may have been only one looking, he sent me a Make an offer email.  (Also, listing was free shipping)
So I sent and offer of $15, it looked a little rough, but salvageable.  He said no!  4 hours later sent a counter for $20,  I ignored. And a few hours later (I should have ignored🙄), I counter $17.  (Free s/h).  He accepted.

After 10 days he finally sent it and it arrived.
It was way bad, very poor condition, there was black growing on the blade??? Had trouble extracting the blade!
 

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Rough, rough rough!

[LoopCutter]

Well, Steve when asked why he preferred CV steel on Case, he said  “it aged nicely!”

While I was prepping supper, baked potatoes in the oven, I also decided to bake a package of Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and between batches I started work on the knife…
400 grit wet dry paper,  then aluminum foil, then 400 again wet. Then after supper more aluminum foil.  My hands were BLACK, but progress.  Then fetched my CASE cleaner/polish.  Applied and let set. Started another batch of cookies, Oatmeal/Raisin !

Wiped down the polish, must say the blade has character. It is stained, will have to just see🤪 next oil and sharpen.
 

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I now have a Yellow Soddy Jr.  with a CV blade!
Aged and pretty.

   I now wonder if I should of held firm at 15 or dropped to 12?

[Aloha]

The "extra" money spent was for the FUN  .  It came out nice.  In years past I would polish the life out of a knife I got.  I removed as much patina as possible.  These days I remove damage and rust but pitting or discoloration is part of the knifes journey.  I leave it be. 

That Soddie at 17 will pay pack triple in usefulness.  There is something about yellow Case knives that make me smile.  They are honest for what they are and do what they're intended to do wonderfully.

    

[LoopCutter]

 

[Aloha]

I really only every saw dark color trads at the flea market.  Every once and again I'd see a yellow Case.  I got my first blue bone trad from a member and it was a sight. 

I got this gorgeous Case blue specimen in a trade with FX.  It is really a beautiful knife.  I think any traditional collection should have some color. 

[LoopCutter]

BLUE is such a great color on a knife handle.

I have a few different models with Blue covers, a Buck 112 DP with Blue wood handle, a 112 Slim Select with Blue nylon scales, a few Case in Navy Blue bone and Blue synthetic. But the Caribbean Blue done by Case on the this Copperhead is the PRETTIEST.  The other models I suspect look as nice. Now to seek out a Soddy in Caribbean Blue, I know they made ‘em.

[Aloha]

I can understand why Case sells so many knives.  When they knock a cover out the park like this one its hard to not want each pattern in Caribbean Blue.

I like Antique bone and BoneStag 6.5 as well.  The synthetic are pretty great too.  I have had one in grey and it was slick.  Catherine is now the proud owner.  Her mail knife. 

 

[SteveC]

Well, Steve when asked why he preferred CV steel on Case, he said  “it aged nicely!”

While I was prepping supper, baked potatoes in the oven, I also decided to bake a package of Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and between batches I started work on the knife…
400 grit wet dry paper,  then aluminum foil, then 400 again wet. Then after supper more aluminum foil.  My hands were BLACK, but progress.  Then fetched my CASE cleaner/polish.  Applied and let set. Started another batch of cookies, Oatmeal/Raisin !

Wiped down the polish, must say the blade has character. It is stained, will have to just see🤪 next oil and sharpen.
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I now have a Yellow Soddy Jr.  with a CV blade!
Aged and pretty.

   I now wonder if I should of held firm at 15 or dropped to 12?

 Good job ! 

[LoopCutter]

 Good job ! 

Thank you Steve!   

I must admit, without your perspective on the CV blade, I may have just passed on this rescue😉. And, now must admit, the patina on this blade makes it an exceptional beauty among my humble assortment of sharp  tools.
 

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You are truly WISER than your years. In a very good way. 🙏👍 

[LoopCutter]

One item I forgot to mention yesterday.

SMKW via an email notice I received is now accepting Pre-Ordering on CASE knives including many of the New vault patterns, 2 and 4 blade versions of the CONGRESS SMALL release.

[Aloha]

I've read a few folks do not like patina.  I appreciate it.  Your soddie is wonderful.  As a work knife one would expect some patina on a carbon blade.  Its part of the deal IMO. 

[LoopCutter]

Patina is a earned beauty!
I have seen discussions were folk try to force patina by cutting apples and not wiping the blade, even rubbing down with vinegar. 

Carbon content blades will age nicely with any legit use.

This knife however was severely neglected!  Could tell you what was left on the blade, it was at minimum 1/32 to 1/16” in spots on the blade like a crust.
 I thought it may have penetrated through the blade.

I swear it sounded as if the blade was sucking the mineral oil off the rag.

Yet, thank you for the compliments.
I fine the handles color enjoyable to look at and knowing it was abused, I will use correctly. Already like the pattern.

[Farmer X]

I used to be in the "I don't like patina" camp. Things have certainly changed. Now I really appreciate a good patina, as on LoopCutter's 3137. But I won't force a patina for the sake of forming a patina. I did wind up doing that in the interest of rust removal a couple of times, though.

[SteveC]

Case XX #31


 

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[SteveC]

Thank you Steve!   

I must admit, without your perspective on the CV blade, I may have just passed on this rescue😉. And, now must admit, the patina on this blade makes it an exceptional beauty among my humble assortment of sharp  tools.
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You are truly WISER than your years. In a very good way. 🙏👍

Thank you for your kind words !   

[LoopCutter]

   you are most welcome!

[Aloha]

Man Steve, that is a helluva good looking Case. 

[Aloha]

I forced a patina on my Buck Creek a long while ago.  I wanted to try a technique, hot vinegar.  It was neat but I sanded it off.  Because I am buying trads at the flea market, they all come with various states of wear. 

I am a lot more picky to choose one that I feel looks to be honest wear and not abuse.  Neglected knives like the Schrade Middleman I picked up past week appeared to be a neglected knife.  Maybe left in a drawer or garage tool box  . 

I used to also try to erase any appearance of age.  I clean and polish to "like" new.  Glad I stopped that.  I clean and rehab only to remove harmful elements and make useable.  Sadly most of the Case knives I see are IMO abused or maybe thought of as disposable?