Found an old letter I wrote to W.R. Case in 1993

[pointythings]

I was cleaning up some of my OLD files and found this letter I wrote to Bob Scudder (the production manager of W.R. Case & Sons) in Sept. 1993, not long after Zippo acquired them.

That letter led to an hour-long phone conversation with Mr. Scudder and some interesting insights on how this proud old knife company was trying to adapt and survive in a changing marketplace. I'd like to think some of my thoughts in the letter had an impact on Case, but who knows?

Here's the letter (I didn't change a word from the original letter I mailed to Mr. Scudder):

Bob Scudder
W.R. Case & Sons
P.O Box 4000
Bradford, PA 16701

September 3, 1993

Dear Mr. Scudder:

I am writing this letter to express my concern for the future of your products. I am a collector of Case knives and I would like to share some of my opinions with you.

I am aware of the recent purchase of W.R. Case and Sons by Zippo. Zippo’s purchase of Case should bode well for the future of the company.

I had started writing a similar letter to Case about half a year ago, after I purchased one of your recent releases: a stag handled stockman pattern (5347, made in 1992). The quality of this knife at first left me speechless, then very angry. The ‘47 pattern is my favorite; my first Case knife was a 6347 HPSSP (1970’s seven-dot) I bought when I was 12 years old, and it helped get me hooked on knife collecting. I have been collecting the ‘47 pattern for 16 years, and I am still in love with it. This new 1992 model 5347 stockman, however, convinced me to stop buying Case knives for a while, until I see what changes the new ownership will make with the product line and its quality.

Before I list the problems I found with the 1992 version of the 5347, I will tell you what I liked about Case knives of old.

When I purchased my 6347 stockman sixteen years ago, I remember examining it and thinking it to be the most perfectly made knife I had ever seen. It had well-matched dark red bone scales, brushed stainless blades, and nickel-silver liners and bolsters. The bone scales mated seamlessly to the liners and bolsters, the bolsters were well-rounded and mirror-polished, not a single gap appeared anywhere on the knife. I was impressed by my new Case knife and I carried it in my pocket, whittling sticks with it, enjoying its heft and smooth lines. A week later, with my new knife still as shiny and perfect as when it resided in its display at the local general store, I decided that such a treasure needed to be protected. I cleaned and oiled my knife, wrapped it in tissue, then tucked it away in a strong box where I kept my other treasures.

As for a knife to carry, a knife to use, I settled for a Schrade Old Timer. I couldn’t bear to think of my perfect Case knife scratched and worn with age, so the Old Timer got the job.

I still have that 6347 knife. After owning hundreds of other knives, many of them by Case, I still think that knife is the most perfect specimen of 6347 I have encountered. I have used that knife as standard to which I hold every other Case knife I find.

After having collected many brands of knives I seem to think that older Case and Robeson knives resemble each other. Both brands have a good fit and finish while exhibiting streamlined contours (they look as if the cutler had removed just enough bolster and handle material to provide perfectly rounded edges).

After buying and falling in love with the ‘47 pattern, I later attempted to buy each year’s release of the 6347 pattern, starting with a 2-dot (1978) model and finally stopping with a 6-dot (1984) model. At the time (I was 14 years old) I purchased the 2-dot model I noticed an obvious change in the quality that I expected from Case. I first noticed the handles. This knife had very dark bone scales with shallow jigging; the scales did not mate very well by color. Then I noticed the bolsters, squarer than my beloved 7-dot 6347, and carrying flat spots from sloppy grinding. The blades still carried decent grind lines, but the nickel-silver liners had been replaced by brass (I later learned that Case frequently switched between nickel-silver and brass liners, depending upon the former’s availability). Overall, I was disappointed, but figured that this knife might be a fluke—maybe I would get the quality I expected with the next knife. So I ordered another 2-dot model—and received a knife nearly identical to the first 2-dot. Still optimistic, I thought that maybe this was just a bad year.

Next year’s model, however, was about the same. Maybe the blade thickness changed a bit, the bone was a little lighter in color (though still this ugly mottled coloration of gray, blue, and brown, with a little tan thrown in for good measure).

As the years progressed and my collection of new 6347s increased, I noticed a trend toward thicker, squarer, flatter bolsters with visible grind lines, overall poorer fit between bolsters and scales, and an overall sloppiness in the finish of the knives. I never seemed to receive a knife with matching scales, and the nickel-silver liners never returned. My favorite pattern had devolved from a jewel-like, streamlined beauty to a lumpy clunker. I stopped collecting the new 6347s after the 6-dot (1984) model.

Other than buying older specimens of the ‘47 pattern (mid-1970s and older), I did not buy another new ‘47 model until after Jim Parker took over Case. I purchased several 1990 model 6347s. Now the shortcuts were really visible. The bolsters were completely flat, with almost sharp edges. The scales were flat slabs of bone, with no rounding of the edges. The backspring of the main blade terminated in a lump of metal with grind marks in it sitting above the bolsters. The chrome vanadium blades had been polished in a tumbler, so that the tips of the blades were slightly rounded. Though the metal to bone fit was tight, the knife had none of the endearing characteristics of older well-made Case knives. These knives looked like those of Parker’s own brand, not Case’s.

At this time Case (or I should say, Parker) came out with the first Case Classics. These were good-looking knives, with the kind of fit and finish unseen on Case knives in more than 15 years. Surprise, surprise, most of these knives were made by Queen—another old Pennsylvania knife company. I had heard, at the time, that the Classics had to be made by Queen because Case simply couldn’t produce that kind of quality anymore.

Well, I thought I had seen the worst I could ever expect to see from Case. I was wrong. Six months ago I received the 1992 version of the 5347 pattern.

What happened? Where are the liners? This knife had no liners between the blades! And three backsprings? Three backsprings might be okay for some whittlers, but not for a stockman. And we still have tumbler-polished blades. The bolsters were flat and clunky and the scales were flat slabs of not-particularly attractive stag. This knife was a piece of crap! And a high-priced piece of crap at that!

I guess what disappointed me most was the notion that this knife was produced by a company that was supposed to be quality-conscious! River Associates (or whatever that Tennessee group is called) was supposed to improve Case’s products, not cut even more corners. I was told by others in the knife business that all of Case’s three blade stockman patterns now had three backsprings with no liners. This sounds suspiciously like cost control, not quality control.

I’m finished discussing my experiences with the ‘47 pattern and would now like to discuss the knife business in general.

While I’m no expert in the economics of the knife industry, I do read the knife publications and I frequently talk to various acquaintances who work for knife companies.

I, being a collector, look at the knife market differently than a knife manufacturer might. My objective is to buy high-quality, fairly-priced collectible knives. Your objective, as a manufacturer, is to make and sell enough knives to make a profit. While knife collectors may provide a steady base of repeat customers, they probably account for less than half of your sales. Now, this is where it gets interesting.

If you were to examine the collectible older factory knives for sale at any knife show, you would find that the majority of those knives were made not for the collector, but for the user. Part of the reason these knives are valuable is because most people who bought them used them. The knives that exist today in collections are the rarities, those few knives that were not used and discarded. Knife manufacturers did not make knives for collectors, mostly because the collectors didn’t exist.

Many of today’s manufacturers, especially Case, seem to have two lines of knives: collector-quality and working-quality. The collector-quality knives usually have more expensive handle materials, sometimes better workmanship, and may be more difficult patterns to manufacture. They often are packaged in special boxes or presentation displays. Working-quality knives, usually reflect cost-control measures by using less expensive handle materials, simpler patterns, and manufacturing techniques requiring less handwork.

What I have found interesting about the so-called collectors’ knives is the relatively slow appreciation they have. Case, in particular, has offered many commemorative and special edition collectors knives—many with special packaging. In most instances that I can recall, these knives entered the market at a very high retail price. Strangely enough, though some of these knives were released more than ten years ago, their value on the collectors’ market often hasn’t appreciated enough to equal the original retail price.

The knives that have appreciated, however, were the oddballs: those knives that may have been aimed at the collector, but were priced more in the range of the average consumer. The smooth rosebone, greenbone, and appaloosa bone-handled knives of 1979 and 1980 were sold along with Case’s regular production knives. They were a limited production, but not packaged and hyped as special collectors’ editions. These knives have been appreciating in value. Whether Case made money on these knives is something only your sales records can tell. (I noticed that Case has re-introduced a line of knives with Appaloosa bone handles. I think this is step in the right direction—provided the quality is there. I have not examined any of these knives yet, so I can’t say.)

I like what Queen is doing with their Schatt & Morgan line of knives. These knives, while being identified as special editions, are priced cheaply enough that some people will buy them to carry. Also, by limiting these knives to a yearly production, they are building a customer base of yearly buyers. I’m sure Queen also enjoys the repeat business of customers who collect every knife in each series. Camillus had also enjoyed recent success with the Classic Cartridge series. Again, these knives appear to be aimed at collectors, but have been popular with knife users as well. They are not priced out of the reach of someone looking for an interesting pocket knife for field use. I have been told by at least one Camillus distributor that these knives went over very well with shooters and hunters at gun shows. Once their first knife caught on, they have consistently sold-out each successive run of Classic Cartridge knives while the knives were still being manufactured.

Remington is also an example of success with collectors, but lately has run into a problem. For a while, Remington Bullet knife reproductions were some of the few knives you could count on to appreciate in value year after year. That is, until the late 1980s. Remington then ramped up production to the point where too many of the damn things were out there. Prices for recent knives dropped on the collector market. Lately, the wholesale prices for these Bullet repros have also dropped. The only recent success Remington has had was their 10th anniversary Bullet knife, which was produced in smaller quantities.

I think that Case ought to examine the mid-priced collector’s market more carefully. (I define mid-priced as a retail price between $30 and $75.) The Case Classics line is a good idea that would be better if the prices were lower and knives were actually made and sold by Case. (I know knife contracting has been around for a long time, but I think Case really needs to make these knives themselves—Queen can’t produce a Classic with a good hollow-ground edge.) Right now, the Classic line has prices inflated by Jim Parker’s bizarre sense of what constitutes a valuable knife (so what if he makes a 9391 pattern with Cranberry Swirl handles in a 100-piece run—it’s not worth $250 or $300 just because he says it is). Parker is a middle man who runs up the price of a decently-made knife. Queen makes the same quality knife in their Schatt & Morgan line and charges a fraction of what Parker charges. If Case were to revive older patterns (and not over-price and over-hype the pieces) I think you could serve a growing market. Right now, Parker has a redbone-handled 6383 repro whittler that costs more than the genuine article from Case on the collectors market!
This is absurd!

If you re-introduce older patterns (with quality at least as good as those made in the early Seventies) as part of your standard line of bone-handled knives (forget about fancy Case Brothers names and shields on the knives, just use the larger oval Case shield of the 40s through mid 80s—not the little shield adorning today’s knives) I think you will see collectors return to your brand, as well as having new knife buyers discover your knives. (There’s something about the style of older patterns that proves irresistible to collectors like me.)

American knife collectors want to buy quality American-made knives. The collectors’ market for older and antique factory knives is getting too expensive for many new collectors. That’s why the repro market appears to be warming up. Here you have an advantage; you don’t have to make repros, you can just start making the real thing again! Use the classic handle materials: colored bone (red, green, Rogers, etc.), stag, even some celluloids—maybe some in pearl. (And please use nickel-silver liners—at least on a few knives!) Keep the prices in line with your regular production knives, maybe rotate the patterns every year, just to keep it lively. Skip using fancy wooden boxes and expensive displays. And please, make whittlers again! Queen is the only major American knife manufacturer making whittlers today.

As for the working-quality knives, I know these are the bread and butter of the industry. But you need to keep in mind that everyone is making working-quality knives—Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Pakistanis, Germans, etc. The market share has to be getting smaller with all these players. So why spend so much money and effort trying to crack a market that is quickly becoming overcrowded? Case has the reputation for making traditional styled knives; maybe you need to play up and live up to that reputation. Anyone can make a zytel-handled lockback; how many can make a traditional bone-handled whittler?

In closing, I would like to wish Case and its new owners success and long life in the knife business. If I seem to come down hard on your company for your quality problems, it’s only because I would like to be a regular customer of your new knives. Obviously, Case doesn’t make a dime off the old knives I buy. Remember, the knives you make today will be the heirlooms of tomorrow. Keep your tradition strong.

P.S. If you would like to write or speak to me about Case knives, I would enjoy the opportunity.

[PA Knives]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I found this letter to be fantastic and well written. I felt a lot of it could still be said today. GREAT job, even if it was years ago.

[muskrat man]

I agree with David, the letter still applies for today's case knives.

[knifeaholic]

Great letter....

Here is an interesting factoid...

In the "old days" Case (and other cutlery companies) made the pocket knife bolsters by "forming"...that is, each bolster started out as a "block" of nickel silver, and the bolster was die-formed as a half-round piece with a little "teat" extending out of the flat bottom (where the bolster would attach to the liner). The bolster was then "tommied on" to the liner by putting the nickel silver projecting teat into the bolster hole then hammering down.

The "forming" process is the reason that the older knives were more rounded - the bolster irself was rounded by virtue of the way that it was made, and the handle material was then hafted to match the rounded bolster.

Today (starting about 1986)...the process changed and the bolsters are made in a different manner. They are actually stamped out of flat sheets of nickel silver, similar to the way that blade and liners are blanked out. Hence the bolsters end up being "flat" after final hafting because they were never round to begin with. Today's bolsters are spot-welded to the liners.

[orvet]

Excellent letter!
You were kinder toward Mr Parker than many would have been.

Dale

[pointythings]

Excellent letter!
You were kinder toward Mr Parker than many would have been.
Dale

Thanks, Dale.

Hey, I've learned over the years that you never know who's buddies with whom.

Put your foot in it a few times and you get cautious

--Karl

[orvet]

Hey, I've learned over the years that you never know who's buddies with whom.

Put your foot in it a few times and you get cautious

--Karl

Excellent point Karl!

Dale

[johnny twoshoes]

I enjoyed your letter and I think it should have had an impact on any company that it was addressed to. I collect and carry case knives, alot of which are newer. My mom got me started on collecting when she bought my dad a Carribean Blue Tiny Texas Toothpick about two years ago. I fell in love with the beauty and quality of that little knife. After that, I had to have my own Case Knife.

I was given a little camo caliber lockback. It's quality wasn't the best but I carried it until my brother was gutting a squirrel and needed a sharper knife, so I let him borrow it. It wasn't sharp enough either and he bent the blade, so I was without a good pocket knife for awhile. My grandfather then gave me an old whaler that I didn't know much about. Soon after that, I started my collection and have learned alot since then.

I've grown up with the case knives of today and have been happy with thier quality. All the knives I have from the 70's have already been loved and carried. Even at 14, I can see and feel the quality difference between the different eras and I wish that Case would have kept that quality up in their knives.

[Owd Wullie]

As for that letter? AWESOME!

I have no use for any of the Case knives made after they started putting dots and stuff on them. I've got a couple of old Case knives and will probably leave it at that.

[pointythings]

I have to admit that I've bought less than a handful of new Case knives since writing that letter. One was the whittler version of the 6347 pattern, plus a few of the smaller pearls (which I only bought because of a serious discount from Shepherd Hills Cutlery).

While it was better than the Parker-era 6347 I ranted about in the letter, the 6347 whittler it wasn't impressive enough for me to keep it. I think I sold it a few months later at a knife or gun show.

I still have the pearls, though one developed a center pin crack (not a problem I blame Case for).

[muskrat man]

As for that letter? AWESOME!

I have no use for any of the Case knives made after they started putting dots and stuff on them. I've got a couple of old Case knives and will probably leave it at that.

[philco]

Thanks for sharing that letter Karl. You made a lot of good points and did so in a very diplomatic way. That letter is pertinant today because the demand for quality never goes away, only the supply diminishes.

Knifeaholic, thanks for your comments. I learn a lot from your posts.

Phil

[knifeaholic]

Thanks for sharing that letter Karl. You made a lot of good points and did so in a very diplomatic way. That letter is pertinant today because the demand for quality never goes away, only the supply diminishes.

Knifeaholic, thanks for your comments. I learn a lot from your posts.

Phil

You are quite welcome...

Wait til you see my book...

[Blade Runner]

"wait til you see my book"

Might as well start on volume 2 Steve, it's gonna be great and folks are gonna be hungry for more

[knifeaholic]

"wait til you see my book"

Might as well start on volume 2 Steve, it's gonna be great and folks are gonna be hungry for more

Thanks Gary!!

Well, this volume just about gave me a nervous breakdown, so I may need a breather in between.

Just sent the final bits of text. I'm not sure when it will be published but I believe that it will be this fall.

Steve Pfeiffer

[Blade Runner]

"wait til you see my book"

Might as well start on volume 2 Steve, it's gonna be great and folks are gonna be hungry for more

Thanks Gary!!

Well, this volume just about gave me a nervous breakdown, so I may need a breather in between.

Just sent the final bits of text. I'm not sure when it will be published but I believe that it will be this fall.

Steve Pfeiffer

I understand