V-42 Case repro

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CheckSix
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V-42 Case repro

Post by CheckSix »

Case made these in 2015... It's really knice. :mrgreen: I have the walnut display case coming for it too.

I also posted it in the Case sub-forum.... but I think it might fit here also.
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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by knife7knut »

I have a 1992 reproduction they did and a real one.The biggest difference is the blade grind. I was trying to get some of the leather handle material to rebuild mine but they have yet to reply to my request.I don't know what they are actually selling for but the initial list price was around $500 if I recall correctly.
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CheckSix
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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by CheckSix »

They got the blade hollow ground correctly on the 2015's.
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XX Case XX
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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by XX Case XX »

Nice!! I like it. ::nod::

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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by knife7knut »

CheckSix wrote:They got the blade hollow ground correctly on the 2015's.
They may be ground hollow but the originals were ground at 90 degrees at the tang and the newer ones at about a 45 degree angle. See attached pic.
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CheckSix
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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by CheckSix »

knife7knut wrote:
CheckSix wrote:They got the blade hollow ground correctly on the 2015's.
They may be ground hollow but the originals were ground at 90 degrees at the tang and the newer ones at about a 45 degree angle. See attached pic.
k7k,
Thanks! I see what you're referring to... I've seen some variation in the originals on this but overall, you're correct... It makes me wonder what the Case Museum V-42 looks like, that they studied for the 2015 run, that has a more gradual flare from the hollow grind, to the ricasso.

I found this note....
Notes: "...each (V-42) knife was handmade from a single pattern and that all variations in blade length, degree of bend on the crossguard, number of grooves on the 'thumb-print' and the length of the ricasso were the result of the individual craftsman who made the particular knife." - Robert A. Buerlein

See the originals below that are definitely not 90*.
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original_case_v_42_dagger_3.jpg
original_case_v_42_dagger_2.jpg
original_case_v_42_dagger__640_01.JPG
original_case_v_42_dagger_4_01.JPG
original_case_v_42_dagger_11.jpg
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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by CheckSix »

Here's another original, that was made differently than the above...
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original_case_v_42_dagger_12.jpg
original_case_v_42_dagger_13.jpg
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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by knife7knut »

Interesting read! Thanks for posting that. The last knife you posted is definitely different from the others. I had only seen pictures of them until I got mine.An interesting tale on how I acquired it:
Trolling e-Bay one day I came across an ad for two knives and a "letter opener" from an antique store in Florida.The knives were a 50's era Edge brand hunter and a newer Gerber. The letter opener was the V-42! It had this ugly green plastic handle that looked like material from an old bowling ball. The blade looked pretty pitted(it actually wasn't) and I at first thought it might be one of the fake V-42 knives that showed up in the late 1970's.
I contacted the seller to inquire whether they would accept a postal money order if I won the auction as I don't use PayPal. They agreed and I won the auction.
When they arrived I checked it out and it not only was unsharpened but it still had a great point on it.apparently a lot of them punctured the sheath when they were used so people would blunt the points. The pommel nut and pin were still intact but there was no skull crusher point on it. Also it appeared that the surface had never been blued.
I finally removed the plastic handle and very carefully cleaned off the blade using a #2 lead pencil and then wiping it with mineral oil.It cleaned up beautifully.
I still wasn't sure it was a real one and got in touch with Frank Traszka (sp?).He requested a bunch of pictures which I sent out to him. He opined that it was indeed a real V-42 but could not explain the missing point on the pommel nut or the lack of bluing. He thought it might be one that made it out of the factory in someone's lunch box which might explain the missing handle.It looks like there was a handle on it at one time and if it spent it's life in Florida that might account for it missing. The humidity over the years will rot leather knife handles rather readily.
The great part was the price: For all three knives including shipping came to just under $55. Here is a pic of the original listing from e-Bay.
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CheckSix
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Re: V-42 Case repro

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that's a great story k7k! If you're like me, I'd rather be lucky, than good! You were lucky! I read a story on usmilitaria.com about a guy that rescued 3 or 4 V-42's from a dumpster, because the widow of a FSSF member had thrown away his old "junk" after he passed on. She let him keep them! Lucky bastage! :lol:

From what I can tell, they made 3420 of the V-42's. There is bound to be variation in the mfg'ing / machining, especially with different people making them.

I think with my new repro, the thing that is the most disappointing, is the black matte finish on the blade. The originals were blued and had a luster...and I just love high quality bluing on steel. Since I'm into firearms, in the back of my mind I seem to recall that the EPA made it extremely difficult over the years to do original high quality bluing because of the chemicals involved. So gun makers found alternative ways of finishing. I suspect that Case ran into this problem with doing these in 2015.

I have been trying to find detailed pictures of the V-42 in the Case Knife Museum, that they used as a reference to build these 2015 knives. I have not been able to find pictures of it yet. I want to see exactly what they used. It's possible that they one they have was an early prototype and is machined differently than what actually got done in production. Not uncommon for that to happen.
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Re: V-42 Case repro

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I received the Case display case today and I have to say, it really is excellent at showing off the V-42 and sheath.
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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by knife7knut »

CheckSix wrote:I received the Case display case today and I have to say, it really is excellent at showing off the V-42 and sheath.
I would agree;that does make for a nice display! ::tu::
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Re: V-42 Case repro

Post by edge213 »

Beautiful knife and display.
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