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[Happy jack]

Anyone know what model this might be? Date range? Blade composition? I am having a hard time identifying with some certainty. Looks to me like a green bone saddlehorn jack knife. No tang numbers, pre 1945, maybe 1920,if I identify the tang stamp correctly. Chrome vanadium blades?

[donjr]

Tested, 1920-40, I think that is as close to the date range as you can get. Maybe Knifeaholic - Steve will be along and help you out! He is the best on Vintage Case Knives!!

[RalphAlsip]

Happy Jack, Your knife is a Case Tested XX 62100. This pattern is also referred to as a Saddlehorn. Case made this pattern in a 2 blade model (62100) like yours and a single blade model (6100). Case knives marked with Tested XX like yours date from 1920 to 1940. The shield on your knife is a raised letter arrowhead shield. My opinion is that this type of shield narrows the date of manufacture to the 1920's. The green bone handles on your knife look good. Many examples of the Saddlehorn have damaged handles.

If you do a search within AAPK for Saddlehorn or maybe 62100 you should be able to find some pictures that other folks have posted.

[doglegg]

I will leave the dating to smart people but my eyes sure like it.

[Steve Warden]

Welcome!
I can see that can certainly put the "Happy" in Happy Jack!

[Gunsil]

Hi Jack, I'd be happy with that knife too!! It's a beauty!!

BUT, and most here will not like this statement, there is NO physical evidence that the Case Tested mark was definitely used between 1920 and 1940. These dates were given by an elderly woman who once worked for Case and it is likely that her memory was flawed. It is a FACT that the folding knives made by Case during WW2 for the military are marked with the Tested XX mark, so the mark was used at least through 1945 and more likely through at least 1946-47. There is also no physical evidence that the mark began in 1920. The first time the Case XX mark is KNOWN to have been used was on fixed blade knives made after 1942-43 for the US military. Case made few knives if any for civilian use during the war as most of their production was military contracts and it is most likely that they did not in fact change their stamps for folding knives to Case XX until they re-tooled for civilian production in the year or two after the war. There are mistakes in Goins' and Levine's books and there are mistakes in Cole's military knife books all of which were written over forty years ago. Research over the last forty years has come up with physical proof that some of the dates and identifications in these books which are the basis of most knowledge of knife markings were entered through poor or unconfirmed information.

[RalphAlsip]

there is NO physical evidence that the Case Tested mark was definitely used between 1920 and 1940.

The above statement seems to imply that it cannot be proven that the Case Tested mark was used between 1920 and 1940. Is that the intention of the statement?

I would agree that there is ambiguity with regard to when the Case Tested mark was first used and when it was last used.

[stockman]

I am certain that the Tested mark was used past 1940. This I think is common knowledge with collectors of older Case knives. The 1920-1940 is just easy to use as a reference to the Tested era. I don't know about pre 1920, but my opinion is it is probable. My opinion was formed by reading, looking at many knives and owning some to study.

Harold

[jlw257]

Happy Jack, nice looking knife, I would said it was from the early Tested era.

[XxTestedxX]

That knife is very rare! Congrats

[gsmith7158]

Happy Jack , I have the single blade version of that knife. Here it is for your comparison.

[Gunsil]

there is NO physical evidence that the Case Tested mark was definitely used between 1920 and 1940.

The above statement seems to imply that it cannot be proven that the Case Tested mark was used between 1920 and 1940. Is that the intention of the statement?

I would agree that there is ambiguity with regard to when the Case Tested mark was first used and when it was last used.

Yes, that was my "implication". Knowing that the WW2 folders for the military still bore the tested XX mark kind of blows the 1940 out of the water. I guess I just get tired of seeing folks parrot what is in old books when more modern info proves a different story. For instance the books say that Olcut and Keenwell are pre-KA-BAR marks yet I have Union Cut price lists showing Olcuts up to and including 1937 and Keenwells up to 1940. I am sure neither Goins nor Levine had this info when they wrote their excellent books and they likely had never seen the Case WW2 factory board showing the tested knives. I am glad some others agree that the tested dates are not as written in many books, so many say nay.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

I know almost nothing about Case history - I'm just trying to follow the logic trail. If I am understanding the situation, the basic argument is:

It is known that military folders post 1940 exist with "Tested XX" tang stamps. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that all "Tested XX" knives are 1920-1940.

Purely from the semantics, and assuming the premise is true, then this conclusion is true - HOWEVER - it could contain a loophole. Is it possible that ONLY military contract knives were stamped "Tested XX" after 1940? That might not be out of the question. They might have had a contract that specified no changes to the knives without gov't approval, and it wouldn't be worth it to get that approval just for a cosmetic tang stamp change. Of course, I have no evidence of any of that. My question is whether there is evidence that rules out that possibility.

My point is that based on what has been said here, we can conclude that ALL "Tested XX" knives are NOT 1920-1940. However, that does not mean that "Tested XX" was used on ALL knives after 1940. In logic terms, that would be using the fallacy of generalizing from the specific.

Again - I know nothing - I'm just trying to examine what has been said and evaluate the conclusion as a rational observer.

[jerryd6818]

Again - I know nothing - I'm just trying to examine what has been said and evaluate the conclusion as a rational observer.

Suitcase, you're a hoot. Keep on keepin' on.