Countersunk pins

[gunut]

I have noticed that a lot of early 90s vintage case knives have noticeably countersunk pins....any real reason for that....

[Mumbleypeg]

Early 90s was not a good time for quality at Case. JMO

Ken

[gunut]

Thanks for the answer....that's what I thought....but it seems like a little more than quality control....seems like they purposely made them that way so they didn't have to polish them smooth with the scales…. two end pins countersunk center pin left with full head.....they seem to of changed back to the more refined finish after a couple of years....

[Mumbleypeg]

That Case was struggling financially during the latter 1980s and until Zippo bought the company in 1993 (or there-abouts) is pretty well known. I don't have any inside info, just a perception from having studied Case knives and the company for 50 years, but I don't think they intentionally decided to countersink pins or not polish out the finish. Instead it was the result of cost cutting, employee morale, and lack of focus on quality control by company management. That changed when Zippo bought the company and infused new management and financing into it.

Some others may have different opinions and different insights. I'm just giving mine.

Ken

[Lansky1]

Here's one from 1993 that has the sunken pins ... I can't recall seeing that much from Case otherwise: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Case-XX-Medium ... rk:34:pf:0