Colonel26 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 3:43 pm
cody6268 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 16, 2022 3:41 pm
These are the two 1970-1979s I own. The 6265 Folding Hunter is a 1975 (four-dot), and the 6488 Large Congress a 1976 (three-dot). Both are pretty hard to visualize with the blades all the way open, and it's barely noticeable at half-open.
The dark patina on the blades mixed wtih fine, tightly packed crud made me think the Folding Hunter was a '65-69 until earlier this year when it finally cleaned out after 5 years (and I vigorously cleaned it repeatedly, as it's still a working knife).
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I have been carrying the Large Congress, and the rust spots are simply from the humidity in the last week. I had to switch to stainless. I'm cleaning it up later today.
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Cody I like those knives. I love a HOK. That Congress is as old as me bless its heart.
Thanks!
Both have been in the family since they were new. My great-uncle always cleaned his deer with the Folding Hunter, and Granddad carried the 88 as a work knife for several years.
Other people before me in the family had first pick over my great-uncle's knives after he passed. The Folding Hunter was really rough, and too big for EDC, thus I ended up with it along with his '74-80 Buck 110, a gigantic Dexter butcher knife (12" blade!), a Gerber Magnum LST Jr., some butcher knives my Great-Granddad made from saw-blades, and a large number of assorted low-end knives. I plan to skin my first deer with it. I found a period-correct sheath a few years later, and it sees quite a bit of carry--but I make a rule that I ALWAYS have a lanyard on it that attaches the knife to a belt loop, but is long enough to use the knife while still attached. I have bought other knives intending to retire it, and I never do.
I normally do not like the four-blade Congress pattern, but in a bigger frame like the 88, it's much better. Throw in the recurved blades, and it will cut anything that needs to be cut. Snap is so strong, I'd likely lose a finger if I had it in the wrong place.
I wish Case still made the 88 pattern. I've noticed they're particularly expensive on the secondary market, as I think it was '78 when Case retired it from the catalog as a regular model. I have three Bokers in the smaller size, and I rarely use any of them, aside from a Boker Plus model I often carry when doing woodworking and carpentry jobs. This 88 has been the knife that's been in my pocket the most lately, as it does everything I need it to do.
Guess I'll figure out the age whenever it shows up. 
(Can't afford a new one.) 
That stinks. 
Wanted to figure out how old it is when I get it. Or does that just mean that there are no dots. Meaning it's the older version from 1965 - 1969? They had this stamp without dots from 1965 - 1969. From 1970 - 1979 the stamp was with dots. Anybody have one from 1970 - 1979 with dots that are in plain sight? 
Beautiful Jerry! 
