Cattaraugus Display Case

[patch1]

Hey Fellas.
I just picked up this Catt. display case at the Gator Knife Show in Lakeland this weekend.
I have 2 questions I'm polling.
1. Should I leave as is or refinish.
2. What material was used to make the dividers on the shelves.
I'm hoping someone has this same case out there and I'll know for certain about the dividers.

[btrwtr]

I believe my display is the same as yours. The dividers are a thin lauan type of plywood. I pulled out one from the top row and you can see it has an angle to it. If you made a pattern that fit you should be able to duplicate the pieces from that.

Here are some pics.

Wayne

[ricky]

Patch love the catt display case its a beauty.

[bonehead]

My vote says leave it alone. It looks pretty good, shows its age. If cleaned up it just would not be the same IMO. Good Luck whatever you decide, its really nice. Bonehead

[peanut740]

Don't refinish.Maybe use something like Murphy's Oil Soap to clean off some of the dirt.

[Miller Bro's]

As others have said leave the original patina

Nice find

[roofsc]

nooooooo, don't refinish, lightly clean.

[remington collector]

I would say don't refinish it.

[Salernoslim]

Another vote for leave it as is. It's a beauty!

[RobesonsRme.com]

Looks to me as though someone has already sanded the outside of the case, leaving that front edge with the Catt legend intact.

I'd wipe it down with dark O'Cedar, but keep it off the logo.

You need a display board for the front and to replace the dividers. Check Lowes to see if they have sheets of poplar thin enough to do that.

Nice find.

Charlie Noyes

[patch1]

Well I am going to clean lightly and not refinish.
A big thanks to btrwtr for the pictures and the info on the dividers.
Thanks for all the input.
Let the project begin.
Patch1

[RobesonsRme.com]

Looking at your photos, the glass is now located in the grooves that would have held a display board originally.

The glass belongs in the outer most grooves.

Charlie Noyes

[patch1]

Charlie.
Thanks for all your info. You've been a great help.
Patch1

[btrwtr]

Here's the front on my display.

[patch1]

Now I can see exactly what Charlie is talking about.
It looks like the knives would be fastened to the inside panel and stored in the corresponding slot.
Very nice "btrwtr", all I have to do is find the missing board!!
Patch1

[RobesonsRme.com]

Good luck with that.

I think you'll have to make one.

Charlie

[patch1]

I know what you're saying Charlie. I'll keep looking, but will make one if I have to.
I think that display case would look great with a few of these Catts. fastened on the front.
Patch1

[RobesonsRme.com]

Check Lowes or Home Depot for thin sheets of poplar. Don't use fibreboard.

Make sure it's thin enough to slide easily down the grooves in the case.

Cover one side with antique looking green felt, not new, not bright. If necessary, age it with bleach washings, etc. Use spray art adhesive and a wall paper pressure roller.

Do not overlap the edges or it won't fit the grooves.

Lay about a dozen or 18 of your knives on the board with master blades open. Arrange them in an orderly fashion.

Make it pleasing for YOU to look at.

Then mark the felt with fine tipped marker where you will pass wires around each knife.

Drill 1/64th or 1/32nd holes through your marks. Using fine guage solid wire (not copper), shape strips into an "U" shape to match the width of each individual knife.

Pass the wire through your paired holes, securing the knife in place and twist tight then flatten against the back of the board.

When you've mounted the knives, place into case, replace the front glass and top or bottom, whichever you had to remove to access the grooves.

Voila! You have a case of knives.

Charlie

[philco]

Charlie, you sound like you've been there and done that.

[RobesonsRme.com]

Planned one. Never executed it.

[btrwtr]

I've used fishing line to attach the knives. Run the line through a series of holes to fasten 6 or so knives and just tie one knot to keep tension on the blade tangs. I tie a loop with a slip knot passing through it. It can be easily undone and you can pull the line to create tension on the knot. Not traditional but it is a nearly invisible method of securing the knives. Has a very clean look and doesn't hide any of the knife. They look like they are floating.

Wayne

[bonehead]

I've used fishing line to attach the knives. Run the line through a series of holes to fasten 6 or so knives and just tie one knot to keep tension on the blade tangs. I tie a loop with a slip knot passing through it. It can be easily undone and you can pull the line to create tension on the knot. Not traditional but it is a nearly invisible method of securing the knives. Has a very clean look and doesn't hide any of the knife. They look like they are floating.

Wayne

Wayne, Another option... One can buy the small diameter elastic hobby cord with a Black finish. It is inexpensive and you can change up your knives without any trouble. Being elastic its self adjusting and almost invisible to a black background. Sounds like you have a good way to do what you need to do with stren as well. BH