Help with Handle Material

[ronrob]

I've been carrying this knife for as long as I can remember and just tried to identify it the other day. I think the 087PE identifies it as a small/medium Stockman (3 1/4" closed), but I have no idea what the handle material is. Bone or a fake bone? Any help would be appreciated.

[313 Mike]

I am no expert... but judging from your pic I would say that sure looks like bone to me.

[btrwtr]

Yes, definitely bone. Nice color too!

Wayne

[Cutty]

100% Bone

Nice carry knife

[ronrob]

Thanks for the input, I thought it was bone, but with that number I think they left off the first two digits. It's been a wonderful carry knife I got from my Grandfather (30+ years) and it still snaps like it's brand new.

[zp4ja]

Welcome to the forum ronrob!!!

The first 2 numbers were not left off by accident. I am without my research books and knives at the moment but that is one of a very few patterns that CASE left off the first 2 digits of the pattern number on. First number would have been handle material and the second would be the number of blades on the knife. Not sure if on the 87 pattern they did this across all years and eras, I can look at my EDC and books when I get home.
Off the top of my head, they did this same "Pattern number abbreviation" on at least one other knife pattern, dropping the first 2 numbers in the pattern when stamping the knife. The 2231SAB (Saber Blade) was only marked as the "31SAB" on I believe XX, USA and 1970s' era/years knives, maybe other years also.
Even if they had put the handle number on it, the same number "6" was used for bone and delrin (fake bone). But based off of memory, the knife is a CASE XX USA era (65' to 69') and they did not start using Delrin on those until 1970'. Only knife I can think of that had Delrin in the USA era is a 048 pattern "Farmer's Jack" or "Slimline Trapper" as they were nicknamed.

Nice knife and great heirloom! Enjoy it in good health.

Regards, Jerry

[zp4ja]

hey ronrob,

Just pulled out my 87 to carry today. It is a XX era knife and has the full pattern number of 62087. Not exactly sure when or why they started using the abbrieviated model stamp but I assume late XX or USA era like your example.

Jerry

[ronrob]

Jerry,

Is the difference in the numbering blade related? My knife has the clip, spey, and pen blades. Not a typical configuration as there is no sheepfoot.

Ron

[zp4ja]

Jerry,

Is the difference in the numbering blade related? My knife has the clip, spey, and pen blades. Not a typical configuration as there is no sheepfoot.

Ron

Hey Ron,

The 087 I carry is a jack, not a stockman. I overlooked that in your OP. Maybe I did not mention it but the "PE" suffix in 087PE stood for a pen blade so yes, has to do with blade configuration. I have some XX 3 blade 087 Stockmans with pens blades I will have to dig out and take a look at when I have time.
I can look into it and get back to you.

Maybe Steve or others will chime in to confirm the timeframe or the reason/circumstances.

Regards, Jerry

[knifeaholic]

Case used to abbreviate quite a few pattern numbers. From the XX stamp onward, the 63087 was only made with the spey/pen combination.

The 087 PE actually stands for 63087 Sp Pen...the "PE" stands for Spay Pen with the second letter of each word being used. sPay pEn

In that time frame, Case made two other three blade 87 variants:

23087 Sh Pen

53087 Sh Pen

I just looked at my 53087 Sh Pen with the XX stamp, and the pattern number on the tang is 53087 with no letters.

[zp4ja]

Case used to abbreviate quite a few pattern numbers. From the XX stamp onward, the 63087 was only made with the spey/pen combination.

The 087 PE actually stands for 63087 Sp Pen...the "PE" stands for Spay Pen with the second letter of each word being used. sPay pEn

In that time frame, Case made two other three blade 87 variants:

23087 Sh Pen

53087 Sh Pen

I just looked at my 53087 Sh Pen with the XX stamp, and the pattern number on the tang is 53087 with no letters.

Hey Steve,

Total brain fade on my part as I am very familiar with the suffix designations. Thanks for correcting me.

I just looked at a few of mine...

A XX 53087 and a 1971' 53087, both are HE models with no suffix on the tang pattern stamp, just 53087.

I also have a XX 63087 and 1975' 63087 (Delrin), both PE models and tangs stamps are "087PE".

Interestingly, traders guide shows a XX 63087 HE in Rough Black. Never seen one. I wonder why CASE chose to make the an HE in stag but not in bone in the same era?

Either way, this is helpful information for reading possible cobbled counterfeit knives.

Thanks for chiming in on this. Very informative and appreciated as always.

Regards, Jerry

[ronrob]

Thanks guys, your help is very much appreciated.