to clean or not to clean a very rare Case Tested XX

The W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company has a very rich history that began in 1889 when William Russell (“W.R.”), Jean, John, and Andrew Case began fashioning their knives and selling them along a wagon trail in upstate New York. The company has produced countless treasures and it continues to do so as one of the most collected brands in the world.
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pauly333
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2015 2:15 am
Location: titusville FL

Re: to clean or not to clean a very rare Case Tested XX

Post by pauly333 »

Thank you for the pictures and the link Ralph. I really appreciate that. I REALLY want to polish mine up now lol.
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RalphAlsip
Posts: 2346
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2014 9:01 pm
Location: Southern Illinois

Re: to clean or not to clean a very rare Case Tested XX

Post by RalphAlsip »

You are welcome Paul. I tend to agree with the advice others have provided about cleaning the knife such as wiping some mineral oil on the handles. I make a distinction between "cleaning" and "machine buffing". Machine buffing, in my opinion, is what can seriously change the character and value of a knife. For example, it would be bad to buff away (i.e., erase) the tang stamp or change the length or thickness of the blade. Using a toothpick to scrape some dirt out of the inside of the frame is not a problem.

It looks like the initials "RU" might be engraved on one of the bolsters. I would have more heartburn with the engraving than the patina on the blade.

In addition to the appearance, the operation of the knife is important to its value. It should open and close smoothly with a snap to both the open and closed position. if you don't notice this behavior then cleaning and lubrication of the slip joint are likely needed.
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