Ode To The 07

[Modern Slip Joints]

I doubt Case would use a name for jigging that is so strongly associated with a competitor. Might there be a problem with whoever bought Queen's trade marks? They both could be Case's Barn Board jigging. That jigging pattern makes more sense when done in brown.

I could be tempted by a Select Wharncliff Mini-T but no more knives for me this year. It'll be tough but I'll have to get the letters opened and the whittling done with the knives on hand for awhile.

[QTCut5]

What's left to round out your Mini-T collection? I do not remember any with petrified mastodon ivory. With the standard clip and spey blades I'm sure there are more bone colors and jigging patterns.

I have one with Fossilized Mastadon Ivory.

There are hundreds of different bone colors and jigging patterns, different kinds of wood, stag and exotic (ivory, abalone. MOP, etc) as well as all the synthetic handles, not to mention the myriad customized possibilities (I have a few of those as well). But I have decided to focus on collecting only 07Ws--Mini Trappers with a Wharncliffe secondary. That was my original purpose when I first started collecting Mini Trappers, but 07Ws are fewer and further between and my impatience led me to begin accumulating regular 07s as well. Now I'm back to collecting 07Ws exclusively (and the occasional regular 07 if it has handles that especially appeal to me).

Queen made standard size 4 1/8" trappers with a liner lock on the master clip blade. Did any one make similar Mini-Ts? The only Mini-Ts with a locking blade that I'm aware of are Chinese made ones with a back lock for the master blade. I added one to a SMKW order when they were reduced to $7. There's something you could afford while you're waiting for knife fund to build back up.

Parker-Frost made a single blade 3 7/8" Mini Trapper (more like a Medium Trapper, really) with a liner lock called "Little Bandit", which was actually made by Schrade in the late 1970s.

I have tried to like the Chinese made Rough Rider Mini Trappers, but for some reason they just never grabbed me (I might feel differently if they made Wharncliffe models). I'm not saying there's anything wrong with them, in fact, the ones I've owned were very well-made knives. These are two Chinese made lockback Mini Trappers that I used to own (sold 'em both). The lockback was not a feature that I found particularly compelling because I don't use the knives I collect, but I loved the shields.

[jerryd6818]

I've acquired three lockbacks. Why?

The top one like yours because of the shield.

The middle one was the first one that came here to live and at the time, I considered the lock back "unusual"

The bottom one because I liked the Black Cherry Bone handles.

All of them because the price sang a siren song. I couldn't justify a $45 knife but I had no trouble justifying three $15 knives.

This is one of my favorite Rough Riders. It's the handle color and the acorn shield that does it for me.

[QTCut5]

Isn't your Smooth Tobacco Bone (acorn shield) RR a lockback as well? (can't tell from the photo because the elastic strap is covering the place where the lock release bar would be).

Edit: On second look, I see that the lock release bar on my Tobacco Bone RR is actually closer to the middle. So, apparently RR made two different versions of this model, one locking and one not. Curious.

[jerryd6818]

You've figured it out.

[QTCut5]

I doubt Case would use a name for jigging that is so strongly associated with a competitor. Might there be a problem with whoever bought Queen's trade marks?

Speaking of figuring things out...
The reason I think that jigging style might be called 'Winterbottom" is because of the code shown on the box--on the label right above the date where Case prints the codes for the handle material. These codes are a series of letters that usually begin with "BN" (for Bone) followed by more letters indicating the type of jig used. For example, ROG for Rogers Bone, PCS for Peach Seed, SC for Second Cut, SWC for Sawcut, BB for Barn Board, etc. On the box label that the Brick Red SELECT 07W came in I noticed that it had "WB" which is a code I had never seen on a Case box before. Since this is the only 07 I have that has this particular jigging, I wondered if it might stand for "Winterbottom" as that was the only meaning I could come up with for "WB".

[QTCut5]

This 2019 Burnt Gray Bone 6207 was sent to me as a BOMB from an anonymous benefactor. One can only assume that the stealthy sender knows of my Mini Trapper addiction (and/or is attempting to curry favor with the Mini Trapper Monkey on my back). Needless to say, I was surprised (pleasantly) to receive this generous gift and I hereby publicly proffer my profound gratitude to whomever sent me this knife (it has occurred to me that the mysterious giver may not, in fact, even be an AAPK member; although that possibility seems rather remote in my estimation).

I wonder if the surreptitious sponsor is aware of my ambivalence towards the burnt gray bone when I first saw this new release? It's true. Unlike most 07s, which I know instantly whether I like them or not, I really wasn't sure how I felt about the burnt gray bone. I definitely like gray, no question about that. And I also like the look of "burnt" or "toasted" bone. But, the mash up of gray and burnt bone...well...to be honest, I'm just not sure it works for me. What I do know is that it's different, unusual, out of the ordinary, and I tend to like things like that. But, my first impression upon seeing this knife (at SMKW) was that it appeared discolored, muddy, or faded, as if it had been left for too long in a display case in direct sunlight. As is so often the case, however, once I got it in hand and could experience it in person, it was better than I thought it would be. It's still not one that makes my heart skip a beat, but perhaps it will grow on me over time. You know what they say, "Familiarity breeds con..." (oh, wait, I think that refers to something else!)

Anyway, here it is. You can decide for yourself.

2019 Case 6207 SS Burnt Gray Bone

[Lansky1]

I wasn't sure how to take the burnt gray bone either when it first came out ... but after only seeing a few of them (other than stock pics) ... I'm really liking it. I think case got it right again - look how crisp that jigging is cut - I really think fit and finish on the late model Case's is the best we've seen in years. That's one impressive bomb - good mojo sent out to the bombadier

[jerryd6818]

As you know, I have one too and I was also ambivilant. All I can say about it is, it's growing on me.

[QTCut5]

Well...time will tell. But time in Mini T world doesn't stand still for long; the Monkey has already moved on to his latest acquisition.

Full disclosure: As shallow and insubstantial a reason as it may be, this one was purchased primarily because of the blade etch. Which, given my general dislike of blade etching of any kind, is all the more befuddling. But, I am a big fan of stag handles and, despite my preference for minimalist, non-decorative embellishment, I actually like the bolster engraving on this one as well.

2007 Case 5207 SS Stag Razor Edge

As I was rearranging my stag Mini T storage case to accommodate this new 07, OCD Monkey became fixated on blade etchings and forced me to take a group photo of all my Case Stag Mini Trappers that have etched blades.

[jerryd6818]

~Q~, that's a fine family of Stags there in spite of the blade etching. (Did I just say that out loud?)


My Embossed Orange Bone came today. Turned out just like I expected and I'm quite pleased with it. The pile side is plain with no embossing, more saw cut. The picture is sub-par but I'll find some time tomorrow to try and remedy that

[QTCut5]

That's a nice 07, jerryd; I love the look of the burnt persimmon bone. I must admit, I had always thought the embossing on the handle was actually carved into the bone, bas relief-style. Now I'm curious to see what the pile side looks like. OCD Monkey is having a hard time dealing with the missing "e", though.

[jerryd6818]

The handles have the fine lines scratched into them and the letters are bas relief-style. The pile side is just straight fine lines scratched into the surface of the bone and only stand proud of the handle by maybe a couple of thousands or less. I'll get some better pictures tomorrow of both sides. It had never been out of the box and still had the factory wrap on the tarnish paper, when I got it.

[Modern Slip Joints]

[...] all my Case Stag Mini Trappers that have etched blades.

PC170011.JPG

When you have nothing more enjoyable to do with your time I'd like to see a picture of all your stag Mini-Ts with and without etched blades. There's probably a 5207W buried back in this thread but it would take a while to find it.

I like your new 5207 better than your other etched 5_07s except maybe the 5207 etched India Stag.

Somebody goofed and let the black dye soak too deep into the ends of your M5207. In my only Case Midnight Stag knife the dye only darkened the central area of the stag that has bark. I think that's how they're supposed to be dyed. Mine happens to be a Mini-T but it's an plump Mini-T with 5 blades.

[jerryd6818]

Okay, not the best pictures in the world but in my own defense, it's one of those that's difficult to photograph without a light box. I use natural light from the window by my desk and then "adjust" the pictures with PhotoScape.

[QTCut5]

Your photos look just fine to me. I especially appreciate the close ups of each side that show the texture. Using double click ultra zoom magnification, I do believe I can just make out the top of a letter "E" at the end of "CAS"...so, OCD Monkey is somewhat mollified (he would still prefer to have the entire word clearly visible, though). Very cool handle concept. Nice pick up.

[QTCut5]

When you have nothing more enjoyable to do with your time I'd like to see a picture of all your stag Mini-Ts with and without etched blades. There's probably a 5207W buried back in this thread but it would take a while to find it.

I can't imagine what could possibly be more enjoyable than showing off my stag Mini Trappers.

This photo is all Case 07s (except for the loose one). You'll notice that I have three 5107Ws (middle of left column) but no 5207Ws. I can't say as I've ever seen a 5207W nor do I know if such a model even exists. I sure would like to have one (or two, or three...) if it does exist.

The photo below includes a number of different brands (most of which are Queen products) including Queen, Schatt & Morgan, Smith & Wesson, Hen & Rooster, Carl Schlieper Eye Brand, Bulldog Brand, Robeson, Coleman, Battle Axe. The odd one out is a New York Knife Co. Walden--which I believe is a Schrade product. That's the one that got displaced by the new Case Razor Edge. (Of course, having one knife too many for the case is much too disturbing to OCD Monkey, which means I'll probably have to sell it if I hope to get any sleep anytime soon!)

[Modern Slip Joints]

Thank-you for the pictures. I did not know 5207Ws are scarce or non existent. Knowing that if I see one I'll snap it up or if it does not fit in my budget I'll tell you where it is. The stag that impresses me most out of all the Cases is the knarly 5207 that is the second one down on the right side. I like the one above it almost as well but it looks a bit plump for a mid-size pocket knife.

The photo below includes a number of different brands (most of which are Queen products) including Queen, Schatt & Morgan, Smith & Wesson, Hen & Rooster, Carl Schlieper Eye Brand, Bulldog Brand, Robeson, Coleman, Battle Axe. The odd one out is a New York Knife Co. Walden--which I believe is a Schrade product.

I can not identify the brand of most of the Mini-Ts in your second picture. The keystone shield makes the one one in the lower left corner a Schatt & Morgan. Since the one above it had identical blades it must also be a Queen product. I can see Queen's Q shield on the third one up from the bottom in the right hand column. It's interesting that its spey blade is shaped so different. Queen often or possibly usually made blade shapes a little different when they used different steels. I presume the Schatt & Morgan is 420HC and the Queen is 1095 or D2. After the last of the German made Battle Axe knives the next manufacturer was Queen. Was yours made by Queen? Is it the one below the one with the Q shield? I own a standard 4 1/8" Queen made Battle Axe Trapper but I do not recall if it has a shield. I think I'm seeing a Sure Edge shield on the knife in the lower right hand corner which would be consistent with its blades looking the same as the one with the Q shield. I like Queen made Robesons. Some are stamped Queen and the type of steel on the pile side tang and some are not marked Queen at all.

The third one down in the right column appears to have a S&W shield. From the 1980s on Taylor subcontracted most S&W knives to manufacturers on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. The Coleman shield is obvious. The only other one that I'll guess at is to the left of the Coleman. Since it is longer than all the others I'm guessing it is the Walden.

[QTCut5]

Thank-you for the pictures. The stag that impresses me most out of all the Cases is the knarly 5207 that is the second one down on the right side. I like the one above it almost as well but it looks a bit plump for a mid-size pocket knife.

The only other one that I'll guess at is to the left of the Coleman. Since it is longer than all the others I'm guessing it is the Walden.

You're very welcome for the pictures; although, if I'm honest, the pleasure is all mine. And, I must say, you have a very keen eye, MSJoints; I am duly impressed with your powers of observation and eye for detail, especially given my obvious lack of photographic prowess (although, in my defense, the fault for the less-than-crystal clear photos isn't entirely my own--surely my ancient Olympus camera must bear some of the blame.) You were mostly accurate in your identification of my OTC (Other Than Case) stag Mini Trappers. Nice job. (The one you thought was the Walden is actually the C. Schlieper Eye Brand--the Walden is the loose knife sitting on the spine of the case.)
Since everyone seems to be in a dry spell as far as new acquisitions, I think it's time for a Stag Party!

I shall begin with the two Case 5207s in my pile that you said you liked most. In addition to the gnarly stag, I also like the bolster stamp instead of a shield.

2014 Case 5207 SS

As is so often the case, the pile side isn't nearly as gnarly the mark side (or vice versa). Perhaps that's what people mean when they talk about stag being well-matched (or not well-matched). I've always though that if the handles come from a single antler, one side would gnaturally be gnarlier than the other.

This next one does indeed have some unusually gnarly stag; however, as you so astutely observed, it is also somewhat "plump"--nearly as fat as the three-blade 6307 I used to have--one of which is currently for sale on eBay (if you wish to check it out, here's the link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Case-Campfire- ... 1438.l2649.

2014 Case 5207 SS

I'm going to continue posting photos of my Stag Mini Ts; Mini T Monkey cordially invites other Mini T collectors (or anyone who has a Stag Mini Trapper) to join the party and post theirs (even if you've already posted them here previously).

[QTCut5]

Speaking of well-matched (or poorly matched, as the case may be), the handles on my 2017 Midnight Stag 5207 are definitely different between mark side and pile side.

My trio of 5107Ws: 2013 Orvis, 2011 Rancher Series CV, 2013 Second Cut Stag with worked bolsters. I'm not a fan of the worked bolsters (for aesthetic reasons) nor of CV steel (for storage reasons); but, when it comes to 107Ws, I'm not too picky--I'll take whatever I can get.

This Schatt & Morgan 032151 was a SFO for "C&W" in 2002 (notice the master blade pile side tang stamp). I used to know what the "C&W" stands for, but I've forgotten.

[jerryd6818]

This next one does indeed have some unusually gnarly stag; however, as you so astutely observed, it is also somewhat "plump"--nearly as fat as the three-blade 6307 I used to have--one of which is currently for sale on eBay (if you wish to check it out, here's the link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Case-Campfire- ... 1438.l2649.

I have that one on my watch list and my fingers crossed that it doesn't go through the roof at the last minute. Looks like second cut stag to me but it is a three blade so ...............

[Modern Slip Joints]

The 6307W in the auction QTCut5 linked has Burnt Oatmeal bone. That is abbreviated on its box BRNT OAT. I bought both sizes, 6307W and 6354W new from SMKW. Ignoring Case's name, SMKW marketed them as Campfire Bone. That wasn't done out of ignorance. What image is more likely to make you want to buy a traditional pocket knife, having a good time around a campfire or chocking down burnt oatmeal? I also have a 62100 large Saddlehorn with Burnt Oatmeal bone and it matches. The SMKW ads lead me to believe that they were the only source for them. The 6307W was $55 and, IIRC, the 6354W was $60.

After they sold out SMKW sold more of both sizes with Rattlesnake bone. They raised the prices $10. I ordered one of each but not quick enough. They sold out fast. Next SMKW raised the prices another $10 selling both sizes with yellow Delrin and CV blades. $20 more for cheaper plastic? I passed. The larger 6354W CV was still in the latest SMKW flyer.

These were not Case's first production runs of three blade Mini-Trappers and Trappers nor were they the first with Wharncliff blades. However, the most common version is the _354SS with two identical clip blades and a long spey blade. The second clip blade's nail nick is on the pile side.

If the 6307W at auction had Rattlesnake bone or if my knife budget was bubbling over I'd bid but It's not and my wallet isn't so I will not bid against you.

Three blade Mini-Trappers are a bit plump for the bottom of a front pants pocket. They're more comfortable in belt pouches that are intended for Swiss Army Knives. The more common larger 6354 Trappers are more logical belt knives and as long as they do not have fat stag they'll fit standard Case Trapper Pouches.

I owe QTCut5 an apology. A couple of pages back I wrote that I hadn't seen a 6307 stamped with a W suffix and he corrected me showing a picture of the 6307W he'd sold and its box end. I didn't admit that if I'd dug out my box and knife they have the W.

[QTCut5]

No apology necessary, ModernSJ. In fact, I ought to be thanking you. You see, even though I've been an AAPK member for over 5 years, I still feel like a greenhorn tenderfoot compared to pretty much everybody else around here in terms of knife knowledge and experience. For once I was able to provide an answer to a question instead of being the wide-eyed neophyte who's always asking the questions.

I have that one on my watch list and my fingers crossed that it doesn't go through the roof at the last minute. Looks like second cut stag to me but it is a three blade so ...............

In addition to the pattern number beginning with a 6 (for bone), notice the "handle code" above the date on the box label: SC B, which, I believe, stands for "Second Cut Bone"--Which I'm sure you probably already knew.
(Well now ain't I just a regl'r fountain of knowledge...I'm on a roll )

I best get back to posting pics before I stick my foot in my mouth and prove the true depth of my ignorance.

Queen Smoky Mtn. Viewers Club Knife. Not sure what the Smoky Mtn. Viewers Club is exactly nor what year this one was made. Pre-DFC, apparently.

Schatt & Morgan 1095 Carbon. The DFC pile side tang stamps should give some indication of the approximate year of manufacture. I am a big fan of the no-shield look...especially on stag.

Although as a general rule I'm not a big fan of Damascus, this 1989 Case 5207D came into my possession due to me tossing in a low-ball bid on an auction that for some reason did not attract enough interest from anyone willing to pay fifty cents more. Just the luck of the draw, I guess. (Put in enough bids and every once in awhile you get lucky. Law of averages, etc.) I like the pile side stag on this one more than the mark side. I can only assume that the mark side stag was likely selected specifically because it was more accommodating to attaching a shield (and yet they still managed to do a poor job of it: uneven, with one side sticking up proud...and, is that glue I see dripping over the top? Perhaps that explains the low level of interest in the auction!).

[Modern Slip Joints]

[...]

I have that one on my watch list and my fingers crossed that it doesn't go through the roof at the last minute. Looks like second cut stag to me but it is a three blade so ...............

In addition to the pattern number beginning with a 6 (for bone), notice the "handle code" above the date on the box label: SC B, which, I believe, stands for "Second Cut Bone"--Which I'm sure you probably already knew.
(Well now ain't I just a regl'r fountain of knowledge...I'm on a roll ) [...]

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I believe in this case second cut bone (SCB) means the second slice taken off the bone and SCB has nothing to do with the jigging pattern or dye used. This knife has the second slice off the bone jigged and dyed as Burnt Oatmeal. That's my story and I'm sticking to it until proven wrong, again.

On other knives Case has applied a jigging pattern and dyed bone to make the bone look like their modern jigged and dyed second slice off an antler. Even though it might be the first cut off the bone they call the jigging and dye Second Cut. The pattern number will start with SC6. Clear as mud?

On a different topic, at one time SMKW ran a regular late night or very early morning TV infomercial to, you guessed it, sell knives. I was not collecting knives then and never watched it or even knew it existed. I presume the Smoky Mountain Viewer's Club knives were part of that show. SMkW has been owned by the same family since the 1970s.

I love the pile side stag on your 5207D. I have also noticed that when a Case uses a shield the pile side tends to get more gnarly stag than the mark side. Often the put popcorn stag on the pile side and striated stag on the mark side.

[jerryd6818]

I have that one on my watch list and my fingers crossed that it doesn't go through the roof at the last minute. Looks like second cut stag to me but it is a three blade so ...............

Geez Louise. 6307W and SCB (Second Cut Bone) Details Dumb A**. Pay attention to the details. Of course in my defense, I know very little about Case knives. I'm a pattern accumulator, not a collector and I had no idea what SCB stood for even if I had been paying attention.