Case knives with nickle silver liners

[edgy46]

I have four Case knives with nickle silver liners.Does anyone know if these are premium knives. The knives are a tested xx 6232 w/rough black,a seven dot 62054 w/red bone, a nine dot 6383 w/red bone, and my most recent an early xx 6318HE w/green bone. I can see the early xx due to WWII,and the dotted ones are premium models, but then why the tested with rough black? Was rough black a premium handle when it came out? Thank you in advance for your input

[Forensic Jim]

Bill, I thought most of the pre-1980 Case knives had nickel silver liners and pins. I'm not sure what you mean by "premium knife", though. Rough black handled knives in mint-near mint condition are good ones to get.

[dobro59]

I have noticed that sometime around the late 70's or early 80's the liners switched to brass.
I have 2 63047 stockmans,both 2 dot '78 models one is nickel silver and one is brass.Also
noticed the silver one has dots wider apart.

[edgy46]

Thanks for the input. Well back to the drawing board. Another question to put to the sellers at the knife shows?

[knifeaholic]

As has been mentioned, about 1981 Case went to all brass liners. They have brought back nickel silver in reent years for pearl and other premium knives.

Pre 1980, it was a mixed bag...maybe half the line had brass and half NS.

Usually, any stockman pattern with a spay blade was made with NS liners (not a 100% rule though, and not a rule at all pre-WWII). The 54 trapper, whittlers, Muskrat and some pen knives also were made with NS, but again on the pre-WWII knives it could be either.

Generally one and two blade jack patterns had brass liners, as did some three blade patterns like the 6332.

With Case, no "rule" ever holds 1005 though...you will see some 54 trappers with brass, for example.

A lot of the VERY old Case knives had iron liners.

[edgy46]

Went through twenty nine pre 1980 Case knives,one tested,five xx, six usa, sixteen dots,and one twentys Clauss built by Case(6244 w/greenbone). Six had N/S,the tested,one XX, three dots,and the Clauss.Thanks again for all the input. P.S.Along the way Ifound two identical Remingtons, one w/brass,and one with N/S.

[Blade Runner]

Dating back to the earliest years both Case Bros and W R Case & Son(s) manufactured or contracted knives with brass liners. Also some knives during these early years had iron liners, pins and bolsters. Even though brass did not match as well as iron with the bolsters and blades as far as color was concerned like iron did it did not rust like iron. During those days brass was more expensive and was considered to be superior. In the years subsequent to this nichol or german silver became the trend mainly on premium patterns like 54 trappers and split back whittlers. Bolsters, pins, and liners were crafted from nichol silver on some knives, and this material polished well and matched the other metal parts on the knives and was not as apt to rust as iron. Even on patterns that were usually seen with nichol siver there seems to have been breif periods of time that maybe the company was in short supply of the material and used brass, so as usual with case knives there are very few instances where we can say this is always the way it was.
Also because of govt specifications Iron liners, bolsters and pins can also be seen on many WWII contract knives. From a period of about the junture of the first and second dotted eras most case knives have been lined in brass.

B-R

[Pen & Toothpick]

I have always liked the Nickel-Silver Liners too. I seem to have them on several older Case knives and some very new ones.

As a Consultant for corrosion of large water based cooling and heating systems, It always seems strange to me that brass liners are even used.

First rule of corrosion is that differencial metals should never be used together!!!...you just set up a corrosion cell!

[dobro59]

I just read an article in knife world that said a "premium" knife is one that measures 3.875 to
4.25 inches.I guess this is correct?I always thought a premium knife was one with extras,
fluted bolsters,filework,....etc.