All About Pocket Knives

Sweet find!

I got the old girl what I bought a box of miscellaneous junk that came from a burned-out house! The smoke and water damage was horrible to see! It took two days of soaking in oil to get the blades to move. A lot of the pen blade was lost to the rust God! But when I took the chrome cleaner 2 the outside I fell in love. But now I have a decision to make. Should I lock her in my safe or do I sell her to someone else to enjoy?

buckshot22 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 4:43 pm Great info! Thanks guys. Here’s another oldie. Each blade has a different tang stamp. Back of the big blade has GS233. Great condition for a knife over 100 yo.

Gold Stone -33 pattern, super cool.

Retiredhippy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:42 pm I got the old girl what I bought a box of miscellaneous junk that came from a burned-out house! The smoke and water damage was horrible to see! It took two days of soaking in oil to get the blades to move. A lot of the pen blade was lost to the rust God! But when I took the chrome cleaner 2 the outside I fell in love. But now I have a decision to make. Should I lock her in my safe or do I sell her to someone else to enjoy?

Nice old survivor, might barely qualify as 100 years old but probably less than that. That stamp is generally thought to have been used 1920-1945.

Ken

Am I wrong? Doesn't the double oval Shield with closed C and large s date this knife to the early tested xx era?
I'm a newbie so don't be afraid to tell me if I'm wrong.

Retiredhippy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:11 am Am I wrong? Doesn't the double oval Shield with closed C and large s date this knife to the early tested xx era?
I'm a newbie so don't be afraid to tell me if I'm wrong.

That is the thought . No one knows exactly how long into the tested era they were used though. Perhaps in to the 1930's.

Retiredhippy wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:11 am Am I wrong? Doesn't the double oval Shield with closed C and large s date this knife to the early tested xx era?
I'm a newbie so don't be afraid to tell me if I'm wrong.

Unfortunately no one knows for sure how long that shield was in use, but it was used for several years. There are knives that are thought to be from the earliest years of the Tested era because they have some characteristics of earlier (Case Bradford) knives. Having all blades stamped, blades stamped with Tested XX in an oval, are some characteristics believed to have carried over into the early Tested XX era.

So it can’t conclusively be said a knife was or wasn’t made early in the Tested XX era. That era having lasted 20 years or more means a LOT of knives were made with the Tested XX stamp and the oval closed C tall S shield. Any further clues existing may help but even then it’s pretty much educated guesses. JMO. Hope that helps.

And welcome to the quest for cutlery knowledge.

Ken

Well I guess it's true that you're never too old to learn!
There was several knives in that box of junk that I bought. After I clean them up a little I gave away several and sent the rest off to be sold. For some reason I just can't seem to do that with this little case knife.

Added an early Case family 3 5/8" jack this week, W.R.Case&Son, tang stamp with the Little Valley NY is fairly hard to find, only used a couple years. Not too bad for its age, light snap on the main, warm glow to the wood covers.

Wonderful old knife JohnR. Blades full and beautiful wood handles. That is a jewel.

Congratulations John, those W.R. CASE & SON stamped ones are scarce! You got a nice example.

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Thu Mar 17, 2022 11:18 pm Congratulations John, those W.R. CASE & SON stamped ones are scarce! You got a nice example.

Ken

Thats what I've heard Ken, very hard to find any examples. Apparently tang stamp only used 1902 to 1905, all &Son knives were contract knives, some made by Napanoch, this one was made by Phoenix Knife Co according to someone that would know.

JohnR wrote: ↑Thu Mar 17, 2022 9:35 pm Added an early Case family 3 5/8" jack this week, W.R.Case&Son, tang stamp with the Little Valley NY is fairly hard to find, only used a couple years. Not too bad for its age, light snap on the main, warm glow to the wood covers.

Catching up on my reading and your knife just reaches out and grabs me! Congratulations on adding that one to your pile.
Treefarmer

Got this 3 1'4" or so Case Bros Little Valley jack coming, Looks to be in decent condition, will know for sure when it shows up. Some things I noted, no XX stamping, tang stamp is Case Bros straight with Little Valley arched, bone looks like early bone.
Will do better pics when shows up, sellers pics.

Very nice JohnR!! Beautiful old Case knives you have!! Congratts!! Were lucky just to get to view them!!