All About Pocket Knives

I thought it might be interesting to hear about some of the things you think manufacturers have done over the years that have, or will alter the collectibility of their knives…

For instance… I have a serious suspicion that Case drew a “line in the sand” when they started gluing on shields in lieu of pinning them… It doesn’t seem to reflect in values now, but I’m watching for it.

To me, this kind of showed that they were prioritizing profit over quality. Maybe it was done to survive competition..???

Not a real good example (I know), but it is one I’ve been thinking about lately. I can not count how many times I’ve heard people say their shield fell out of their Case knife .

I believe the gluing started around 1978…

Bryan

Just my opinion. I think companies that are shifting production overseas (China) are hurting their collectability.

Hello Joe62. Do you think this shift to production in China has resulted in a genuine drop in quality or is it more of a perception on the part of buyers that these are inferior products. I would be interested to hear what others think on this subject s-k

p.s. like the new avatar

I think these Chinese market will boost collection values of quality U.S. Made knives. But I think as serious knife collectors should agree to stay away from purchsing the "jjunk" knives of China, Pakistan, India, as the majority of them are poor quality, and made with poor materials, have sub-standrad steel. I have had some of this "junk" where blades have snapped, the locks have broke on the lock backs, so I am not sure if they even go through a heat treating process.

Glue on case shileds, I think that would make a change, cheaper handle materials, will make your genuine stag and such more collectable. I am still young enough, it will be interesting to see how knife collecting is, say another 30 years down the road.

Hey Bryan;

Wow, quite a question. First of all I agree with your remark re: gluing shields and with the first reply about farming out to China.
With that being said, I believe it has a lot to do with production, dispersion and lack of safeguards to maintain a stable price structure. If the current pricing continues on E Bay, with lower margins being acceptable, eventually the cutlery companies will have to lower their prices to the dealers. What happens then, either they farm out to third world labor or they go bankrupt, or they lower quality.

Looking back at the history of knives, some cos. have gone bankrupt but mostly unprofitable ones were taken over or bought out. Consolidation, have one person make more knives(raise productivity) put different names on them, end result sell more knives. Stay in business,ruin the collectibility of the knife cause the same one has ten different names.

Sorry, I am rambling, the old adage about rarity is supply and demand. With a gazillion Cases being sold yearly and squirelled away in a collectors case is ruining the future of that collectible because of the immense supply.

Given current conditions, I believe the future market for collectible knives will be the same ones that are now desirable and the high end very low production that the privateers are making. There may be some limited editions of Case,Gerber,
CKRT,.Benchmade,ETCETCETC that might make it also.
W.B

I think that right now they(Chinese and other imports) are of poor quality, but I think in the future it's going to be more of a perception that they are inferior. As they become more adept in making knives I believe(hope) the quality is going to come up.
I think that there may be some that are coming from China and other places that are made from steels like ATS-34, but like SFC ADP said heat treating may not be up to standards. Look at the Japanese knives. When I was young everyone said they were junk. Now they are considered to be some of the best knife makers.
I can't see me buying any Chinese made knives any time soon. But who knows? What if someone like Case starts making them there, using the same materials and techniques they use now, just capitalizing on cheaper labor costs, Would the quality be any different? I don't know.
Of course these are just my opinions and thoughts about it and I could be totally wrong.
s-k, I noticed alot of other people have been changing their avatars, so I figured it's about time to change mine.

Bryan, Very interesting topic!!!

Ya know fellas, as children growing up in the good old USA we were always taught by our elders that just about anything coming into our country from abroad was junk, inferior, or just plan worthless. Why then did stuff make it's way into this country?? COST!!! Nowdays...listen up, nowdays with the advent of NAFTA, and other things such as out-source of jobs, it has become far less expensive for companies to manufacture their products in another country, import back into this country for sale. I think "THAT" is a sad state of affairs people. I do believe that one day (and I hope and pray it never comes) but I think that one day CASE WILL relocate out of this country. What does THAT do to our collectibles?? Be advised that several BIG-NAME cutlery companies are now making their products in other countries and seem to be having success. Example...about a year ago I bought a nice Sowbelly Smith & Wesson with Sheephorn handles. I couldn't wait for it's arrival. Excited as a little kid around the Tree on Christmas Day (yes I said CHRISTMAS and not x-mas or holiday tree) I slid the sheephorn out openning the main blade I gasped. On the main blade was a celleophane sticker that read....made in china This knife was never advertised as coming from a foreign maker. Yep I got it from a TV show. Back when the events of 911...everyone in this country was putting up American flags everywhere to show defiance to those perpetrators, and rally ourselves to boost the American spirit. I too bought an American flag. I was in the middle of a divorce and could'nt afford much at that time so I got me a little flag to tape onto the antenna of my vehicle. When I went to tape the flag on the car, I removed a small tag from the tiny flag-pole that read...made in china.. I have a real problem with that my knife friends. I'll get back on topic now...I guess anyone given the proper material and machinery accompanied with proper skills and workmanship can make quality product. I just hope they don't use little kids like some clothing companies alledgely do. As for Case shields falling out....I discovered Gorilla glue....I swear I think this stuff could hold a bowling ball to a ceiling fan.

later, kj

JOE62 wrote: I can't see me buying any Chinese made knives any time soon.

Well I made a mistake.
My Meyerco A-OK is made in China. It's been one of the knives in my rotation of everyday carries for a while. My first impression of it was that it wouldn't last a year but it's holding up so far.
So my perception about the about the current quality of Chinese knives was wrong. I hope you all will forgive me.

There are alot of very good foreign made knives out there( like the Almar). I have looked at the glued on shield by Case with much disdain, and think they need to get back to doing what brought them to the dance in the first place. Right now they are living on reputation, but one day if things don't change that could play out. Look at Schrade!
Take Care
Blade Runner

Blade Runner wrote:There are alot of very good foreign made knives out there( like the Almar). I have looked at the glued on shield by Case with much disdain, and think they need to get back to doing what brought them to the dance in the first place. Right now they are living on reputation, but one day if things don't change that could play out. Look at Schrade!
Take Care
Blade Runner

I might add on the Case shields, in addition to gluing instead of pinning, the Case shields have gotten smaller and thinner over the years since the early 80's......on the current ones they are so small and thin (so the logo on the shield is not stamped very deeply)...that you can hardly even read the logo at all.