All About Pocket Knives

First hello to everyone. Have a couple ?.
1-What is a jack knife?
2-Is there anyway to tell the year of a old knife?
The wife went to a estate sale today. She got a Case XX 6232.
It looks very old. But can not see any year marked on it. Glad I found this site. Sold a few old knifes at flea markets. This past summer. I think some of those ol-boys may have got the better of me,lol. Thanks for any help.

Could you post a few picture of the knife and the case collectors will answer your questions.

I'll try to get some shorty.

In the broadest sense, a jack knife is a folding pocket knife with two blades, both arising from one end of the knife. Defacto, some are usually called by other names because of OTHER distinguishing characteristics, such as the trapper, the folding hunter, the easy-opener, etc. When we speak of jack knives today, we are MOSTLY implying that they are between 3 and 4 inches long, and have a clip or spear master with a secondary pen blade. They are further broken down into categories such as barehead, candletip, English, barlow, sleeveboard, dogleg, reverse dogleg, easy open. But definitions of "jack knife" can vary, depending on which expert is pontificating.

WELCOME!!!!!
Are there any dots on blade and are they at bottom or in middle?
Rick

Here's the dating key for case.

http://www.wrcase.com/case_college/tang_stamps/

WELCOME!

This is your basic jack knife.

Well with all the good info. Looks like it's 1965-1969 redbone jack knife. Worth about $76. Is there a grading system on a pocket knife? Like they use for used guns?

A knife is only worth what someone is willing pay.

muzzleloaderbill wrote:Well with all the good info. Looks like it's 1965-1969 redbone jack knife. Worth about $76. Is there a grading system on a pocket knife? Like they use for used guns?

Yes there is. Book prices are always for mint condition knives. On Case Knives you can usually add as much as 25% for true Redbone handles, but hints of red don't count. Other than that it's all deductions for things like specks of rust, prior use, sharpening or cleaning and any flaws like chips or cracks in the handles. If you plan to do any collecting and want to make sure you don't get "taken" by the good old boys at the flea markets, I strongly recommend you buy a copy of Collecting Case Knives-Identification and Price Guide, written by Steve Pfeiffer (Knifeaholic here on AAPK and other knife forums). Besides being the only full color guide to Case Knives, it's also the most recent price guide written so it gives you the price appropriate for our current economy. If you are actively buying, selling or trading, the book will pay for itself within a short time. The "grading system" you seek is explained there as well as the history and pictures of the different models of Case Knives. Another great thing about AAPK is that if you have a question on a Case Knife, there's a good chance Steve will be along to help. So pull up a chair, kick off your shoes and welcome to the friendliest knife forum on the entire WWW.

Bill!

Well, you came to the right place dint'cha?

Old Hunter wrote:This is your basic jack knife.

That pretty jack is more than just basic! I like it a lot.

Thank you Jig!