All About Pocket Knives

Just wondering how scarce an early Case shield marked "Stainless" is. One tang stamp is Case Bradford, and another is "Case's Stainless." I didn't have one of these shields in my collection or the tang stamp with stainless. Thanks!

I think any knife marked Case's Stainless is pretty scarce. And that's the first one I recall seeing with that shield.

Ken

I've never seen that stainless shield on a Case but I do have one with the Case's Stainless tang stamp and the tang stamp chart says 1915-20 for that which would match up with the Case Bradford years. The goldstone cell handles would also be indicative of that time period. Could be a rare one.

I wonder about the tang stamp chart since stainless was not even invented or perfected in 1915 and wasn't available for cutlery manufacturing until 1919 according to Levine.

Knife is authentic, and fairly rare. My guess is that the knives like this one marked CASE's STAINLESS were introduced in the 1920's. I have Case price lists from 1931-33 that list them, but in the 1934 price list they were all gone.

Here's a history of stainless steel.
http://www.bssa.org.uk/about_stainless_steel.php?id=31

Gunsil wrote:I wonder about the tang stamp chart since stainless was not even invented or perfected in 1915 and wasn't available for cutlery manufacturing until 1919 according to Levine.

The knife industry seems to get/use exotic materials well before the rest of industry catches on.
Aluminum is a prime example. Early aluminum handles come in at about the same time as the processes to use it commercially came in. The time when Most people consider it "invented".

I can only assume it is because eating is right up there in the top two survival basics, and knives are about as basic A need as people had back then. Way more important than beer cans or bicycles...

Thank you all for the input on this knife. My further research puts the knife anywhere from 1916 through the 1920s (and possibly very early 1930s as stated above).

One time on the antiques Roadshow a lady had a French ladies powder box. The appraiser told her it was from when aluminum a new found item and people considered it rarer than gold so you have a item priced at $xx. I have seen a couple at antique shows and wouldn't give a plug nickel for one.

mrwatch wrote:One time on the antiques Roadshow a lady had a French ladies powder box. The appraiser told her it was from when aluminum a new found item and people considered it rarer than gold so you have a item priced at $xx. I have seen a couple at antique shows and wouldn't give a plug nickel for one.

Value is most assuredly in the eye of the beholder. Often a perilous river to navigate!

I was researching a knife I recently came across and found this thread. Figured I’d post it here and add it in as well! I believe it’s a 6253 pattern. I’m not sure though

Dilbery91 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 1:55 am I was researching a knife I recently came across and found this thread. Figured I’d post it here and add it in as well! I believe it’s a 6253 pattern. I’m not sure though

Nice one!! What is the closed length?