All About Pocket Knives

I am new to CASE knives. Could someone help me identify this one. I know it is a CASE XX 5254 Trapper, 1940 - 1964. Stag case.

But is the blade a muskrat/California clip? And also, how can I tell if it is Tested.

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to AAPK. Your knife is a standard Trapper - the clip master blade is just sharpened down a good deal. The knife is what's called a XX, made between 1945 (some say 1940) and 1965. If it was a Tested era knife (1920-1945) it would be stamped Tested.

To learn more about Case stamps and dates when they were used, click on "Research" in the header waaaay up there all the way at the top of the page.

Ken

Thanks Ken - appreciate it.

1 other question..... how do you tell if it's a first model?

gappley to AAPK! Case knives are a favorite of a lot of people, myself included. Ken has given you a good explanation for your knife. The actual origin for Case XX testing started many years before your knife was made with Case Brothers Cutlery 1896-1914 when the blades were marked with an X when tested for temper and again for sharpness that double XX testing has been the hallmark for Case since those early days for all their blades though the actual markings ceased long ago. The first model trappers had a slightly shorter bolster cap than later models.

gappley wrote:1 other question..... how do you tell if it's a first model?

Here's a link to an old thread on that topic. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1545&hilit=Trapper Scroll down a ways and there's a post with pictures comparing different frames.

Ken

Howdy gappley!
I like your Case trapper, when one gets in that condition, we sometimes refer to it as a HOK (honest old knife). Lots of us really enjoy HOKs, they don't have to bright and shiny to be a prize.
Treefarmer

Thanks Ken and Treemapper! On condition I agree. It has a couple marks and the blade is worn down some from sharpening but overall pretty decent condition for an old used trapper

Sorry I meant Treefarmer

Gappley, for future reference, you can edit your own posts. Just go to the post you wish to edit and click on the little pencil icon in the upper right corner of the box. This brings up your post in edit mode. Just change what you want, and then hit submit.
You can do this for a day or so (not sure what the tine limit is) before the post becomes frozen and can no longer be edited.

Thank goodness for this feature! My initial posts are full of errors especially thanks to spell checker which seems to think it knows better than me what I am trying to type.

Ken