All About Pocket Knives

Old case. Case vs case Xx. Is it the same steel !

Another matter of opinion. Case says they’ve never changed the formula (I asked them myself). Some here say the older steel was better.

Not sure what you mean by “Case vs Case XX”. To most of us Case XX is Case. If you go up to the header at the very top of this page, click on Research. Then scroll down to the section on Case, you’ll find information about how to determine the age of Case knives by how they’re stamped.

Ken

I've wondered this ... I have a couple circa 1980 or early 80's Case's that are stainless, and they just get "sticky" sharp - it's a whole different feel than the more modern Case era stainless. It's just an intuitive thing - they just feel sharper coming off the exact same Lansky sharpening process that I always use ...

Well, from my research, case xx means tested, which would mean case without the xx is not, and xxx is special order.

The tested era came before the XX era. The XX era was from 1940-1964. Then came the USA era until 1969, the. The 70’s were known as the dot era.

From what I know the only ones marked XXX were the CASE CLASSICS which for the most part were NOT made by CASE.

My XX era knives do seem to hold a better edge. I THINK the steel was better. But in my opinion the biggest difference was that through the 70’s the blades tended to be flat ground instead of the now more common hollow ground. Some of the modern produced CASE knives do still have the flat ground blades and they hold an edge well, not hardly as well as the XX knives imo, but good nonetheless.

67cuda wrote: ↑Tue Mar 03, 2020 2:43 am Well, from my research, case xx means tested, which would mean case without the xx is not, and xxx is special order.

More research may be in order. Read through this history of Case tang stamps and their associated time periods https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/co ... ification/. (This is from the Research section here which I recommended to you previously). Notice that from the 1920 time period until current day most of the stamps include “XX”. So XX = Case.

You may occasionally find an older knife stamped just CASE, especially some fixed blades. That does not mean those knives are not double heat treated, which is what the XX means (one X for each pass through the heat treat/tempering process).

Hope that helps your understanding.

Ken

Lansky1 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2020 11:38 pm I've wondered this ... I have a couple circa 1980 or early 80's Case's that are stainless, and they just get "sticky" sharp - it's a whole different feel than the more modern Case era stainless. It's just an intuitive thing - they just feel sharper coming off the exact same Lansky sharpening process that I always use ...

I don't think they have changed steel but maybe the heat treat is different or the grind angle has changed. Trouble is most of us always say older is better which is not always the case.

AR Norby wrote: ↑Tue Mar 03, 2020 4:59 am Trouble is most of us always say older is better which is not always the case.

Read my mind.

Interesting on the xx testing. I would add that I did buy a case xxx boot knife in 83. About 400.00 at the time. No one ever mentions form my reading, fixed blade xxx, let alone a boot knife. I’m looking at buying an early fixed blade case xx that is stamped 1914-1920 on one side, but 1930’s on the other side. Any ideas on this blades actual identification, and with some pitting, what would be the comfortable price range ? Also, what about the steel quality at the time ?

This is what the Case collectors club has to say about the x’s. It doesn’t seem to jive with, “ all case knives are tested “ theory.

The Famous Case XX Trademark

The history of the trademark goes back to the early days of W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co., when the "XX" was used as a quality check system during the process of heat-treating. When the blades were put through the initial hardening furnace, an "X" was marked on the pan holding the blades. When the blades were returned to the oven for tempering, a second "X" was added. "XX" then showed that each blade had been properly and fully treated.

Today, the Case "XX" trademark is a distinction of the quality that is placed into each knife.
https://www.casecollectorsclub.com/college/steel/

I'm done here.

Ken

*chuckle*

Well, since case knives are supposedly stamped each time they enter heating, no stamp says what ? The stamp was to check for hardness, as well as used as a process guide, correct ? Hit yourself all you like, but that means that Case without XX was no quality control.

In any case, I just picked up a pre-1920 case XX fixed blade hunting knife. Just have to wait for shipping now. Unfortunately I have no pictures of it yet. Hope I paid the right amount ? 173.68 with shipping. It’s not the standard narrow blade I see everywhere. 9” overall, and 4 5/8” blade.

Can't wait to see pictures. Would love to see pictures of the xxx knives you have

Unfortunately I had only bought the one XXX, and it was stolen a few months after I bought in 83. It was a beautiful boot knife though, and extremely sharp. Probably the sharpest knife I’ve every had. That’s saying a lot with some of the super steels I’ve been buying lately.

Here’s the page on eBay of the one I just won since I can’t copy the pics. You serious Case collectors let me know what you think. The only way I’ll learn, right, other than research.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/233513780407?V ... CO:US:1123

I also picked this one up off of eBay last night. It does need some scratches taken out though.
Rare-1965-80-CASE-XX-USA-223-6-Bowie-Knife-w-Micarta-Handle-amp-Case-XX-Sheath.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-1965-80-C ... 7675.l2557