All About Pocket Knives

I only have one Case Select knife and honestly didn’t remember what was unique about it from when I bought it. But since I got it out and handled it again I have been very impressed. The Case Select knives have nickel silver pins, liners and bolsters. They are sold only by Platinum dealers and are made in limited quantities or around 500. I have been checking Ebay daily on these for about a month now and notice that there are a lot of them listed and the prices are higher than the average run of the mill Case knife, but I don’t see many being bought, the same knives are listed week after week.
So, I wondered if anyone here has collected the “Case Select” knives or is currently collecting them?
Here is the only one that I have. A Hawkbill Mediterranean Blue Sawcut Bone.

Given the lack or response, I take it that the answer to my question is NO.

Sharpnshinyknives wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2020 5:57 pm Given the lack or response, I take it that the answer to my question is NO.

Mark I guess no one likes you . I myself like the Case Select better fit & Finish than the other Case Knives and some have file work on the Back Spring dolled up a little better .

Patience grasshopper.

I have two. First one is a 2001-2003. Both Mini-Trappers. Very nice knives.
Red one was a gift from ~Q~. Whatta guy.

kennedy knives wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2020 6:54 pm

Sharpnshinyknives wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2020 5:57 pm Given the lack or response, I take it that the answer to my question is NO.

Mark I guess no one likes you . I myself like the Case Select better fit & Finish than the other Case Knives and some have file work on the Back Spring dolled up a little better .

Thanks Gary, that confirms my suspicions.
I have actually been considering making more effort to acquire these, but there really doesn’t seem much enthusiasm for them and they aren’t selling on Ebay. I prefer a knife to have nickel silver pins, liners and bolsters over using brass. I think these would be worth accumulating over the years. Knives without brass hold up better over time in my opinion, plus they just look better.
Thanks for making me feel better.

Sharpnshinyknives,

I have a few Select Case XX knives. I don't collect them exclusively but I like them. I have a hawkbill identical to yours, I have a couple of Seahorse Whittler Selects, and a couple others that escape me at the moment.

The ones you're watching on Ebay are probably priced too high, thus the reason they're not selling. There are a lot of overpriced knives on that site but we all know that...

Nice pics of your Hawkbill!

Best of luck to you.

Ok here is one of mine nice Copperlock

Nice Gary, did Case do that file work at the factory? I wasn’t aware that they did that at the factory if they did.

As I understand it, Case Select knives were intended as a premium line, using better materials (like nickel silver liners and pins, etc) compared to Case’s standard line. They were also made by Case’s best cutlers and had some extra features like blade swages and other features reminiscent of earlier knives from the TESTED era. As such, they charged a premium price for the knives.

Although they are indeed of premium quality, the idea seems to have not caught on. I can’t comment as to the collectability - I’m just not as much into “newer” knives and don’t follow them much. However if you go to the Case Collectors Club forum, type “Case Select” into the search function, you get back 113 pages of posts. So from that result it would seem there is some interest in them. I will say that I’ve never seen a “bad” Case Select knife as far as materials, workmanship and function. Those I have handled are, IMHO, every bit as good as the best that GEC has to offer.

Ken

Thanks Ken that’s helpful. I’ve thought about asking that on the CCC forum also. I will look at those posts first when I log in next time.

I agree with Ken...the SELECT knives generally seem to be somewhat higher quality than Case's standard production knives--for newer production knives that is (even the SELECT knives can't compete with pre-1980s standard production Case knives IMHO). That said, I'm still not sure I would rate them on the same level as GEC (again, that's just my opinion, YMMV).

Like jerryd, I have a SELECT Bermuda Green 6207W and a SELECT Brick Red 6207W because I collect 07s and these two are the only SELECT 07 models I am aware of Case ever releasing. I would eagerly buy more SELECT 07s if Case ever decides to release any more...especially 07Ws.



I also have a SELECT 6207W that glennbad modified for me with Antique Stag (prior to the mod it had Bermuda Green Bone handle scales). I specifically chose this knife for this mod precisely because it is a SELECT model.

Thanks Q. I am interested in seeing what others get posted on these. I have collected Case knives for over 20 years and just didn’t pay much attention to these, I wish I had now. Those are nice ones you posted. I love the stag on that last one, that is one very fine mod.

I have a few. Very nice knives. I will be getting some more...

toomanyknives wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:07 pm I have a few. Very nice knives. I will be getting some more...IMG_1324 (2).JPG

I love that red one. I like the jigging on that and the color is so “red”. Thanks for posting.

I have a few 1990s Case Select knives. I believe that was the first decade for them. In addition to nickle silver pins and liners 1990s Select knives have different blade shapes or swedges and some times different springs than standard production knives did. For example standard production 1990s *347 Stockmans had been down graded to 3 spring knives but Select models retained a Stockman's traditional 2 springs. While standard production *347 Whittlers also had 3 springs the Select version had a slim wedge separating its 2 spring at the secondary blade end. My 1990s Select 5347 Whittlers have long pull master blades but my 1990s 3 spring Whittler does not. Notice that twomanyknives's red Select 6254 Trapper has a long pull. Also, unlike most 6254 Trappers its clip blade shape is similar to a Buck 301's standard clip master.

More recently made Select knives have the same blades as standard production knives at least in some models. Notice that QTCut5's and JerryD's 6207W Select Mini-Trappers have the same blades as standard production Wharncliff Mini-Trappers. Decorative file notches on Select springs and blades are new to me.

One of my Select 6347 Whittlers came with all the original box contents including a coupon for a free one year trial membership in the Case Collector Club (CCC). I have not seen one of those coupons packaged with a standard production knife. I wonder if it is still good. I'd like to read more about Select models on the CCC site.

If you hadn't already guessed, *347 Whittlers are my favorite Select knives. One of these years I'll step up and pay the price for a new condition Select 5347 Whittler with great stag. They're not the most cost effective knife to whittle with.

Sharpnshinyknives wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:33 pm

toomanyknives wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:07 pm I have a few. Very nice knives. I will be getting some more...IMG_1324 (2).JPG

I love that red one. I like the jigging on that and the color is so “red”. Thanks for posting.

Yes sir. Thank you! My wife got me the red one for Christmas a few years ago. It's a keeper for sure.

I only have 1 Case Select - its a dark red canoe ... best part is its the ONLY canoe I've ever seen in the standard #31 size that has a swedge grind (reason I bought it) ... I'd have to say above average fit and finish

Poking around ebay I noticed a Select 6143 SS green Daddy Barlow with brass pins and liners. Apparently the feature that justified naming it Select was decorative file notches in its back spring. I has Case's standard Daddy Barlow blade. There goes the rule that Select knives have nickle silver liners and pins. I do not like the look of the notches and certainly do not want a weaker spring holding the blade open on such a large knife. While I like Daddy Barlows I left that one for you guys to enjoy.

I saw that one too and it’s the only example of one w/ brass pins and liners I have seen. I should post this on the Case Collector’s forum and see what answer I get.