All About Pocket Knives

I bought a Case Hunter today for restoration that I am struggling to date.
I cannot tell for certain if there are dots below the "Case XX" and "USA" on the tang stamp. After a #2 pencil treatment I sometimes think that I can see 6 dots, but am unsure.
I am asking those of you who know Case knives to help me read the rest of the knife.
There is no stamping at all on the (broken) front blade, and no pattern number on either. It has a jigged wood handle and a pinned shield.
I believe it is probably from the early 70's, but let me know what y'all think, please.
I plan to remove the broken blade and rehandle the knife.
I found it at a thrift store alongside several others with broken blades. The others were more expensive, and less restorable. Go figure.

Folding hunter. Pattern # 6265. Mid 1970's is my guess.

Definitely looks like 5 or 6 dots.

Jimbo

I have a back handle for that knife. PM me if interested.

1980-1989 was drilled
1970 was drilled
1965-1969 was drilled

Has to be one of these, but the 1965-1966 was the XX frame, which this one is not. No lightning "S" either, so not 1980's.

My money is on the USA era.

Thank you, gentlemen. Mid 70's was my guess, but I wanted confirmation before I altered it. I will try to make a good user out of it, since it is in such bad condition. If it were something a lot older, I would either plan a real restoration or sell it for parts.
I appreciate your expertise!

1967redrider wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 2:23 am 1980-1989 was drilled
1970 was drilled
1965-1969 was drilled

Has to be one of these, but the 1965-1966 was the XX frame, which this one is not. No lightning "S" either, so not 1980's.

My money is on the USA era.

I just rehandled a 74 that had the lanyard hole.

Big head that’s what I would do with this knife and make it a single blade

Big head that’s what I would do with this knife and make it a single blade

If I could do that as good as Bighead, I might start calling myself a knife mechanic! Every one that the man shows is a work of art.

BIGHEAD wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 4:06 am

1967redrider wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 2:23 am 1980-1989 was drilled
1970 was drilled
1965-1969 was drilled

Has to be one of these, but the 1965-1966 was the XX frame, which this one is not. No lightning "S" either, so not 1980's.

My money is on the USA era.

I just rehandled a 74 that had the lanyard hole.D415B7EB-68A8-4177-B851-9F90C779D549.jpeg

I guess Price & Zalesky stand corrected. Excellent work on that Folding Hunter, gorgeous stag.

Thanks.

Definitely a mid to late 70's since it has the "composition" shield - no oval around CASE. So 1974 to '79, remotely possible that it is a '73 but not likely.

All 70's examples of the 6265 had the lanyard hole. USA examples were made both with the XX frame (scarce) and the "modern" frame (common).

But the shield clinches it on that one.