All About Pocket Knives

i read the "Case Pattern Numbers Reference Guide' page some time ago. It says the 02 pattern was made from a around 1915 to 1979 when the pattern was discontinued. It also stated that only Delrin was used from 70-79, I have a few pre-1970 examples in my collection. I noticed lots of 02's being offered from the 70s that say the knives are bone. i will admit that sometimes the jigging is done so well on those Delrin 02s its to tell the difference from bone. Could one of the resident sages (Steve, Mumblypeg, ie ...) here clear up whether or not Case released any bone 02s from 70 to 79? Thanks for any help!

When they introduced Delrin I think Case rarely completely ceased using bone on most patterns. They were interchanged randomly, seemingly with no rhyme or reason. I’ll leave it to Steve for a more definitive answer - he’s probably forgotten more details than I’ll ever know. His book usually has those details by pattern. I loaned my copy to my son a couple of years ago and it hasn’t made it back, else I would look it up.

Ken

The last year for the 02 pattern was '78 not '79.

In 1970, they started making the pattern in bone but at some point in the year they switched it to 100% Delrin along with a number of other patterns.

From that part of '70 til '78 they were 100% Delrin...EXCEPT for the fact that Case made some quantity of the 6202 1/2 in bone in 1975 only. I can only guess that they did that because they temporarily ran out of the pre-molded Delrin handles for the pattern and went back to bone to get a run of knives out the door. These '75 6202 1/2 knives in bone are scarce and desirable.

So unless it is a '70 or a '75 it will be Delrin for sure.

Thanks Steve and Ken. I have a 5 dot and i swear it looks like bone! Steve i tried tapping on it, magnify glassing it and even guessed and I still do not have the trained eye that will tell me if my 5 dot is Delrin or bone! Any tips? either way, it's gonna be in my collection till the bucket kick.

saltwaterebel wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 2:26 am Thanks Steve and Ken. I have a 5 dot and i swear it looks like bone! Steve i tried tapping on it, magnify glassing it and even guessed and I still do not have the trained eye that will tell me if my 5 dot is Delrin or bone! Any tips? either way, it's gonna be in my collection till the bucket kick.

Go to the AAPK Tips and Tricks viewforum.php?f=98. Second post from the top is a "sticky" thread about how to tell delrin from bone. The easy way.

Ken

Thanks Ken. I am 99% sure it's bone. i will check it out. It's scenarios like this that makes knife collecting so fun.

saltwaterebel wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2023 3:28 pm Thanks Ken. I am 99% sure it's bone. i will check it out. It's scenarios like this that makes knife collecting so fun.

Post some photos of the handles here.

i will pic as soon as my photographer gets home from the grocery store. Thanks Steve

here it is Steve and ken

Yes, bone for sure.

Bone. 100%