All About Pocket Knives

Berl wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 6:30 am Greetings.....

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 3:08 pm Welcome to AAPK.

The information I’ve seen about the “Blue Scroll” sets is somewhat confusing (at least to me). Pocket knives in the Blue Scroll set (eight patterns) were tang stamped with the 1977 date code (three dots). (Which means all knives in the display were not 1965-1969 vintage.) As I understand it, some were serialized and shipped to selected dealers to be sold as an intact “mint set”. Included in the mint set were four fixed blade hunting knife patterns (516-5, 523-5, 5 FINN, and M5 FINN). All of the knives, both folding and fixed, had polished stainless steel blades embellished with the “Blue Scroll” etch.

Other knives produced with the Blue Scroll etch were shipped to dealers individually (not as sets) to be sold as open stock.

Of the OP knives pictured only the folding knives appear to have the Blue Scroll etch. Only three patterns of the eight patterns produced are included. None appear to be serialized, so they must have been open stock, and therefore not part of a “mint set”. (I suppose some could consider the entire Blue Scroll release as a “set”) . The fixed blades pictured do not appear to have the Blue Scroll etch, so would not be considered part of the set regardless how you define it.

That’s my understanding anyway. Maybe knifeaholic or one of the Case experts will have more info, and tell me I’m wrong (like my wife so frequently does).

Ken

knifeaddict1965 wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 11:36 pm I don't know much about the fixed blades, but the only older Blue Scroll knives & sets I'm aware of were made in 1977. I believe there were 1,000 sets made with scrolled bolsters and not sure how many were made with the plain bolsters. If there are no dots on the tang stamp, then that would be the first I've seen from that era with the blue scroll work on the blade.

These are the 2 sets I have.


Screenshot 2024-05-21 190059.png

Screenshot 2024-05-21 190026.png

Berl wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 9:50 pm All of the 3 scroll knives are definitely from the 1965-69 period according to their date stamps, not the 70's. The display was also definitely broken up in the early 70's-- way before 1977. The display was part of the inventory of a sports shop that my father purchased in 1967. In the early 70's we discontinued the knives, and we went all marine, getting rid of the hunting and fishing inventory, including the knife display. My father kept these remaining knives until he recently passed.

Blue Scroll knives had to exist before 1977, at least as individual design pattern for open stock, and not just the 70's set. If not, the date stamp markings for 1965-69 are wrong. There are no dots on the tang, and the stamps are totally different than the 70's pattern.

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 1:45 am

Berl wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 9:50 pm All of the 3 scroll knives are definitely from the 1965-69 period according to their date stamps, not the 70's. The display was also definitely broken up in the early 70's-- way before 1977. The display was part of the inventory of a sports shop that my father purchased in 1967. In the early 70's we discontinued the knives, and we went all marine, getting rid of the hunting and fishing inventory, including the knife display. My father kept these remaining knives until he recently passed.

Blue Scroll knives had to exist before 1977, at least as individual design pattern for open stock, and not just the 70's set. If not, the date stamp markings for 1965-69 are wrong. There are no dots on the tang, and the stamps are totally different than the 70's pattern.

That’s a new one on me. The stamps used from 1970-1979 are the same as those used between 1965-1969 except that dots were added below the U.S.A.

I’ve never seen or heard of a fancy scroll etch on any Case factory issued knives during the 1965 -69 era. They did etch blades with things like the Bulldog, “Tested XX Razor Edge”, “For Flesh Only”, etc but those were simple text etches, not fancy scrollwork filled with blue coloring. But they write volumes filled with stuff I don’t know!

I did search knifedb.com for 1965-1969 knives having an etch, and found no scrolled etched knives.

Hopefully someone who knows more will see this thread, and enlighten us.

Ken

btrwtr wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 4:41 pm The dots on the trapper and big folding hunter patterns can be hard to see as they are far down the tang, close to the knife frame and quit well hidden. Usually the blades have to be pivoted while looking in order to get a glimpse of the dots. The dots on folding guard cheetah should be higher and easier to see. Your pictures of the tangs isn't all that clear as far as seeing the little dots is concerned and a better picture of the 5111 1/2 folding guard might show the dots. I would be extremely surprised if your knives didn't have the dots and more surprised if they were actually made 1965-1969 period. Not saying this at all to diminish the knives as they are all very nice collectables.

Berl wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 8:55 pm

btrwtr wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 4:41 pm The dots on the trapper and big folding hunter patterns can be hard to see as they are far down the tang, close to the knife frame and quit well hidden. Usually the blades have to be pivoted while looking in order to get a glimpse of the dots. The dots on folding guard cheetah should be higher and easier to see. Your pictures of the tangs isn't all that clear as far as seeing the little dots is concerned and a better picture of the 5111 1/2 folding guard might show the dots. I would be extremely surprised if your knives didn't have the dots and more surprised if they were actually made 1965-1969 period. Not saying this at all to diminish the knives as they are all very nice collectables.

Thanks, I'll look harder and clean some of the lubrication residue off. I appreciate it. Regards, ...Berl/Jake

Berl wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 6:44 pm

Berl wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 8:55 pm

btrwtr wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 4:41 pm The dots on the trapper and big folding hunter patterns can be hard to see as they are far down the tang, close to the knife frame and quit well hidden. Usually the blades have to be pivoted while looking in order to get a glimpse of the dots. The dots on folding guard cheetah should be higher and easier to see. Your pictures of the tangs isn't all that clear as far as seeing the little dots is concerned and a better picture of the 5111 1/2 folding guard might show the dots. I would be extremely surprised if your knives didn't have the dots and more surprised if they were actually made 1965-1969 period. Not saying this at all to diminish the knives as they are all very nice collectables.

Thanks, I'll look harder and clean some of the lubrication residue off. I appreciate it. Regards, ...Berl/Jake

You are absolutely correct. Without a magnifying glass I would not have seen the dots. They are very faint and very low on the tang. A big "mea culpa" on my part. I was totally wrong and did not know how or what to look for.