All About Pocket Knives

I’m not as conversant with case models but I’m thinking 323-5? Pre 1964, maybe older. It’s 9 1/4 in long and 5 in blade. Doesn’t appear to have been used. Any body confirm or deny my suspicions? Probably an easy one for you old timers.

Beautiful Case!

I wish my 323-6 was in such good condition. I think mine is newer. It is chrome plated, stamped 323-6 and,IIRC, its tang stamp varies in other ways. It's pre-date code so 1960s at the newest. My guess is yours is substantially older, especially if it is not chrome plated.

I think I’m wrong on this being a 323-5, as I don’t think that model had a fuller and the blade shape of this one is different than the 323-5s I’ve seen. This one is similar to a Case fixed blade I posted a few months back with the same “with serifs” Case mark. I was told that it was likely a pre War model, it had a fuller and a full brass guard so this is perhaps a later model as it has an aluminum half guard but a similar fuller and shape so maybe post war…doesn’t look like it was ever used.

I assumed that you had the number 323 correct. Except for the blade on mine being an inch longer and its tang stamp, mine's blade looks like yours, fuller and all. I'll dig it out when I find time. Fullers of the size that were common in Marbles knives are unusual in Case knives so ours probably share the same pattern number, what ever it is.

It looks like a 325-5 with mushroom pommel. It was also made with a knights head pommel (may have been a later version). They also made a 325-6, with both pommels. The article by Brad Wood in Sargent’s 7th edition says the 325-5 and 325-6 having stacked leather handles was listed in the January 1, 1934 price list and last appeared in the January 2, 1972 price list. It was not in the September 1, 1974 list. FWIW he says ”it appears that Case chrome plated its hunting knife blades from approximately 1934 to 1982-83”. If I’m reading correctly he also says the CASE (serifs) stamp was in use from early 1930s until 1965.

Ken

Thanks Mumbleypeg,that clears it up.

I got mine out but unfortunately not until after Mumbleypeg posted all you wanted to know. FWIW, mine's tang is stamped CASE XX over USA and on the other side 325-6. Without sherifs on CASE it must be 1966 to 1972 give or take a year, or 1966 to 1969 if Case started stamping date codes on hunting knives in 1970. It has an aluminum 1/2 guard and knight's head pommel. It's in better shape than I remembered. I bought it about 2019 mostly because I did not have any knives with big fullers.

According to Brad Wood in that article, Case did not start using their ”dots” date codes on fixed blades until 1980, along with the lightning S stamp.

Ken

Sweet knife! Getting a date specific on Case fixed blades isn't an easy task.