Case and Sons Cutlery is among the most well-known and well-respected creators of pocket knives in the U.S.
W.R. Case History
Four brothers Case, including William Russell Case, started making and selling knives way back in the late 1880’s. The brothers founded their company in New York, but moved to Pennsylvania several years later. Nowadays, from the company’s home in Bradford, Pennsylvania, the Case Family runs a firm renowned for its long history of manufacturing the best U.S.-made pocket knives.
Case XX Knives
Case’s knives are often branded “XX” or have that term in their model number. This term was originally used by Case to mark that a knife had been heated not once (“X”) but twice (“XX”), helping to ensure quality and durability. Over time, the “XX” mark has become a symbol of the company’s traditional commitment to quality and craftsmanship.
Case Pocket Knives
Case is well-known for producing some lines of knives for decades. Today’s product offering includes nearly 100 blades. New blades include the XX-Changer, the TinyTrapper and many others. Case Pocket Knives are used by hunters, fishermen, collectors and other knife buffs.
Knife Blades
Case chooses from among three distinct kinds of U.S. steel. Chrome Vanadium is an alloy well known for its re-sharpening ease. Tru-Sharp Surgical stainless is a high-carbon steel that offers corrosion proofing and edge-retention properties. Lastly, ATS-34 steel is reserved for use in some of Case’s premium knives. This metal features edge retention and extra hardness, but may require extra attention for sharpening.
Knife Handles
Case grips are hand-crafted using natural substances such as animal bone, ivory, mother-of-pearl and exotic woods. Metals like brass and silver are utilized to make other knife parts, such as bolsters, pivots and locking mechanisms.
Collectible Case Knives
Because of Case’s long history and the company’s habit of dating and, in many instances, numbering every blade, several Case knives are today considered collectibles. Some collectible knives fetch hundreds of dollars online. The Case Collector’s Club has nearly twenty thousand hobbyists, making it the biggest knife hobbyist club internationally.
More Reading
W.R. Case’s site can be located here. An additional good source of information can be found here.