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I think its horrific that so many American companies are starting to not give a shit about their product

My biggest concern regarding any gap in any knife is how much worst will that gap become after use

I'd be ok with the gaps for 20-30, but I would be pretty unhappy if I paid 60-70

I'm with you. Case needs to step up their game. The latest Barlows just aren't up to the quality they should be. Depending on the price, I might let it slide but eventually it would aggravate me over time. That gap on the Doctor's knife is really annoying especially for the price you're paying. Case needs to stop trying to live off of their tang stamp and work on work on QC. I think you have given a fair assessment.

I just purchased my first Case knife. Thank you for educating me on what I need to look out for! Very informative video!

I certainly respect a seller that does QC filtering before shipping to a customer. Man! I think I will buy from you. Most sellers scoff at me if I ask them to check for blade centering and blade play/wobble.

Thanks for bringing this problem up as I’ve got a two bladed Case Barlow which is not that bad but there is a gap, but to be honest it’s only about a inch long I looked closer and noticed it’s the back spring bar that was badly machined which is bloody annoying as the rest of the knife is spot on. So come on Case get your act together I know you can do it. I’m going to take a pic of it and send it to case and see what they say, as I live in the UK I won’t be sending it back. Thanks for posting!!!

By the way, really appreciate your integrity and making sure you don't send out a knife with f&f issues and for also calling out case.

Pretty much all of the Case knives I've ever bought have had gaps. I don't really get too annoyed unless there's blade wiggle.

Just because its made in the USA don't mean it's made by people who care. It could be made by illegal immigrants or legal immigrants with unskilled hands. Or it could be made by low paid factory workers who don't care. At the end of the day, quality control is key and when products leave the factory unchecked, it is unacceptable that they charge so much money. I am all for supporting USA made products but I am not for paying more for lesser quality.

Last Case I bought was for my dad, a 3 blade stockman pattern back in 1986 prior to going overseas for his Birthday. Absolutely Gorgeous knife. Over the years, the quality has gone down dramatically. That's why I buy Old Faithfull, Buck, Schrade, Gerber, and yes Rough Ryder. I bought a large 5" Toothpick. Perfect fit and finish, razor sharp edge, gorgeous scales.

I have a local case dealer that only sells the best quality knives. Never had a gap or a centering problem. I’m really thankful.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. This finally needs to be said. I have maybe 53 Case knives in my collection, many collectors have more, but over time I can clearly see an absolute decline in quality, so much so that I have stopped buying new Case knives from the last 10 years. Blade play, hugely uneven grinds, no tips at all, covers and bolsters that have been sanded unevenly from each other (in many cases grotesquely so), mushy walk and talk, machining marks, gaps in covers AND bolsters, terrible centering, scratches on blades, blade rub in multi bladed models is the norm, even cracks in covers where they are pinned... This is absolutely ridiculous. It's as if they simply don't care, and think that you should be fine with the flaws because you are owning a Case product with the almighty Case name. It's shameful. This is American craftsmanship?? Do I really need to pay upwards of $200 on the secondary for a GEC that is flawless (because as soon as they drop they're gone, and the secondary market is the only place to get a popular GEC, and always at a premium). This wasn't the norm many years ago. I have several Rough Riders because they were pretty, and cheap, and the fit and finish far surpasses Case. I still don't understand how you can be fine with a manufacturing process that doesn't protect the tips on your knives. Is that so hard? I think if I order a Case that comes pointy I would have a heart attack. I used to cringe unboxing these knives because I know there is probably an 80/20 percent chance there will be a problem and I will have to live with it or go through the hassle of sending it back. Luckily reputable dealers will hand pick a knife for you if you ask, but again, like in your video here, if a dealer goes through 26 knives and every one of them are flawed, what do you do? Amazon (sight unseen) is right out. Of my 53 Case knives MOST have one problem or another, and the ones I have held onto I still keep because they ARE pretty, and shiny, but flawed. I cannot afford to be a GEC collector. I don't have the time, money and wear-with-all to be sitting with my account open and my finger poised over the mouse button to be able to secure a new GEC within 5 seconds of a new drop. So thank you for what you are saying in your video. It's like the Elephant in the room that Case simply doesn't even care about anymore. I'm sure they are aware of customer opinions, but they just don't care and it's sad. It would be nice to see a statement from Case that they are aware of what is leaving their factory, but I don't think we are going to see that. If anything, I can see their production moving to China, maybe the quality will finally improve. I'll probably get a few dislikes on this comment, but I speak the truth, and genuine knife guys know it. Great video, you're my new favorite person of the week. 👍🏻👍🏻

I have read and heard that Case does very well using their highly buffed Stainless since they have a large "collector" following. The knife collectors of new Case knives typically buy based upon visual appeal and low or no maintenance. Case does a great job at making very attractive knives which has also helped continue this successful following. Unfortunately for them, collectors are starting to recognize the difference in quality between boutique companies like GEC and Case knifes made in the 70's and before (when the Case family still ran the company.) The first "new" Case I purchased in decades was the CV Barlow from you; great video!

Agree, case quantity control is lacking lately...I've gone to sak alox models and their quality is top notch.

I have bought 3x as many Case knives as I own...JUST SO I CAN GET knives that aren’t poor quality! I can live with small gaps, but blade wobble is an instant return. I know where I’ll order my future Case knives.

Best video I’ve seen in months. So many truths. We want CV. We want quality and will pay for it. Bravo 🙌

I recently got a Rough Ryder Grandaddy Barlow, in buckshot bone, and the fit and finish was terrible, with really bad blade rub.. ! (I returned it for a full refund),, So, I thought I'd bite the bullet, and get a Case, to see if the quality is worth 3 times the cost,... So today, my slimline trapper arrived, it's got a slight gap beside the back spring, but the edge quality is possibly the worst of ANY knife I've bought in the last 30 years,!! I've just spent a couple of hours putting the edge right, and now it's a good knife.. But long story short,, it's the first and last Case I'll be buying, and I'm back to getting Rough Ryder, I've only had one "lemon" in the last few decades,, great video,,, just subbed,, all the best from across the pond,, John..

I’m aware of this so I recently purchased online two identical Case knives in a pattern I wanted as I could not locate any to inspect in hand locally. I used a dealer I had never used before but he honored my request for two hand picked knives in as close as collector grade as possible. The knives arrived and both had issues. One had a weak snap and the other an off centered main blade. Both had a sharp burr at the finger troil. He picked from over twenty in stock so I guess that’s the best it gets. On the positive, the bone stag was beautiful on both and they varied in the cut and color of their scales which was a plus.

Great video! I wish more channels would speak the truth. My sample size is only one, but I ordered a Case peanut about two months ago and am quite happy with the quality, so I guess I won the luck of the draw. I must say that neither blade was even slightly sharp though. I sure hope Case steps up their quality game.

You are very honest and fair man super like to your work and honesty

I had some issues about Case QC back in the 90’s but since then I’ve bought all my knives either in person or from Shepherd Hills. If I see a gap I open the blades and hold the knife up to a light, of light shines through it’s not acceptable.

Has the quality improved since this video was made two years ago. Wanted to buy my first Case but seeing this makes me reluctant.

I've bought 3 Case knives this year and have been pretty lucky but all 3 have something some might not except the best is my small stockman with stag, blade rub. My medium stockman a gap along the back springs and mini copperlock rounded blade tip. I'm happy with them but a collector might not. Thanks for sharing, and hopefully Case will listen 👍

I have 4 Case knives that the fit ‘n finish is very good in all respects. Then I decided to splurge and ordered from Case a Sodbuster Jr. in buffalo horn with S35VN. Landed this knife was just over $150, granted if you order directly from Case you’re going to pay a premium but I thought they’d be sending the best of the best considering the price and coming directly from them. Sadly that wasn’t the case, the blade was all the way over against the liner and there was a sharp burr on the handle that would catch your figure if not careful. Hard to understand how a knife consisting of premium materials would be put in the hands of someone with little experience and then not be checked through Quality Control before leaving their factory. SMH

Hey man. Love your videos, and I'm glad to see someone calling out case, that said, I'm really interested in the brown bone Barlow. I was wondering if there was any way you could procure one. I've had a difficult time finding one. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

I have notice the same problem with several Case knives I have purchased the last 2 years. Usually the ones I buy from Amazon trend to be less quality compared to retail stores like Sportman Warehouse, Cabelas or even ACE Hardware. I guess people return the lemons and they cycle them back? The most common issue besides the gap is the sharpness. The edge is always brittle, to the point that it feels like a serrated blade. For the price i expect something close to perfect. I stopped buying case because of that and also because in every purchase I have high chances of getting a bad one. Sorry Case. You lost a customer.

Little back gaps I can do. Blade wobble I will not tolerate. I just bought a sod buster Last weekend it's all over the place

This is is quite helpful, I bought a square bolster CV Medium Stockman and just figured that was what Stockmanns were like when the blade half stop was weak and the blade rub was bad, but I see now I should have looked into sending it back at the time

Hi . I’ve just found this channel and it’s great to see an honest review of the dropping standards on case . I’m actually looking to buy a black canvas case hawkbill but they aren’t available in the uk in black micarta . I’m happy to purchase from the US bug I don’t want to play Russian roulette with quality issues . Could you help ?

Very informative video re: what to look for & expect in quality pocket knives. I Liked & subscribed.

Thank you for your honesty.

I really appreciate your content. I've always been a case fan due to being from PA. However after watching your videos I went against getting a bose stockman and got an otter messer anchor instead. Hopefully they fix their issues. Very sad

At least it's nice to know it's not just me James. I've been having to return Case knives for a litany of faults recently, and it's simply not good enough. A recent Mini Trapper in smooth chestnut bone was an absolute shocker and has stopped me buying Case knives unseen until I have reason to believe Case have addressed these issues. Rough Riders are variable, but I just bought one for £15 and I can't fault it. A Copperhead in Stag Bone, and it holds its own in any company. How does that work? But here in the UK we don't have far to go for shoddy knife workmanship and absolute contempt for the customer. It's called Sheffield - some honourable exceptions of course, but they are unfortunately exceptions.

The biggest quality test a knife has to pass for me to purchase is the inspection of the backspring alignment with the liners. This is because it is the easiest place to check the overall quality of the build. one it passes, I look at the way the scales, bolsters. and pins are flush with each other. THEN i check the blades and walk and talk. If at that point there aren't any issues then i am prolly going to be happy purchasing it. The problem i have with online purchases is they do not show the individual knife i am going to purchase, but rather a sample of what they want me to think i'm getting. and if i am viewing the individual item then the pictures are either not good quality or they avoid showing the detail necessary for me to feel comfortable purchasing.

If a company has the means to create a knife that is basically flawless to the human eye, it should have the means to quality control those creations. I got a nasty one the other day. Blade not only rubs on the liner but cuts on the top of the lier to get there. I'm told by the store that Case do not consider this a defect. Gee, what then constitutes a defect?

Dang, so i guess i am not the only one, i got the mini trapper in micarta and it’s got all of the issues mentioned, Blade wobble, ugly edge, and massive gap on the scale.

I love Case but...but...they have QC problems. I was looking for a doctors knife in Crandall jig bone olive green to complete a set. I looked through 14 knives before I found one acceptable between the gaps and blade wobble. I was thankful for the dealer's patience but wasn't too happy with Case. I've pretty much quit buying Case online. Don't get me starting on the blade grinds.

I have the same doctor's knife except with yellow handles and it has the same exact gap but I don't mind it too much. It also had two of the letters in the word case on the side of it black. I can see light through the other side when I clean the gunk out of it. I also have a broker tree brand Barlow that is at least 50 years old and has no blade play centering is perfect and no gaps.

I ordered a new Case medium stockman about a month ago to replace my daily carry that I lost. Same knife but 25 years apart and different color covers. This one has a lot of blade drag, gaps, but is pretty to look at when closed. It has a light, and thin feel compared to my old one. I put it back in the box and will just give it to someone. Now carrying a very old Old Timer that my Dad had. I am disappointed in Case even though the dealer sent me the best one in their stock.

I have russlock clip point and it's got gaps and blade play in all directions. That being said, I still like the purchase because I love the russlock design but I have been meaning to send it back in.

Sounds like Case has a real issue with consistent QC, I have been happy with all the knives I have received from you and appreciate your caring enough to do secondary inspection, to bad Case doesn't care more. I have already heard the same thing about QC issues from other folks regarding Case so it seems the word is out whether it is justified or not, dissatisfied people do talk, are you listening Case?

I wish you still sold knives...the fact you go through and find decent ones to send out is amazing. Just had to return one because the blade centering was literally rubbing the brass liners because it was so uncentered. And a gap.

Any gap is unacceptable

Dude, I just did a similar review/rant last week on Case knives. One of them came and it was awesome. The other one, which actually cost more, is a $7 gas station quality knife. Same company, same people making it. Their quality control is horrible.

I recently received a Case Sod Buster, Jr. with a rounded tip and a badly off-centered blade that nearly rubs the liner. Case approved my warranty repair so I sent it back today. That, plus a number of videos like yours has caused me to question my loyalty to Case. Please, Case, fix this. I love your company and want to buy more knives, but won't if these QC issues continue.

I just bought 2 Buck knives from Wal-Mart a stockman and canoe both made in China fit and finish is perfect.

I have a decent 2016 case navy blue trapper with the oval American flag case shield. Bought it from a Ace hardware on clearance for 15 bucks. I have no clue why it didn't sell at full price since it seemed immaculate. I'm hoping some cases I ordered (case amber jig CV sod buster JR and peach seed jig CV large Stockman) are fitted right.

A small gap does not bother me, after all the springs are moving parts and need some clearance. I have all sorts of Rough Ryder type knives as well as some Americans like Buck and Case. Close fitting of the springs and liners look really nice but I also have some new knives that are so hard to open that you need tool to open one. Every knife is different in its actions due to slight variations in thicknesses, rivet pressure etc. Sometimes you get one that has everything right. That goes for the Chinese jobs or the American made ones. I love Bucks but I always have to finish the manufacturing process to make the knife right for me. I also have a new Case Stockman that is just beautiful and everything looks and works perfectly. Luck? I also have some RR's that are also nice and work well too as well as some real stinkers. Sometimes you just have to wear the parts in.

Ok, so I have collected Case knives for 20+ years. I had over 100 in my collection. I didn’t like it but I was used to the $hitty quality, the gaps, the lame walk and talk. And then I bought my first Great Eastern Cutlery Knife. I sold 100 Case knives just to buy 25 Great Eastern. Great Eastern knives are without a doubt the finest production knives on the market. I still have a few Case but they are all pre 1980.

This QC issue has been creeping over many years.im 60. When i was 15 i saved enough to buy a cheetah. The local hardware had them. The first one had pits in the blade. The second one also as well as the third one. Cheetas and Jaguars are premium knives from Case. Yet at 15 i walked away from Case over this issue

I remember when i got my hands on my first case knife. It was a Damascus trapper with crimson bone scales. My heart sank when I received it and noticed the bolsters were misaligned and the gap on the backspring is big enough to see daylight through. I had to accept the knife as is because it's still a beautiful knife and I live in the uk so return is out of the question. Will never buy a case again. Have stuck to GEC ever since.

Seeing as this video is a year old, I’m extremely sad about what case knives has become... and being let down literally hundreds of times. I now only buy case knives from the 70’s and before. As expensive and tedious as it is to find great mint examples from that era, I believe those to be the epitome of case knives. I can say that the knives I’ve sent back to case knives to have issues fixed they have come back flawless, but the hassle of buying, being let down, sending it off for a month or two and coming back to be satisfied. It sucks... just saying it sucks.

That Doctor's knife is gorgeous! I know it has a gap, but I still want one like that. Personally, I don't like gaps, yet they are a price you have to pay when getting a hand made knife. I have noticed that factory machine made knives don't have issues like that, so handcrafting the knives sometimes means that you will get differences between them. I have tried getting a GEC but can't. I have pretty much given up on looking for one. They are A, Extremely hard to find. And B, are Insanely expensive. I don't live in the USA so I can't easily get my hands on one... I think for traditional knives, I will stick with some more reliable brands. Such as Opinel, Otter Messer, Victorinox, Buck etc. I have also Bought a couple of Joseph Rodgers Sheffield knives, they have yet to arrive, however I have heard some great things about them.

I’ve Yet to order a case online, or purchase one in store that didn’t have noticeable quality issues. I was told by multiple people that I just need to shell out the money to get a collector quality case because they don’t have those issues. I just spent 90 bucks on a Caribbean blue bone copper lock. There is a gap so big between the bone handle scale and brass liner, that I can see the lockbar pivot between the scale and liner. I still love the knife and the way it looks but man it sucks

I just bought a brand new Case kickstart trapperlock and it has tons of issues with it. The case logo on the handle wasn't glued in or held in in anyway, the jigging on the handles is screwed up and in the space where three jigged spots should be there is only one long jig. The blades edge hadn't been completely sharpened and still had a burr on the edge from grinding the edge onto the blade. There was still polishing rouge inside the handle and the lockup on the blade when opened has probably an 1/8th inch of play front to back and a little side to side. The handles look like they aren't fully shaped yet. It just seems like they accidentally skipped all of the finishing steps except for polishing. I filled out a warranty form so we'll see if they can get me a good knife because there is no fixing this knife with all of the blade play.

Glad to see someone else with the same opinion. I know guys that swear by them. I point out the gaps and bad grinds and all that and get back oh well no one's perfect. Which is true. Some of my GEC knives have small gaps or slightly uneven grinds but those are small cosmetic issues that I have to examine it closely to find. I have seen the same kind of issues as you show here. Yea at half the price I don't expect custom level f&f. Don't send out warped and burnt blades with bowed back spacers and cracked handles though. I can go get a modern locking folder from China now a days that has a tool steel blade with a decent (not great but plenty good enough) heat treat. Ball bearing pivot and amazing finishing and almost no flaws for 50 bucks. The kind of quality I used to spend over $150 to get years ago. I love traditional knives and I would absolutely love to have more than a few companies making good ones. There's a few case knives that would look nice with my Northwoods, GEC, Victorinox collection. Not until they match quality with price though. To me, they just look and feel cheap.

Glad I have seen this I have a collection of Rough Rider knives but thought I would like one quality knife and Case sprang to mind, now quite dubious. What do you think of buck 110 ? Would you call that a quality knife?

I don't buy new case knives anymore. I look for older ones in pawnshops.

Yeah I just got a new stockman medium, it's polished nice, slight gap, not a huge deal, but all 3 blades have an uneven grind.

I have a case Trapper that does the same thing and the back spring put grooves in the Tang of the blade and the walk and talk is terrible. It's like dragging a piano down a gravel driveway.

Gap A and B I'd live with but C is no good. I got a barlow from you, beautiful fit and finish but pretty dull, wouldn't cut paper. Easily remedied (20 minutes on some stones and strop) but definitely a QC issue. I've seen the same issues with other brands that mass produce. These issues seem to come in waves.

I don’t want any gaps, blade centering that is off so far that it rubs the liner, cracked bone, or blade wobble. At all. I can put up with some flaws, but the reason that Case has been selling this JUNK is because we as consumers allow them to. I am at a point that I will only buy a Case if I handle it in person. I bought a CV chestnut jigged bone trapper. The centering was off a little, but there were 5 other identical knives that I handled before it that were embarrassingly poor quality. It’s sad because I love Case knives.

I have a Frost elephant toenail that is perfect in every way. Much much better than what you're showing. Two Marble knives also beautiful and perfect better that the Case knives you're featuring

I'm on my second mini trapper that I'm preparing to send back to Case to have out-of-factory blade wobble fixed. The only time I forgive blade wobble is if it's a cheaper knife like Frost or Rough Rider. From Case, I expect the blades to be solid, especially since they've recently raised their prices.

I go to a local shop to check each one and often leave empty handed because of this crap, and often I could pull the blade out by hand it's so loose

I buy several Case knives a year. Mostly trappers & stockman. Have had one with a weak back spring. A few with blade play. Blade play seems more common in the stockman. Overall I’ve been pleased with fit & finish. I probably have 50 plus from 70’s 10 dot to present. Knives in video should have definitely had better QC. Also have had several Benchmade with blade play from factory. If you pay that much for USA made knives. You expect a closer inspection prior to shipping.

I realize this is an older video but I have also had issues with Case knives from 2019 -2020. Sent five knives back. Different patterns and different handle materials/style. The knives where a Tribal Lock in Blue bone, a Caribbean Blue Barlow, a Green bone stockman, a Purple stockman and a Mini Copperhead in the Barnboard jig. The Stockman knives had horrific blade rub. The Barlow had wobble and rock in the closed position. The Tribal lock had terrible blade play (side to side) and the shield popped out the first time the blade snapped closed. The Mini Copperhead main blade had hang-up on closing. This is a sad state of affairs for a historic company. My Case knives from when I started collecting the 90's were like jewelry compared to what's being produced today.

I'll never buy a case knife again. Bought a 130$ collector's edition knife for my grandfather as a Christmas gift. It had a quarter inch unpolished finish on the blade with the engraving.. three week response time. Customer service was completely incompetent.

I checked my new Case 6344 Stockman and my new Old Timer 330T and neither one of them had a gap.

No, if it says CaseXX on it. It should be perfection!

Man, I’m 60 years old. I’ve owned top of the line Shrade Old Timers, old Case folders, old Camillus knives, passed down from my father that were made in the 50’s and 60’s. Back when every knife we knew was made in America. High-carbon steel that required care to prevent rusting. Nothing you could do about the natural patina that formed over the years, but all great steel was that way. The Old Timers were sharpened at 10 to 15 degrees and absolutely razor sharp. One slip and you were cut. Nothing like this stainless alloy, “super steels” sharpened at this 20 degrees nonsense. The big seller is, “Hey, it doesn’t rust, it’s not like you’re going to use it anyway, and it’s made in China. Doesn’t get scary sharp and it’s cheap. We have thousands of them, get yours now!” And I remember when real good knives turned into okay knives, then total crap knives. It was when our old carbon steel was too expensive and brittle for the amateurs and nobody really used knives for important things like camping and carving a bear out of a pine burl. They’re all indoors playing video games and don’t even own a bicycle for Christ’s sake, and so of course knives became a novelty item instead of a necessary tool. But all we had is back spring folders and they were meticulously precision made with of course no gaps between the spacers and springs. Kinda sad how Case and Shrade as well, sold out and just got lazy. Lousy stainless blade steel, shoddy workmanship, and just no care. The reason is, the market for old classic remakes is dying off. Old collectors aren’t going to collect crappy copies and new collectors want to collect new knives. I have some very old classics that can’t be replaced. I also have some very new flippers and frame locks that are way more practical than any two-handed opening pocket knife. And it’s only more practical because I’m not competing with my cousin in carving the better bear. I use my new fancy knives to open envelopes and packages. Cut string sometimes. You don’t need a real knife for that. Love your channel. Just subscribed. Sorry for the rant from a grouchy old knife guy.

Yeah, I've been noticing more and more issues with Case knives lately. Those gaps are pretty awful. I recently purchased the sawcut brown bone Barlow in CV and one side was COMPLETELY SMOOTH!! No sawcut to it at all. Plus the walk and talk is kinda weak on the main blade. I was disappointed, but decided to keep it as an everyday user. I guess I should have sent it to them for a warranty repair, but I've heard some horror stories about knives coming back worse than when they were sent in to them. I don't think it was worth the $65 I paid for it... I buy a lot of knives and I've noticed Case has been struggling with their QC. I hope it improves soon... if not, I'll probably just stick with GEC going forward. Thanks for the honest rant. - Jim

Just bought a Vintage Bone Sway Back at the Case/Zippo store in Bradford. When I took it out the box to look at it, one of the pins fell out. I filed an on-line warranty claim. We shall see how it’s handled...

You said at the end of the video that all slipjoints have some gap. I have a James Brand The County Knife (made in China) and its fit and finish is perfect. How does this happen??? Yet, 2/3 of my Case were sent back due to problems. I guess it is a matter of volume produced and the bean counters at Case have a say.

You know, my first knife was a case knife. I still have it and plan on passing it down to my son when the time is right. I recently started looking into buying new case knives. I found a few and had them shipped to me. I was really disappointed when I compared the new case knives to the old one. I have purchased a variety of different knives from different producers. I can say that the first and finish is a worthy of the price for Case Knives compared to other brands.. I have purchased a few old case lock backs and have decided to take the scales off and replace them with new bone scales. I recently took a shark tooth to a machine shop and had them fix my blade wiggle. It cost me $56.75. Not a bad price considering I put 70 into the knife. Altogether under 130.. From now on I’m not gonna waste my time or money on a new case knife. I have found that purchasing older case knives and having the blade wiggle taken out at the machine shop or putting new scales on is much more efficient. Sure I run the value as far as collecting but at least I have a functional life I am proud to pass down.. I am curious about the new hammerhead because it is at least aluminum. Kind a hard to mess up aluminum. I just hope the blade wiggle problem is fixed. I am kind of scared to get the hammer head and bone.

Just bought a new Case Tony Bose Panama. Gaps weren’t the only thing wrong. The main blade wobbled back and forth when open. Secondary blade would rub liner so bad when closing you had to push it in. Walk and talk? 🤣 NO😑 returned very next day!

The gaps that you pointed out are not acceptable, in a Case knife selling for $60 - $80, but I probably wouldn't complain if the same gaps were noticed in a Rough Rider. The gaps scare me because I anticipate future blade wobble developing. In a Rough Rider costing $20.00, the option of replacing the knife a couple of years down the road is not economically difficult. But with the Case, if wobble developed a few years after purchase and I had not returned the knife at time of purchase...I would feel like an idiot. In other words , my fault for not taking Case to point at purchase. Both companies have "forever" warranties, but I expect better from a $80 knife than I do from a $20 knife. And the gaps that you indicated on those Case knives...not acceptable! I agree with JerseyKnife Guy...maybe all Case knives should be handled before purchase...a sad state of affairs. Personally I'm tending towards Rough Rider more and more, though I've only had one Case that should never have left the factory. But if you sold those Case knives to me...I would be disappointed, and maybe I would stop doing business with you.

Bought two of the 2021 peachseed amber copperheads. BOTH had almost no snap. Springs like butter. I don't collect these things. I use them. But I won't use one that will close on my hand. Here's a little story for you. These are the same issues Queen Cutlery had. Now the Chinese make them... I have a Chinese made Browning gunstock. It's superbly made. Cost? Less than 10 bucks at the time. Case better wake up.

Just watched this. Glad I'm not the only one who has had issues. I've sent 2 knives back to the factory with complaints and 1 return to SMKW because it was an exclusive Dave Canterbury hunter. The main blade on that knife was only ground on one side! I still enjoy Case but and still will probably buy their products but they need to step it up

i would let it slide for an inexpensive RR. but i won't pay that much for a traditional, so i don't have an Case or GEC etc

Do you mess with the kissing Kranes now that they are imports? Pretty good quality

ive bought 5 case knives, four went into the trash and 1 (OUT OF FIVE!!!!!!) was okay. I remember being so excited for a yellow delrin trapper and spent my hard earned money on it and it was ABSOLUTE CRAP! Ive also had 1 with burned edges too.

Best way to check gap, if your fingernail finds it, it is a fail?

I was going to order a Case knife online and now I'm thinking no. I just returned a Rough Ryder rr304, large sod buster($16.89), the blade was so far off center that the liner was scratching the blade. Not worth keeping at any price. Recently bought an Eafengrow, ball bearing flipper with nearly a 4" blade, for $17. And its seriously good. And I believe a dud is rare. I wonder why Case cant make it happen anymore?

Would like case to produce more cv but they have changed it to cs .I guess it's kind of the same thing.But I would take any bad knife with a gap as long as the snap is there and the blade doesn't wiggle but it would have to be half price

Gaps as wide as a business card ?!?!! Seriously ? For him to even admit that is shamefull . The biggest gap on any of the dozen or so Rough Riders I own is hard to maybe get a sliver of notebook paper into . But in all fairness , I just recieved two brand new offerings from Case that were both produced in March of 2021 and they are impressive . I mean I'm really impressed . The only thing that is lacking is that blade centering isn't perfect . It's well within acceptable and no blade comes close to a liner but they are dead center . I've got another coming next week and it's a stockman , so we will see if we get the same fit and finish as well as if the thing will have zero blade rub as all my USA Old Timers and Uncle Henry's possess .

What are the scales called on that orange stockman with the vintage Case logo all over them. Really nice design

I only have two Case knives. A trapper and a stockman. The stockman had to be returned because it developed a serious backspring problem. The replacement, after a year, now has a weak backspring. It cost me $78 delivered. Not a vast sum in the knife collecting year but one would expect a knife of reasonable quality for that amount. I shan't buy another Case knife.

I just wish the blades weren’t so off centered almost every time the blade is rubbing on the scales

June 2020. I ordered 15 Rough Rider stag bone knives recently. Only one had a slight wobble all the rest were great and any spaces were about the size of a Coronavirus, (sorry but I just couldn't resist). Machining was good and blade centering although not always 100% they were reasonable, no scraping on the sides. Seems they upped their game or the seller is like you and checks first. I just ordered 7 more for the price of a Spyderco PM 2 and they look real nice. Real bone, brass and steel compared to G10 scales which don't compare in looks. I'm not going to pay three to four times more for a knife to have the same quality.

Was thinking of getting a Case Stockman and they're even more expensive in the UK. Opted for a Boker Stockman instead. It'll be well made and perfect but a slight shame. You want at least one traditional American pattern knife that is made in America in the same way a Taylors Eye Witness Barlow made in Taiwan wouldn't feel totally right.

Paddy just mentioned he was fed up with case and trying some more GECs, that's exactly why I asked if you'd check mine, thank you by the way, still looking forward to them! A and B to be honest would pass for me but I have somewhat low standards, C would annoy me.

I’m want the back pocket case knife

Wonder if temperature change could be causing separation during shipping etc?

Nice review. I don’t agree with everything you say though. However, I’m not a dealer. If I was I would probably take your side more. Here are some things to consider. Case pocketknives have been hot collectibles since at least the 1970’s. The whole reason they started the dot dating process was because they knew people wanted their knives and were keeping up with the tang stampings to “date” their knives. By adding the dots, they could encourage collectors to buy one for every year or to buy one for specific years for commemoratives, etc. All that said, Case knives are extremely popular with collectors. Even if they closed down their knife making operations today, there would still be massive interest in them for years to come. I would assume the interest would be so persistent that another manufacturer would buy the rights to the name and keep on producing them. There is simply too much collecting nostalgia for them to just disappear. So, I said all that to say: I don’t think some gaps in the liners are going to be enough to sink the brand, for all the reasons I just mentioned. Do I think they could do better? Maybe not at the price points they are offering. Times have changed. Maybe $50 isn’t that much to pay after all for a decent quality American made knife. Maybe we will have to live with a few fit and finish issues at that price point. If we are talking knives in the $80-$100+ range, then yes the kinds of gaps you’re showing would be unacceptable. Here is another thing: there is a subset of buyers today who are not scrutinizing them like that anyway, they simply want a Case knife in a certain pattern or color to put away in their collection. They might not even carry it let alone sharpen it. I have two regular production recent Case knives that I’ve received as gifts and I’ve never looked at them except for the day I got them and once or twice since. They are wiped up and put away in the box for a “rainy day”. Any of us who have been around long enough remember the Case knives of the 80’s and early 90’s. They were notoriously bad compared to the dotted, double X and older models...and guess what...they are also notoriously bad (in general) compared to the seven modem Case knives you review in this video. Case’s quality has recovered from the 80’s and today they offer more variety in handle material, frame size and options than almost anytime in recent history. Sure you could buy a $10 Rough Rider whittler but it’s not a Case! The Rough Riders today are the equivalent of what Jim Parker was doing with Japanese-made pseudo-traditional American styled slipjoint knives in the 70’s (I.e. razor trappers and all that). Are Jim’s old knives collectible? Sure I guess to a point. But a comparable pattern and condition Case 70’s or 80’s dotted knife would still be worth more now than a Parker would. I doubt they will even catch up to one another, and I doubt Rough Rider knives of 2020 will ever catch up to the value of Case knives from 2020, even in 2099... Now let’s talk about the GECs. Are they nice traditional knives? Sure? Good fit and finish? I think so. Are they Case knives? Nope. They have cool boxes and nice design execution but I don’t see them sinking Case Cutlery, come on. They appeal to someone who wants something a little different and is willing to pay more for slightly tighter tolerances. More power to them, but they still aren’t Case knives! Overall, your review is good and probably fair. I don’t like the gaps I’m seeing but the knives you reviewed are a hell of a lot better than what Case was putting out in the 80’s and frankly I think people are going to keep buying them one way or another! Best wishes -

Don't slip out of joint, mate!

I’m telling you I’ve been collecting traditional knives for a long time

You know case makes the Tony Bose series knives that are top quality however they run 150 plus