About Pocket Knives

 If you want to give thanks and show appreciation to your groomsmen, look no more because one of the most practical choices you can go for is a set of pocket knives. A pocket knife is a folding knife with a blade that fits inside the handle and it is small enough to fit in a pocket. Your buddies will greatly appreciate having them because they are very useful and functional to have.One excellent choice among the popular brands in pocket knives is the Case Pocket Knives. Some of its standard features are coping, spear, sheepfoot, and pen blades of Tru-Sharp surgical steel. This small and yet versatile tool is something exquisite that any man can’t refuse to have!

When I was young I loved playing swords with my buddies. All summer long we would chase each other around in our various back yards with swords made of wood or just long sticks. I am still in touch with many of my pals from the old neighborhood today.

We can’t (at least with any dignity) chase each other around in our yards anymore, but we can indulge in collectible pocket knives. Collectible pocket knives are often hand-crafted and one of a kind. Much to my wife’s annoyance, I like to show them off whenever my friends come over.

The roots of W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company, the company that produces Case Pocket Knives, go back to before 1900.  The company is based in Bradford, Pennsylvania and is now owned by Zippo manufacturing, another United States company that is also based in Bradford.  Today Case knives are one of the few brands of knives still made in the United States.Over 100 pairs of hands are used to create each Case pocket knife.  Case pocket knives have continued to evolve and today handles are made from rare Brazilian cattle bone, Buffalo horn, rosewood, mother-of-pearl, and stag.  Metals like brass, nickel, and silver highlight each pocket knife, creating pocket knives that are beautiful and will also stand the test of time. 

In February 2008 the Sway Back Jack joined the distinguished list of Case Pocket Knives.  Produced in a collaberation between Case and Tony Bose the Sway Back Jack made it’s debut at the 2008 S.H.O.T. show.  Case has said it was the company’s goal to create a Case model somewhat smaller in size than their two previous catalog offerings by Tony Bose - The 3-7/8” Sowbelly (TB’339) in 2001 and the 3-1/2” Saddlehorn (TB’110) in 2004. 

 The new Case Sway Back Jack measures 3-1/5” when closed and weighs 2.0 ounces.  It features a Wharncliffe master blade and a secondary Pen blade, both made of Tru-Sharp™ surgical steel.  The blades are flat ground, tapered, and artfully swedged.  The springs have been redesigned so the back side can maintain a flush appearance when blades are at opened, closed, and half-stop positions.  The pen spring has been extended to the knife’s front side, giving the blade a neatly fitted appearance when closed.  Other features include nickel-silver end bolsters and handles fixed with a Case oval script shield.

On January 1, 2008 Case Knives started what they call their Case XX Vault Program.  With this program specific models of Case knives and the tools required to make them are locked away in the “Case XX Vault” for at least three years, before these models will be made available to the public again.  Case built a special vault for the safekeeping of the patterns and tooling until the time rolls around to again release the pattern.  

There were two reasons that Case started this program.  First, it will help them deal with producing the large number of different knife patterns they have.  Right now it is over 140 patterns. Second, this should provide a boost to Case knife collectors as models are removed from production. 

Right now there are 5 models of Case Pocket Knives in the vault.  The Tuxedo, Doctor’s Knife and Cheetah went into the vault on January 1, 2008.  On July 1, 2008 the Sowbelly and Copperlock were added to the vault.  So, if you want to get any of these pocket knives you might want to grab them quick.  They will be gone for at least 3 years.