Wild caught Case knife and Rubberset #4 !

Finally found the Rubberset brush i've been wanting at a antique show/sale and a Case pocket knife for $10! has some rust but the blades look to have never seen a hone. The small blade is very hard to open and looks unused.
If any body knows any thing about the Case please fill me in as i only know they are pretty good knives and some what collectible.
Now, the question is, re knot the brush or leave it original?
Attachment 260371

did some further research and found the knife to date from the 1920-1940 !!

Hey, good catch. I think with the brush you should evaluate whether or not you like boar brushes. If you like boar brushes just clean her up and break it in. If you don't like boars just throw in a badger knot and be done with it.

Bob

Excellent finds Tintin! I don't have to tell you how desirable those Rubbersets are, you know. I agree with Bob. Do you like boar brushes?? Looks like this guy is still in great condition. Nice dense packed hairs. Me, I'd clean it up, try it out and then go from there.

PM sent concerning Case Knife Info--I hope it proves helpful.

I carry a Case knife:

Attachment 260372

thanks for the info Roy! that's a nice knife!

I found an identical Rubberset 400 and use the original boar knot. If you like boar, I would keep it original.

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Originally Posted by tintin

thanks for the info Roy! that's a nice knife!

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Thank you!

It is precious to me as it was a gift for some razor work that I'd done N/C and the gift was totally unexpected.

I'd keep it original ,Vern.
I'd like to find one of those in the wild myself. The case are excellent pocket knives, and take great edges that hold up.
I carry one like Roy's, but has pick bone scales.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e3e9a8f560.jpg

Here's an update for those interested. I got in touch with Case (thanks Roy) and got some info from their historian as well as a collector and author of a knife collectors guide. As is turns out it was made around '!42-46 for the Army Air Corps! During that time they used the items they had available and did it economically so it has unique features such as steel liners and bolsters as well as no shield on the scales. If only the knife could talk. Here is a updated picture of both the knife and brush after clean-up.
Attachment 261756

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Originally Posted by tintin

Here's an update for those interested. I got in touch with Case (thanks Roy) and got some info from their historian as well as a collector and author of a knife collectors guide. As is turns out it was made around '!42-46 for the Army Air Corps! During that time they used the items they had available and did it economically so it has unique features such as steel liners and bolsters as well as no shield on the scales. If only the knife could talk. Here is a updated picture of both the knife and brush after clean-up.

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Way cool info! Both are looking good :tu

I'm glad I was able to be of some help.

Yeah, that is a Case "tested" knife with the long tail C if I'm viewing it correctly. That stamping was used 1920-1940. Great score at ten times the price. :tu

Congrats on a great score!
Both look terrific cleaned up and will serve you well.
Looks like they both found their way into good hands!

Very nice. Case knives are awesome.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Yeah, that is a Case "tested" knife with the long tail C if I'm viewing it correctly. That stamping was used 1920-1940. Great score at ten times the price. :tu

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yes, here is what the historian told me about the dating:

Yes and no. Yes (it was made with Tested blades). No (It wasn’t made in 1920-1940). It was made using the Case Tested XX blades. The Tested XX era transitioned into the 1940s. So, in other words, it was NOT a complete cut off of the Tested XX in 1940. It went further into the 40s. Some speculate as late as 1948 on some patterns. We will never have a definitive answer on which patterns, but it was transitional and sometimes you catch knives with both Case XX and Tested XX blade stamps. And it may be why we did not bother with the pattern stamps until 1948-1952ish.

It was likely made between 1942-1946. I put it as early as 1946, simply because of the timeframe of when we may have been doing contracts for military. I do not know that this was full force until the US joined WWII that we may have begun producing models like this.

I know that this seems like we are splitting hairs, and in the grand scheme of things, it is irrelevant to the overall value and definition of what it is. It was produced at war time for the Army Air Corps, we used materials that we had, such as a Tested blade vs a Case XX blade. It was still manufactured for the effort and in the most economical manner.

I like Case knives and have found them to be of good quality. I really like that brush. It just looks different.

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Originally Posted by tintin

yes, here is what the historian told me about the dating:

Yes and no. Yes (it was made with Tested blades). No (It wasn’t made in 1920-1940). It was made using the Case Tested XX blades. The Tested XX era transitioned into the 1940s. So, in other words, it was NOT a complete cut off of the Tested XX in 1940. It went further into the 40s. Some speculate as late as 1948 on some patterns. We will never have a definitive answer on which patterns, but it was transitional and sometimes you catch knives with both Case XX and Tested XX blade stamps. And it may be why we did not bother with the pattern stamps until 1948-1952ish.

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Very true. The fellow who told you the history knows his stuff. Here, top of photo, is an XX 62048 with green bone scales and a tested 'curly C' shield, next to a XX (1940-1964) both with a tested blade (profile) stamped XX, and the regular XX shield without the earlier Curly C.

Not sure if you can see it because of the photo angle, but the tested blades had a more refined blade profile than the later XX, as shown on the red Rogers bone XX at the bottom of the photo. The yellow 'tested' 31048 came out of a batch of tested blades that Jim Parker found in the factory after he bought out Case. Somewhere in the late '80s IIRC. Probably the last tested knives assembled at the factory.

Attachment 261800Attachment 261799

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Originally Posted by Pete123

Very nice. Case knives are awesome.

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Those made prior to 1970. After that, not so much.

Case "Hobo"
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...%20IXL/BO3.jpg

Tang stamp dates it 1903-1905
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...%20IXL/BO4.jpg

Rescaled case "jumbo" jack
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...CASEXXUSA2.jpg

Rescaled because Case had problems with their yellow scale material.
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...XL/Hazmat1.jpg

very interesting, were they made with celluloid? did you rescale it?

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Originally Posted by tintin

very interesting, were they made with celluloid? did you rescale it?

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Not real sure what that yellow material was. When it decomposed, it ate the brass liners but not the steel. The decomposition makes the brass turn to green goo.
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...%20IXL/XX3.jpg

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...%20IXL/XX6.jpg
Had another beautiful old 1950's Case stockman totally ruined by the time I found it. The liners were thin enough to read through, yet the blades were untouched.

Had that one re-scaled by a knife mechanic friend of mine. The finish on the blades is from the factory. It's never been sharpened or carried, but it's no longer "original".