Case Canoe

Ultiman

Ultiman

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Joined
Oct 29, 2019
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217
I've always wanted to try a canoe style traditional, but gave up chasing the GEC 16 a little while back. Honestly I think I prefer the looks of the Case variations, but am wary of their QC.

Anyone have a Case canoe they can provide some thoughts on?
 
Ultiman said:
I've always wanted to try a canoe style traditional, but gave up chasing the GEC 16 a little while back. Honestly I think I prefer the looks of the Case variations, but am wary of their QC.

Anyone have a Case canoe they can provide some thoughts on?
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I have a 2019 case canoe in Caribbean blue bone, and I like it. There is some blade rub, but I think that is to be expected. Overall the fit and finish on mine I would say is above average for case. I would recommend getting one if you’re interested in the pattern.
 
Case QC, you say? I think it all depends on just how precisely manufactured you expect your knife to be. This canoe has a shield and one pin that are slightly recessed. I didn't even notice it for about a year, until I held it in the right light. My latest Case has a shield that is a touch proud. GEC makes a nice knife. Case knives are not as close to perfection as GEC, but are a reasonable value and are easily available.
58M4o9Dl.jpg
 
Bastler said:
Case QC, you say? I think it all depends on just how precisely manufactured you expect your knife to be. This canoe has a shield and one pin that are slightly recessed. I didn't even notice it for about a year, until I held it in the right light. My latest Case has a shield that is a touch proud. GEC makes a nice knife. Case knives are not as close to perfection as GEC, but are a reasonable value and are easily available.
58M4o9Dl.jpg
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Thank you - that one is a great example of what I like.
 
If you're set on a Case, I would go searching for one pre-1985. Thats the year the tooling was changed and it went to two backsprings. Earlier than that it should be single backspring, which is much nicer IMO.
If you are not set on Case, go looking for a Queen, also single spring.
 
3-1-1 said:
Earlier than that it should be single backspring, which is much nicer IMO.
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I don’t want to lead this thread too far from Canoes, but I’m curious about this. Can you say more about single vs double backsprings? Is it because the canoe has two blades so one back spring is sufficient?
 
Frank.K said:
I don’t want to lead this thread too far from Canoes, but I’m curious about this. Can you say more about single vs double backsprings? Is it because the canoe has two blades so one back spring is sufficient?
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I don't know what you're asking, but yes one backspring works for 2 blades. Just a littler more careful craftsmanship is required. It is really only attached at the center pivot pin, and then held in place by tension from the blades on opposing ends.
The pre-1985 canoes still have the same shape, size, same two blades, everything, but running on a single, wider backspring. But 1985 and later have two skinny backsprings, one for each blade which will be pinned at two places each.
 
3-1-1 said:
I don't know what you're asking.
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Thanks, I was looking for more information and your answer was helpful. My interest in springs started with discussion of the new GEC whittlers which have two springs, with two coming together to regulate the main blade. When I heard you say that you preferred one, I wanted to know why. But it makes sense, one beefy spring probably holds the blades better, but getting the fitment right so one tang holds the spring for the other must take skill.
 
Frank.K said:
Thanks, I was looking for more information and your answer was helpful.
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Please note that "one spring" only works on two-blade knives where the blades are on opposite ends from each other. Something like the whittler has to have two springs because there are two blades on the same end of the knife, but can come together and function as one spring where there is only one blade on that end of the knife. I probably confused you more... :oops:
 
JohnDF said:
Please note that "one spring" only works on two-blade knives where the blades are on opposite ends from each other. Something like the whittler has to have two springs because there are two blades on the same end of the knife, but can come together and function as one spring where there is only one blade on that end of the knife. I probably confused you more... :oops:
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Oh no, I am head first into spring theory today. Went to look at my first slipjoint, a Case stockman with split springs. The main blade is one sided and terminates into the bolster nicely, the secondary blades share a spring. Then my GEC 62 shares a spring like a Canoe does. It is a really nice snappy knife.
 
Frank.K said:
a Case stockman with split springs
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Not to nit-pick, I'm just trying to help... hope you understand. :)
A typical stockman has two springs, not split springs.
A split-springs have a tapered wedge between them, while two-springs lay side-by-side, sometimes with a liner between them.

Here's a split spring with the tapered wedge... Whittler


Here's a two spring with a liner... Jack knife
 
Now I'm definitely on the hunt for a single backspring canoe style. Maybe a custom maker is up to the challenge?
 
There are several single spring Canoes on the 'bay..... pricing around and just above $100 - ish.... I think that would be cheaper than a custom builder, but I could be wrong.
 
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