Case using 1095?

TheJon

TheJon

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Apr 12, 2014
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Ran across a SFO that case apparently just made for a dealer with 1095, steel, anyone going to be buying one? Its tempting but I have quite a few large trappers and don't really NEED another...but maybe. I've never had much of a beef with Case steel, a little soft but not bad.
On another note haven't we tried to get case to do a forum knife for us and been rejected? This SFO was for 500 which might be taking a bigger bite than we can chew, but still possible.
 
I’d be interested but skeptical at the same time as I haven’t had the best luck with recent Case. I checked out a recent SFO they did for a dealer and was unimpressed with the quality on that trapper. I was happy it was sent to check out and I didn’t pay for it. Something in 1095 might suck me back in to try another.
 
Ruhiger Sturm said:
I’d be interested but skeptical at the same time as I haven’t had the best luck with recent Case. I checked out a recent SFO they did for a dealer and was unimpressed with the quality on that trapper. I was happy it was sent to check out and I didn’t pay for it. Something in 1095 might suck me back in to try another.
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I'm curious how much of an improvement the 1095 will be over their normal steel. I think their normal stuff is 1085? If I remember right
scrteened porch said:
Sounds interesting. I might need a large trapper.
I think it is the case that Case doesn't want to do a run as small as our forum knife.

I like Case and have had consistently good luck with them.
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I've had quite good luck with case as well. Not sure I'l try out this one. If I remember I comes with burlap micarta scales.
 
Case representatives, including their own engineering staff, have mentioned on their own Case Collectors Club forum in years past* that their CV is 'modified 1095' - with the 'modified' being the addition of small amounts of chromium and vanadium. So, anything currently new in as-named '1095' may not be much of a change - maybe just getting the steel from a different, independent source, instead of making it to their own 'CV' recipe.

Case has also mentioned on the same forum site, their CV is a 'several points' harder than their stainless ('Tru-Sharp'). Their published numbers for Tru-Sharp are in the HRC 55-57 range; the implication being that their CV is somewhere in the HRC 57-59 range. In my use of their CV blades, that seems realistic to me, and it compares pretty favorably with Schrade's older USA blades in 1095, with those maybe being a tad harder (up to ~ 60 HRC or so).

Edited to add:
* - The specific affirmations made, about their CV steel being based on 1095, were made in at least two posts from their own staff: one by CCC admin, the other by the company historian with engineering input, on the Case Collectors Club (CCC) forum. One post was dated from 2005, the other from 2013.

I'm a CCC member myself and went looking for this info on their CCC forum a while back to satisfy my own curiosity.

Two excerpts from a post there by the CCC Admin, dated from 2005:
"The steel used at Case is made from the following grades: Surgical Stainless Steel (SS) is 420 HC (high carbon) and CV is modified 1095."
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"All steels used at Case are heat treated and double tempered with our CV being several points higher on the Rockwell C scale."
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Two excerpts from another single post by Case staff (company historian) in 2013:
"The steel has remained the same throughout the years. We have a vendor that actually was familiar with the steel properties that we used as far back as the 60s and 70s, of which it is the same."
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"It is a 1095 carbon steel. Although today we call it Chrome Vanadium, it is one in the same."
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In my search for what case uses I’ve never found or got a solid answer from a case rep or company information data sheet to verify their steel they use. I’ve read where some were quoted as saying it was a mod 1095 with some chrome and vanadium. Another one said it was 1085 plus cv. Yet another one said they had various types depending on the supplier. But they never offer a data sheet / spec sheet to show the elements and percentages that makeup their steel as other manufacturers do. The same with their surgical steel, true sharp ss.
If they are actually using 1095 or 1095cv why don’t they show the specs on it? Along with the heat treatment and hrc ?
 
I bought one of their 1095 Trappers.
Typical Case build with a very slight gap at one liner and the blades are NOT perfectly centered but far from rubbing.
Everything else about the knife is top quality with good Fit n Finish and very good Walk and Talk... It's very 'snappy'
I will mention that the Micarta isn't as high grade as I've seen on other knives... feels very smooth and almost "acrylic-y" if that is a word.
 
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JohnDF said:
I bought one of their 1095 Trappers.
Typical Case build with a very slight gap at one liner and the blades are perfectly centered but far from rubbing.
Everything else about the knife is top quality with good Fit n Finish and very good Walk and Talk... very 'snappy'
I will mention that the Micarta isn't as high grade as I've seen on other knives... feels very smooth and almost "acrylic-y" if that a word.
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How about a picture of the info decal on the flap and back of the box John? Does the box label actually have 1095 on it?
 
I never had any issues with the CV they use but I almost never see it on patterns that interest me
Lately. How likely would a case forum knife be in the future?
 
JohnDF said:
I bought one of their 1095 Trappers.
Typical Case build with a very slight gap at one liner and the blades are NOT perfectly centered but far from rubbing.
Everything else about the knife is top quality with good Fit n Finish and very good Walk and Talk... It's very 'snappy'
I will mention that the Micarta isn't as high grade as I've seen on other knives... feels very smooth and almost "acrylic-y" if that is a word.
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Thanks for posting John, I've been waiting to see these trappers out in the real world. Its funny the company photos for these knives show the gaps and off-centered blades we've all grown accustomed to seeing. You would think they would pick through some boxes and find a prime example, but might be safer to show the people what they will likely receive and surprise a few when it occasionally comes together perfectly. Still a nice knife, the round shield looks good to me, be nice to see a few other handle materials made available.
 
Matt_WY said:
be nice to see a few other handle materials made available.
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Yes, like I said it's typical Case quality... not perfect but still very usable.
The retailer, although big, doesn't seem to care a whole lot. So I'm not surprised by the pictures.
I would also like to see other cover materials. Like i said, I'm not super happy with the Micarta they used on this run.
 
JohnDF said:
I bought one of their 1095 Trappers.
Typical Case build with a very slight gap at one liner and the blades are NOT perfectly centered but far from rubbing.
Everything else about the knife is top quality with good Fit n Finish and very good Walk and Talk... It's very 'snappy'
I will mention that the Micarta isn't as high grade as I've seen on other knives... feels very smooth and almost "acrylic-y" if that is a word.
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Thanks for the pictures, I was hoping someone had one. I might end up picking one, just because they're a little different.
 
JohnDF said:
Yes it does...


And on the tang...
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Modoc ED said:
Good man John. Thanks. I didn't doubt you - just wanted to see it in black and white. Oh, watch how you carry that thing in your front pockets. Heed the Prop. 65 warning. Could alter your ballance.
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Hmmm, looks interesting. I think Case never specified the exact alloy so they can use whatever is available at the best price. Kind of like Cold Steel and their Carbon V. I have heard that at some point in the past Cr-V was 0170-6.

I laugh at the Prop 65 warning. Here in Kommiefornia these warnings are everywhere and people just ignore them.
 
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I saw these a couple of days ago, and have pondered picking one up. Thanks for sharing yours!
 
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