Tru-Sharp I am pretty impressed

C

camo kid

Joined
Sep 3, 2002
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Years back I bought a Case scout Knife in Tru-Sharp, and had a heck of a time getting a good edge that would last on it. About two years ago I bought a sod buster followed by a peanut both in Tru-Sharp, and more recently a bear head trapper. After the past 2 years I have to say Tru-sharp is pretty good stuff. It seems to hold an edge durring everyday use as well as the cv blades I own, and sharpens allmost as easy. And I am even getting used to the bright shiny blades. It is a big step for me carrying stainless and I just though I would share. Joe
 
That's pretty much been my experience with the recent Case Tru-Sharp blades, Joe. They've come ripping sharp out of the box and kept the edge well.
 
I think that Case went through a period many years ago when their Q.A. was less than steller. But in recent years they seem to have been making a real effort to bring a quality knife to the buyer. I have a couple of peanuts, one old carbon, a recent CV, and a very nice stag bone with true sharp. In day to day use, I can't tell a difference. It takes a side by side cutting test to show up a edge holding difference between the CV and stainless, and by then I have cutting cramp in my hand.

If I do my after dinner stropping, both of them get me trough the day just fine.
 
Amos, I allmost forgot to mention that they all would were all shaving sharp or close to it out of the box, as have the CV models recently. Thats refreshing after buying mostly queen for the past few years and having to re-bevel and hone that D2. Joe
 
I've had the same experience. I have been nothing but impressed with both the fit and finish, the factory edge, and the edge holding of my tru-sharp Case knives
 
After having avoided stainless pocket knives for a few years I bought a autumn bone Case peanut built back in '03. Nice little knife that is well put together and holds an edge nicely. I have no complaints and carry it often.
It did not come all that sharp but did have a nice edge/grind and took only a couple of minutes to get shaving sharp.
 
I like a lot of the current stainless steel for small pocket knives. I have a bunch of the Case Tru-Sharp and use the heck out of them. The small black Soddie just does a lot of work without much fuss. I also have a white bone tiny stockman in stainless that keeps going and going and...
 
My Cases didn't come with the greatest edge out of the box, but a few minutes on a fine stone were enough to get them shaving sharp. Much like Victorinox mistery steel, Case's Tru-Sharp will get you through most days just fine, the thing is you can't brag about how wonderful the steel on your knife is, and that's a big deal for some folks.

Outdoors or at my dad's horse ranch, I can tell the difference in performance between Tru-Sharp and CV or something like S30V because I do a lot of cutting. So I usually carry one of my carbon steel slippies then.
 
I bought a little Finn in stainless, my first experience with Case stainless, I have nothing but praise for the little slicer.
 
It gets beat up a lot around here, but it cuts (maybe not as long as some) so I don't have a huge problem with it and they can put knives on the market with it at a reasonable price.

Now in the late 80's early 90's it was pretty nasty. Many of mine where to darn soft to put a decent edge on them that would last for more than a few cuts (maybe due to heat treat).
 
My Case knives with stainless blades are recently made, but I actually really like the steel. It's very easy to sharpen and get ultra sharp. (I sharpened a new 6344 Stockman a couple of weeks ago and, after finishing with the just the fine Sharpmaker rods, the pen blade could whittle free-standing hair.) It might not be quite as strong or wear resistant as some higher carbon steels, but it's great for push-cutting and it holds up fine for my everyday slip-joint chores.

I think I have 5 Tru-Sharp Case knives (all made after 2000) that I've used and sharpened. IIRC, they all came with burrs out-of-the -box, but the edges were nice and thin, so it was easy to touch them up. The quality of the heat treat also seems to be very consistent from blade to blade; I haven't noticed any micro-chipping or unusually soft steel.
 
I only tried on Tru-Sharp Case: a Sodbuster which I purchased from Lowes.

I believe there was something seriously wrong with that knife, because it simply would not cut.
The blade appeared sharp, and I worked on it for about 10 minutes on the Sharpmaker (perhaps not long enough?)...but it simply was un-cooperative.
But...I am pretty novice at sharpeninng.

I still intend to pick up a CV Soddie...
 
I'd bet that soddie had a rolled wire edge on it. I've seen several Cases with burrs on the edge from the factory sharpening, and after you got that off of there, they were incredibly sharp.
 
BTW, can anyone quickly tell me what steel do you actually use for their current SS and CV. It is a steel of their own propriety? How does the SS compare to the stainless steel used by Victorinox.

God Bless
 
kidwholaughs said:
BTW, can anyone quickly tell me what steel do you actually use for their current SS and CV. It is a steel of their own propriety? How does the SS compare to the stainless steel used by Victorinox.

God Bless
Click to expand...

The current Case stainless and the mystery stainless in the sak's seem to be so close I can't tell the difference. Both will get you thru your day just fine. Give them a stropping at night after dinner and drop back in pocket ready for duty.:thumbup:
 
Case's seems to be 420HC at 55-57, while SAK would be 4116 at about the same. Basically the same, just different geometries.
 
I have a sod buster that is my yard knife. It is the big TS one. I couldn't seem to get it sharp like my mini trapper, also in TS. Well, I bought a Sharpmaker and now this knife is awesome. Put out pinestraw today, the nylon twine took no effort to cut, seemed like all I had to do was touch it and pop. I also weeded with it, cut crepe myrtle suckers as well as pruned roots and cut back a lot of over grown pots. I like TS on this knife because it is fold and forget. I have a home made leather sheath for it. My carbons are Bokers and a Moore Maker I don't have any Case, though I have looked,
 
No complaints about the cutting power or the sharpness when new of my Case stainless. Find it very practical as I like to prepare food with my knives and use them in horticulture.Can't be bothered with rust treatments and the Case stainless sharpens up nicely on a diamond stone. For the money, their QC is ahead of competitors in my view.
 
I've bought quite a few Case toothpicks over the last few years.
For my own collection, and as gifts.

The fit, finish, and edge on all of them have been excellent.
(And I'm picky! :))
 
Case's QC does seem to be top of the line these days. Both the tru-sharp, and CV bladed Case's have been slowly taking over my EDC lineup. Jackknife, and the rest of you who strop your blades what kind of strop do you use and what do you load it with? I strop most of my blades, and normally use the back of a belt that is glued to a board, and loaded with Tripoli buffing compound. Is there a better, or more traditional approach? thanks, Joe
 
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