Why does Case get a pass on "surgical steel?"

Status
Not open for further replies.
19-3ben

19-3ben

Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
4,666
I was going to post this in "traditional" but figured i might get a biased view there, and would rather get a representative sampling of opinions.

We all crap all over every company that advertises that they use "surgical steel."
Yet Case, which is highly regarded touts their Tru-Sharp Surgical Steel, and we all go along with it. Do they get some kind of special dispensation? Or do people hate on Case also and I'm just unaware of it?

Assuming they do get a pass... why? Is case just too much of a sacred cow to butcher?

Do we actually know kind of steel the "Tru-Sharp Surgical Steel" is?
 
last i knew the tru sharp was 420hc, and i don't think they get a pass, as many have hammered on case forever on it. if you ask case they tell you, so it's not completely hidden. think of it as marketing for non steel junkies.....
 
Bro its tested XX.

But really I don't mind it in Cases. Not really focused on blade steel when I'm looking at traditionals. I do prefer a basic carbon steel like 1095 in my old timey slippies!
 
From what I understand Case's Tru-Sharp surgical steel is 420HC (Not at all bad with a good heat treatment) and their CV steel is the same as 1095CV, another good steel choice.

So as long as this is the case (no pun indented) I'm fine with their steel choices.

I think the issue is with companies who say surgical steel and you have no idea what steel they are using and is usually a very low end steel.
 
kniferbro.....case kinda does that in their cv or i believe it's "1085-CV", 1085 with chrome and vanadium added...... or so i read from Knarfeng or Frank the mod, but this goes back awhile to the 2010 range so it may have changed?
 
Some people may need or believe they need a stout tough folder that they can thrash on and demand some form of modern super steel, traditional slipjoints however only usually see menial daily cutting tasks which this Steel is just fine for.
Traditional guys also usually have simple tastes or demands and don't mind your good ol' easy to sharpen steels like 1095, 1075, 420hc, and whatever Victorinox uses.
 
jbmonkey said:
kniferbro.....case kinda does that in their cv or i believe it's "1085-CV", 1085 with chrome and vanadium added...... or so i read from Knarfeng or Frank the mod, but this goes back awhile to the 2010 range so it may have changed?
Click to expand...

Oh yeah I have a few Cases in their CV steel. I was just saying in general I prefer carbon steel on a slip joint :D. Seems a bit more fitting.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Some people may need or believe they need a stout tough folder that they can thrash on and demand some form of modern super steel, traditional slipjoints however only usually see menial daily cutting tasks which this Steel is just fine for.
Traditional guys also usually have simple tastes or demands and don't mind your good ol' easy to sharpen steels like 1095, 1075, 420hc, and whatever Victorinox uses.
Click to expand...

True. But that has nothing to do with the question. No need to turn this into a "tactical bashing" thread, or excuse to proselytize for traditionals. Let's leave that out as it's just a red herring that doesn't help us here.

It's simply one of terminology and why we trash companies that tout their use of "surgical steel" but at the same time speak in reverence about Case, which does the same thing.

It seems we have the answer, which is that we do know what steel they are using, it's not a secret to those of us who take the time to investigate, and it's just a marketing term for those who aren't into knives and easily impressed with marketing language.

Thank you all.
 
Last edited:
19-3ben said:
True. But that has nothing to do with the question. No need to turn this into a "tactical bashing" thread, or excuse to proselytize for traditionals. Let's leave that crap out as it's just a red herring that doesn't help us here.

It's simply one of terminology and why we trash companies that tout their use of "surgical steel" but at the same time speak in reverence about Case, which does the same thing.

It seems we have the answer, which is that we do know what steel they are using, it's not a secret to those of us who take the time to investigate, and it's just a marketing term for those who aren't into knives and easily impressed with marketing language.

Thank you all.
Click to expand...
I was not trying to bash anyone, sorry if I came off that way.
I'm just saying that case may get a pass because it doesn't matter to most that use them.
For example I don't know exactly what type of steel Victorinox uses ( all I know is that they get it from Germany and France ) but I don't care because whatever it is it's fine for what I use it for.
I was also saying that just calling something tru sharp surgical Steel wouldn't fly with modern knife people who have to know exactly what their knife blade is made of, because they might require something up to hard use.
 
I think it has to do with how most knife companies thay advertise surgical steel are using the name to make some crappy poorly treated steel sound advanced and special to laymen. It could be any steel. However with Case we know we are getting a decent usable steel.

I think that's the reason.
 
Victorinox uses X55CrMo14 (DIN 1.4110) at 56 HRC for the blades.
Springs: X20Cr13 (DIN 1.4021)
Tools: X39Cr13 (DIN 1.4031)

It's in their product catalog.
 
Case knows their market pretty well.

Aside from the two main steel offerings they do others too. 154cm is an example in their Bose line. I have a BG 42 liner lock made some years ago. I'm sure there are others.

Joe
 
Hickory n steel said:
I was not trying to bash anyone, sorry if I came off that way.
I'm just saying that case may get a pass because it doesn't matter to most that use them.
For example I don't know exactly what type of steel Victorinox uses ( all I know is that they get it from Germany and France ) but I don't care because whatever it is it's fine for what I use it for.
I was also saying that just calling something tru sharp surgical Steel wouldn't fly with modern knife people who have to know exactly what their knife blade is made of, because they might require something up to hard use.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying. In turn, I apologize if I misinterpreted and came across as harsh.


22-rimfire said:
Case gets bashed more for their fit and finish than their steel choices.
Click to expand...

They do? I didn't realize. I thought they were supposed to be pretty good. I really only have my toe in the "traditional" pool, so I am unaware of a lot of stuff like that.
 
I often find their springs to be too weak for me and there can be other fit and finish issues. I pretty much only buy them "in person" rather than ordering online for a traditional Case folder. I have pretty much stopped buying Case knives and have moved to GEC and Queen mostly. With Queen sometimes you get a dud. I just have moved up the ladder a bit but do not damn Case for their traditional pocket knife line.

The other side of the coin is that I have been really impressed with traditional pattern Rough Rider knives. At $10 or $12, I can forgive a few things on the Rough Riders. Case can't really compete with them.
 
Last edited:
Good to know. Here I was doing my research because I want to dip a little further into the traditional market. I only have experience with cheapos like Buck's Chinese line (372 and whatnot) and some Boker Plus.

Was looking at Case, Buck, and a few Bokers, all in the $40-55ish range. Kinda figuring out first which pattern I want which is in itself an intimidating venture. The number of patterns is staggering!
 
For me it doesnt really matter. All i like to know is if its stainless or carbon steel. Usually the blades are so thin that they cut and slice forever and im not really cutting thick coarse materials with it anyway.
 
Case doesn't say surgical stainless, that's Gerber. Case says tru-sharp stainless steel. As others have said, it's common knowledge that it is 420HC.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top