Dating case hunting knives

How do I know if my case hunting knife is XX?

Here is a visual guide for fast dating a Case hunting knife. Case XX Select knives come with slightly different tang stamps. In 1998 and 1999, Case has used a round logo. It says XX in the middle, Case on top, and Select at the bottom – round text. There is a dot on each side.

How do you date a case knife?

Dating a Case knife is not that difficult. You cannot rely just on the tang stamp to identify the age of a knife. While you will get some clues, some stamps were used over longer periods of time, making it hard to tell the precise year.

When did case change the date on their knives?

Beginning in 1990, Case replaced the dating system with a stamp that imprinted the actual date on the knife tang. This was not as popular with collectors, so Case changed back to the dot dating system in the middle of 1993. 1993 -1999 From the middle of 1993 to 1999, Case returned to the dot system that was used in the 70’s and 80’s.

How can you tell how old a case knife is?

Should you own an old Case knife, you can still find ways to date it, even if the tang stamp is faded and no longer visible. First of all, try getting online. Join discussion forums and boards, post some pictures of your knife and provide access to as many details as possible, such as measurements.

How do I know what type of Case knife I have?

You can find the Case knife pattern number stamped on the tang of your knife’s blade. This number tells you exactly what kind of knife you have. The first number indicates the type of material used to make the handle. The second digit gives the number of blades.

What do the numbers mean on a Case XX knife?

Every Case XX knife has a few numbers engraved in their primary blade. The first number (or letter) tells you the material of the handle. Whether it’s hardwood, jigged bone, or synthetic material, the first number will tell you what it is. EX – Exotic (Giraffe, Ostrich, Volcanic Glass, and other Exotic Handle Materials) You see?

What is a XX era Case knife?

For example, Case knives made in the 1940 - 1964 era are often referred to as Case XX or XX era knives, because the tang stamp was marked as: Some very old Case knives (pre-1940) were stamped as Tested or Tested XX or similar. Those are pretty rare.

Where are the S’S on a case knife?

Unlike 70’s knives however, the s’s are lightening shaped, and the dots are located between the Case XX, and the U.S.A. 1990-1993 Beginning in 1990, Case replaced the dating system with a stamp that imprinted the actual date on the knife tang.

How can you tell what year a case knife is?

By learning the simple Case dating system, you can easily determine the year a Case knife was manufactured. In 1970, Case added dots beneath the USA on the tangs of all knives. As each new year passed, one dot was removed. So, nine dots appeared in 1971, eight in 1972, and so on.

Are old knives worth anything?

A knife in rough, rusty, pitter condition with damaged handles wont be worth much, no matter how old it is. So, even if it is beat, it can have some value but perhaps not as much as you might think. What is a valuable Case knife? The current record for a Case knife is more than $14,000.00 for an early rare type in mint condition.

How many dots are on a 1970 Case knife?

For clarification, note that ten dots appear on 1970 knives, nine dots appear in 1971 knives, eight on 1972 knives, and so on. Throughout the 1980′s, Case used the same dating system as the 70′s. 1980 knives have 10 dots, and one is removed each year.

What do the numbers on a case pocket knife mean?

The second number beside the handle number refers to the number of blades that the knife has. You will typically find that Case pocket knives have two to four blades, but it will depend on the type of knife. The last set of numbers you will find on your case knife is the factory pattern. This number will be the last set of numbers on your blade.