Answering the Mystery of Case’s Blade steels

I had the engineers at work analyze both CV and CS from two case trappers and here are the results! ‪@ericasedc‬ ‪@bigjsknives‬ ‪@georgia_adventurer‬ ‪@BC-Knives‬ ‪@KnifeChatswithTobias‬

[@NoblesTx]

We use that gun for testing jewelry also. Very accurate.

[@mikeadams2538]

Thanks for your efforts. Makes me wonder what mischief Case is up to with the “1095”. As for chrome vanadium, I’m good with that as I’m familiar with it from the automotive world. As someone else mentioned earlier, CV goes way back. Henry Ford used it for engine parts in the Model T Ford, and there are plenty of those engines still around and still operational. Must be something good about it😉

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

This sounds about right to me. I actually mentioned earlier that it was probably a 1050 or 1070 Carbon Steel . Most sources also said that Case CV was a 1086CV Case used 1095 and then later 1095CV many many years ago. O-6 Tool steel is going to be more than adequate for 95% of the jobs 95% of the users are going to use a pocket knife for.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

Hey thanks for the added info, and you’re totally right, most everyday task don’t require a “super steel” thanks for watching tobias!

[@BaxtersBlades]

Very cool. Great information. And thanks for doing this test.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@Bladeblinded1957]

Interesting, thanks for the information brother 👍

[@robertbarker5802]

Would love to see a follow up on this of testing a 1095 marked Case.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

@@robertbarker5802 I actually don’t own any 1095 marked blades from case just cv and cs

[@bigjsknives]

Great information brother!!! I agree, if it was really 1095 it should be marked that, so it makes perfect sense that some are marked CS!! Thanks for sharing!!

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

Absolutely J and thanks for your continued support! 🤜🏼🤛🏼

[@bigjsknives]

@@doomcrewoutdoors1613 nice logo brother!! Just noticed that. My wife chose that one when I showed her the 3

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

@@bigjsknives haha! Yep! Now I just need to order the stickers! My sister has a friend who does all sorts of monogramming and personalized stuff, I’m gonna see how much she can make them for, if that doesn’t work out I’ll just go to sticker mule

[@willm5375]

Great video! I was wonderin what they were usin now! My everyday is still my ol large stockman in cv, but been tempted at a backup in the new stuff!

[@andrewnawarycz3026]

What I've found with the HRC literature case give, whether it's their Tru-Sharp or CV or any other steel type, it's cooked on the soft end of the scale. i.e 55-57 HRC . It's fits in with case saying that the blades are easy to sharpen! Myself I'd prefer a higher level of HRC within the steels perameters and not have to sharpen/strop as much. Albeit what I've said , Case make some excellent patterns and I'll keep on buying them i.e my recent buy of a second hand V54052 SS small 4blade congress,last year before the new vault pattern was decided upon 😁. All the best from the UK 👍🏻.

[@LastChanceKnives]

Thanks for the video! I have always wondered why the mystery? Other knife companies tell you exactly what they use. I have there CV and recently some 1095 but no CS. I find that some care needs to be taken with Trusharp or it will get a burr that just keeps going back and forth from side to side. It seems to be run a bit on the soft side.

[@ericasedc]

Awesome video!!!!❤

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

Thanks! I was hoping for a rock solid answer, but maybe this will still help!

[@jerseyknifeguy6382]

Yo doomcrew I totally agree with you buddy!!!!!! They always seem to leave something out!!! It because they don’t want you to know something……. Like you said they would have named them both the same…… thanks so much for the information and tryin to figure out what you could…… stay well and have a great Sunday 😊

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

My pleasure Pete!

[@j_c_hunt]

Interesting….The case catalog I have, where they break down what CV, CS, ect means, they list CS as being 1095 in that book.. best my memory for CV, it has it listed as a “special” steel blend dating back to the 1890s. I’ll find that page in my catalog, and send you a picture of it.

[@RJsKnives]

That’s cool that you have access to a tool like that and that we could get some idea of what they are using. It does kind of contradicts their website. Oh well, I will still buy them.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

Oh sure! Same here!

[@davidwhiren817]

The cutlery manufacturing industry is steeped in secrecy & has been for a very long time !!! what steel's they use & who they get them from , handle material suppliers , the machines that cut the jigging patterns , the tang stamp makers , etc. etc. etc.....Even after a company closes down , information is still hard to come by !!!

[@gizmocarr3093]

Thank you, that is some interesting information to know. I was never was too concerned of the differences from either type. CV supposedly has similar properties of 1095 and sharpens easier. I do not think the differences matters. I would think 1095 would vary depending on the manufacture. I believe Case was happy to switch to 1095 because CV has fewer sources producing it.

[@jonslife3533]

I'm debating if case has changed their stainless a few times in the past 20 years as well, the cheetah i have from 2003 is harder than my 2013 trapper, by a fair bit, it sharpens way better too

[@NoblesTx]

Could also be a heat treat thing

[@AlabamaEDC]

Thanks for the video, very informative. I don’t own any 1095 knives yet, but I do have a couple carbon steel knives

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

Same here, I want to get one of the Smokey valley sunset knives in 1095 steel! But I’ve been pretty impressed with the CS as well

[@terrillschneider3778]

Thanks pal

[@ayrplanes]

He probably meant O6 not 06 tool steel. O for oil hardening.

[@Monsoonpain]

Good info. I will say however, many folks buy Case for the variety of covers - sawcut, or jigged bone, synthetic / yellow, animal horn, (one limited edition has mammoth tooth !) Etc. Not to mention the near unlimited colors. Then there's nostalgia of owning dad or grandpas knife. So, the steel isn't the only factor. Me personally, steel type is a big deal

[@donc5220]

Thanks for the info man, Be nice if they just told us eh . Makes a difference when you know what steel your sharpening.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

For real!

[@dolebandit9942]

From what I have read, Chrome Vanadium is a good knife steel, The maximum HRC Though is 58

[@byronkennedy7912]

Very Cool, thanks Dooms.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

My pleasure

[@davidkurle5418]

This was interesting info! Would you be willing to sometime do a test on their Tru Sharp stainless? That's one steel that I've never heard a definitive answer on, and I've always wondered about it. Cheers, buddy!

[@davids9549]

Case's Tru-Sharp is Latrobe 420HC, containing 0.46% carbon, 13% chromium, 0.3% vanadium, 0.4% manganese and 0.4% silicon, hardened to around 55 HRC. Nothing special but I like it because it sharpens so easily (which of course means edge retention isn't the best). You'll have doubtless noticed that 420HC contains both chrome and vanadium, which makes it a CV steel! Confusing terminology, because what's really being highlighted is the amount, rather than the presence, of these added elements. Just like the HC in 420HC means High(er) Carbon, but it's only high carbon in the sense that it contains more carbon that the 400 Series steels it replaced.

[@haveaknifeday6253]

Wonder what the outcome of an old timer with carbon steel blades would look like compared to Case’s new carbon steel?

[@mikecurtis2585]

Nice great information! I have a Case chart I will take a picture and post one day this week! It's pretty helpful!!

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

Thanks mike! And how’s your dad doing?

[@mikecurtis2585]

@@doomcrewoutdoors1613 He is doing better! They are going to keep him at the hospital for a couple days! He has a lot of fluid buildup! Thanks 🙏

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

@@mikecurtis2585 glad to hear it, I’ll be praying for him!

[@Zen_Ali_123]

Thanks Doomster

[@void1984]

Not listening the exact steel gives them an opportunity to change it whenever they want. The same stands for True Sharp. Your knife can be 1084 with some CV, but not necessary one that's few years older.

[@richterknives]

This is interesting to me. Cool video bud

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

Thanks mike, I wish it was 100% definitive but hopefully it still helps!

[@theprestriedge4657]

Great to know it’s been confusing…..With steel is supposed to be superior? Sure would be nice to see a torture test between the two.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

In my use and experience they’re pretty similar, if I had to pick a favorite it would be the new “CS Carbon steel” but they’re very comparable. And although it would make a great video, my budget doesn’t allow me to do a torture test lol, but I’ll keep using them and letting y’all know how it goes! Thanks for watching!!

[@theprestriedge4657]

@@doomcrewoutdoors1613 Thank you for your thoughts Sir.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

@@theprestriedge4657 anytime!!

[@davids9549]

If you add chromium to carbon steel, doesn't that make it into stainless steel? And in any case, isn't all steel actually carbon steel? (because if it didn't have added carbon, it'd just be iron). It seems to me that we use a lot of imprecise and confusing terminology when describing knife steels.

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

I’m no metallurgist, but I have been a machinist for almost 20 years and I know that chromium is added as a corrosion resistor, and I also know that there are many diff grades of most common steels. For instance true stainless steel is non magnetic, however some stainless like what’s found in a case knife does in fact have a slight magnetic property, this is how most case knives are displayed in the stores, blades sticking to magnets. Where I work we use several different grades of aluminum as well as copper alloys, nickel alloys, etc.

[@void1984]

It does, but you need much higher amount than what they add to their CV alloy.

[@steveharmon5301]

I think the ones marked 1095 were SMKW exclusive trapper knives. 🤔

[@doomcrewoutdoors1613]

Yes there were some yellow trappers in 1095 that were Smokey mountain exclusives were just trying to figure out what the “carbon steel” actually is because a lot of people were saying that case’s new carbon steel was 1095. So that begged the question- if it is in fact 1095 why not just stamp them all that? There are others too with the 1095 designation besides the SMKW yellow trappers