TK's Take on Case Knives Quality Control Issues

[@oldeays5085]

I strongly agree with you! I just bought a case trapper this week. My first one since, the 90's. And the blades are loose the shield is Sharp all around it! And it has gaps and a bent clip blade! Thirty years ago I owned a few of them. And I remember clearly that they were not this way! Please, stop buying them people! Until, they sell less. They won't change!

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

They're struggling just to produce at this point. It's not looking good.

[@warblerab2955]

very unfortunate. I was considering buying my first case knife. But I guess that won't be happening now :( .

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I think the gapping on JB's knife was beyond Case's limit. I recall their blade wobble test. But yeah, a lot of folks are thinking a $50-60 Case knives should have the fit and finish of a $150-$170 GEC -- which may still have issues. I also think that people who are coming to the traditional knife world from the modern knife world, are looking at different things in a knife than what traditional collectors. BTW, SMKW is changing their return policy from what I'm hearing. As for blade rub. it is very common on Stockmans and Canoes and sometimes it is unacceptable. When it interferes with closing then it is an issues. I think you are correct, that Case needs to set higher standards for it s QC. But at the end of the day, the bean counters end up determining the QC. And they look at the cost of manufacturing vs. complaints and as long as it is still making an acceptable profit, the QC and the return method will remain about the same. At the end of the day, it is a business.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

They won't change without the threat of lost income I agree. Another thing that concerns me about Case that I didn't make mention of...is their making such a point to make collectible knives. If there's one thing I know about collectibles when you designate your product as a collectible or push that kind of marketing, you'll get away with it for a while, but eventually it backfires. The best collectibles are ones that were never intended to be one.

[@richardkrause3594]

I think if I pay $50 for a pocket knife there should be no blade play or wobble.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

@@richardkrause3594 , depends on what you mean by wobble. I suggest if you don’t like blade rub, don’t buy stockmans, muskrats, Congress, canoe, pattern knives.

[@tecnotrog1]

So true Tobias 👍 🦉

[@oldeays5085]

What? So, to you a 50 or 70 dollar knife that's expected? Maybe,to you but, not to me! You must not have been around long the knife world! To say that! I have had quite a few thirty years ago and they weren't that way! But, yes sometimes even a higher price knife might get blade rub. I would not want you put a knife together for me. With the way you think!

[@johnkeck1025]

I don't recommend case knives for this reason and the fact that I've had bad customer service with them. I have 6 case knives in different patterns and all but one has gaps, blade rub, and the back springs are grinding the tangs of the blades leaving deep scratches. I've reached out to case multiple times over the past five years and not one person that I've dealt with were willing to fix the issues I had. I hope the fix them selves

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I wish them the best. I'll continue buying them, but they'll need inspected first.

[@lewisgreenway5065]

I have been following the debate on other channels about Case and Big red EDC, so I watched your input and man you talk a lot of sense, I have several Rough Riders because they are inexpensive, I don't want to spend to much for my knives. Always thought Case were to expensive so never bought any as I had seen bad reports about their quality, however when I saw the Copperheads I really wanted one, found a supplier in UK and ordered it but first voiced my concern about quality, the supplier said they would check one out and told me it looked perfectly good to them, I went ahead and bought it when I inspected it there was a gap all the way along the back between spring and liner, not bad enough to return but my Rough Riders were all better than the Case, also the finish was a little rough on the covers I actually had to sand them, I like the knife but can't say it is good value for money, certainly never buy another. When you pay a lot of money for a knife you expect top quality the only other knife I bought that cost a little more was a GEC absolutely no complaints about that one near as perfect as you can get. Really liked the content of your video and now subscribed to your channel, keep up the good work. 🙂

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I appreciate you sharing your experience. Welcome to the channel.

[@gadgetgus]

Hello my EDC brother, We have both, only just started our channels recently and I second - entirely what you just said, which was very fairly & eloquently put. It is a privilege and a pleasure to find another like minded soul, who just tells like it is... I hope 🙏 CASE 'chooses' to turn it around and does the 'right thing' because it has such great heritage and is part of 🇺🇸 culture. Thanks for sharing TK, Atb Gus 👍

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Sub'd and happy to have found you Gus. Look forward to seeing your content. Everyone go check EagleEyes channel out if you haven't already.

[@paddyspotatopeelers2154]

Well made arguments and I agree intirely with you.our uk knifemaking industry was nearly lost due to the mismanagement of QC. thankfully its starting to change and some great products are getting back out there.but so many years in the wilderness takes a lifetime to repair.literally.atb paddy.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Yes, there is hope on the horizon Paddy. ATB to you mate.

[@jld3229]

Thanks for your honest opinion, Paddy. I recently watched your video on this same subject. 😊

[@haveaknifeday6253]

Have watched several of your videos and really enjoy your channel and views. Subscribed today. I agree with where you are in the whole debate over quality control. I am a lifetime member of the Case collectors club and used to post frequently in their forum and complained about their quality control and was sternly warned to stop using their website to complain about their product as the President of Case did not like what I was posting. I still buy case knives but have bought WAY more Rough Riders and have had only 2 out of over 100 that I had to return and the return process was quick, easy, and quite satisfying. The company knows how to treat their customers and they have a good reputation in the knife community.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks for sharing you experience about the situation and welcome to the channel. I'm worn out with the topic in part because if you say anything at all negative there is no nuance to how it is perceived even if you simultaneously praise them in other respects. I want the best for Case and I'll leave it at that.

[@davidcooper6704]

I am in the UK and recently purchased my first Case knife - a medium Stockman/brown jigged bone/SS (made 2021) from a company in the Netherlands. This is one from the new series with the arrowhead emblem. When it arrived I was firstly impressed by the feel of the knife.....very smooth with no sharp edges. Yes it had a tiny bit of gapping and the sheepsfoot blade rubbed very slightly on the spey blade but on close inspection I noticed that one of the bolsters on one side (at the spey blade pivot) was significantly smaller (shorter) that that on the reverse givng it a lop sided look when viewed from from the back of the knife when closed. None of these issues affect the operation of the knife and I did buy it to use, nevertheless it is disappointing and says little for the overall quality control. It cost me £50.00 "on promo". which is cheap for the UK as a 50$ knife would cost us £50.00 at this point in time. I will keep the knife....as a user. Would I buy another Case knife? No, at least not without inspecting it first.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks for the feedback, David. I appreciate you sharing your experiences with Case.

[@davidcooper6704]

@@ThriftyKaniffy Further to my comment......I ordered a Case Copperhead, last week, from a very fair dealer here in the UK. He has inspected the knife before mailing it and subsequently contacted me to say that the knife was not up to standard (blade way off centre) and that if I was a collector it may not be acceptable. It was the only one he had in stock. He has been in touch with Case who stated .."We do not make collectors knives, we make work tools to be used. The knives all meet our QC criteria". The dealer is now in the process of returning a batch of knives to Case. It makes you think.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

@@davidcooper6704 They've had an official collectors club since 1981 and publish a quarterly magazine called "The Case Collector" If those are truly words from a representative at Case then it's consistent with many knife lovers who say the QC just isn't to a high enough standard any longer. caseknives.com/pages/case-collectors-club

[@onemanhisdub1969]

Hi there, Thrifty. I've just purchased my first case. Nothing too expensive £50... It's arriving this coming week, and it will be interesting to see the quality or lack of... All the best, David.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I wish you luck David. Let us know how it goes. Thanks for watching.

[@onemanhisdub1969]

@@ThriftyKaniffy hi, arrived yesterday. Looks and functions are very good. It just needed a goog honing ✌️

[@alexdetrojan4534]

So it is a year later. What are your thoughts on Case presently? Have they improved with regards to what you were mentioning?

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I would say they have, but by no means are they where I think they should be. Buy in person anytime you can or be in a situation where you can return them without question.

[@alexdetrojan4534]

@@ThriftyKaniffy makes sense. Thanks

[@jld3229]

I discontinued my purchase of Case knives many years ago. I became frustrated with the attitude from Case management due to fit and finish issues.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I'm hearing the same from other knife lovers as well. Thanks for the feedback.

[@markturner5207]

I owned over 100 Case knives in my collection. I got used to and overlooked all of their issues because they are USA made and part of my childhood. Then a few years ago I bought my first Great Eastern Cutlery knife. I couldn’t believe it, the fit, finish, walk and talk, the blade tightness, the quality was just unbelievable. I have since sold all of my Case knives except a few made pre 1980 and have a huge collection of Great Eastern Cutlery Knives. Great Eastern, the best production knives on the market.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Hard to argue. My main complaint with GEC is the market in getting them, the knives themselves are great.

[@TucoDog-ho6fw]

I was a pretty serious case knife collector but lost my enthusiasm for collecting them years ago. The ones I have are pretty darn good. Not GEC good but not GEC money either. I’ve got four or five that I turned into users and they’ve been great pocket knives. Speaking of GEC, what happened with them? Availability is just not there anymore. I refuse to pay the aftermarket prices so I’ve only got a few of those.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Same reason I don't buy many GEC. I refuse to jump through the hoops for a hobby anymore. It's mean to be fun, not work.

[@TucoDog-ho6fw]

@@ThriftyKaniffy Having to watch for drops, sprint runs, etc., it’s just so time consuming. The knife market is vast at this point , to the point where it’s overwhelming. I’ve been involved in collecting knives for over 50 years and I’ve never seen anything like what’s going on currently.

[@edwardbrandwein1203]

This video is right on the money. I've bought four Case knives in the last few years. They all had annoying problems. Gaps, wobbling blades, etc.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

They seem to be having production issues. I wish them well.

[@lostcat9lives322]

I don't know how relevant this would be to the "knife community" but we witnessed a similar progression with Schwinn bicycles. Post WW 2, Shwinnt was America's premiere bike producer. They were sold only in Schwinn dealership bike shops. As the 1970's progressed, greed, nepotism, laziness and competent import competition led to their downfall. Ultimately, the trademark was aquired by a chinese consortium. Today you can buy a Shwinn branded bike at Walmart. The same bike could just as easily be branded as Huffy or Diamondback or...whatever. The unfortunate pattern over the last 50 years has been that the powers that be, took large short-term profits, moved manufacturing overseas, sold it all away and retired to a wealthy gated community. Game over.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

That's been the natural progression of many American companies. Sad.

[@lostcat9lives322]

@@ThriftyKaniffy It's entirely possible that I'm wrong. I apologize for my arrogance.

[@madtownangler]

My first bike was a Schwinn bought in 1976 or so by my grandpa. Then my second bike was a BMX Murray bought around 1981. Both were good bikes and were both fine ten years later . Now I would buy either brand

[@steveg.1502]

Well said TK. 👍

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks Steve. 🔪👍

[@kevm7751]

So if the conversation which was had with the Case rep is correct, they have basically said they have next to no quality control. They just basically churn out a sub standard product with faults and get them shipped out no matter what. The majority don't return and so the cycle continues. I have bought 2 Case knives in the last 3 years, both had problems. I returned a wharncliffe trapper as the blade had serious issues. I recently purchased a jigged bone sodbuster jr which came with a blunt blade, blunt tip and pivot filled with grinding dust. I kept it and did some tidying work myself but the shine was off the new knife for me. All the Chinese made knives I've bought recently have been very sharp out of the box and zero issues. Something seriously wrong at Case when they are prepared to ship out sub standard products and not even consider it an issue. I have older Case knives which are perfect. This seems like an issue which has developed over the last 3 or 4 years. I for one am done with them until they sort these problems out.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Yea I don't understand that mentality. Quantity over quality. It'll come back to bite them eventually.

[@Cameraman148]

Been buying and using RR Knives for a few Years, and was always Amazed at the Low Prices and Good User Quality. Only have a few Case Knives and they seem to be Good, but the Blades are Thinner Than RR and That is a Reason I have Not Bought so Many, I have watched Hundred of Videos and Enjoy Them...Really Like Slip Joints and the Various Patterns...I hope Case gets their act Together, we need Good American Made Products...Enjoy your Videos ! Cheers !

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks for watching Bill. RR do check off many boxes for what I want in a knife.

[@jelkel25]

I watched the Slipjoint guys videos. As William mentioned, Case are more expensive in the UK (RRs are actually) so I'm obviously going to expect a little more if I'm shelling out £80 ($110) on a Slipjoint. £80 gets you a superb Slipjoint at Boker, Otter or German Eye. £25 gets you an entry level Sheffield knife that may take a return and a little work on your behalf but after that you have a knife built like a tank that would see out your grandkids with a little maintenance. Mercury and other Italian makers are coming out with some very interesting stuff. The regular medium SAKs are the same price as an RR here. I'd like one Case in my knife box but I'm not prepared to be underwhelmed when A Wright can do that for a quarter of the price!

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

A good situation to be in to get those Sheffield knives.

[@jelkel25]

@@ThriftyKaniffy There's entry level Taylor's Eye Witness Lambsfoot pruning knives, stainless. Not as nice as the A Wrights but a better overall QC. Mine cost £22 from my local father and son hardware store, probably a £ or two more now. Put roughly £10 on for shipping (recorded delivery or it goes missing in a heartbeat in this country). If Heinnie Haynes can't do you a better deal than that on a Sheffield Slipjoint, I'll send you the TEW Lambsfoot.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

@@jelkel25 Not really seeing anything as good for the price. Contact me at [e-mail] and we can discuss.

[@CCR1062]

The QC of Case is very disappointing. Gaps, uneven grinds, shields falling off, etc. I've got RR's in better shape. The last Case I bought the shield fell off one day after I received it. Last straw for me. I'll spend my money on something else.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I prefer an in-person buying experience with Case knives.

[@timwilliams8343]

I agree TK, Case needs to step-up to the plate & Fix their QC issues....Too many people are TALKin' about it!!!

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks Tim. See my response to Have a Knife Day for my final thoughts on the matter. Take care.

[@alpine1600s]

Poor quality can affect budget or otherwise priced knives. Some are nitpicks where it's fit & finish, but most of the time the criticism is about overt flaws. Big Red's greatest disappointment was how dirty the pivot was after he got it back.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

The entire return from the envelope packaging, the squashed box. the dirtiness/grit, and the still prevalent gaping wreaked of a lack of customer care. Whatever his greatest disappointment, he wasn't made happy and that should have been Case's primary goal.

[@furiousseasons1]

Been a fan/sub for many months, enjoyed everything I've seen, but this vid and argument are beyond fantastic. Appreciate and agree with everything you said

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Hey thanks Furious. Much appreciated.

[@Eliel7230]

Well said. Thanks for posting this. America really should refocus on excellent quality with its products if we are to retain the standards we used to be known for.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks for the comments Eliel. Welcome to the channel.

[@SubUrbanNinja-EDC]

When it comes ordering traditional folding knives online, I will only buy inexpensive knives. And all of my knives I buy brand new are knives I would use and carry. The only knives I would not carry or use would be knives that are antiques or high valued collectable. With that said, CASE knives are not "collectables" and they are not "antiques". And in my opinion they are not "VALUED" collectables. They are nothing special. They are not made out of rare materials and their blades are not impressively sharp. They are common man's everyday pocket carry tools. So if you are going to pay more for it than any other brand, it better not leave the factory unless it is perfectly assembled. Even if I buy a Rough Ryder and it is not perfect, I consider returning it. But since I did not pay much, I am more forgiving as long as the knife performs.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

You make really strong points Glock. Thanks for taking the time to respond. As far as the collectibility goes I agree with everything you say, though the market kind of determines what is and isn't regardless of rarity or quality.

[@franciskowalsky7574]

Great video! Appreciated! I’ve had the exact same issues with 3 Case Knives that I recently bought from Deadwood Knives. Not gonna bother sending them back . Yea I know. I’ll just say this. I’ll Never Buy another CASE KNIFE!! Sub standard in my opinion!! Great video!! Thanks!

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks for the feedback, Francis.

[@franciskowalsky7574]

You’re welcome!

[@denofearthundertheeverlast5138]

Boy I hope their QC is better now, I just spent $100 on a new 6375 with a Case Med Job sheath from Knife Country USA. But thats a lot of money for a folding pocket knife regardless, If I pay $85 I want it to be a great knife period. Matter of fact I think every knife we buy whether its a $16 RR or an $85 Case needs to be the best they can make it, without problems.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

There's a risk associated with buying sight unseen, good luck to you. Thanks, Den.

[@denofearthundertheeverlast5138]

@@ThriftyKaniffy Yes thats true , I went with Knife Country USA this time outa Virginia, I'm very happy they sent me a keeper, beautiful sample, and the medium job sheath fits it perfectly, couldn't be more pleased. and the things that pleases me the most is that there is even pull all the way around about a 6.5 on all the blades, no blade wobble at all, very little blade rub, one little barely visible mark in the sheepsfoot and spey (and the patina I just finished putting on it helps hide it too) the back springs passed the visual test, but didn't pass the light test, but its very minor on one one end, nothing to be concerned about. This is definitely a knife I won't embarrassed to pull out with the guys standing around.

[@madtownangler]

I just bought one knife with a tiny little gap in it because I really wanted it for daily use. Otherwise I always buy knives that are good and I can handle them first. Except for Rough Riders never had a badly made one ever.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

That's the way to do it, Madtown. Thanks for watching.

[@zero61288]

I agree with everything you said. I own one Case knife and it’s very close to being perfect. It’s a tribal lock my girlfriend got me. I have several Buck knives, Old Timer, and just started buying Rough Rider. Two RR’s I bought had issues. A Classic Micarta sowbelly and Classic Carbon medium toothpick. The sowbelly had horrible blade rub on all blades and a pin rubbing the sheepsfoot. SMKW reimbursed me since they didn’t have any in stock. The medium toothpick had a badly bent blade. They sent me a new one immediately and I didn’t have to send either knife back. I also recently purchased an American made Buck 301 stockman with wood handle straight from Buck. The gaps were pretty bad between the handle and liners. The liners appear to be bent slightly. No blade rub though. That’s not good American quality in my opinion and I’m tempted to contact them and send it back. Time will tell though.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks for sharing your experiences Steve. Welcome to the channel.

[@christophercrawford777]

This lack of quality control is pervasive today, not just with knives. I've been a professional photographer for almost 30 years. When I was a young man, in high school and college (I got into photography as a young child thanks to my dad) you could buy lenses from major pro-level companies like Nikon, Olympus, and Canon; and the lenses would be optically flawless. Even the lower-priced lenses these companies made were very consistent in quality. That is no longer the case. Quality control on lenses now is so bad that I will not buy lenses online. I buy from a locally owned camera shop in a city 100 miles from me that lets me come in to the store and try out lenses so that I can pick the good one. I've spent close to $20,000 there in the last ten years, so they're willing to do that for me. I reject 7 out of every 8 lenses because of severe decentering. Decentering is an optical defect that causes the image to be very sharp on one side of the photo and very blurry on the other side. It is caused by misalignment of the individual pieces of glass inside the lens. A lens is made of several individual pieces of glass, each ground to a different curvature, stacked on top of one another. If one or more is shifted slightly to one side, not perfectly centered, you get the aforementioned defect in your photos. In the large prints that I routinely sell, such defects ruin a photo. I am not talking about low-end amateur lenses or lenses made by off-brand companies. I'm talking about lenses made by major manufacturers like Nikon, Canon, Olympus, and even Leica (Leica's cameras and lenses are made in Germany and are EXTREMELY expensive). Leica only make high-end lenses; the Japanese makers tend to have a cheaper amateur line and an expensive pro line. I buy the pro-level lenses; we're talking lenses costing $1000-$5000 EACH, and 7 out of every 8 on average are bad. That is insane! No one wants to pay workers decent wages anymore, so they have employees who don't do good work, and they do no quality control (that costs money, too) so huge amounts of bad product end up in stores. They've decided that the cost of replacing bad product under warranty is less than the cost of good employees, careful manufacturing, and strict quality control; even on items costing thousands of dollars...and they keep jacking prices higher and higher.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Chris, I agree with what you say. It's just the way of things today, there is a lack of incentive or perhaps motivation to take pride in ones work. I'm not going to say it's always about the now and not the then, recall the Ford Pinto. They knew it was flawed and opted to let it go because it was cheaper to pay the lawsuits than recall and retrofit the cars and that was in 70's. So it did happen, but it seems an epidemic now.

[@aribbonatatime]

Thanks for the video 👍

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

My pleasure!!

[@susans.2664]

So much depends on the individual customer's expectation. I have returned only one RR of the 40 or so I've purchased. The spring on one of the two blades of a large moose was broken. They refunded my money, no question. But for $15, I don't mind cosmetic defects such as gapping, some blade rub, uneven blade grinds, or even a hairline crack in bone. I have about 10 Case knives, a sowbelly, a small stockman, a few cheetahs, a couple trappers, a tribal lock. All are better quality than my RRs. Not perfect, but worth the price, in my view.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I'm glad you've had a positive experience with both companies. Thanks Susan.

[@richardkrause3594]

I have some very nice Case knives, and some very bad ones.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

@@richardkrause3594 Welcome to the channel Richard.

[@andrewlasure7828]

All good points. I believe it would ultimately be up to us the customer to change case. I believe to many of us just let the issues slide with case. If we all started returning the poor quality pieces instead of just sitting on it I think they’d have to take notice. Well I’d hope they would anyway lol.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

They'll have to prove themselves to me before I buy them unseen. As of now, I need to see them first.

[@richardweilandt3315]

Probably why I don't recommend Case knives to anyone looking to buy a slipjoint. I recommend Buck, Schrade and Gerber. I do love my 5" Rough Ryder Toothpick and would recommend that in a heartbeat to anyone with large hands looking for a Toothpick design.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks Richard. Case seems to continue to have problems since having published this video. I hope they can work it out.

[@khakicampbell6640]

Well said! This is the most serious I've heard you lol. and I agree 100%👍

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Yea I try to never have to be this serious. Thanks Khaki.

[@tecnotrog1]

This is a very fair review. great job.🦉

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Much appreciated!

[@sonofzorro1]

I have 5 electrician's knives from 25 to 60 years ago, from Colonial and other manufacturers. None of them have gaps, all of them have strong springs, and none of them cost me more than 25 dollars. Furthermore, my old Case knives also have no gaps or rubbing issues. If all are this good, what is Case's excuse?

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

There isn't one.

[@richardkrause3594]

Regarding gaps and bowed metal, an interesting video to watch is Buck's video of their production of the 110. In the video is shown that the steel they use to produce their blades comes to their factory in rolls, or coils. The raw material steel is not flat. I suspect the steel for the springs and blades, and also the brass for liners, and maybe what is used for bolsters also is in rolls or coils.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I've watched the same video you are referencing, and it's very likely. The assembly process should straighten all of that out by design.

[@LeSiZmOr]

Hard NO for $75 and up! Just starting collecting slip back traditional knives. Thanks for the inspiration and the knowledge drops. -sub’d. No way should a top shelf US company get away with this mess.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I've been buying only when I can see them in person or if not return them no questions asked. Thanks MooDog.

[@LeSiZmOr]

@@ThriftyKaniffy Right on TK

[@jerseyknifeguy6382]

Fantastic video nice in depth video!!!!!!!

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thank you! 👍

[@denofearthundertheeverlast5138]

Now SMKW makes you pay for the return shipping, and thats where the problem lies. because at first they'll send you a free replacement, so then if you get another bunk knife, then they let you send it back. only you have to pay for it, and now its twice as much to send the two knives back, so lets say you paid $25 in total now you have to pay the shipping for two knives thats about $14 so now it $39...they already have your perfect $25 but you dont have a good knife. many people just decide to not deal with it and keep the knives...SMKW knows exactly what they are doing because it was costing them tons of money for the return labels which they no longer supply. So they are betting on you not wanting to ship the bunk knives back and therefore they get your money. This is a shady business practice...they can skip it all if they would just inspect the item before it ships out and make sure it a knife that they themselves would be proud to own, but they wont do that because they know they have lots of QC issues. and the way around that from yrs of experience, is to not pay for return shipping. They have on more than one occasion have wasted my time and money..and I will never buy another knife from them again for shady business practices and no QC and for hoping that they can pawn a returned knife on someone that will accept it, and thats what they're hoping for.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I've generally had good luck with the 2nd if the 1st is no good. I'd rather they do this than make you send it back no matter what. Thanks, Den.

[@firematt422]

I would agree that the before knife was a bad fit, but the knife he got back is about what you can expect from a Russlock in my experience and it just seems to be due to the design. The liner lock is made from relatively thick steel, especially compared to the liners. Now, IMHO Case enthusiasts get a little too worked up over some pretty small gaps along the back edges of their knives. .$50-60 doesn't get you what it used to. That's like dinner for two at Applebee's. Not everyone can be GEC. That's a special breed of individual, but if you want product availability better than GEC on American made knives under $100, Case is what you're going to get. If you want your dollar to go further, don't look at Case.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

They've got to get better.

[@firematt422]

@@ThriftyKaniffy That would be nice, but I just don't see it happening at the price point while made in US

[@daninmi1648]

None of my Cases have been nearly as bad as that RussLock. Maybe I've had good luck. Could be my standards are too low. That said, I completely understand where you're coming from. There are a few things Case could, and should, improve. I really hope they don't travel down the same road Schrade did. Two other asides: the only knife manufacturer whose warranty service I've used was Victorinox. I have a video about that experience (generally good). And I was giving some thought to uploading a rant video, but you helped convince me to back burner that one.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks Dan. They're having some issues still. I hope the best for them.

[@jamesyoung7382]

Case qc is terrible lately. I've sent in 2 knives recently one was for second time. Still really never got resolved. The gaping is a concern. But it also seems there steel is bad.cant get there knives sharp. Called again for 3rd time. Told customer service person why should we spend this money. When Rough Ryders fraction of the price have better qc. If you get a bad Rough Ryder they just send you a different one. I don't even know what to say. Buck Chinese slip joints almost seem better than American counter parts. It's just crazy.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

The main issue is that they don't have tighter standards. The gaps pass their QC nowadays, so it's not that they are letting things out the door they don't want to. It's simply the gapping standards they have, have become too low.

[@rcjoe406]

I just got my 1st case trapper it was 69 doller special on shc at first i was not happy had some light scuffs on the back and the gagps look good but dont shine a light through it lol but i build guitars buy hand no no cnc hand assembled are they perfect prs taylor quality not even close but i said man people are sitting down all day trying to put them together after 500 your not gonna be that exciting i like my special case now it has soul like my guitars and it wasn't 1k dollars so im good

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

So long as they keep selling thats just the quality you can expect from them.

[@rcjoe406]

@@ThriftyKaniffy agree 👍

[@Preacher2727]

Good luck trying to get 2/3 of your money back. Most case collectors will not consider that as a good investment or purchase. But that’s okay. At least you can say that you own a case brand knife. Beautiful is the eye of the beholder.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Not really worried over collector value. It's not why I buy them.

[@tedkenne]

I Just Received A Case Trapper (4-1/8") Pocket Worn. Gap In Bone Cover And Raised End On Shield. Not A Happy Camper!!

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Hopefully you'll be able to return. Thanks for the feedback, Ted.

[@jimmyj4811]

In general, I don't buy Case knives because I don't find their QC to be acceptable. However, I have a Case Bowie that is exceptional. Nice beard, by the way!

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks. The price is at a point where I want to see what I'm getting. If its good I've got no issue ponying up.

[@maxcali863]

How is Case not able to accomplish something on a $70.00 knife that Victorinox is accomplishing on a $30.00 knife. We want to support these companies but if they are not willing to upgrade their machinery to produce better quality them maybe we should stop buying from them.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Well like any company, the bottom line is the ultimate. If that takes a hit I'm guessing they get more concerned about the product.

[@inmyopinion_3672]

Apparently Case no longer cares about making knives as much as making money.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

They still make some great things, wish they would do better.

[@ringaleavo]

At Case's price point they should be doing better. Case is a typical US manufacturer, although sad but nevertheless doing whatever they can get away with.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

There's zero excuse not to improve. Thanks, Ring.

[@allanpeterson2364]

Otter-Messer from Germany, $60ish to $90ish and some VERY good traditional knives. Rosecraft blades, What, $45ish to $90ish and again pretty good from Andy. Of coarse GEC... two to three times the money BUT!! 10 times the quality, IF you can find one. JMHO

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Thanks Allan. Some good options you mention there.

[@PlantDaddy1991]

Dude, if I return a knife to you because of problems X, Y, and Z, and you think it's acceptable to return it to me? Don't. Keep the knife and wire me my money. EDIT, addendum: I think what really bothers me the most is that these companies act like we don't know what to look for in certain price points. I'm not *expecting* you to deliver me a GEC Tidioute SFA with perfect fit and finish at $75. But I am damn well expecting you to get the fundamentals correct or be willing to correct the ones that are wrong.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

That's a fair assessment, PD. I wish increased standards were more of a priority for them.

[@PlantDaddy1991]

@@ThriftyKaniffy, I wish that too. I will silently go to brands like GEC, Cooper, Titusville, Buck, and so on. I've had great luck with Rosecraft, also.

[@PlanktoniusRex]

If you insist on USA made, perfect aesthetics, perfect fit and finish, 100% no questions asked guarantee, bulletproof QC, exotic steels and a variety of colors, materials and patterns....welcome to the $300 knife.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

True, but even with a lower level of expectation Case hasn't been making them as well they are known to be capable of. Thanks, Rex.

[@PlanktoniusRex]

@@ThriftyKaniffy True enough, TK. I think that economic factors are just getting out of hand in America when it comes to labor wages, safety and environmental measures, insurance, etc. Some is for the better, but it sure makes for a business killer. I think Case is struggling with it all considering the Chinese market for similar stuff. For now, I will stick by Case but if I get stung by a dud from them, I may change my tune. By the way, I just got my Buck 110 120th Anniversary Tin Box in that you linked in the other post. FedEx put me through the wringer in order to get it (left it with neighbor and never told me) but it looks great. Thanks again for the heads up on that one.

[@felinebline7154]

I gotta say good riddence that an American company supported.. Pulls that!. No way. Red Insult!

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I wish them no ill will and hope they turn things around, but they're gonna have to work harder for me to buy them sight unseen. I'd only buy them in person, if at all, as of now.

[@phillipjohnson2102]

john fetterman says case is the best

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I don't trust politicians.

[@robertwagner1079]

Case looks at it As Quinity instead of Quality...

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

I hope for improvement. Thanks Robert.

[@robertwagner1079]

They are getting alot Better ...I have sent my back to represent US ..As Consumers.. For Repairs...Every Chance I get I spend my money on CASE Knives ..

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

@@robertwagner1079 Right on. Thanks Robert.

[@Richard_Cranium_Daily]

I’m a business owner. We have had customers that had an issue, and we could have resolved it easily with both parties happy, rather than turning to social media. Yes, JB got a bad rap. But, prior to bashing Case on his channel, causing long lasting negative effects, I would have contacted Case directly. I guarantee they would have agreed that an employee had a lapse of judgement (a bad day, they got a ticket on the way in to work, a parent was diagnosed with cancer, etc.), and the company would be willing to make it right. It’s that simple. We have employees that have bad days, but we back our product and move forward. That’s how progress works. Turning to social media without giving them a chance to make it right is reckless and irresponsible.

[@janetowens7288]

I agree that this thing got massively out of hand due to social media. I have stated this before. It also gave me an insight on how thin skinned cry babyish grown men can be over this stuff. People don't realize that EVERY knife maker has production problems. This uniformed video should never have been made. It's just more noise.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

You're entitled to your opinion. No issue. You have a voice, as do I. What I'm doing is raising awareness, I don't find that to be wreckless or irresponsible. My reasons for making the video go beyond the "one bad day for an employee argument" as I point out in the video. You've chosen to ignore that Case allows for gaping well beyond what an avid collector with discriminating taste would want. With so many choices available that are discernibly better in that regard, it makes them hard to recommend. I wish Case well, I want them to succeed, but as of now, in my opinion, they aren't hitting that mark.

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

What dog do you have in the fight? Explain how it is out of hand? How am I uninformed? Back your claims Janet. Yes, every knifemaker has issues. It's how they choose to deal with it that sets them apart.

[@Richard_Cranium_Daily]

@@ThriftyKaniffy Actually, my comment was referring to bigrededc, that is, he should have exercised better judgment, and tried to resolve the issue with Case, given an employee could have had a bad day for innumerable reasons. Then, if the Company was not willing to resolve, then do the social media mania. But now that you mention it, you or any other KZbin knife reviewer shouldn’t endorse ANY knife manufacturer, given the fact that EVERY company, without any exception, has had and will have QC and unresolved customer service issues. That is the point. There is a cost for over dramatizing and exploiting a situation using a social media platform. If the intent is to get a matter resolved without doing damage to the company, then running to social media is not a prudent measure, unless all practical means have been exhausted. Again, that is the point.

[@Richard_Cranium_Daily]

@@ThriftyKaniffy I thought this was a discussion about being more responsible with when and how to use social media. Fight?

[@woodturner991]

I hate Case's upswept rounded off tips

[@ThriftyKaniffy]

Let's hope for improvement woodturner.