Hey Guys! I recently purchased a VERY nice 1965-1969 6246R.
The only thing "missing" -- literally -- is the bail. The fellow I bought the knife from told me that he thought the bolster* had been drilled for attaching a lanyard. But, the hole is too small to run anything through except maybe monofilament.
Is anyone aware of any reason Case would have shipped a knife like this? If there had been a bail there's no indication of it -- it was removed without any visible damage/marking.
The Case Repair Center tells me there would not be a charge to install a bail.
Hey Craig -- I have to agree with you -- if the hole through the bolster were "intentional" (ie. for a lanyard) it would be larger and more "finished". I've seen some pretty bent-up bails and maybe the bail on this rigger got really mangled and the owner-at-the-time drilled out the rivet/pin and removed the bail. Thankfully, if that's the case, neither whatever ruined the bail or the owner's removal actions left any marks on the knife.
I think I will send the knife into Case for re-bailing -- I'll enjoy the experience of the process if nothing else. I spend so much time "guessing" what was in the minds of the people at now defunct cutler companies it's exciting and refreshing to have someone warm and breathing to correspond with.
And thanks for the heads up about maybe waiting until next week or so before shipping the rigger to them. What with them clearing the decks for action, setting up demos and the like, right now would be a real good time for something to be swept under the workbenches and forgotten until the next sweep-up.
Jim -- d**m it's HOT and HUMID -- one of the reasons we moved to Maine was to get away from this kind of weather!
I did send the knife into Case Repair fellowing the instructions on the website. I intentionally tried to forget about the knife so I wouldn't drive myself crazy haunting the mailbox every morning in anticipation. I'd bet it was maybe 2 1/2 weeks between when I mailed the knife and when it arrived back in the same box I'd sent it in.
One word = AWESOME! The new bail looks like it had been there since the day WR Case shipped the knife the FIRST time.
I sure am glad I joined the Collectors Club. There are not that many "corporate" cutlers left in operation. I figure that those of us that appreciate ("love" too strong a word??) sharp things should offer support whenever and wherever possible.
Now, after having spend a bit more time reading LOTS of knife descriptions written by folks from all over the world and with all sorts of backgrounds I realize that not everyone refers to the "wire loop" fastened to the the bolsters of a lot knives as a "bail.: Some call it a "shackle" and some, probably like the fellow I bought this rigger from, call a "bail" a "lanyard" -- sort of a verbal shortcut = it's what a lanyard would be attached to.