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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on May 17, 2011 at 17:53

Stephen,

That is certainly a subject I can relate too.  After 40 years collecting and using that product the quality of the manufacturing process  and of the steel just got be something we could not ignore.  We were fortunate enough to find the GEC line and switched most of our focus  there. I think you are right that the consumers see other lines stepping up but I don't think the quality issue is all that has hurt them.  Knife collecting has under gone changes.  When we started collecting the big question was do you collect folders or fixed blades. There are more tacticle lines than ever before and a large percentage of collectors seem drawn to them.   Some for the price and some for the new steels and designs. It seems that not many collectors fall into the traditional and tacticle catagories.
It also seems that even fewer manufactures offer both.  What is the most collectible? For me it is GEC, for the traditional designs, the extremely high quality and the affordability.  Just my humble opinion.  For others, I think that answer may lie in what they collect.     

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on May 18, 2011 at 16:05

Certainly Case has been a long time leader and I believe continues today. Case offers good sharp cutting and a maintainable edge. That's usually what I get. They offer a pretty good variety of handle material. My concern though is I'm not entirely certain that they are directly responding to consumer wants and not just supplying the market with what they think is good.

However there are occasionally some brands coming up with exciting new knives, like Queen or Bear and Son and I don't have one but hear lots of good things about GEC. I don't collect by manufacturer but by the way a knife looks or feels and if it provides the functionality I want.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on May 18, 2011 at 16:14

Hog,

Are you coming to the Blade show?  I would love to put a GEC in your hand.  We have a few friends that are dealers for Case and I can tell you, this is something I have heard consistently over the past 3-4 years from customers...

"I'm not entirely certain that they are directly responding to consumer wants and not just supplying the market with what they think is good"

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Permalink Reply by stephen tungate on May 19, 2011 at 10:10

jan & hog i love your reply's because that is exactly my thoughts.now case is a great knife and has been around a long time and 60% of the time i get a nice one that is n0t a good enough for me when i pay 50 or 60 or 70 dollars or more i expect at least 96% or better in quality.my dad collected case knives for 50years and hardly ever had a problem with them.now i just recevied this case knife and it is great and very sharp i cut myself taking a picture of it.but when it is only 60% of the time it makes me look at the other brands where they care what the consumer says....

Attachments:

• case xx endoring freedom 004.JPG, 2.4 MB

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on May 19, 2011 at 16:46

Syephen,

I am glad you found the GEC products and are happy with those purchases!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on May 19, 2011 at 17:33

Unfortunately no, and I really wish I was so I could see all you nice people. One day I may try a GEC product just to get a feel for it. You are right Stephen, my Grandad bought Case because well, that's what you bought and it did its job on the farm.

Jan Carter said:

Hog,

Are you coming to the Blade show?  I would love to put a GEC in your hand.  We have a few friends that are dealers for Case and I can tell you, this is something I have heard consistently over the past 3-4 years from customers...

"I'm not entirely certain that they are directly responding to consumer wants and not just supplying the market with what they think is good"

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Permalink Reply by stephen tungate on May 20, 2011 at 13:00

it bit me two....

stephen tungate said:

jan & hog i love your reply's because that is exactly my thoughts.now case is a great knife and has been around a long time and 60% of the time i get a nice one that is n0t a good enough for me when i pay 50 or 60 or 70 dollars or more i expect at least 96% or better in quality.my dad collected case knives for 50years and hardly ever had a problem with them.now i just recevied this case knife and it is great and very sharp i cut myself taking a picture of it.but when it is only 60% of the time it makes me look at the other brands where they care what the consumer says....

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on May 20, 2011 at 15:37

The new knife bit you?

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on May 20, 2011 at 16:21

Oh, I took another look at the pic, it did bite you didn't it.

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Permalink Reply by Bruce Cain on June 4, 2011 at 2:37

      I am a c0mplete newbie  to knife collecting. Eight  months ago I could only name two knife manufacturers. Case and Buck. Case has had a wonderful long history and is an icon of American industry. About 10 years ago I collected cigarette lighters. That hobby was dominated in numbers by the iconic Zippo company. I avoided collecting Zippos because every family who had a soldier in WW II  or Korea had a Zippo.  Both companies have my total respect. I even traveled to Bradford Pa. from central Texas one year for a visit.

      Now I collect barlow pocket knives. I took notice when Zippo bought Case. It seemed good for Bradford and the workers at Case. However ... My perception of the change reminded me of when AMC bowling ball and pool table makers bought Harley Davidson. Not  so good in the long run.

       I am not trying to disrespect Case but if my memory serves the Zippo marketing executives turned a most dependable lighter that even worked when removed from the belly of a fish to a 'series' collectable with images of wild animals, Nascar personalities, Skulls, flags, and so on. It certainly seems to have kept the company going as smoking declines. I figure the Zippo execs seized a chance to do the same with Case.

       This 'collectable' series of a basic but amazingly rugged source of fire echoes a business model of ceramic plate manufacturers where thousands of collectors hoped to make money selling their hand painted porcelin sets on an aftermarket created by those same executives. Most of those plates still sit in Aunt Ema's credenza. The Franklin mint has done well with coins too.

       Now I read of a debate about Case slipping in quality. Described elsewhere as hit or miss. In my so limited collection of barlows my Case barlows are not uniform in quality.  The folks at Zippo are not knife makers. I am quite sure the 'best' years  of Case knives will always be sought after. My question is, " Are my perceptions valid or am I jumping to conclusions?".

       Is this a concern to the Case fans? Any such discussions on the official Case knife collector club.?

        Thanks in advance for your insight into this. I am not sure if it is even an issue discussed online by Case fans.

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on June 4, 2011 at 17:42

Bruce,

In my humble opinion, good analogy..It has been our experience that collectors have been having this discussion for the past few years. There seem to be more and more discussions about it showing up on line.  Two years before  deciding to look for another brand of USA made knives, We had already lost the thrill of looking at the new knives being offered.   I certainly agree that the best years of Case will always be sought after.  When we had one too many disapointments in the quality we just shut the door on the Case safe.  We did not sell those beautiful Stag and bones that we had worked so hard to find over the years and I dont anticipate that we will.  They are quality peices.  I don't anticipate however that we will ever add anything newer than a Classic. 

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Permalink Reply by stephen tungate on June 4, 2011 at 18:04

i totaly agree that the quality is hit and miss with case now i hate to say it but i shut the door on buying case except on the top classic knives because they will look at them closer.you have to stay with what is top quailty and now days that is as far as pocket knives queen and gec because they still make them like the old days with care and quailty.i think i will still buy some case knives but you have to stay with quailty if you are a collector....

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