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Case 3246RSS Yellow Rigger's Knife w/ USA Stamp...Did Case really make these?

Back around 1993 I purchased this knife. Not really sure why I bought this knife, it really didn't fit into what I was collecting at the time and I was not a big fan of yellow handled knives. There was something about that knife that made me buy it...maybe the cool marlin spike or the fact that I didn't see many rigger's knives. Well, when I got home that day after buying the knife, I went to Jim Sargent's "Knives & Razors" book (3rd edition) to find out more info on it. There it was in his book listed with a mint value of $300...I was thrilled....but wait ...there was an asterisk (*) next to the listing..I looked down to the bottom of the page and it was noted: "These may have never been made". Ut oh!..did I just buy a fake/couterfeit? I looked the knife over for the next few days...Looked good to me...nothing would indicate that it was a "fake"...the fit and finish was up to Case standards. I was also sure that there were no dots being hidden by the bolster. I ended up taking that knife with me to a NKCA show. I showed Jim Sargent the knife..he wasn't sure what to say. He said it looked good/right. I showed the knife to Tony Foster...he said it was legit. I showed the knife to Jim Parker ..he said it was legit and tried to buy it from me...which told me that it was legit and probably a rare knife. Anyone else have or seen one of these or maybe someone ( hello..Steve Pfeiffer) could shed a little more light on it.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brad Hyde on October 28, 2009 at 9:21

I just took a look at Steve Pfeiffer's new book ("Collecting Case Knives Identification and Price Guide"). Page 162 "Pattern 46"...Quote "The 3246RSS was not manufactured with the Case XX USA tang stamp". I have owned this knife for 16 years and I'm still confused. :)

Permalink Reply by Steve Pfeiffer on October 29, 2009 at 18:09

Brad....you may have proven me wrong!!!

There are a few patterns that were made with the XX stamp and were listed in Case price lists in 1965 and later but were then listed as disconued early on in the Case XX USA era. Some of these knives have been observed by collectors and documented as having been made with the CASE XX USA stamping while others have not. For example, the 5279 SS was shown as discontinued as of the price list dated 1/1/66. This knife has been documented as having been made with the USA stamp and it is very rare.

On the other hand there is the 31048 SH R "Florist's Knife"...listed as discontinued 1/1/67 but as far as I know no one has ever observed or documented this knife with the CASE XX USA stamp.

For knives like these, the only way to know whether any were made with the USA stamp is via observation. Case may have left a knife in price lists if they still had completed knives in stock after they stopped making a particular knife, or they may have had a number of XX stamped blades left over that were gradually used up. So the price lists only give part of the story.

Seeing your knife makes me believe that my book and many other books are incorrect on that particular knife.

Steve

Permalink Reply by Brad Hyde on October 29, 2009 at 18:50

Great info Steve! This explains alot on how or why this particular knife (3246RSS) actually was made. I feel better now knowing this. For years I wondered about this knife even though several Case " experts" that looked at it said it was a legit Case but couldn't explain to me why it existed. At the time I purchased it (1993), There wasn't a book that I knew of that said it had been made. Now I guess it has been recongnized in several books (Thanks to Max for pointing this out). Steve, I wasn't trying to "prove" you wrong...just trying to get clarification on this knife and I knew you would have something to say about it. :) Thanks for your help. BTW...your book is awesome and I'm really enjoying reading it.
Brad

Permalink Reply by Frank Evans on October 29, 2009 at 20:31

There one on eBay now under "vintage case knives" I do not recall the details except it caught my eye because you do not find many... it had 2 days I think on the timetable and only like 9 small bids. Maybe $30 but those are folks getting thier name in the pot to run at it if it stays low when the time runs out. The vintage case section runs about 80% true bid listing and 20% "Buy Now" 30 day for sale listings. I hope it's close.

BY the way: Tony Foster was a draftman for my father for 35 years at Westvaco in Charleston. We've been family friends for over 40 years. He's THE most honest guy you can meet. If he said it was legit and it not, I'd be very surprised. How when their were no real collector books, internet or forums like this he learn all he knows baffles me. But that's how my father said he was about anything he was into. While all the men his age were watching thier 401K's run up during the '80s, he would just grin and say "I'm buying knives". They all thought he was nuts but look who laughing now!

I have the 6th edition on cd rom and I'll look and see if Sargent still notes it the same way.

Frank

Permalink Reply by Frank Evans on October 29, 2009 at 20:53

3246R, 1940-
64, XX, yellow
composition,
none stainless,
4-3/8", $350.

3246R SS, 1940-64, XX, yellow composition, stainless, 4-3/8"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Page 267 Jim Sargents 7th CD Rom

Permalink Reply by Steve Pfeiffer on October 29, 2009 at 21:06

Brad;

I am very happy to be proven wrong...as I mentioned there is no way to tell whether certain knives were made other than by observation...and you have provided the proof. That is a very good thing for all collectors.

Steve

Permalink Reply by Frank Evans on October 31, 2009 at 23:03