Welcome Home...THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY

iKnife Collector

The online community of knife collectors, A Knife Family Forged in Steel

CASE Seahorse Whittler Users and Collectors.

A discussion group for the collector and user of the CASE Seahorse Whittler.

Excerpts from the old Seahorse Collectors group...

3 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:18

I'm going to try this edit once more. If it works, the web archive pages should show as links...

CASE PROJECTS SEAHORSE WHITTLER

http://web.archive.org/web/20071112191526/www.rod-neep.co.uk/rod/knives/wharncliffe/index.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20071109142341/www.rod-neep.co.uk/rod/knives/wharncliffe/misc1.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20071109044004/www.rod-neep.co.uk/rod/knives/bulldog/wharncliffew.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20071109094932/www.rod-neep.co.uk/rod/knives/case/seahorse.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20071114201226/http://www.rod-neep.co.uk/rod/knives/case/seahorse-details.html

Try as I might, I can't get the above links to work. You can, however, "Copy" and "Paste" the links onto a new brouser page and be able to access them.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:18

Found a new way to access the Rod Neep pages.

Go to Internet Archives, go to the "Wayback Machine" and then enter the origional web address for the pages.

Click on Take Me Back

This shows that the page was last archived on July 5th, 2008. Click on the blue dot.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:22

Out of all of the patterns out there, why do we like the Seahorse so much?

I can't wait till the "Caped Cruisaders" get to answer this.

I first saw an ad for the Seahorse in a woodcrafting catalog. thought that it looked kind of neat. When I started carving more peach pits, I wanted a cood pocketknife that would hold up to that kind of material.
I got my first one at Lowes, sometime in 2002 or 2003, and fell in love with it.
I was particularily impressed with the wharncliffe blade. It was strong and stout and the point really helped with carvings. The pen and coping secondary blades are almost the perfect sizes for various detail work too.
I was not a collector, back then. I used what I had, but I wanted a second Seahorse, as a spare. Got it and then started from there.

I have doubles of many of them, for my daughters, after I'm gone.
I really hope that they wait till then. (Really hope they don't try to "rush it along" either.)

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:23

Permalink Reply by Jim Prather on July 14, 2009 at 10:08: Because it's just SEXY!
I have been collecting knives for a lot of years, and never paid much attention to the Wharncliffe Whittler. I collected Fightin' Roosters, Winchesters, Doctor's knives, a lot of case knives, etc. I was not a pattern collector, perse`, just a collector. Until 2002 when Case introduced the Seahorsie. I bought my first one and was hooked! I bacame a pattern collector. Since then, I have tried to get every variety of handle material, and every variation of that particular bone material. IE: Did you know that there are 4 different variations of the Barbed Wire Jig? Two different engraved bolster patterns, and a large badge and a small badge version. There are two different John Deere Patterns. One is not listed in the catalog. I think Ed Olson has the odd one, and he won't let it go. I was fortunate enough to be presented with Rod Neep's John Deere tractor set, and his personal carry Case Brothers Stag.
I have several "one of a kinds", some prototypes, and a couple that Case made especially for me. I feel very close to the Case family of employees, and I hurt when they hurt. I pray that business picks up and everyone gets back to work soon!
I found it rather strange that I didn't become enamoured with the Classic patterns in the 90's. But I just wasn't interested. Now I try to get all of them. I'm still not real wild about the Classic with the slanted bolsters, but that's OK.
Of course, anyone who knows me knows what my "Holy Grail" is. Some day I'll find it. Some day! But until then, I'll just keep getting every Seahorse that comes down the pike.
Oh, and it might interest you to know that I have never sold a knife. Nor have I traded knives. If someone is missing a particular knife, and I have a spare, I have been more than willing to pass it along to them. It always makes a new friend. And friends are what I strive to collect most in life.
Love to all... UJ

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:27

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on July 14, 2009 at 10:57

Well said there Uncle Jim, well said.

The Seahorse is a sexy knife.

Up until I got into the Seahorses, I never really considered myself as a collector. I was a user of what I had. Even got into CASE later in life too. Most of my knives had been BUCK's and Schrades with a smattering of assorted Barlows when I just wanted a handy knife.
I'm still known to pick up another pattern because I like the looks or the way it feels when I hold it.

I'll never be able to aquire the great variety that you have, but envy is not in my nature.
There are many Seahorses that I have passed up because I did not like the handle material.
It's not important, to me, that it's a Seahorse alone, I have to like it also.

And Jim, from what I hear, you've got the friend collecting down now, thanks.

Permalink Reply by Jim Prather on July 15, 2009 at 16:03

Friends are my VERY favorite! And you're one of them. And that's a cool feeling! It's better than a good BM, and at my age, you just GOTTA' know how good that is!

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:31

Reply by J.J. Smith III on October 27, 2009 at 10:08

From the Rod Neep pages...
"The Wharncliffe blade is attributed to the design of Lord Wharncliffe who was the patron of Joseph Rodgers & Sons in Sheffield in the early 1800s. The blade was designed around 1832. To this time, most pocket knives had rather slender blades. Tradition has it that Lord Wharncliffe wanted a small pocket knife with a thick strong blade. The result was a knife that was not only a whittler pocket knife, but one that could be really leant on hard without danger of it breaking. A wood splitter. Once you have handled a knife with a real Wharncliffe blade, then you will appreciate the meaning of this. It is a beast of a blade, even though it may be quite short. The high arched back only adds to its strength. "

From an 1852 advertisement.

Permalink Reply by Frank Plant on October 27, 2009 at 21:09: In AMERICAN PREMIUM GUIDE TO KNIVES & RAZORS, there are two early Case knives (1900-1920) pictured that are very similar to the Seahorse Whittler, but neither has a coping blade. One was by CASE, Kane,, PA (pg. 148), and another by J.D. Case (pg. 149). Each is valued at $1500.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:33

Reply by Ivars Duntavs on February 21, 2011 at 8:12

I saw a seahorse in the end of 2010. I was searching for a good whittler. I just type in google: whittler pocket knife and first picture what I got, it was a Case Seahorse. So gorgeous, so fantastic design, so..., so...! One day may friend, call to me, and sad that he want to show me something. He buys a seahorse! And I think: "Damn!" Why I tell him about my dream?!?! :D :D :D

Seahorse is dream for me! I hope some day I will get it real :D

Permalink Reply by Jim Prather on February 21, 2011 at 9:50: Ivars... Bless your little heart! I simply can't imagine someone NOT having a Seahorsie! Here are a "few" of mine. I have many, many more. I REALLY need to update my pictures. I have at least twice as many as this that are not in picture format. I'm lazy! What can I say?

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y15/Unclejim/Seahorsies/?start=all

LTA, Uncle Jim

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:38

Comment by J.J. Smith III on February 29, 2012 at 15:46: I keep trying ...

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:40

Comment by David J. Kneib on April 11, 2011 at 17:18: Here's the last active link I have to Rod's old website...the Seahorse pages are all gone, though. (I think I saved them off in a Word document...I'll look for it.

http://www.rod-neep.co.uk/rod/knives/reviews/index.html

Comment by J.J. Smith IIIon April 12, 2011 at 12:58

David,

Check out the discussion "Rod Neep Wharncliffe Whittler pages", above. The links will not work unless you copy them to your browser, but from there they should be available.

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on June 13, 2012 at 15:57

Comment by J.J. Smith IIIon May 5, 2009 at 20:58

NEWS RELEASE
CASE PROJECTS SEAHORSE WHITTLER TO GAIN ADMIRATION OF KNIFE ENTHUSIASTS

Elegant new design is not your typical whittling knife

Media Contact: Alison Dotson , Davis Newman Payne
(865) 688-3151 or adotson@dnp.com

February 2002, Bradford, Pa. – W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company, the most collectable knife brand in America, is reintroducing the Seahorse Whittler, a century-old design that has been revived and reworked for the 21st century.

This stylish knife is being offered in three premium handle materials – Mother-of-Pearl,
harvested from the inner lining of oyster shells found in the Orient; the old-fashioned feel of Vintage Bone; and the handsome new Autumn Bone with a Small Silver Script shield. The knife measures 4” closed and weighs only 2.6 ounces.

“The Seahorse Whittler is one of the most versatile knives we’ve introduced,” said Case Marketing Director, John Sullivan. “Over the years, we’ve experienced a strong interest in Whittlers as they [the knives] not only offer versatility, but maintain their value as a prized possession.”

The Seahorse Whittler is a three-bladed knife with a large blade at one end (the Wharncliff blade), and two smaller blades at the opposing end (a pen blade and a coping blade). All are special task Tru-Sharp™ surgical steel blades, giving the knife a great deal of versatility. For example, Wharncliff blades have a delicate point for close, meticulous detail work, yet are similar in size and shape to a sheepfoot blade and can handle some of the toughest carving tasks. Coping blades are commonly used in carpenters’ knives to scratch lines in wood or other materials and are also used in carving and whittling. The pen blade is today commonly used as a blade for light work, but in the past was engineered to cut and sharpen turkey quills to be used as ink pens.

W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company has been making high quality knives since 1889. The most popular collectible brand in America, Case continues to make its knives the old-fashioned way – by hand. For more information, call 800-523-6350 or visit their web site at www.wrcase.com.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on January 4, 2013 at 18:11