1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

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herbva
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1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by herbva »

Another Case with celluloid scales turned to corn flakes recently came my way. This 47 is my favorite of the stockman patterns and, of course, I had to dress it in fat stag. Yet another one with no outgassing damage to the metal parts, but I could pry the wrinkled-up old scales off in pieces with my fingernail. :D
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by cudgee »

herbva wrote: Wed Mar 15, 2023 10:45 pm Another Case with celluloid scales turned to corn flakes recently came my way. This 47 is my favorite of the stockman patterns and, of course, I had to dress it in fat stag. Yet another one with no outgassing damage to the metal parts, but I could pry the wrinkled-up old scales off in pieces with my fingernail. :D
Wow Herb nice work. And what is not to love about a classic Case Stockman. ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by Reverand »

Woa, that is sweet! Beautiful stag and great craftsmanship has turned that knife into a real winner!
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rea1eye
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by rea1eye »

Good example to remind everyone what outgassing can do/
and if fixed in time a good old knife could be revived.

Good job Herbva!

Bob
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by doglegg »

Beautiful job Herb
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Mumbleypeg
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by Mumbleypeg »

Nice job Herb!

I don’t see signs of outgassing on it. What was evident however is the shrinking seen on many yellow handle Case’s from that era. There was a period, post-celluloid and pre-Delrin, when Case used a different synthetic (not celluloid) for yellow covers. Not sure if that knife is celluloid or some other synthetic composition but I seem to see more that shrink and not as many that outgas. ::shrug::

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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by glennbad »

That is a handsome knife now!
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herbva
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by herbva »

Mumbleypeg wrote: Thu Mar 16, 2023 2:13 am Nice job Herb!

I don’t see signs of outgassing on it. What was evident however is the shrinking seen on many yellow handle Case’s from that era. There was a period, post-celluloid and pre-Delrin, when Case used a different synthetic (not celluloid) for yellow covers. Not sure if that knife is celluloid or some other synthetic composition but I seem to see more that shrink and not as many that outgas. ::shrug::

Ken
Thanks Ken. I was wondering if that material was some other kind of celluloid or some other material from the 60's. I've seen a lot of these. No sign of outgassing damage, but the material had basically "dried up", and left a green, powdery deposit on the outside of both liners. I even remember one seller who maintained that the knife had just been left in the sunlight for too long.
"Better to do something imperfectly, than to do nothing flawlessly." ~ Robert H. Schuller

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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by Dan In MI »

I can only echo what has already been said: excellent job saving that one!
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by Walleye »

I recognize that this is a matter of personal taste, but I prefer stag handles that are much thinner.

When you look at how they used stag on penknives in the Tested era and earlier knives, or even British-made knives from the 1850’s - 1920’s, you will see that the stag blanks were thinned down from the bottom till they were only slightly taller than the bolsters. This left very minimal areas where the gnarly grain of the stag needed to be sanded away. The result was a thinner handle, more figure and color in the stag and little to no exposure of the “pith” in the antler.

Sometime in the 70’s-80’s it became more common for companies (including Case) to put oversized chunks of stag on the handles, grind away most of the natural texture and color and then dye or burn what was left to darken it. It seems easier to take the stag blank and thin it out on a belt sander from the bottom before assembly, doesn’t it? I know some people like heavy stag handles, but I’m not sure why that would be preferred on a pocketknife. No other handle materials are left that heavy, so why stag? ::shrug::
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by rea1eye »

I will agree with Ken. Not outgassing. I was too quick in looking at
the photos.

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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by TNCASEGUY »

Great job on the Stockman. I have a large Stockman that belonged to my dad that I would like to have repaired. Do you do repairs for anyone?
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by Madmarco »

As usual, a beautiful save, Herb. ::tu::
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Re: 1960's Case Stockman 3347 Gets Some TLC

Post by herbva »

Walleye wrote: Thu Mar 16, 2023 2:54 pm I recognize that this is a matter of personal taste, but I prefer stag handles that are much thinner.

When you look at how they used stag on penknives in the Tested era and earlier knives, or even British-made knives from the 1850’s - 1920’s, you will see that the stag blanks were thinned down from the bottom till they were only slightly taller than the bolsters. This left very minimal areas where the gnarly grain of the stag needed to be sanded away. The result was a thinner handle, more figure and color in the stag and little to no exposure of the “pith” in the antler.

Sometime in the 70’s-80’s it became more common for companies (including Case) to put oversized chunks of stag on the handles, grind away most of the natural texture and color and then dye or burn what was left to darken it. It seems easier to take the stag blank and thin it out on a belt sander from the bottom before assembly, doesn’t it? I know some people like heavy stag handles, but I’m not sure why that would be preferred on a pocketknife. No other handle materials are left that heavy, so why stag? ::shrug::
I have thinned stag from the bottom for smaller knives, but recently have just gotten into a fling of leaving the stag a bit fatter, particularly for larger knives. Maybe it's just my extra large hands. One thing I've never understood is the practice of sanding off the bark, or outside part of a stag scale. I love all the irregular patterns in stag, particularly the "popcorn" look.
"Better to do something imperfectly, than to do nothing flawlessly." ~ Robert H. Schuller

Herb
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