CASE , TESTED XX, ROUGH BLACK HANDLES

[Lightner]

I have been trying to find info on this knife but I cant find anything definite..I'm seeing some people think they were using up old parts in the early 40s or something? I just want to know what era it is for sure, how rare? Do I have a knife that is worth alot of money? It just seems hard to find definitive answers about this one! I believe it is 20s-40s era due to the stamp...any help would be much appreciated!

[Mumbleypeg]

You have a 6445R pattern unofficial scout knife .I have one like it somewhere. The rough black synthetic handle covers were used in the 1940s and 1950s approximately. Example of patterns having rough black handles can be found with Tested XX and XX era stamps. Regardless what you've read, the Tested XX stamp was used well into the 1940s and likely through 1945.
Case revived the rough black, aka "gum fuddy" handles again a few years ago.

Some think the rough black material was used during WWII due to a shortage of bone. There is no documentation supporting that, and others do not believe the theory is correct.

Yours looks like a nice example. Welcome to AAPK.

Ken

[1967redrider]

From Price & Zalesky's 15th Edition. I'm guessing transition blade due to the opener.

*Edit- what Ken said.

to AAPK!

John

[Lightner]

Well thanks for the info guys! So its probably an early 40s then would be the consensus I take it. That's what the transition part means as far as I can tell. End of the run before logo change from the 20s-40s era into the 40s-60s era and just using up inventory. Makes sense to me. Glad I came across this knife. It's been sitting on my window sill for a couple years and I didnt even know what I had!