Stainless Toothpick?

[hughd]

When did Case first use SS in the Toothpick pattern? Also, was the 093 pattern exactly 5" in length?

[Mumbleypeg]

"Toothpick" has been used to describe the 093 and 095 patterns (both are 5 inches) and the 094 which is 4-1/4 inches. The 095 fish knife was made with stainless in the Tested era. The 093 was CV steel until discontinued in the 1970s. It may have been re-introduced later and if so probably had stainless blades since that's mostly what Case has used in what I call the post-1980 "Collector Era". I can't advise you about that but maybe someone else here knows if and when it was re-introduced, and what the steel was.

Other "Toothpick" patterns were the 098 Sea Beast, 5-1/2 inches, stainless steel as far back as Tested era, and the smaller 096, 3-1/8 inches.

Ken

[knifeaholic]

"Toothpick" has been used to describe the 093 and 095 patterns (both are 5 inches) and the 094 which is 4-1/4 inches. The 095 fish knife was made with stainless in the Tested era. The 093 was CV steel until discontinued in the 1970s. It may have been re-introduced later and if so probably had stainless blades since that's mostly what Case has used in what I call the post-1980 "Collector Era". I can't advise you about that but maybe someone else here knows if and when it was re-introduced, and what the steel was.

Ken

That is correct, Case never made a stainless 093 pattern toothpick prior to 1975 (or 1976?) when the 61093 was discontinued. The 093 was never reintroduced as a standard catalog pattern, but was made for SFOs.

Case later (1978-1982) made a number of SFO runs of stainless 093's including the "Gator" set. These all had glazed blades not polished.

I have seen older 093 frames where someone replaced a worn or broken original blade with a master clip blade from a 32095 fish knife - the 095 blade is stainless and will fit the 093 frame.

[hughd]

Thank you both, I appreciate the replies.

[gsmith7158]

I think Steve may be referring to my very first post here at aapk when I asked about this knife with the tang stamp Case's Stainless. The consensus was that it was probably a rebladed knife. That being said I have since acquired one that is original with CV blades so is it a 62093F or a 62095F?

[hughd]

Well, now I dont even think it's a Case.
*4 15/16" length.
*Covers appear to be old Winterbottom bone.
*Shorter end bolster.
*Stainless blade with CASE TESTED XX stamp (1920-1940)

[Robo]

"so is it a 62093F or a 62095F?"

GSmith, Your new purchase is a 62093F. I can't speak to Case's use of the 093 and 095 pattern designations before the Tested Era because I don't own any 095 pattern Cases to get an accurate assessment from. I think I can safely say by what I have seen and read though that things probably got confusing with these two patterns then too. But I own one --2095F pattern and three 2093F pattern knives from the Tested Era as well as a couple of the --1095 pattern knives and a couple --1093 pattern knives. Here's what I discovered. The basic, straight shooting, --1093 pattern knife had a 5" handle die. The basic --1095 pattern knife had a slightly smaller 4 7/8" handle die. To use a term Steve used somewhere in his Case Book, The --1095 pattern knife had an overall "lighter gauge" Handle die, i.e., it was a thinner, slightly smaller version of the heftier --1093 knife. After all, To paraphrase Steve again, a pattern change designates a design change; so the overall size here seems to be the reason Case took two otherwise very similar knives and gave them each a unique pattern number. But here's the problem: If you go to the catalogs you'll find something peculiar. When it comes to the "F" designated knives during the Tested Era (They weren't made before this) you'll find it isn't the overall size that determines the pattern number at all! In fact, both patterns (--2093F and --2095F) are built on the 4 7/8" 095 frame. So what does determine the pattern? There are two main features that determine the pattern number; neither constitute a design change: The first is the --2093F has the liner lock feature which locks open a modified "California" clip blade with a fish scaler cut into the spine. The second blade is a combination blade with a file, bottle opener, hook disgorger, and a hook straightener. On the --2093F pattern knife this second blade resides on the pile side of the handle which constitutes the second pattern feature. The Knife Case refers to as the --2095F pattern has the same long, thin, High-pull clip blade as the --1095 pattern knife.This blade does NOT have the liner lock feature. The second blade contains the fish scaler on its belly, hook disgorger, bottle opener, no file and no hook straightener (there is a hole in the mark side end cap for this task). Lastly, the clip blade on the --2095 resides on the pile side and the multi-tool blade on the mark side. The single bladed versions of this pattern still retained the 093 and 095 designations--but for--as we can now see--different reasons! Remember, the old man with the long-ass beard decided the pattern numbers didn't need to go on the tangs of these Tested Era Knives. Our lives would be so much easier if they had. So I've gathered all my pattern intel from studying the catalogs and matching the pictures, etc, with my knives.

As far as stainless steal blades go, all my 093s and 095s have carbon blades. By this I can determine that this wasn't a factor determining the pattern number. I do have one minty 31093 whose blades look like they could be stainless but they are not designated as such: they have the Case Tested XX tang stamp and not the "Case's Stainless" that GSmith's first knife has.

Sadly, but understandably, Case dumped the single blade 095 pattern knife as well as the single bladed 098 pattern knife which is in my humble opinion one of the supreme knives of that or any era. The straight XX era--thank God--left us with the sublime 61093 which had only one real change besides only being available with bone stag covers. On the Straight XX knives the nail mark was moved closer to the peak of the spine on some and directly behind the peak on others which I like to think of as an homage to the Tested 095's high-pull blades. This may have been a random factory decision made on and off across the era or perhaps the High-pull bladed knives come from the early part of the era. I own several of them all have green or red covers that the early part of the era seemed to have produced. But it's hard to say as the catalogs ran photos of Tested XX era knives into the XX era and XX era knives into the XX USA era leaving confusion all down the line. The 2095F lived on though. It's Straight XX era incarnation found it sitting inside a 093 size frame with ugly derlin handles (The flat yellow ones were dope--I have to admit!), a stainless 093 style clip blade (no liner lock) and the multi blade. Personally, I wish they dumped all the fishing gear on the trapper and left the sexy 1093 alone--but don't get me going! Hope this helps.

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks Robo, very interesting! These have always confused me. Your information is helpful.


Ken

[Robo]

My Pleasure, Ken! Your "confusion" couldn't be more understandable as The --2095 and --1095 are rarely described accurately by the catalogs. I found one who lists the Fishing Knife correctly; everyone else including Sargent (RIP) and even Case it seems lists the 095s at 5''--I know--a whole 1/8" off--right?! It's probably a mere matter of rounding up for simplicity's sake. I love the pattern tho and I guess I just want to see it accurately represented. Especially on Ebay where it's not uncommon for a seller to try to fob of a high pull 093 with a narrow blade from years of sharpening as an 095 whose blade is narrow out of the wrapper. OK, see you around the forum!

[blackelim]

My Pleasure, Ken! Your "confusion" couldn't be more understandable as The --2095 and --1095 are rarely described accurately by the catalogs. I found one who lists the Fishing Knife correctly; everyone else including Sargent (RIP) and even Case it seems lists the 095s at 5''--I know--a whole 1/8" off--right?! It's probably a mere matter of rounding up for simplicity's sake. I love the pattern tho and I guess I just want to see it accurately represented. Especially on Ebay where it's not uncommon for a seller to try to fob of a high pull 093 with a narrow blade from years of sharpening as an 095 whose blade is narrow out of the wrapper. OK, see you around the forum! Screen Shot 2018-05-31 at 4.05.21 AM.png

I too am confused!
Sorry to bring up an old topic. I am sorting through an estate box of knives and this one looks like the one in this picture that was posted above
download/file.php?id=356769&mode=view
labeled as 095 tested XX
In this photo the knife is labeled as a No. 32095f
Which is the correct case part number?
download/file.php?id=357050&mode=view
I need to try and put a value on some of these knives and place them up for sale soon.
Thanks for your help
The knife in the background

[Mumbleypeg]

The "F" in the pattern number on the 95 pattern means it's a fish knife. It will have a secondary blade that is a fish scaler with a hook disgorger, and typically a hook sharpener on the handle cover.

During the tested era there was also a single blade 095 but I don't think it was made after that.

Ken

[1967redrider]

Well, now I dont even think it's a Case.
*4 15/16" length.
*Covers appear to be old Winterbottom bone.
*Shorter end bolster.
*Stainless blade with CASE TESTED XX stamp (1920-1940)

Do you have a picture to post of this knife?

This is a very interesting thread, lots of great info on the fish knife patterns. Robo's "old man with the long-ass beard" made me giggle.

[blackelim]

I will post more pictures later today. I have to go to work, then I will take some detailed photos

[blackelim]

Here's some photos.
These are as found, No cleaning or polishing

[Robo]

Tested Era knives in general don't have pattern numbers stamped into the tang of the blade (S.Pfeiffer says there are rare exceptions). Your knife appears to be a 32095 fishing knife of the Tested Era. So you need not concern yourself with the "F" suffix unless you are searching for Tested knives in old catalogs as here is where suffixes are used.

The XX era Fishing Knives had the pattern stamp on the second blade mostly but I've seen some with it behind stamped on the clip blade pile side (back side). Tested USA fishing knives had the pattern number stamped exclusively on the Clip blade, pile side.

PS: There is no shame whatsoever re-visiting old posts--that's why they're not errased.

[Lansky1]

FYI ... I have a 1982 093 large toothpick that measures EXACTLY 5" closed. Absolutely superb knife BTW ...

[blackelim]

Back from vacation!
Is there any idea on the year of manufacture of this knife?