Case Tested XX Stag Knife Axe Hatchet Set

[weisedretd]

Hello, formum members. I am brand new to the forum and also a newbie to Case knife collecting. I have a piece for which I can find little information about (that I inherited from my father.) It is a (Stag handle) "Case Tested XX" knife & hatchet set in mint condition with leather sheath, also in near-perfect condition. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who might be able to give me an approximate value for this set. I have found used ones on eBay but have not run across one in pristine condition. Thanks for your help.

[BIGHEAD]

Is it a TESTED Era or a USA era? there is about a $300 difference for a mint Tested versus a USA. Book value shows between $700 and $1000. But it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.If you got it from your father I doubt there is a $$$$ number that would get it from you. If it were mine I would not store it in the sheath as the leather sometimes will corrode the finish on the blade. Hope this helps. Post a picture of it if you can I would love to see it

[weisedretd]

Thanks, Bighead, for the quick response. Here are some pics of the piece. I would appreciate any feedback you might further provide. Any idea when it was made? On the locking lever of the stag handle there is an "Oct. xx, 1935 patented" engraving....Many thanks....

[BIGHEAD]

Made between 1940 and 1950 I believe. and she is a looker
If you notice the green pins that is caused by the leather.

[weisedretd]

Thanks, Bighead.... The pieces have been in the leather holster since (or before) Dad passed away in '93. I am able to remove the green oxide from the grip pins with my fingernail. Thanks for the recommendation about isolating the leather from the metal pieces. Is WD40 as good a preservative as any other coating (or do you recommend something else? Thanks for your advise.

[BIGHEAD]

REN-WAX is all I would put on that knife.

[gino]

DONT ever use wd40 as a preservative! It has a strong base of pretrolium in it and its made for removing rust, not as a preservative!

[Elvis]

REN-WAX is all I would put on that knife.

Good advice! Beautiful example you have there. Those are highly sought after and are rarely, if ever, found in that good of condition.

[weisedretd]

Any recommendations for the treatment & preservation of the leather sheath? Again, thanks for your recommendations.

[BIGHEAD]

You can use REN-WAX on it too It is good on anything

[1967redrider]

Man, that is a sweeeeeeeeeeeeet set!

You guys ever use Miracle Cloths?

[1967redrider]

Here's what I use, not sure if it's the best though and wouldn't use it on leather.

[Paladin]

That is an absolutely great set. There are plenty of Case collectors who would pay dearly for that one.

[BIGHEAD]

Yeah Ray thaT IS WHAT I WAS TRYIN TO SAY

[troyl2]

[here is a pre 1934 set i have with basket weave sheath short pull to remove blades it was made around 1930ttachment=2]knife ax 2 003.JPG[/attachment]

[weisedretd]

TroyI2- Thanks for sharing your pics of a very nice vintage piece!

[buckeyefan]

Guys I've seen some nice ones in the past but these are in the best shape by far!
Thanks for sharing

Marty

[Mammothstag]

Yes, these early ones with killer stag handles are sweet, but don't ever get with your hunting buddies to show em how great the hatchet works at splitting logs, unless you know the fastest route to the hospital or have a buddy to sew you up. when you swing and strike the log it's nearly impossible for the locking bar to keep the razor sharp hatchet from coming loose and flying back at your head. I acquired this set from my uncle who has a nasty scar under his right eye to prove it. He took this one to a gunsmith and had the knife blade permanently pinned in place, its solid as a rock.

[Mumbleypeg]

Welcome to AAPK, Mammothstag! I agree, the Knife-ax set wasn't very practical for serious use. More of a novelty item. I suspect that's why most of them you see, especially the axe heads, show only slight use. Here's a couple I have. Neither is as early a model as yours with the basket-weave sheath. The set on the left is from 1965-69 (U.S.A.) and has never been used or sharpened. On the right is a very lightly used Tested set or a XX set, not sure how these were marked. It belonged to my dad. Stamped Case's Tested XX on the axe, and CASE on the knife.

Ken

[Rookie]

That is a gorgeous piece you have. Fairly used ones tend to not sell very easily. However, mint ones like yours are pretty well sought after. Most collectors who are looking for a high dollar piece like that are looking for a near mint example.

[hardman]

Those are two fantastic sets there, Ken.

I read an excerpt from Jim Sargent's book that stated that the stamp on the axe ran counter to the tang stamp on folding knives. That is, the axe on the right says "CASES'S TESTED XX," and that would make it from the 1940 - 1964 period. If it said "CASE XX" it would be from the 1935 - 1940 time frame. (I believe 1935 was the first year of production.) I know, that is exactly opposite of the tang stamp dating system used on Case pocket knives.

[Mumbleypeg]

Those are two fantastic sets there, Ken.

I read an excerpt from Jim Sargent's book that stated that the stamp on the axe ran counter to the tang stamp on folding knives. That is, the axe on the right says "CASES'S TESTED XX," and that would make it from the 1940 - 1964 period. If it said "CASE XX" it would be from the 1935 - 1940 time frame. (I believe 1935 was the first year of production.) I know, that is exactly opposite of the tang stamp dating system used on Case pocket knives.

Thanks for the compliments rookie and hardman. I know the set on the right isn't the oldest set because the earlier sets had the basket weave style sheaths. I bought the XX USA set in the late 1970s off the Case display board at a small town hardware store. Wish I had thought at the time to ask for the box.

They had one of those big pedestal style display cases. Over half the knives that had originally been mounted on the display board were gone. The owner said many of the original knives had stag handles, which he couldn't get from Case to replenish his stock, so he was selling them off the board if people wanted them. There were only two knives and the knife-ax set left. I bought them all, for the price they were marked on the display.

I don't think the owner had any idea at the time that they were collectable and worth more. Now I wish I'd bought more than the stags, but at the time we had a new baby so really couldn't even afford what I did buy.

Ken

[hardman]

Ken, something similar to that happened to me about 1980. Old hardware store, with very low turnover on his knives. I walked in to buy a snow rake (to pull snow off of your roof) just as the owner marked down everything in his Case display. I picked up a 1973 Shark Tooth for $25. Wish I could have bought more, but felt guilty even spending the $25.

Ken, another way to distinguish the very oldest Case knife/ax sets is that the very first ones had a short locking lever with no ruler. And the short locking lever had no patent date on it IIRC. NOTE: the blades that fit those short locking lever handles will NOT fit the later handles with the long locking lever. And vice versa.

[espn77]

There are 3 era's of the hatchet, tested, XX, USA. These are the ones I have.

[btrwtr]

Some nice examples shown here. These were made with wood, celluloid, stag and x cut green bone handles. Many of the wood handled versions have been converted to stag as the stag versions are normally priced higher. Look closely at any stag version you are considering to make sure the handles are original.

I've never heard of a hatchet head coming out of the handle in use but anything is possible. These sets were hand adjusted for the blades and heads to fit properly. It is often possible and much easier to insert the head and blade backwards in the handle although doing this defeats the safety of the locking mechanism. I have seen many pictures of these with both the knife blade and hatchet heads inserted backwards in the handle. I believe the head would come out if inserted backwards.

Here are a few pictures I readily found online of blades inserted backwards. The cutting edges should always face the locking levers.