All About Pocket Knives

just received a used bulldog.
the stamping are front of tang, CASE and can't see any sign of XX under it. Case is straight and the S is the vintage high S shape.

The front of the blade has the regular correct bulldog etch.

On the back of the blade is HAND MADE IN THE U.S.A. which is on two lines positioned low and towards the center of the blade, as compared to the transition placement.


Here is the kicker.
There is no 5172 on the rear tang?
Do the Case Tested vintage blades have 5172? I have seen small 5172's and large 5172's stamped on the rear of the tang, (not the version on the front as in the USA stamping run.

I have not handled a vintage tested nor am familiar with whether the pattern number is commonly absent. I am wondering if this blade could be a tested era bare blade stamped with CASE.
I can not see the XX's on my other XX era bulldog but it has the pattern 5172 in small type face just above the bolster.

It did not come with a box.
I just won this knife on ebay, it is missing the shield but the pins are in the stag. For an idea of the stamping see the pics on the ended auction number 160648481346

Thanks for any info about the stampings or lack of on this bulldog.

I can't really answer your question on the 5172 since I don't own one. However, in general, the Tested era knives did not have pattern numbers stamped on them. The Case/XX knives did not have pattern numbers until sometime later in the era.

I can't remember the approximate date at which Case restarted using pattern numbers on their knives, but I do know it was later in the Case/XX era.

They never made a Tested Era 72 pattern with the Bulldog etch. Your knife is XX era and the pattern number is probably hidden by the bolster, just like the XX is hidden (al least in the pictures offered in the listing).

I posted these pics, because to me there can not be a pattern number there isn't the room.
Perhaps early case xx era knives in this pattern do not have the tang stamp?

The bulldog etch appeared when?
Thanks for the help. AAPK

Many books show the Bulldog Etched knives starting production in 1957 and running into the late 60's. I have also read articles and spoken with folks who believe the Bulldog Etched knives were produced for a period of time during the 1940's discontinued and started up again in 1957.

thefarside wrote:Many books show the Bulldog Etched knives starting production in 1957 and running into the late 60's. I have also read articles and spoken with folks who believe the Bulldog Etched knives were produced for a period of time during the 1940's discontinued and started up again in 1957.

According to the Case price lists and catalogs that I have from 1930's through 1980...the 5172 with the Bulldog etch was introduced to the market some time between March 1, 1962 and July 1, 1963. The 72 pattern was made in various handle materials prior to 1940 but was discontinued around the time of WWII. It was not made again until the Bulldog was introduced in 1962-1963.

The posted knife is an example of the Bulldog with the CASE XX stamp indicating that it was made between 1962 and 1965. It is a used knife so it is likely that the pattern number simply wore off (the pattern numbers in those years were often lightly stamped).