Grandpa's fixed blade

[jharding32]

This is a knife that was passed to me when my Grandpa went to meet his Creator. I never remember seeing him use it, but it appears to have been a working knife at some point in its life. My grandpa was born in the early twenties and lived until just a few years ago. I imagine he bought this new, but I can't be certain. I would like some opinions on whether anyone thinks this is a fake. Also, can someone give me a narrower timeframe than the 1940 to 1965 that the tang stamp tells me.

[Gunsil]

Post-war, 1950s. The ricasso stamp on yours was not used in 1940 or during the war.

[jharding32]

What does Ricasso mean? The site I go to says 1940 to 1965. I'd like to know how you know 1950s.

[Gunsil]

Simply because I know more than those ridiculous stamp/date charts. The place on a hunting knife where the stamp is is called a ricasso on fixed blade knives, tang is a pocket knife term. That chart you show omits the CASE "serifs" mark which was used into the early 1940s. The "square" pommel is a 1950s trait. Note also that the chart doesn't list a start date for some of the marks. Some of the other stamp/date info on that chart is also incorrect. The CASE XX mark was first used on a couple of military knives that were not ever made before 1942, it was never used on any Case knife before or during 1940.

[Mumbleypeg]

The dates on tang stamp charts are approximations at best, especially the dates prior to about 1965. There are no records at Case of dates of use for many if not all stamps used prior to that time. Since there was no documentation at Case, the dates were derived from the best recollections of long-time employees when they were asked around 1970 to “guesstimate” the dates stamps were used, at the request of knife collectors. Also, dates for stamps used for Case fixed blades are not the same dates as those used for pocket knives. Some collectors have evidence, from experience and knives in their collections, in some cases proving the charts are inaccurate. You can also find some differences from one chart to another, depending on the source of the chart.

To the astonishment of many current-day collectors, prior to the advent of popularity of knife collecting as a hobby (late 1960’s - early 1970’s) no one gave a hoot when the stamps were changed.

Ken

[jharding32]

Thanks everyone!

[jwwood]

The dates on tang stamp charts are approximations at best, especially the dates prior to about 1965. There are no records at Case of dates of use for many if not all stamps used prior to that time. Since there was no documentation at Case, the dates were derived from the best recollections of long-time employees when they were asked around 1970 to “guesstimate” the dates stamps were used, at the request of knife collectors. Also, dates for stamps used for Case fixed blades are not the same dates as those used for pocket knives. Some collectors have evidence, from experience and knives in their collections, in some cases proving the charts are inaccurate. You can also find some differences from one chart to another, depending on the source of the chart.

To the astonishment of many current-day collectors, prior to the advent of popularity of knife collecting as a hobby (late 1960’s - early 1970’s) no one gave a hoot when the stamps were changed.

Ken

I like the way you put your information together. Sheds a lot of light on Case fixed blades. Thanks Ken

[treefarmer]

jharding32, check your PMs.
Treefarmer