W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company Comprehensive Dictionary
Authored by Case Historian Shirley Boser
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Abalone
An edible mollusk having a shell lined with Mother-of-Pearl found mainly off the coast of California and Mexico. The shell is used as a knife handle material as well as for jewelry.
Annealing
The process of softening the hardened tang area of the blade to give that region extra give and flexibility. This process allows the blades to ride freely against the backspring and helps to ensure proper blade fall.
Appaloosa
Smooth bone handle material, dyed brown, with light color variations. There are different colors of Appaloosa, which include Royal (Purple) Appaloosa, Red Appaloosa, Green Appaloosa, etc. These colors are based with a main color and light color variations.
Assembly
The manufacturing process of putting a knife together with all its components.
ATS 34 Steel
This is a high-carbon stainless steel with a cryogenic process in the heat treatment. ATS 34 is popular steel among custom knife makers. Case first used this steel in the Tony Bose limited production knives.
Autumn Bone
Name given to a specially developed dye color for Case that resembles autumn color of orange and black.
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Baby Butterbean
Name given to the specially designed Case mini-Canoe; such as, Item #284 or #026.
Backspring
The backbone of most folding knives, the spring in the back of a knife that exerts pressure on the end of a folding knife's blade(s).
Bail
A metal ring attached to a knife's bolster enabling it to be connected to a belt or key ring, also called a shackle.
Balloon
A term used for a swell-center style handle pattern.
Bank Street Factory
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company's first factory building located on Bank Street, Bradford, PA from 1905-1929.
Barehead
A knife without a cap bolster on the end of the handle.
Barn Hinge
An ornate knife bolster, which resembles a hinge on a barn door.
Bar Shield
A metal strip, usually stamped with the company name, shaped like a bar that is inserted into the knife's cover; usually on the mark side.
Barlow Knife
A jack-knife pattern with an extra long bolster on the blade end and no cap bolster.
Birdseye
A knife with large rivets on the handle.
Blade
The flat cutting part of a knife, usually made of stainless steel or chrome vanadium steel.
Bluing
An acid sometimes applied to a knife blade to give it a dark finish. This finish creates a hard oxide coating which prevents the formation of iron oxide (rust).
Bolster
A metal part found on both folding and fixed blade knives. The bolster on a folding knife is attached to the front end or both ends of the handle and provides extra support to the joint. The bolsters on Case knives are mainly made of nickel silver on pocketknives and brass on lockknives.
Bone
This popular handle material for knives comes from the cow's shinbone. Bone is often dyed and jigged for use as a knife handle. Smooth natural bone is similar in appearance to ivory.
Bone Stag
A term for jigged bone, used mainly by collectors.
Bowie Knife
A term for a large, fixed blade hunting knife made legendary by famed frontiersman, Jim Bowie; Case's Item #00311.
Budding Knife
A term used for a knife with a budding blade, used for grafting.
Buffing
The manufacturing process of polishing the blades of a knife.
Butt or
Butt Cap
The metal fitting on the end of the fixed blade knife handle, also called a pommel.
Buttermilk
A two-color cream celluloid handle material.
Buffalo Horn
Any kind of horn used as a knife handle material, generally dark in color and very smooth.
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California Clip Blade
A long narrow blade with an upswept keen point used mostly for looks and as a utility blade. The blade is shaped like the state of California.
Candy Stripe Handle
Celluloid handle material colored in a red and white striped pattern.
Canoe
A folding knife handle pattern shaped like a canoe; Case's pattern #62131
.
Can Opener
A blade used for opening cans; some have a screwdriver tip.
Cap Bolster
The bolster on the end of a knife handle, the opposite end of the main blade.
Carborundum
Carborundum is a trade name for materials made of carbon and corundum. The hard abrasive is used for sharpening cutlery.
Case Shears Corporation
A Case company in Nashville, AK where shears were manufactured from 1952-1985.
Case XX Trademark
This trademark signifies the double tempering process that goes into every Case knife. In years past, the pans of blades were stamped with an X after each tempering process. This XX on the pan indicated that the blades were double tempered for quality. Even today this "Case XX trademark" is our mark of distinction.
Catch Bit
A spacer used to accommodate the use of thinner blades in a knife. Typically, catch bits are used in two bladed stockman configurations; such as, Case's 62109X.
Celluloid
The first moldable plastic. A synthetic knife handle material, celluloid can be left in its natural translucent form or colored to any shade of the rainbow. This material is very durable; however, because it has a cellulose nitrate base, it is flammable and becomes unstable over time.
Center Pin
The pin that serves as an axle for the blades to turn on; also called hinge pin or pivot pin.
Certificate of Authenticity
A factory issued certificate that accompanies official W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company Limited Edition Sets verifying the authenticity of the set and giving a description of the product.
Chital
Antler of a large Indian deer. Chital Stag is used at Case for their stag handles along with Sambar Stag from India.
Choil
The round indentation on a blade located before the edge begins at the shoulder of the tang. The choil allows the blade edge to be honed without hitting the tang.
Christmas Tree Handle
A handle material made of celluloid with mixed red, green, gold, and black colors.
Chrome Vanadium Steel
Carbon steel used in many Case knives. Chrome vanadium steel is more rust resistant than ordinary carbon steel; however, extra care is still needed because these blades will rust or tarnish over time and should be kept oiled.
Cigar
A handle pattern that is oval shaped, as a cigar. These handles are primarily used for pen and whittler knives.
Clam Pack
Special package using a top and bottom clear plastic molded shells, an inserted information card, and knife. A heat sealer process seals the completed package. Clam packs are made to hang on a wire rack for a point of purchase display.
Clasp
A handle pattern for a large single-bladed jack-knife. The handles have an upward curving handle that tapers to a point; for example, Case's P172.
Clip Blade
A blade with a concave cutout on the back of the blade extending from the point toward the center of the blade; used as a multipurpose utility blade.
Cocobolo
A fine-grained reddish-brown exotic wood used for knife handles.
COKE Bottle
A handle pattern with the center of the handle curved sharply outward at the center; shaped like an old glass COKE bottle. This is also called a "Swelled-Center Jack."
Commemorative Knives
A special factory order knife manufactured in honor of an occasion, a person or event; usually in a special package with a Certificate of Authenticity and serial numbered.
Components
Manufactured parts needed for assembling a knife.
Composition
A man-made handle material with a dull, solid, and smooth finish.
Concave Grind
This grinding process hollows out the blade bringing it to a concave shape down to the blade edge; also called hollow grind or hollow edge grind.
Congress Knife
A knife pattern with a slight upward tapered curve in the middle of the handle. The bolsters are squared and equal-ended. All congress knives have sheepfoot master blades.
Coping Blade
Small blade cropped off about 70%, mostly used for whittling, carving - wherever a fine point is needed. This is commonly used in carpenter's knives to scratch lines in wood or other materials.
CopperLock
A knife that is "One part trapper, one part copperhead, one part lockback and 100% Case." New pattern introduced in 1997.
Corn Blade
This blade is used for cutting corns from feet.
Corn Cob Jig
A jigging pattern that resembles a corncob.
Corrosion Resistance
The ability of a steel to withstand chemical attacks; such as, rusting.
Cotton Sampler Blade
This is an old pattern blade used to cut samples from bales of cotton so they could be inspected.
Counterfeit Knife
A copy or imitation of an individual company's knife intentionally made to deceive the buyer.
Covered Scale
The completed scale for a knife with liner, bolsters, and covers.
Covers
A slab of handle material used on the knife that fits between the bolsters.
Cover Rivets
Brass or nickel silver rivets used to attach the covers to the liners of the scales.
Cracked Ice
A plastic/celluloid handle material, off white in color, with the appearance of frosted glass.
Crinking
The process of bending blades mounted on opposite ends of a knife to the correct angle to allow blades to move freely without touching when the knife is closed.
Crown Stag
The "butt" end of a deer antler, used as a handle material for a fixed blade hunter. Custom knifemakers are the main users of this.
Curly Maple
A knurly section of wood from a maple tree used for a handle material. The wood has a curled design, giving it a very distinct look.
Curved Manicure Blade
Similar to the pen blade with file, this blade features a nail file for fingernails and also features a sharpened edge for cutting.
Curved Pen Blade
This design is used for delicate skinning jobs and smaller detail.
Cuticle Blade
A secondary blade with a downward curve for cutting and shaping cuticles, and cleaning nails.
Cut Swedge
A false edge ground along the top of the blade with a deep indentation from below the nail mark proceeding to the point of the blade.
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Damascus Steel
Steel created by folding and forging two different steels together many times. The result is intricately-patterned steel with hundreds of layers. The blades are then acid etched to reveal the steel patterns.
Delrin
A modern moldable plastic used for durable knife handles.
Die Tool
A manufacturing pattern tool used to blank blades, springs, bolsters, and all metal components used for knives. Each component for each pattern has its own tool.
Display Case
Any size wooden case with a window, used for displaying product.
Dogleg
An S-curve shaped handle pattern for folding knives.
Double-Ended
A term for a folding knife with blades at both ends.
Double Pull
A blade with two pull nail marks.
Drop-Point
A style of hunting knife where the top of the blade drops down toward the end of the blade to meet the point. This blade is used for general purposes and skinning larger game animals.
Drilled
A collector's term for a hole drilled in the bolster of a knife in order to put a lanyard through.
Dyed Bone
Bone that has been dyed. Bone does not always absorb dye evenly, and color will vary from piece to piece.
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Easy Opener
A knife with a half-round notch cut into the handle. This notch allows the end of the main blade to be grasped with the fingertips for easy opening.
Electro-Etch
A manufacturing art process of surface etching a logo or wording on the blade or metal cover. This etching will be mainly black; however, it can be done in white.
Electrician's Blades
This blade is used as a screwdriver and wire scraper and was designed for use as an electrician's tool.
Elephant Toenail
A large double-end knife shape; also called a sunfish.
Equal End
A folding knife's handle shape that is equally rounded at both ends; also, called Senator.
Eraser
A knife designed for scraping ink from paper or vellum.
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Flat Taper Grind
This grinding process gradually tapers and thins the blade from the top or back of the blade down to the edge.
File Blade
A blade for general use, filing fingernails, and other. Some file blades are grooved.
Fillet Knife
A fixed-blade knife with a long flexible blade used for filleting fish.
Finger Grips or Grooves
These are indentations in the handles of some kitchenware and fixed blade patterns for fingers to lay for easy and safer gripping.
Fish Scaler Blade
A multi-purpose blade used to scale fish with a degouger (hook remover) and a caplifter (bottle opener) all in one.
Fixed Blade
A knife that does not fold or close.
Folding Hunter or
Folder
A term used for a large jack knife.
Fork Blade
This blade is used as a utensil for eating. The Cap Lifter feature is used for opening bottles by lifting the cap.
Frame
A term used for the scale of a folding knife. This includes the liners, bolsters, and sometimes included the spring or springs.
French Nail Mark
A long thumbnail groove on the blade used for opening the blade; also called a "Long Pull" nail mark.
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Genuine Mother-of-Pearl
Another term for mother-of-pearl.
Glaze Finish
A dull, coarse blade finish with the grind line glazed over, not as rough as the satin finish; such as, P197L SS.
Gimping
The smooth serration across the back of a blade to improve the grip; for example, Case's RussLock TM and Fixed Blade Hunters.
Gold Stone Celluloid
Celluloid handle material made with gold glitter.
Grease Buff
The manufacturing process of polishing knife handles on a greased buffing wheel.
Green Abalone
An edible mollusk having a shell lined in green mother-of-pearl found mainly off the coast of California and Mexico.
Guard
A metal fitting on the knife where the knife's blade and its handle join, acting as a safety barrier to prevent the hand from slipping on to the blade. Guards are used primarily on fixed blade hunters. However, there were some pocketknives made with a guard that swing up when the blade was opened; for example, Case's 6111_L.
Gunboat
A term used for a large canoe shaped handle pattern; for example, Case's 6294.
Gunstock Knife
The knife pattern that resembles a gunstock. The handle resembles a Swell-Center from the blade to the center swell, then is straight from the center swell to the end of the handle; for example, Case's 6215.
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Hafting
The manufacturing process of grinding a newly assembled knife, turning and shaping the handles, and preparing it for the finishing operations of buffing and honing.
Half Whittler
A two-blade Whittler pattern. Originally the Half Whittlers were started with Case's 6208 1/2; a two-blade pen knife with a clip master blade.
Hardness
A term used to describe steel's tendency to resist indentation. (Measured by Rockwell Hardness Test.)
Hard Rubber
A fairly rare handle material used years ago that is very durable and nonflammable. It is called "slick black" when smooth and "rough black" when jigged.
Hawbaker Special
A knife designed by S. Stanley Hawbaker and made by Case between 1961-1982. This was a Muskrat knife with a clip blade and a large sheepfoot or a wharncliffe blade.
Hawkbill
A blade used for pruning, or a term used for a knife with a Hawkbill pruning blade.
Heat Treat
The manufacturing process used to harden steel. W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company uses two processes, one for stainless steel and one for chrome vanadium.
High Art
The manufacturing process of applying photos under clear celluloid handle material on knives; such as Case's HA199_ SSP.
High-Carbon Steel
A term used to describe steel that contains at least .60% carbon.
Hobo Knives
Term that applies to slot knives that typically have a knife, fork, and possibly spoon. The scales slide apart for individual utensil use and when finished, slid together again to form the pocketknife. Another application for collectors of older patterns would be the interchangeable blade hunting knives.
Hollow Ground
A term used for concave grind.
Honing
The manufacturing process of sharpening an edge on a knife.
Hunting Knife
A knife used by a hunter for cleaning game or for sport, usually a fixed blade or a folding hunter pocketknife.
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Imitation Onyx
Plastic handle material with a yellowish marble appearance.
India Stag
The shed antlers of Indian deer frequently used as a handle material; such as, Sambar.
Interchangeable Blades
One or more blades that can be interchanged into one knife handle; for example, Case's XX Changer.
Ivory
The tusk or teeth from an animal, possibly the walrus, sperm whale, elephant, or the tusks of the extinct mastodon. Case has used mastodon as a handle material for special orders in the past.
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Jack-Knife
A term for a single-ended pocketknife. The blade or blades are hinged at one end of the knife. There are various pattern names applied to jack-knives; such as, Regular Jack, Sleeveboard Jacks, Swell-Center, Equal-End Jack, etc.
Job Case
(1821-1915) Father of William Russell Case and grandfather of John Russell Case.
John Russell Case
(1878-1953) Founder of W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company (Son of William Russell Case).
Jigged Bone
Bone that has been notched to give it a rough texture. Case manufactures knives utilizing different jigging patterns; such as; standard, Rogers, corn cob, peachseed, Rogers corn cob, etc.
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Knife-Ax Combination
Hunting set with interchangeable ax and knife blades that fit into the same handle.
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Laminated Hardwood
A man-made wooden handle material made by bonding thin layers of wood with resin and pressing together. Laminated wood can by dyed different colors and is very durable. Outside of stamina wood, Case has used little laminated hardwood for knives.
Lanyard
Cord/line attached to a knife so the knife can be attached to the user preventing loss.
Lanyard Hole
The hole put in the end or butt bolster of a knife to insert the lanyard.
Lazy
A pocketknife that does not walk or talk.
(See Walk and Talk.)
Leather Handle
Handle material made of leather washers, used for fixed-blade hunters.
Leg Knife
A pocketknife shaped like a lady's leg.
Length
A folding knife's length is measured in the closed position.
Letting in the Kick
The manufacturing process of removing excess material from the tang of the blade, thus allowing the blade to fall correctly into the frame.
Letter Opener Knife
A pocketknife with a blade in one end and a fixed blade letter opener in the opposite end.
Linen Micarta
A term used for Micarta made from layers of fabric, impregnated with a resin and subjected to pressure. This can be used as knife handle material and is visually interesting because the weave pattern shows through.
Liners
The flat sheet metal part of a cover scale that the bolsters and covers adhere to. The shape of the liner defines the knife's shape.
Liner Lock
A folding knife with a locking mechanism made from a piece of the liner shaped to block the end of the tang when opened. To close, the liner is pushed over with the finger to release the blade.
Lobster
A term used for a pen knife with a lobster pick blade that opens from the bottom of the knife.
Lockback Knife
A pocketknife with a lock to hold the opened blade in place.
Long Pull
A long thumbnail groove on the blade used for opening; also called French nail mark.
Long Spear or
Physician's Blade
This blade is used for scooping powder from vials and loosening caked powder. It also could have been used a back-up tool during surgery when surgical utensils were unavailable.
Long Tail C
Starting in 1986, the Long Tail C with the serial number has been used on all official W.R. Case Limited Edition Sets calling for a serial number. This Long Tail C engraved with the serial number is protected by law and can only be used by W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
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Machete
A style of knife manufactured by W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company during World War II for the military.
Manicure Blade
This blade is used to file fingernails.
Mark Side
The term used for the front of a knife, the side with the front of the master blade facing the user.
Marlinespike (Also
Marlin spike or
fid)
An implement found on some older Case folding knives. It is used on boats to separate strands of rope, untie knots or weaving rope.
Mary Petro
An employee of W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company who retired in 1994, after 70 years of service.
Master Blade
The main blade of a pocketknife or the pocket blade.
Master Pack
A larger package of previously packaged product.
Match Strike Pull
A nail mark with a jagged top line.
Micarta
This is handle material made by impregnating a base material, like wood, paper, or linen, with a phenolic resin made from coal tar. Originally, Westinghouse designed this material for electrical insulation.
Miracl-Edge TM
A term used to describe a scalloped edge on some knives at W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company.
Mirror Polish
A high-polish blade finish that resembles a mirror.
Mother-of-Pearl
A handle material that comes from the inner lining of a marine shell that is harvested in the Far East. White Mother-of-Pearl can come from White Lip shells or Gold Lip shells.
Mother-of-Pearl is also used to make jewelry.
Music Wire
A round steel spring used in place of the pollywog in some lockback knives; for example, Case's Mini Blackhorn.
Muskrat
A knife pattern with two thin "muskrat" California clip blades, one on each end of the knife.
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Nail Mark
An indentation stamped into the blade of a folding knife, used to secure a fingernail for blade opening.
Nickel Silver
An alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc used for knife bolsters and liners; also called German silver.
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Office Knife
A large equal ended pen knife (057 or 57 pattern) with white handles, engraved with "Office Knife" artwork and manufactured during the Case XX era.
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Paccawood or
Pakkawood
A term used to describe a laminated hardwood.
Panel
An insert for a display case that displays the product.
Paper Micarta (See Micarta)
The laminated process for paper Micarta makes the material very tough. This handle material is often mistaken for ivory and can be produced in different colors or used for scrimshaw.
Pattern Number
The model number a manufacturer applies to the knife pattern. Case stamps the pattern number into secondary blades or the main blade either on the mark or pile side.
Paua
An edible mollusk having a shell lined with greenish mother-of-pearl found mainly in New Zealand. The shell is used for knife handle material and also for jewelry.
Peachseed Bone
A jigging pattern used on bone. Peachseed jigging has the texture of a peach pit.
Pen Blade
A small secondary blade used for light work. It was originally engineered to cut and sharpen turkey quills that were used for ink pens.
Photo-Etch
A term used to describe the process of deep-etching a design into steel. The design may be color filled in one or more colors.
Pickbone
A term used by collectors to describe jigged bone.
Pile Side
This term is used for the back (opposite the front or mark) side of a knife, the side facing away from the user.
Pocket Worn
A product line of Case knives hafted with extra hand-finishing to give a smooth, comfortable feel to the handles.
Point-of-Purchase Display
Used by retailers to display Case products in their stores; usually a wooden or cardboard display.
Polished Edge
The manufacturing process of polishing the edge of a honed blade to remove the burrs or wire edge.
Pollywog
The spring used in a lockback knife.
Pommel
A term used for the butt or butt cap on a fixed blade knife.
Pruner
A Hawkbill blade, usually large, used for pruning purposes and designed for a "pull cut".
Punch Blade
A blade designed for drilling or punching holes in leather, belts, and harnesses. It was also used on wood for screws.
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Razor Blade
A knife with this blade is referred to as a one-arm man as it was designed so the end of the blade could be hooked on a shoe, table, or clothing to open with one hand. The tang stamp will reflect the use of the razor blade with the letters "RAZ" after the pattern numbers.
Regular Pull
The regular size thumbnail mark on a blade used for opening.
Red Abalone
An edible mollusk having a shell lined in red Mother-of-Pearl found mainly off the coast of California and Mexico. This is used for knife handle material and also for jewelry.
Rockwell Test
Impressing a diamond cone into steel to measure the depth of penetration is a test that measures steel's hardness. The softer the metal, the deeper the penetration, and the number is lower. The higher the number is, the harder the steel. Cutlery steel usually measures between 50 and 68; Case tries to stay between 50-60.
Rogers Bone (Rodgers)
The Rogers Handle Company, destroyed by fire in 1956, originally produced Rogers bone. The company's jigging pattern was characterized by deep grooves that were rounded at the top to give the bone a smooth feel.
Rogers Jig
At W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company, Rogers is a jigging pattern that is smaller in dimension, closer together, and has a smoother feel than the standard jig.
Rogers Corn Cob Jig
This jig pattern is a combination of rogers and corn cob jig.
Rosewood
A knife handle material that comes from a number of hardwood trees with a rose-like odor. Case has used rosewood handles in Outdoor knives.
Rough Black
A man-made hard rubber cover material with rough or jigged finish. This was also called "PLASTAG" and was used during the 1940's when cover material was hard to get.
Russell Boulevard Factory
The second factory built for W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company, 1929-1988, located on Russell Boulevard, Bradford, PA 16701
RussLock
A specially designed knife named after the founder of W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery, John Russell Case. It is a one arm-opener knife with the tang designed similar to the tang of the straight edged razor; such as, Case Item #785 or #320
Russlock Clip Blade
This blade is used as a utility blade and features a tapered tang like that of a straight edged razor. This currently used one in the specially designed Russlock knives named after the founder of Case Cutlery, John Russell Case.
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Saber Clip or Spear Blade
This blade is beveled for part of its width, making it stronger than regular clip or spear blades. It is sometimes referred to as Stabber Jacks.
Saber Grind
A grinding process that concave grinds (or slightly curves both sides of the blade inward) the bottom half of the blade down to the edge.
Sambar Stag (Sambhar)
Antler of a large Indian deer. Sambar Stag is used at Case for their stag handles along with Chital Stag from India.
Satin Finish
A dull finish on blades usually with grind lines visible; such as, Case's M1059L SS
Saw Blade
The saw-like edge is used for sawing bone and gristle in meat. Its design allows it to be used for a variety of outdoor uses including cutting through small twigs. It also offers a screwdriver tip.
Sawteeth
A type of serration designed to cut wood, rope, metal, or ice.
Scabbard
A cardboard sleeve that slides over cutlery or fixed blades, used to protect blades from damage and workers from injury.
Scales
A term used to describe the liners including the bolsters of a knife handle. Scales may be covered with wood, stag, bone, pearl, or a variety of synthetics to complete the knife handle.
Scallops
A grind, similar to serration, given to the edge of a knife. Scallop edges have a curved shape similar to Case's "Miracl-Edge."
Screw Driver/Cap Lifter Blade
This blade is designed for use as a screw driver and cap lifter.
Screw Driver/Wire Scrapper
Electrician blade used for scraping wire, etc.
Scrimshaw
An art form made popular by American whaler carvings on whalebone in the 1800s. Today, this is completed on the knife handles made of ivory, bone, or paper Micarta. Scrimshaw sports intricate designs carved on the material with scribe and color filled with ink.
Script Shield
A special Case shield with Case spelled out in script and inlaid in the handle of the knife.
Scrolled Bolsters
Engraved scroll work on bolsters, sometimes applied for specialty sets.
Second Cut Stag
Pieces of stag or bone that are jigged and dyed to look like stag. Case has a process of Second Cut jigging bone for Special Factory Orders. Currently, Case does not second cut stag although it has been done in the past.
Senator
An equal-end pen knife with straight sides.
Serialize
The manufacturing process of consecutively numbering each individual knife in a series.
Serrations
A grind pattern on the edge of some knives that has notches or a tooth pattern like a saw.
Shackle
A metal ring attached to a knife bolster, enabling it to be connected to a belt or key ring; also called a bail.
Shadow
A pocketknife without bolsters.
Shaw-Leibowitz
An artistic couple who was prominent in the knife business for twenty years. Their etching and "lost wax" process created some highly priced and collectable knives. Two examples of Case knives that featured the "lost wax" process are the Pennsylvania Tricentennial and the 1980 Winter Olympics Commemorative knife.
Sheepfoot or Coping Blade
Generally, a secondary blade designed with more strength at the point of the blade making it a good tool for carving chews out of tobacco plugs, electrical blade and general purpose. It has keen point for close work.
Shield
The company emblem glued or pinned into a cavity in the knife handle material, usually the front or mark side. Case shields are generally made of nickel silver
Shoulder
The area of a blade where the ground part indents as it meets the tang.
Shrink-Wrap
The packaging process of wrapping a package in clear cellophane and sealing the seams with a heat sealer.
Silk Screen
The art of painting a color design or logo on smooth covers, blades, or handles.
Skinner Blade
A pocket blade with an up-swept blade at tip, used for skinning purposes.
Slab Side Hunters
A fixed blade hunting knife with a full tang blade, a guard (or bolster), two covers, and a but cap; also called a pommel.
Sleeveboard Knife
A knife pattern with slightly tapered handles that is rounded at both ends and shaped like a small ironing board
Slick Black
A man-made hard rubber or composition handle material that is smooth in appearance.
Slim Serpentine Jack
A term used for a jack-knife with a slim crooked shape; for example Case's '048 pattern. Case's '048 pattern is called the Slimline Trapper or single Utility Knife.
Smatchette
Machete style knife manufactured during World War II for the military.
Smooth Bone
Bone handles left in its natural smooth state no jigging.
South Bradford Factory
The third factory built in 1975 for W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company is located at Owens Way, Bradford, PA. This factory and offices are in full operation today.
Sowbelly
A knife pattern which has a rounded back on the knife which resembles the shape of a pig's belly: such as, Case' TB6339. This is used as heavy-duty cattleman/stockman knife.
Spacers
A component used on some knife handles and found between the bolsters and scales.
Spatula Blade
This blade was used for mixing powders or salves by doctor and physicians; also used for counting pills.
Spey (Spay) Blade
A thin, pocketknife blade with a rounded point referred to as a flesh blade or cattle blade used for castration of farm animals, etc.
Spear Blade
A blade used for a pocketknife; also called point blade
Special Factory Order
A manufacturing or process order for a non-standard product. There a certain rules for a special factory order as this is a contacted agreement between the customer and the manufacturer.
Springer
A term used for a spring-operated switchblade.
Spring Retainer
A metal piece used to hold music wire in a lock knife, instead of using a pollywog.
Spoon Blade
This blade is used as a utensil for eating; designed for use in the Hobo or Slot knives.
Square Bolster
A pocketknife that has the bolsters squared off on both ends.
Stag
Deer antler used to make knife handles. The desirable stag comes from India or Europe. Case uses Sambar Stag or Chital Stag from India.
Staglon
This is imitation stag handle material.
Stainless Steel
The 420 high carbon stainless or Tru-Sharp surgical steel, is the stainless steel of choice at Case. Stainless steel is more resistant to rust than Chrome Vanadium and not as hard to resharpen as ATS-34.
Stamina Wood
A trade name for a laminated hardwood used as a knife handle; for example, Case's 6265.
Standard Jig
A jigging pattern with larger, courser cavities than Rogers jig. Standard jig is our most popular jigging pattern and is used on most of our standard catalog items.
Stiletto
A thin dagger.
Stockman Knife
A double-ended knife pattern with a curved handle. The stockman patterns generally have two springs and three blades; a clip master, a small spey, and sheepfoot or other small blade. The main blade and a smaller blade are located at the end bolster and the other smaller blade is located at the cap bolster.
Straightening
A manufacturing operation for perfecting blade fall in an assembled pocketknife.
Sunfish
This is a large double-end jack knife; also called elephant toenail.
Surgical Pen Blade
This blade is used for field surgery and other fine, delicate work.
Surgical Steel
This is another term for high-carbon stainless steel such as Tru-Sharp.
Swedge
The ground edge along the top of the blade from the point and up toward the tang of the blade (also called the false edge).
Swelled-Center Knife
A knife pattern with the center of the handle curved sharply outward at the center; shaped like an old glass COKE bottle. This is also called the " COKE Bottle Pattern."
Also Swell-Center Jack knife.
Switchblade
A folding knife with a blade that is opened by pressing a release. A spring in the knife makes the blade swing out when the release is pressed.
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Tang
The unsharpened piece of steel that extends from the blade of a knife and secures in the handle. The stamp is applied in this area of the blade.
Tang Stamp
The Case company logo is stamped into the tang of the knife. W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company changed their stamps periodically and in 1970 started a doting system for dating knives. This practice has made Case knives very collectable.
Tempering
A process of heat-treating to relive stress on hardened steel to allow for increased flexibility, ductility, and strengthening. Double tempering is done at Case for quality.
Texas Toothpick
A term used for a tickler style of knife; for example, Case's 610096, 610094, 610098.
Thumb Roll
A knob or stud found on some folding knife blades. Instead of a nail mark, a user opens a knife by placing his thumb on the knob and pushing the blade our of the knife's handle.
Tickler
A frame pattern for a pocketknife similar to a clap knife; also called a Texas Toothpick.
Tip Bolsters
Small, undersized bolsters.
Tom Hart
Legendary knife designer and model maker at W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company. Tom passed away in 1999 after 50 years of service. Tom's designs included the Russlock, the Texas Lockhorn and the Copperlock.
Tony Bose
Custom Knife Maker who works with Case collaboratively developing custom-style knives in a manufacturing environment.
Tortoise Celluloid
Imitation handle material that resembles actual tortoise shell.
Toughness
Refers ability of steel to resist deformation and fracture.
Trapper
A Jack knife with full-length clip and spey blades; for example, Case's '254 patterns.
Trapper Nut
A Peanut pattern which uses a clip and a spey blade; such as 1999-#813-6220.
Tru-Sharp Surgical Steel
A specially formulated blend of high carbon stainless steel-striking a fine balance between strength, edge retention, and ease of resharpening- used by W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company in all stainless steel blades.
Tumbler
In a lockback knife, the part that secures the blade in the open position until the lock is released.
Two-End Spring
A special spring that is used for a two or three bladed knife to allow operation of a blade at each end.
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USA Frame
After 1964, the USA frame for all the '65 Folding Hunters has a smaller front bolster with less curve and the lanyard hole was added on the lower bolster. The XX frame on a '65 Folding Hunter pattern, prior to 1965, has a larger front bolster with a more pronounced curve where it joins the handle on top.
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V-42
The pattern number for the First Special Forces Service Knife.
Vintage Bone
The name of product line of Case bone handled knives introduced in 2001. Originally designed to replace Vintage Stag product line when stag became unavailable.
Vintage Stag
The name for a product line of Case stag knives. These knives are Pocket Worn finished to give them an aged look and a unique feel.
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Wharncliff Blade
A blade similar in shape to a sheepfoot and is used a lot by seamstresses. The point is more delicate than the points on the Sheepfoot or Coping blades. Many consider the Wharncliff to be the handiest blade you can have in a knife.
"Walk & Talk"
The snapping sound that occurs during the opening and closing of a pocketknife.
Washita
A course-grained natural sharpening stone used for sharpening a dull knife.
Waterfall
A translucent handle material that resembles a waterfall as the knife is rotated.
Wear Resistance
A term used to describe steel's ability to hold up under abrasive pressure-its ability to hold an edge.
Whittler
A three-bladed pen knife with the clip blade at one end and two small cutting blades of equal length at the opposite end. A whittler usually has a center
spring or divider between the two springs, which tapers down and ends in the middle of the knife.
William Russell Case
(1847-1931) Founder of W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company with his son, John Russell Case.
Winterbottom Bone
Bone that was originally produced by the Winterbottom Material Company. Their jigging pattern was characterized by long, lengthwise grooves which made bone look similar to stag.
Wire Frame
Knife frames that were made from heavy wire (#9)
Worm Groove Jig
The jigging pattern characterized with long deep gouges, like a worm's path.
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XX Changer
Case lockback knife that has four exchangeable blades.
XX Frame
The frame on a '65 Folding Hunter pattern prior to 1965. These frames have a larger front bolster with a more pronounced curve where it joins the handle on top. After 1964, the USA frame had a smaller front bolster with less curve and the lanyard hole was added on the lower bolster.
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Yellowhorse, David
Navajo artisan who created custom knife handles. Yellowhorse's knives have channel inlays of mother-of-pearl, jet, turquoise, and coral. Yellowhorse has been contracted for some special knives for Case in the past including the Orca Whale and the Humpback Whale.
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Zipper
A Case switchblade with a square release button set into the handle.
Zippo Manufacturing Company
In 1993, Zippo purchased W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company. Zippo is a family-owned, lighter manufacturing company in Bradford, PA.
Zytel
A trademark of Dupont, this handle material is made of thermal resin reinforced fiberglass. It is lightweight and strong.
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