A nice Case knife...

[digger27]

A Case Mini Copperlock SS with bone handles.
I rarely find knives that are useable but this one was hiding a few inches deep in some, rare for me, beautiful, black soil.
It was open with the blade pointing up but it didn't get me, I wear gloves all the time and never dig with my hands just in case of situations like this.

Cleaned it up a bit and it works perfectly, a little more detailing and this is going to become my EDC.
Came through its dirt nap pretty well, a spot on one side of the carbon steel blade needs to be buffed out, the nickel silver bolsters on the ends turned from a silver color to black but I like it this way...I doubt there are many more models out there that look exactly like this one does now.
I have no idea how to clean nickel silver, anyway, or even if it is possible.

Found another big knife when I stopped and hunted a few turn-of-the-century curb strips in the way home, this is the way most of my knife finds usually look but I still love digging them, anyway.

To find a quality knife like this that can go right back into service is a very lucky thing...feels great in my pocket so now it has a new forever home.

 

[Worm-Slicer]

Metal polish and a buffer will shine up the nickel silver. I've even used fine 2000 grit sandpaper to get out scratches before buffing.

 

[Tony in SC]

The code on the blade will tell you the year made.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Nice looking Case knife. That thing must not have been in the ground to long.

 

[EQ8]

Nice knife!
FYI, "nickel silver" contains exactly zero silver.
In fact, pretty much ANY product stamp or ID marks that contain the word "silver" have no silver content.
ie: German silver, Tibetan silver.
Now "silver plate", IS plated with real silver.

 

[civil_war22]

Dots on the blade or XX will tell you how old. It may be a newer model if it’s the stainless steel blade. I’ve found several older case knives with the OLD steel, and they were always corroded. I’ve got a 600 page pocket knife book at home, that starts as early as the first knife produced all the way up to modern times, and even gives estimates on prices depending on condition. If you find very many knives or like me I collect them so I go to pawn shops or flea markets, and use my pricing book to make sure the value is there.

 

[against the wind]

Nice recovery,,
You're right, not many dug knives come out of the ground looking that good

Congratulations

 

[digger27]

Thank you all!
Rare that we find useable things that can be put back to work.

Nice looking Case knife. That thing must not have been in the ground to long.

I figure probably just a couple of years, a few inches down but luckily laying in some very nice,and rare for me, black dirt.
I have no idea what it would look like if it was lost in my usual red clay devil dirt that gets real crusty when the drought hits but I assume nothing like this.

Metal polish and a buffer will shine up the nickel silver. I've even used fine 2000 grit sandpaper to get out scratches before buffing.

Thanks for letting me know, I like the dark color but maybe I will shine it up someday.

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[releventchair]

It's position in the ground helped drain water.
Congrats on a usable recovery!

 

[digger27]

Dots on the blade or XX will tell you how old. It may be a newer model if it’s the stainless steel blade. I’ve found several older case knives with the OLD steel, and they were always corroded. I’ve got a 600 page pocket knife book at home, that starts as early as the first knife produced all the way up to modern times, and even gives estimates on prices depending on condition. If you find very many knives or like me I collect them so I go to pawn shops or flea markets, and use my pricing book to make sure the value is there.

Thanks!
Looked it up, it has 5 dots and 5 x's in the last font on this list, they took away dots from 2011 to 2015 and then the X's after that so since mine has all of them that should place the manufacturing date as 2010.
They still make them today...about $50 from most discount dealers.

 

[DiamondDan]

Cool. The big one looks like a Buck 110.

 

[civil_war22]

Thanks!
Looked it up, it has 5 dots and 5 x's in the last font on this list, they took away dots from 2011 to 2015 and then the X's after that so since mine has all of them that should place the manufacturing date as 2010.
They still make them today...about $50 from most discount dealers.

You’re correct. I mainly buy Case pocket knives, and have a rather large assortment of the antique ones. The reason the blade is more than likely in such good condition is its stainless metal. I wouldn’t have gotten so lucky on ones I have. I’ve got one that was great grandpa’s that he bought around 1920. It’s a 3 blade one with a Sabre type blade, and two others, and in redbone. It’s the most expensive one I have, it was so valuable that my great grandma wouldn’t even let my dad have it, but when my great grandma got older in her 90’s she had a stroke, but remembered the knife, and showed it to me, and said I could have it. Needless to say dad was pretty aggravated. I let him keep it in his safe so he felt like he owned it too.

 

[A2coins]

Thats a cool find I have found alot also but most times they are long gone from all the fertilizer and ground mineralizatio Thats a cool find glad you were able to save it Well done..n

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very nice find, congrats!

 

[digger27]

You’re correct. I mainly buy Case pocket knives, and have a rather large assortment of the antique ones. The reason the blade is more than likely in such good condition is its stainless metal. I wouldn’t have gotten so lucky on ones I have. I’ve got one that was great grandpa’s that he bought around 1920. It’s a 3 blade one with a Sabre type blade, and two others, and in redbone. It’s the most expensive one I have, it was so valuable that my great grandma wouldn’t even let my dad have it, but when my great grandma got older in her 90’s she had a stroke, but remembered the knife, and showed it to me, and said I could have it. Needless to say dad was pretty aggravated. I let him keep it in his safe so he felt like he owned it too.

I have been looking at a lot of vids about Case, their history and manufacturing capabilities.
Makes me proud to carry two iconic American made products made in the same town...this knife and one of my many Zippos.

Thats a cool find I have found alot also but most times they are long gone from all the fertilizer and ground mineralizatio Thats a cool find glad you were able to save it Well done..n

Thanks!
I never carried knives before because every time I tried they just didn't feel right in my pocket for some reason.
Too heavy, too big, too something.
For some reason this one feels great.
So glad I found it.

 

[Cantstopdigging]

Hello digger, I think Case and Buck both have lifetime warrantees. You may just want to keep these knives just as they are, but you may consider shipping them back for evaluation. They might repair or replace. Just a thought.

 

[civilman1]

Very cool there digger!!My go to knife deer hunting is an old Case from 1976. Killer edge!

 

[Argentium]

Most of the knives I find are really trashed - though I have found a nice Kershaw and a Leatherman multi tool that are fully functional -and 3 Swiss Army knives..Nice find !