I recently purchased a CASE Amberbone Stockman (CA079)to add to my collection of Stockman knives. I have a significant number of Stockmans of varying ages by many manufacturers. There are a number usual suspects; Queen, Buck, Schrade, Rough Ryder, Boker, Hen & Rooster, Marbles etc; some old classics like Primble, Parker, Pine Knot, Ranger, Uncle Henry, Frontier, etc. and lesser know items such as Anvil, E.C. Cummings and Kabar.
Unlike every other stockman knife I own (more than fifty) the CASE was had a seriously scratched main blade (the clip point) from DAY ONE. There is a radial score (gouge) approximately 1.5” from the hinge.The cause of this damage was due to the point of the sheeps foot blade digging into the clip point (right out of the box).
Call it poor engineering or quality control, but the fact is a clinker leaked out. When I wrote to CASE about the problem I received and nice (yet slightly condescending) response explaining "blade rub" to me. I'm a mechanical engineer, and as you can imagine wasn't as appreciative of the "explanation" as you might think. The customer service representative assured me that this was "normal" for a Stockman knife pattern--three blades are just too many for a pocket knife of such size. Let me be clear; Case’s Quality Control Manager says that it is absolutely normal for a new, never carried or sharpened Stockman knife to have scratched & scored blades.
Now I own lots of slip joint pocket knives. Some with four, five even SIX blades (by other manufacturers) Apparently these other knife-makers didn’t get the “three blade blade-rub” memo from Case because guess what? That’s right NO BLADE RUB.
In no other case do I own a new, unused, knife where the blades don't close properly or that there is so much blade rub that one blade is destroying another.
HOW IS THIS NORMAL?
As far as Knife for the dollar I'm going to have to say that IMHO Case knives are ABSOLUTELY not worth it! Ten out of ten I'll go with a Chinese-made Rough Rider, German-made Boker or a Spanish-made Hen & Rooster. These other knives, in my experience, are better quality and price. As I see it Case it banking on shaming consumers to “Buy American.”

Back in December 29,2016 I bought a new case medium stockman amber bone handle and chrome vanadium steel blades and have carried it everyday since then and it does not take long to get it back to being sharp I bought it to take place of my grandpa old case knife that is a medium stockman with chrome vanadium steel and made in 1978. I bought a new one so that I would definitely never chance losing his old one.

In December 2016 I went and bought a case xx medium stockman with amber bone handle and chrome vanadium steel blades because I did not want to risk taking the chance of losing my grandpa old one he carried for years manufactured in 1978. I got his old case in 2014 after he passed away. I have really had good luck with my case medium stockman with amber bone handle and chrome vanadium steel blades and have carried it now two years and it will get razor sharp without much effort because I keep it touched up on a stone about every few weeks I have used it to cut boxes and open cans of Copenhagen and especially my mail or use it to open a package that comes in the mail.

In February 2014 I got my grandpa old case medium stockman from 1978 with cv steel blades when he passed away. I did not want to carry it and chance losing it so in December 2016 I went and bought a new case xx medium stockman with amber bone handle and chrome vanadium steel blades so I would have one exactly like my grandpa old one. I have been carrying it for two years now and it has been a very good knife and always gets razor sharp and hold a edge great. Can’t really tell any difference between grandpa old one and my one from 2016. I have used it for a work knife and a camping knife and it has done everything from opening boxes to cutting up boxes to burn in a fire pit. Being cv steel blades you have to keep them oiled or they will turn color due to being carbon steel blades mine is actually showing the carbon steel look and that is just a sign of really good steel this has the all brass liners and is a very beautiful knife to make a everyday carry.

I HAVE A CASE MEDIUM STOCKMAN THAT I BOUGHT NEW IN DECEMBER 29,2016 FROM MY LOCAL APEX TRU VALUE FOR $62.00 I WANTED ONE EXACTLY LIKE MY GRANDPA'S OLD 1978 CASE MEDIUM STOCKMAN .