A Case Cheetah® Cub 11230 folding knife shown open. The 2.73-inch Tru-Sharp™ Surgical Stainless clip blade is deployed with a mirror polish finish on a flat taper grind; the Swing Guard is visible at the base of the blade. The smooth Patriotic Kirinite® handle scales display the red, white, and blue acrylic resin colorway — a polished, high-clarity surface with patriotic colors running through the material. The Case Oval Shield is inlaid on the handle. Closed length 3.5 inches, weight 1.9 oz. Made in Bradford, PA, USA. 2026 Case XX Vault limited return.

Case Cheetah Cub 11230 3.5 in closed 1.9 oz — Tru-Sharp mirror polish patriotic Kirinite, made in Bradford PA USA, size reference

Case Cheetah Cub 11230 open — Tru-Sharp mirror polish clip blade, smooth patriotic Kirinite handle, swing guard, Case Oval Shield

Case Cheetah Cub - 2.73" Tru-Sharp Surgical Stainless Mirror-Polished Flat Taper Grind Clip Blade, Smooth Patriotic Kirinite® Handle - 11230

SKU: CA11230-X-255

Case

MSRP $143.65 Our Price $94.99

(You save $48.66)

Overview
Warranty Information
Specifications

Product Description

The Case Cheetah® Cub 11230 returns from the Case XX Vault in 2026 — the same compact Swing Guard pattern back for a limited time, now in Smooth Patriotic Kirinite® that delivers the visual impact of red, white, and blue in a material that improves with every polishing.

The blade is Tru-Sharp™ Surgical Stainless Steel — Case's high-carbon stainless formula engineered for longer edge retention than conventional stainless, extraordinary blade strength, and corrosion resistance. The flat taper grind clip blade carries a mirror polish that catches light cleanly against the polished Kirinite® handle beside it. At 2.73" on a 3.5" closed frame — comparable in size to the Mini CopperLock® — the Cheetah® Cub delivers genuine compact carry in a slip joint with Swing Guard deployment.

Kirinite® is an acrylic resin material unlike standard synthetic or natural bone — smooth without being slippery, with a depth of color and clarity that deepens as the surface is polished over time. The Patriotic colorway runs red, white, and blue through the resin, making the 11230 the most visually distinctive handle in the 2026 Cheetah® Cub Vault lineup. Case Oval Shield. 1.9 oz. When the Vault window closes, the Cheetah® Cub returns to retirement.

Key Features / Section 05 Bullets:

Blade: Tru-Sharp™ Surgical Stainless, mirror polish, flat taper grind, clip profile — 2.73 in; Swing Guard deployment; single blade; longer edge retention than conventional stainless
Handle: Smooth Patriotic Kirinite® — red, white, and blue acrylic resin; deepens with polishing; Case Oval Shield; 3.5 in closed, 1.9 oz
Deployment / Lock: Swing Guard, slip joint — Cheetah® Cub pattern; compact 3.5 in frame comparable to Mini CopperLock®; 2026 Case XX Vault
Carry: 1.9 oz; 3.5 in closed; 2026 Case XX Vault limited return — available for a limited time only; made in Bradford, PA, USA

Patriotic-themed knife collectors who want the Cheetah® Cub in the most visually striking handle of the 2026 Vault lineup. Kirinite® enthusiasts who appreciate the material's depth and the way it responds to polishing over time. Buyers completing the 2026 Cheetah® Cub Vault set — the 11230 Patriotic Kirinite® alongside Old Red Bone (10309) and Yellow Synthetic (81086) covers three distinct handle tiers.

Add the Case Cheetah® Cub (11230) to your cart today — the 2026 Vault's Patriotic Kirinite® configuration with the legendary service and fast shipping Knifeworks is known for.

Warranty Information

Case Knives warrants each and every Case knife to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for the life of the owner, and will repair or replace with a new Case knife, at Case's option, any Case knife that is defective. Case does not warrant its products or their finish against normal wear or misuse. For warranty service, contact Case directly at caseknives.com.

Specifications

...

Product Type	Traditional Knife
Product Brand	Case Knives
Item Number	11230
Model	Cheetah® Cub
Case Family	Patriotic Kirinite®
Pattern	Cheetah® Cub
Pattern Stamp	1011 1/2L SS
Number of Blades	1
Blade Style	Clip Point
Blade Material	Tru-Sharp™ Surgical Stainless Steel
Blade Length	2.73 inches
Blade Finish	Mirror-Polished
Blade Grind	Flat Taper
Handle Material	Kirinite
Handle Color	Patriotic (Red, White, Blue)
Handle Finish	Smooth
Closed Length	3.5 inches
Lock Type	Slip Joint with Swing Guard
Shield	Case Oval Shield
Weight	1.9 oz
Edition	2026 Case XX Vault — Limited Time Return
Origin	Made in Bradford, PA, USA
Blade Range	2.5-2.99

Product Videos

Custom Field

Product Type Traditional Knife

Product Brand Case Knives

Item Number 11230

Model Cheetah® Cub

Case Family Patriotic Kirinite®

Pattern Cheetah® Cub

Pattern Stamp 1011 1/2L SS

Number of Blades 1

Blade Style Clip Point

Blade Material Tru-Sharp™ Surgical Stainless Steel

Blade Length 2.73 inches

Blade Finish Mirror-Polished

Blade Grind Flat Taper

Handle Material Kirinite

Handle Color Patriotic (Red, White, Blue)

Handle Finish Smooth

Closed Length 3.5 inches

Lock Type Slip Joint with Swing Guard

Shield Case Oval Shield

Weight 1.9 oz

Edition 2026 Case XX Vault — Limited Time Return

Origin Made in Bradford, PA, USA

Blade Range 2.5-2.99

Product Reviews

2026 Case XX Vault — Patriotic Kirinite®

The Cheetah® Cub returns for 2026 only — in Smooth Patriotic Kirinite® at $94.99. Red, white, and blue acrylic resin that deepens with each polishing. Mirror-polished Tru-Sharp™ clip blade, Swing Guard. When the Vault closes, it’s gone.

Tru-Sharp™ Mirror Polish — Flat Taper Grind

Case’s high-carbon stainless — longer edge retention, extraordinary blade strength and corrosion resistance. Flat taper grind clip blade, mirror polished. Swing Guard deployment. 2.73 in blade, 3.5 in closed, 1.9 oz.

Authorized Dealer — Case Lifetime Warranty

Knifeworks is an authorized Case Knives dealer. Every 11230 purchased here carries Case’s limited lifetime warranty — free of defects in materials and workmanship for the life of the owner; repair or replacement at Case’s option.

Same or Next Business Day Shipping

In-stock orders ship from Columbia, Louisiana. Questions? Call 888-225-9775 — our team carries these knives daily.

Case Cheetah® Cub 11230: Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Case Cheetah® Cub in Smooth Patriotic Kirinite®, answered by the Knifeworks team.

What is Kirinite®, and how is it different from standard synthetic handle materials?

Kirinite® is a proprietary acrylic resin material — distinct from both natural bone and from standard synthetic materials like the yellow synthetic used on other Case handles. Where standard synthetics are typically opaque with a flat, consistent color, Kirinite® is produced with depth and clarity in the resin — colors, patterns, and visual effects are suspended within the material rather than applied to its surface. This gives Kirinite® a glass-like visual quality where light interacts with the material rather than simply reflecting off it. The Patriotic colorway suspends red, white, and blue through the resin. Kirinite® also responds to polishing differently than standard synthetics — as Case’s own description notes, the bond between the handle and the hand improves with each polishing, as the acrylic resin takes on a deeper, richer surface character over time.

What is Tru-Sharp™ Surgical Stainless Steel, and what does the flat taper grind add?

Tru-Sharp™ Surgical Stainless is Case’s proprietary high-carbon stainless steel formula engineered to hold an edge longer than conventional stainless steel, with extraordinary blade strength and corrosion resistance suited to everyday carry use. The flat taper grind confirmed on the 11230 is a blade geometry where the blade stock tapers evenly from the spine to the edge — thinner behind the edge than a hollow grind typically achieves at this blade thickness, and producing cleaner slicing performance than a full-flat grind on a blade this compact. On the Cheetah® Cub’s 2.73” clip blade at mirror polish, the flat taper grind creates a refined, light-catching edge geometry that complements the polished Kirinite® handle.

What is the Swing Guard on the Cheetah® Cub, and how does it work?

The Swing Guard is a pivoting safety guard mounted at the base of the blade that swings clear during blade deployment and locks into a protective position between the blade and handle when the knife is fully open. It prevents the hand from slipping forward onto the cutting edge during use — a meaningful safety feature on a slip joint knife, which relies on spring tension rather than a mechanical lock to keep the blade open under load. The Swing Guard is the signature feature of the Cheetah® pattern family and the detail that most distinctly identifies the Cheetah® Cub from other compact Case slip joints of comparable size like the Mini CopperLock®.

How does the Patriotic Kirinite® Cheetah® Cub compare to the other 2026 Vault configurations?

The 2026 Case XX Vault Cheetah® Cub lineup includes multiple handle configurations, all sharing the same platform: 2.73” Tru-Sharp™ clip blade, Swing Guard, slip joint, 3.5” closed, 1.9 oz, made in Bradford PA. The Patriotic Kirinite® (11230) at $94.99 is the most visually distinctive handle in the lineup — the red, white, and blue acrylic resin depth is unique among Case’s 2026 Vault offerings and is the only Cheetah® Cub configuration in Kirinite®. The Old Red Bone (10309) at $95.99 offers natural bone character with mirror polish. The Yellow Synthetic (81086) at $75.99 provides high-visibility field practicality with bowl finish. The Patriotic Kirinite® sits between the Old Red Bone and Yellow Synthetic in price, and above both in visual impact.

Is Kirinite® consistent between pieces, or does it vary like natural bone?

Kirinite® is more consistent than natural bone but not entirely uniform. As an acrylic resin material, it does not have the grain variation, color depth variation, or jig-depth variation of natural bone — the Patriotic red, white, and blue colorway is consistent across pieces in its overall pattern. However, because Kirinite® is produced with suspended color effects rather than a solid flat color, individual pieces may show slight variation in how the patriotic pattern is distributed across the scale surface. This is characteristic of the material rather than a defect, and is part of what gives Kirinite® its depth and visual appeal. Case’s note that knives “may not look exactly as depicted” applies to the hand-crafting aspects of assembly and fit, not to significant handle variation.

What are the full specifications of the Case Cheetah® Cub 11230?

Blade length: 2.73 in (‍⚠️ confirm from Case). Closed length: 3.5 in. Weight: 1.9 oz. Tru-Sharp™ Surgical Stainless Steel, mirror-polished, flat taper grind, clip blade, Swing Guard, slip joint. Smooth Patriotic Kirinite® handle — red, white, and blue acrylic resin. Case Oval Shield. One blade. 2026 Case XX Vault limited return. Case limited lifetime warranty. Made in Bradford, PA, USA. $94.99. Knifeworks ships same or next business day from Columbia, Louisiana — call 888-225-9775 with any questions.

Tru-Sharp™ Mirror Polish · Flat Taper Grind · Clip Blade · Swing Guard · Smooth Patriotic Kirinite® · Case Oval Shield · 1.9 oz · 3.5 in Closed · 2026 Vault · Bradford PA USA · Authorized Dealer

Tru-Sharp™ mirror polish, flat taper grind. Swing Guard. Patriotic Kirinite® — red, white, and blue resin that deepens with every polish. 1.9 oz at 3.5” closed. The Cheetah® Cub is back for 2026 — when the Vault closes, it’s gone.

Knifeworks is an authorized Case Knives dealer. The Cheetah® Cub 11230 ships same or next business day from Columbia, Louisiana. Call 888-225-9775 with any questions. Case limited lifetime warranty on every knife.

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