Case 3138CV Large Sodbuster

[ArfinGreebly]

The "Bigfoot" of pocket knives.

Well, ladies and gents, they do exist.

I got mine today.

Mint (new) in original box, original wrapping paper, original "care and feeding" paper. Just gorgeous.

I know I already owe you guys a bunch of photos, but I won't be able to shoot this until this evening.

Damn, it's big. "Now THAT'S a knife!

And purty, too.

I'll do before and after for the blade treatment.

*Snoopydance*

 

[Drusagas]

Cool Cool, I work at a knife shop and we just recently got in a couple of those, and shame on me, I didn't know how good they were until a couple old timers came in and schooled me on 'em.

 

[meef]

Photos already.

Where's the freakin' photos......??

:: patience is not my strong suit ::

 

[sm]

Congrats

*Snoopydance*

I knew the boy back when he did not know Snoopy could dance, Sods had busters and the very idea of sticking a knife blade into Dr. Pepper to gain a patina was as foreign as Sophie Loren is to the young whippersnappers around here.

It ain't easy training some folks up, but Arf is coming along just fine.

*razz*

I got a Blame Steve bumper sticker on my truck and my own set of linens for the sofa. - the anon contingency...

 

[Zeke/PA]

A Large Sodbuster in a belt sheath is part of my daily carry arsenal.
A no nonsense knife and reasonably priced to boot.
Zeke

 

[saltydog452]

It wouldn't happen to have a liner lock would it? I haven't seen one of those in about 15-20 years.

Good find.

salty

 

[Zeke/PA]

Arf,
I now understand your elation.
I think that the Large Sodbuster CV version is no longer made.
Zeke

 

[Pax Jordana]

It ain't easy training some folks up, but Arf is coming along just fine.

Steve,
"It takes all sorts of in and outdoor schooling /
to get accustomed to my kind of fooling." -- Frost

So.. in before the pics!
(salty: I've never seen one with a linerlock before - I'm trying to find pics of one.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Teaser

More later, as I get them up.

Case 3138CV with little brother 3137CV




Case 3138CV alone


Case 3137CV alone
​

Yes, there are more, but spouse is hollering that we need to run . . .

 

[meef]

Ahhhhhh.....

Thank you. Thank you ever so much.



I want one!

::slipping into Wayne Campbell mode::

"It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine."

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Family Foto

Here's a group photo.



From bottom right, moving to upper left:

• Case 2137SS Sodbuster Jr (stainless)
• Case 3137CV Sodbuster Jr, chrome vanadium steel, with induced patina
• Case 3137CV Sodbuster Jr, chrome vanadium steel, with untreated blade
• Case 3138CV Sodbuster (large), chrome vanadium steel, with untreated blade
• Böker Tree Brand (Argentina) Sodbuster (large), carbon steel, with induced patina
• Böker Tree Brand (Argentina) Sodbuster (small), carbon steel, with induced patina

You will note that the Böker knives are very close in pattern to the Case knives.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

More

Here's one with their boxes.

​

I've gotta figure out how to get this camera to do closeup stuff.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Comparative Patina

BTW, have a look at post #11, and notice the pronounced difference between the Case CV with patina and the Böker carbon steel with patina.

The CV patina is glossy and deep grey. The carbon steel, on the other hand, yields a dark matt black.

The CV is smooth to the touch, the carbon steel is rougher, almost a bit chalky or gritty until it's oiled.

I wonder how much of the CV result is due to the mirror finish. The Böker comes shiny, but not mirror polished, and I think that may account for some of the difference.

Anyone know whether it's more the metal or more the polished finish?

 

[sm]

Anyone know whether it's more the metal or more the polished finish?

Combination of factors.

Case is Chrome Vanadium whereas Boker is 1095 Carbon Steel.
Difference in metallurgy with the vanadium adding some edge retention and finer grain to structure.

Polishing is the key to getting a nice deep bluing on a firearm.
Master polishers were used to get that nice of a metal prep, before bluing salts were applied.

So yes, the Case being finished out more , polished, plays a part too.

IIRC Opinels are 1075 Carbon Steel, these will obtain an even darker patina than 1095 carbon.

hth

Steve

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Thanks

Thanks, Steve.

I kinda figured it was a combo thing, but I'm new to the technical details of knives.

Funny how you can use them for decades and have a high affinity for them -- even get good with using and caring for them -- and yet have little clue about what makes one better than another.

Ah, well.

Better late than never.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

And Then There Were Two

I received the second 3138CV today.

New, never been kissed, still in the brown paper and original box with warranty.

Oddly it looks exactly like the first one. However, it cost me more than double, even though I got it from the same guy. Looks like the other Case slipjoint fanboys caught on this time, and the bidding was more "spirited" during that last hour.

Worth it, though.

Speaking of "looks exactly like," I also got a 2138SS a couple of days ago. Although very similar, the blades on these are not identical. The 2138 (stainless) blade has more "taper" toward the tip, whereas the 3138 (CV) blade is more rounded toward the tip, not a lot, but noticeable. The stainless blade therefore has a slightly "pointier" look than the CV. (Could be from sharpening, but then again, maybe not. I'll have to get a new one to know for sure.)

Another thing I didn't notice until today is the difference in the grind.

The smaller sodbusters (both the 2137SS and the 3137CV) are hollow ground. The larger ones (both 2138SS and 3138CV) are flat ground. (The Böker version is flat ground on both the large and small.)

Learn something new every day.

 

[sm]

Looks like the other Case slipjoint fanboys caught on this time, and the bidding was more "spirited" during that last hour.

<that is my cue - crosses fingers>

Case Sodbusters are antiquated pieces of junk!

Come on people this is 2008, get with the program!
Tactical is sooooo old school.

Nope, if'n you gonna be a Operator, it has to be a knife with unobtanium metallurgy, have 17 ball bearings in the ultra operator fast opening set up, and have this lock that makes a bank vault look like a revolving door.

The Toursist , a member here, is the only professional enough to sharpen these knives, so buy more than one, for backup for when one is sent in to be sharpened professionally.

<that ought to keep the little heathens from out bidding Arf>

*I'm Helping*

 

[Zeke/PA]

Arf,
One can get a really "scary" edge on the hollow ground stuff.
Incedently, none of the large Sodbusters in my recent haul are of the CV version.
Zeke

 

[Blacksmoke]

I got my first Sodbuster in 1971. I managed to nearly cut my right thumb of with it when it folded on me. So, I learned somethng with it. Great blade steel, carbon in those days with an etched plow on one side. I lost that one in the early 1990s, bought a replacement, lost that one, too, and now have a Sodbuster Jr. The Jr is also a very nice little knife but Case went to a SS blade.

I have kept my eyes open for a replacemet but never come across them anymore.

Have fun with yours. It is a great folder.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Replacement

I have kept my eyes open for a replacement but never come across them anymore.

I have found most of mine on eBay.

There's always someone out there who stumbles over a bunch of old/new stock from a hardware store that's closing down, or an estate sale, or they've decided to pass on their collection to people who care rather than willing them to indifferent heirs.

Every few days I log in and do a set of searches for knife patterns of interest.

I've gotten some amazing deals, some so-so deals, and some painful at-least-it-was-worth-it deals. And there have been some real disappointments. Rarely, but it does happen.

I studiously ignored the sodbuster pattern for the last five years. They had them on the rack at Lowe's all the time. I remember thinking, "For that price? And they don't even lock open!" I began to awaken to slipjoint designs, and the sodbuster in particular, just in time to see the large (black, stainless) pattern disappear from Lowe's shelves. At the time, I was entirely unacquainted with CV steel, never mind Case knives made with it.

The last several months have been . . . educational.

I had assumed that, since I'd never seen one, that the large sodbuster wasn't made in CV, but I stumbled over a photo of one on the web, alongside a tape measure, and set about spinning my own web to snare one (or two as it turned out).

Here's the photo that showed me Bigfoot was alive:
(Taken from here: http://www.rod-neep.co.uk/rod/knives/reviews/case-cv/index.html)
​

Awe inspiring. At least for those of us who are easily awed.

So, if you're still cruising for one, I have to say if you want it, you'll have it.

 

[dagger dog]

I'd like to jump in please, I have a Case Sod Buster Jr. #2173, with what appears to be black wood scales with brass rivets and liners.I chose this knife for its practical shape of blade and handle, it appears to be of a high carbon steel, which for me is easier to sharpen.

It has 2x's USA. The knives pictured have the yellow scales and 3x's.
Not being a collector, could some one explain the difference between the 3x and 2x in Case Knifes?

I'm a 5th generation blacksmith- farrier and have interest in knives.
Would like to start a blacksmith only type shop, when I retire ,and try my hand at some Damascus blades.

 

[meef]

So here's a recent family photo of three dear friends of mine. We're very close.



Just had to stick the SIG in there with the Sodbusters to show I know how to accessorize.

 

[sm]

dagger dog wrote:
It has 2x's USA. The knives pictured have the yellow scales and 3x's.
Not being a collector, could some one explain the difference between the 3x and 2x in Case Knifes?

May I suggest both Case http://www.wrcase.com/ and going to some information there and
and going here:

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wr_case/index.php

Go to Dating Case Knives - http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wr_case/about_case_knives/date_identification.php

See the "XX" is a trademark referring to heat treat.
The method by which Case dates knives has changed over the years so Arf's picture shows the "XX" trademark, and currently:

In 2000, Case developed yet another dating system. Case is currently using an old style Case XX stamp along with a mix of dots and x's both above the Case XX symbol and below. Case started with 5 x's, and 5 dots in 2000. For each year thereafter, they have been removing one dot. , the x's will be removed one by one until 2010 at which point collectors will undoubtedly see a new dating system. Stay tuned.

Arf's knife in the picture shows two Xs with a dot in the middle atop the Case XX trademark and three Xs below, or 5 Xs and 1 dot.

When all of the dots are gone after 2005

Arf's knife should be a 2004 Vintage if I read his knife picture and the numbering system correctly.

Does that help clear matters a bit for you?

I'm a 5th generation blacksmith- farrier and have interest in knives.
Would like to start a blacksmith only type shop, when I retire ,and try my hand at some Damascus blades.

It is very nice to meet you, and have you here at THR.
You have a lot to share with us and I look forward to learning from you.


Steve

 

[meef]

Very informative and useful links, SM.

Danke.