January 22, 2018, Bradford, PA – W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co., one of the world’s foremost American manufacturers of hand-crafted premium knives, is proud to unveil the Case® Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6, the latest knife project between Case and Winkler Knives to honor all American heroes.
The Case® Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6 was designed in part by Master Bladesmith, Daniel Winkler, as well as Harold Bologna, a U.S. Navy SEAL (ret.) of 22 years who valiantly overcame bilateral lower leg amputations after injuries sustained in Afghanistan in 2015.
Bologna joined forces with Case® and Winkler Knives to produce a high-performance tool that can be utilized across a variety of environments. The result blends first-rate craftsmanship with durability and American ingenuity.“It was incredibly humbling to be selected as the next collaborator in the American Heroes Knife Series, working alongside Case and Winkler Knives to create a product that not only takes inspiration from my time serving in the military, but from my childhood experiences fishing, crabbing, and hunting in Louisiana,” said Bologna. “These two companies have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to U.S. manufacturing and our nation’s military, and with Case’s nearly 130 years of experience in the industry, I could not have asked for better partners to help bring our shared vision to life.”
Additional features of the Case® Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6 include an ergonomic canvas laminate handle (available in tan or black), flat ground Recurve blade shape with a 4 ¾ in (12.1 cm) cutting edge for high performance, and aggressive spine gimping for extra control. The skeletonized, full tang blade is composed of heavy gauge 80CrV2 carbon steel to provide for years of hard work.
The Case® Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6 comes with a form-fitted, reinforced leather sheath with reversible belt loop and additional attachments for more personalized access and carrying options. The knife also features dual lanyard holes, offering additional handling options. A custom Kydex piece (included) enables a Slim® Black Matte Zippo® windproof lighter (also included with purchase) to be attached to the sheath. The inclusion of the Zippo windproof lighter – developed by Zippo, another iconic brand that’s steeped in military history, serves as an homage to Bologna’s belief that “one should never go out into the woods without a hard-working knife a way to start a fire.” The Case® Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6 measures 9 ½ in (11.4 cm) in overall length and weighs 12.25 oz (347.3 g).
“We created the American Heroes Knife Series with the aim of crafting high quality, high performance knives that pay homage to the men and women who are depended upon to answer the call to serve, and we are honored to work alongside Winkler Knives and Harold Bologna – a true American hero – to bring this fantastic collaboration to the public.” said John Sullivan, Director of Marketing at Case.
With more than 30 years of experience to his credit, Master Bladesmith Daniel Winkler brings multiple disciplines to this project – as a master bladesmith, respected metallurgist, designer and full-time knife maker who has served some of the most elite Special Operators across all branches of the U.S. military.
“We wanted to be able to present this design and introduce it to a much larger audience – Case provided us with that opportunity, and it seemed like the perfect project for them,” said Winkler. “Just like with Winkler Knives, Case doesn’t compromise any production processes or materials to save a few dollars here and there. What we’re striving for is to make the absolute best design with the best performance capabilities that we can, and that aligned perfectly with what Case has been doing for well over a century.”
The American Heroes Knife Series was created as a way to celebrate and honor American heroes from military operators to first responders and those who support them – an idea brought to life by Case’s historic military contributions and Winkler Knives’ ongoing involvement with U.S. Special operations. The initiative officially launched in 2017 with the Case® Winkler Skinner, a fixed blade knife that was created in close partnership with Kevin Holland, a highly decorated veteran member of the U.S. Special Operations and Navy SEAL.
The Case® Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6 is available for purchase from Case Authorized Dealers and accompanying websites for an MSRP of $395. See other Case® Winkler Knives here.