As early as the Case Brothers began making knives in upstate New York during the late 19th century, they were also methodically scrawling symbolic stamp designs into their blades. Many other knife manufacturers also adopted similar practices.

Knife historians have since come to realize the critical value of these unique and important marks. Collectively, they document a timeline that spans more than 130 years of knives that bear the Case name.

Many of the early Case tang stamps were used during time spans that varied widely. But that changed in 1970 when the company began stamping blades with a “dot dating’ tang design that would span a finite decade of manufacturing. The annual removal of one of ten dots from the blade presses signaled the start of a new production year that collectors could recognize as new knives were released to dealer displays. From then on, it became possible to know the exact year in which each Case® knife was manufactured. For more information about identifying and dating Case® knives visit our knife information page.

The year 2020 signals the beginning of another decade of Case knives, and with it comes a brand new tang stamp design - one that recalls the early use of the “ten-dot” dating system - and the ’CASE XX’ marking that remains one of the most recognized company hallmarks.

Join us in celebrating the mark of a new era for Case knives, and a look ahead to our future!