The Case Mini Blackhorn Pocket Knife - An Inexpensive Pocket Knife Made in America

Our tax rebate checks are coming! Our tax rebate checks are coming! The government wants us to use our rebates to boost the American economy. At least, that was my reasoning on a recent trip to the Bass Pro Shop. As I perused the shelves for dude stuff that I really needed, I started thinking about getting something that was made in the United States. I found an inexpensive little pocket knife for only $14.99. A lot of big brand names had "sourced" their knives from China or Taiwan. But, I was pleased to see that the little Case Mini Blackhorn was made in the U.S.A. Although it measures only 3 1/8-inches long when closed, the little knife even came with a limited lifetime warranty. I was pleased. It was my patriotic duty to buy the little Mini Blackhorn pocket knife for myself and for my country!

When I got home with my new pocket knife, I wondered about the company that made it. I visited the website of W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery Company. I found a proud company that had been selling handcrafted knives since 1889. In 1905, the company moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania, and became one of the most respected makers of knives. In addition to listing their many lines of knives, the company website recounted milestones in the history of the company, and opened the door to an active community of knife collectors. Space was provided for customers to recount stories of the roles that Case knives played as touchstones in their lives.

I particularly enjoyed Case College: the portion of the website that explained how knives are made and the materials that are used. I learned that the blade of my humble Mini Blackhorn was made from Case Tru-Sharp^(r) high carbon Stainless Steel for strength and the ability to hold a sharp edge for a long time. The CaseXX marking on the blade also indicates that like all Case knives, my knife was tempered and tested twice. While my inexpensive Case knife has a black plastic or vinyl, I learned that company built its reputation on using exotic materials like bone or stag horn in the handles.