Case Kickstart Dark Red Bone Mid-Folding Hunter Knife Review

Opinion

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- The old school knife company W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. recently announced that it would begin making assisted opening knives featuring their patented Kickstart technology which was unveiled at the 2018 BLADE Show in Atlanta.

Over the years I’ve tested a lot of Case knives so I had to try one out. At first, they are only offering seven models. I received the Case Kickstart Dark Red Bone Mid-Folding Hunter.

Case Kickstart Dark Red Bone Mid-Folding Hunter Knife

Case claims that the Kickstart feature assists in opening the knife by use of the thumb stud on the blade so it can be opened quickly and locked into place efficiently. The knives feature a polished clip blade with thumb stud, nickel silver bolsters, and a belt clip so you can carry it with easy access. As stated above, initially there are seven models.

Case claims that by applying pressure to the thumb stud the blade will jump open. The knife is constructed of Chrome Vanadium (CV) steel. Which is a special formula of alloyed steel which is the original Case blade steel. The CV blades are known for their edge-holding capabilities and for being easy to sharpen. But, the CV steel is less resistant to rusting, pitting and discoloration than stainless steel so they recommend applying a thin film of oil to the blade to maintain the finish. It has a Dark Red Bone handle which is a longtime favorite with Case knife lovers. It has a 2 7/8-inch clip blade which is long enough for most of our daily tasks.

The handle is called a jigged handle which to my knowledge can be made out of a variety of materials but is usually made out of the leg bones of a cow. A machine called a jig cuts the design in the handle to give the appearance of an antler. The handle is then dyed.

Case Kickstart Dark Red Bone Mid-Folding Hunter Knife SUMMARY:

I like the thin design of the knife. For a mid-sized knife, it is comfortable to carry, especially since it has a pocket clip. It has an elegant old school look about it. The blade has a unique design but I think that it should be functional for an everyday carry knife.

Now for the kicker. For the life of me, I can’t open it with one hand. I thought that maybe it was just tight so I applied some gun oil to the action but that didn’t help any. It doesn’t have a thumbnail groove on the spine of the blade like most of your folders so you have to rely strictly on using the thumb stud to open it, which even two-handed is awkward to open. If the thumb stud was ¼-inch further down the blade I think it would work better.

Some of you have been requesting the price of knives on my Product Reviews. MSRP will be $121.99 (less $$ online). And then, as usual, we’ll close with the specs.

Case Kickstart Dark Red Bone Mid-Folding Hunter Knife Specs:

• Chrome Vanadium (CV) steel blades; Jigged Dark Red Bone handle with Case oval script shield
• One-hand opening liner locking Clip blade; Thumb stud and pocket clip features
• Kickstart® Assisted Opening Technology – US Patent 7,085,158
• Length: 4 inches closed and 3.7 ounces
• Limited lifetime warranty
• Blade length 2 7/8-inch

About Tom Claycomb

Tom Claycomb has been an avid hunter/fisherman throughout his life as well as an outdoors writer with outdoor columns in the magazine Hunt Alaska, Bass Pro Shops, Bowhunter.net and freelances for numerous magazines and newspapers. “To properly skin your animal you will need a sharp knife. I have an e-article on Amazon Kindle titled Knife Sharpening for $.99 if you’re having trouble”