There was a time when Made in America wasn’t something you had to look for. It just happened. Today, not so much. We have to search to see if something is made in America and sometimes it is much harder to find than one might think. It’s hard to find a company or manufacturer that puts its country and quality before sales and profits. It seems much easier to send work abroad for cheaper labor, or to buy abroad for a cheaper product. As a final result, the quality of the product and of our country suffers.
Now, with that said, I’d like to talk about a manufacturer that hasn’t given in to this drop. Headquartered in Bradford, Pennsylvania, WR Case & Sons Cutlery Company has been making knives in America for 120 years. They started in 1889 and are currently owned by Zippo Manufacturing, also based in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Not only is he one of the few to continuously and successfully make knives strictly here in America, but his knives are some of the most recognized and collected in the industry.
WR Case & Sons has a wide variety of styles and patterns when it comes to knife making. They have pretty much every type of knife one could want, from hunting knives to everyday pocket knives. As well as a wide range of materials used in the manufacture of their knives. These include things like bone and deer, right down to mother-of-pearl. The uniqueness and beauty of their knives make them one of the most sought after among collectors. They have many knives for this occasion, with their many commemorative and special editions. WR Case & Sons have even pioneered some original knife patterns, like the very popular Sod Buster.
There is more than one benefit to the fact that WR Case & Sons Cutlery Company is here in the United States. Of course, the obvious thing that makes them so popular and respected is the high quality, but there is also the work. A Case knife will go through 125 pairs of hands throughout its creation. With so many people contributing, coupled with the high demand for these knives, there are a lot of jobs involved. High quality made right here in America, now that’s something to be proud of.
Case now has a show called “Making a Case for America.” This program is intended to revive some of the downtown areas of small towns across the United States. They feel that the slums were once very important to the American way. It wasn’t just a big department store or a mall where everyone went to buy something cheap. It was a friendly place where you would go to a specific store to get a specific thing. To a hardware store to get a tool, to a bakery to get bread, or to a shoe store for some shoes. They were shops where people knew each other by name. Case has always adhered to these principles by allowing only certain places to sell their knives. You won’t find a Case knife for sale anywhere. You’ll have to go to a hardware store, cutlery store, or something like that.
WR Case & Sons Cutlery Company is a prime example of true American style. It is not just about money, but rather about people, principles and quality. I think it is the true American style of Case that has led to such success.