Bone or Delrin? A Case Stockman Poses the Carry Question

A Case 18 pattern stockman in jigged amber bone is not a rare knife. That is precisely why the question it raised in r/knives is worth answering: if the knife is common enough that you could buy the same thing in Delrin for less, is there any reason not to carry the bone version?

The owner laid out the dilemma clearly. Stag and other premium covers are collectable; jigged amber bone is attractive but not scarce; the identical pattern is available in Delrin, which will not crack if dropped and costs less. And yet the whole point of owning the bone version is that it is pleasant to have in a pocket every day.

The replies were nearly unanimous: use it. The reasoning varied but pointed the same way. An 18 pattern stockman is a working pattern with three blades, and the cover variant is common enough that it is not a retirement asset. Another reply made the case bluntly, that knives not meant for use tend to be dull, then immediately had to walk it back when someone pointed out that every Case knife arrives with a mediocre factory edge anyway.

That second point is the more useful one. Case's factory edges have a long-standing reputation among traditional collectors for being uneven and thick behind the edge, which is exactly the sort of thing that keeps a knife in a drawer. A stockman in bone that has never been sharpened properly is not a collectible; it is an unfinished tool. Ten minutes on a stone will do more for its value to you than another decade in a tube.

On value, the thread's consensus was that modern laser-etched Cases are unlikely to appreciate the way older examples have. If you want an investment, buy an older knife in original condition. If you want a stockman, buy this one and carry it.

Verdict: the Delrin version is the rational choice for a knife that will live in a pocket with keys. The bone version is the choice for someone who will actually enjoy looking at it, and that is a legitimate reason to spend the extra money.