Case Pocket Knives News & Events

Introducing Kristina Molder

September 2023

Having learned the art of scrimshaw from Linda Karst Stone, Kristina Molder made her Scrimshaw debut at the Case Celebration in the Ozarks, Sept. 9, 2023. Kristina offered a wide variety of original scrimshaw on Case Natural Bone Trappers and received a very warm and hugely validating reception as her work was a near sellout that day. In addition, at the Camp Case Auction that same day, the Karst - Molder Original Scrimshaw auction lot was one of the highest bid lots.

She was first introduced to scrimshaw in Linda’s Camp Case class a couple of years ago, and has since continued to study under Linda including spending time at the Karst studio in Texas for intensive scrimshaw training.

A recent Case Online auction featured Kristina’s work on a one-of-one original scrimshaw Case Natural Bone Trapper, entitled “Wild Horse.” This is the FIRST one of a kind to ever be offered by Molder. Click the "Check It Out" link below to see this special Case Original Scrimshaw Trapper by Kristina Molder.

We’re excited to see her creativity come to life on more Case Knives!

Just a note for future info: We always include alerts in our email newsletters on new designs from both our scrimshaw artists so be sure to get your email on the list so you don’t miss out!
Click Here to Get on Our Email List!

Shepherd Hills - 50 Years - Video

Fall 2022

Case Celebrates the Mark of a New Era in 2020

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 reference 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 their future!

Back in 1972 Along Route 66 Shepherd Hills Began

Shepherd Hills began in 1972 when Ida Reid along with her husband, Rea; and sons, Rod and Randy decided to open a small gift shop as part of an already established motel, the Shepherd Hills Motel in Lebanon, MO. The location was well-known by the Reids as they had operated the Capri Motel in that very same spot during the 1960’s.

Sitting right along the famous Route 66 which became I-44 , the location made it easy to cater to tourists who were visiting the area or following the advice of the old jingle ♫“See the U.S.A. in a Chevrolet” ♫ ad campaign that had been popular as people began to explore the states by way of Route 66.

From the beginning, Shepherd Hills’ hallmark has been to provide high quality products with customer service that is unsurpassed. Genuinely treating customers with the respect they deserve and providing them with an opportunity to buy quality goods at reasonable prices prompted many travelers to stop in each time they came through the area. It wasn’t long before Shepherd Hills became a “must do” as folks planned their trips through the Ozarks.

Accenting the resources of the Ozarks area around Lebanon in the early days, Shepherd Hills became known for their “Walnut Bowls” (as Missouri has over 60% of all the walnut in the nation) and Frankoma pottery
(pottery made by the Frank family in Oklahoma). These were the main lines among other quality items offered by Shepherd Hills that would make a good memento of a trip through the Ozarks.

As time went on, Shepherd Hills added additional locations including those in Osage Beach, MO, Branson, MO, and Eddyville, KY , and brought in other quality products to the lineup including Chicago Cutlery and of course Case XX pocketknives-- making the latter also available through catalog mail order and eventually on the web at www.CaseXX.com.

We have been representing Case XX since the early 90's, enjoying the adventure of having many Case XX knives made exclusively for Shepherd Hills, coming up with new designs i.e. “The Beast” our first multi-blade made by Case in 1996, “Big Chief”. “Big Nut”, “Jaguar” et al., and new handle materials including “Bubba Gum”, “Giraffe Bone”, “Mammoth Ivory”, “Lizardskin”, and “Indian Paintbrush” among others. And the saga continues today, with the adventure as real as ever---you gotta know we always have a few Case XX surprises in the works.

Lots of things have changed since 1972… but what hasn’t changed is Shepherd Hills’ commitment to quality and the “treat you how we would want to be treated” customer service.

That’s why we are very happy and proud to be associated with W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery---what we believe is the finest pocketknife you can buy---, working our way to the honor of the “World’s Largest Case XX Collectible Dealer” .

We want to thank you for helping us achieve that position and want you, our customer, to know that much of the satisfaction of being in this role is created by having the opportunity to work with the myriad of people we have met , either by phone, email or in person, that are Case knife enthusiasts or Case knife collectors.

We can say with confident assurance, cause we know first hand, Case knife enthusiasts truly are some of the nicest people in the world. We thank you for your patronage and your friendship.