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Last Updated: July 20, 2019
I recently reviewed the Victorinox Cadet. This is a time honored knife, but frankly I was unsure whether many people would be interested in reading a review on it. The feedback was actually really good. So much so that it has encouraged me to write a review on another classic slip joint in my collection, the Case Sod Buster Jr.
Buy the Sodbuster Jr. at BladeHQ
I got into the Sod Buster Jr after realizing how much I enjoyed carrying the Cadet, and wanted to venture further into the world of traditional slip joint knives. I’ve been into modern EDC and Tactical knives for 5 years now, but really know very little about traditional slip joints. So when I knew that I wanted to try another slip joint out it wasn’t long before I stumbled across the Sod Buster Jr. Three things really drew me to this knife: 1. It’s made in the USA 2. It’s under $25 and 3. it features a nice carbon steel blade (although you can get the knife in stainless steel if you want). Throw in the fact that it’s made by Case, a company that I know has a serious pedigree in the world of traditional American knives, and I figured it was a great starting point.
I have to say though, I’m not much of a historian. If you are looking for a definitive history of the sod buster pattern then this won’t be the place for it. My understanding is that the pattern or style of knife is anywhere from 100-130 years old, and emerged from Germany as a kind of a folding butcher’s knife or a clasp knife. It can be loosely classified as a type of peasant or farmer’s knife. Case apparently associated the name “sodbuster” with their knife design in the 1960s. If any historians want to correct me or drop some knowledge in the comments section, by all means be my guest. I’ll be approaching the knife purely from a utilitarian/general knife enthusiast’s standpoint.
General Dimensions and Blade Details
The Sod Buster Jr has an overall length of 6.45″, sports a 2.8″ blade, and weighs 2.19 ounces. For a mild mannered suburbanite these are great numbers. Much like my trusty Cadet, I can easily slip this knife into a pair of slacks and not miss a beat. Of course if you are looking for something a little larger, Case does offer the full size Sod Buster, and it could easily be carried as well.
The blade is a classic drop point design with a short belly and tough tip. The knife was designed to be used as a utility blade, and it certainly functions that way in the 21st century. The grind is a full flat grind, or something close to it, and it gets nice and thin behind the edge. It is a tool knife and it cuts quite well.
Case actually offers the knife with 2 distinct steel choices. You have their “TrueSharp Surgical Stainless Steel” and their Chrome Vandium (CV) high carbon steel. I opted for the high carbon steel version as the thought of a pocket knife with a carbon steel blade was intriguing (and, believe it or not, is actually a first for this website), and what little preliminary research I did do before buying the knife suggested that the CV steel superior to the TrueSharp stainles steel in the arenas of sharpening and edge retention. Whether that is true in practice is impossible for me to say at this point, but I did notice a good deal of info floating about the web comparing CV to TrueSharp, if that sort of question tickles your fancy.
In practice the CV steel exhibited a lot of the qualities I like about carbon steel. It was easy to sharpen and it held a decent edge. It’s not a super steel in the edge retention department, but for my purposes it got the job done.
I will say that the CV steel does patina (and will rust if you aren’t careful). The knife arrives from Case with something of a mirror polish to it. My blade started to get some color after cutting up an apple, and I actually noticed a couple little spots of rust forming on my knife when I left it in a drawer for a few weeks (without oiling it first). At that point it wasn’t the nicest knife to photograph so I tried my hand at forcing a patina with some mustard. My results were interesting. The knife definitely darkened and I think it looks pretty cool. It would be even nicer to “earn” that patina over decades of use, but I guess there is still plenty of time for that.
At the end of the day for a $20 slip joint the performance of the blade and steel definitely surpassed my expectations. This is a nice little cutter and you will have a hard time finding much else that will exceed it’s performance given the price tag.
Handle and Ergonomics
My Sod Buster Jr came with yellow synthetic handles. They offer the knife with black plastic handles, but there is a bunch of writing on the blade, and that didn’t appeal to me. The synthetic yellow material is actually quite dense and has a quality feel to it. The yellow has some old school charm to it, almost as if it were made of bone or ivory, and I enjoy that aspect of it. The handle is of pinned construction with brass pins and pivot and brass liners. The backspacer / spring is stainless steel.
Ergonomically, the chunky yellow scales fill the hand nicely and there is just enough room for a 4 finger grip (with large hands). There is no jimping or texturing anywhere on the knife. I wouldn’t call the handle slick, but it’s not a traction machine either. I was able to comfortably accomplish normal EDC tasks including opening my mail, cutting up fruit, and breaking down boxes. If I had a rocking chair I could easily spend an afternoon whittling on the porch with a corn cob pipe and a fat slug of whiskey.
While we are discussing the handle, it’s worth noting that the handle is pretty thick. For example, it is way thicker than my Alox Cadet:
This also isn’t a bad time to point out that the blade centering on this $25 knife is dead nuts center.
Deployment and Lock Up
For your “deployment” you have a nail nick, and the knife doesn’t have a lock, so this section once again proves to be a little off point. The action or, “walk and talk” as slip joint aficionados call it, seems pretty good. I don’t have enough slip joints to form a frame of comparison, so I won’t attempt to rank it on a 10 point scale (slip joint enthusiasts sometimes rank the pull or strength of the spring on a 1-10 scale). I will say that this knife sure as heck isn’t opening up by accident, and the blade makes a satisfying snap when it pops open. There is no half stop on this knife.
The lock up is pretty good considering that there is no lock. I didn’t have any issues with the knife closing on my hand, but I was careful in using it. If you mind your p’s and q’s and use the right tool for the job then you should be able to get a fair amount of work done with this knife.
Case Sod Buster Jr. Review – Final Thoughts
I am frankly very impressed that they can still make these in the US and sell them for under $25. Little details like a centered blade a sharp even edge bevel are present at a price point where these kinds of details often cant be found. Case in point, I bought a little plastic handled Buck lockback knife a couple years ago, and the thing was such a piece of junk that I didn’t even bother reviewing it. The Sod Buster Jr is legitimately a nice knife. Much like the Cadet, this would also make a great gift knife.
What else can I say? The Case Sod Buster Jr is an absolute classic. There are folks who have dedicated their collections to traditional slip joint knives, and could lend far keener insights than I have. So I hope I didn’t do it too grave of an injustice with this review. I still wanted to take an opportunity to talk about it, because I can appreciate the knife even as a relative outsider to the world of traditional folders. It’s a nice gateway knife, and a safe starting point for a traditional collection. I like and recommend it.
- Chrome vanadium (CV) steel blade
- Skinner blade; smooth yellow synthetic handle
- Great everyday pocket knife for projects around the house, the outdoors, and hunting
- Length: 3.63 inches closed and 2.1 ounces
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
Editor: I recommend purchasing the Case Sodbuster Jr. at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.
I like it. The yellow handle reminds me of old ivory scales…..
Thanks, Andrew. Yeah I like that aspect about the yellow as well. $25 well spent I’d say!
dan
I quite like your take on “the classics”, the very fact that you’re a user of modern utility designs makes it somewhat different from what’s out there. A touch less sentimental than those who connect the old designs with their grandfathers and the such. A very nice review, done in your great style.
Thanks, Lew. They are great knives and not so hard on my wallet so I’m going to run with it. Would like to do an Opinel review soon… Thanks again,
Dan
Hi Dan,
You are not obliged to keep a carbon steel blade tarnished …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm53mCOQTR8
Just after 5 minutes in the video is a simple tip on how to clean up your blade.
Hey Steven,
Thanks, that is a great video. Might try this on a carbon blade the next time I’m using my water stones.
Dan
Thanks for all your hard work!
That forced patina is pretty cool, but I have a suggestion. The black/grey portions are ferrous oxide, which is a nice stable coating. The red/orange bits are ferric oxide, commonly known as rust. It’s not so good. This is easy to fix if you wish to. Bar Keeper’s Friend is a powdered cleaner like Boraxo, but based on oxalic acid crystals. This compound reacts with rust to eat it up. Just wet the blade, apply BKF and scrub it off after a bit (under a minute). Dry and apply food-safe mineral oil (drug store OTC) to protect it.
Thanks, Mark. I actually had some bar keeper’s friend at one point. It’s good stuff (and what I would have likely reached for at the first sight of rust). I’ll have to buy another bottle and scrub down this blade as you suggested. Thanks again,
Dan
Instead of using mustard on your knife you should try using white vinegar leave your knife submerged for around 30 mins and you will love the darkened blade
Cool idea, Casey. Thanks.
Dan
When I got my CV Sodbuster Jr. I just spent a couple months using it for random mincing and fine prep in the kitchen. After use I would clean and oil the blade, but I wasn’t super fastidious about it. This ended up giving me a hazy, light gray patina over most of the blade.
Case’s CV steel is about as soft as I care to go (this makes me leery of their Tru-Sharp offerings) but it is good. It strops and sharpens easily and takes a keen, clean edge.
Overall these things are a steal for sub-$25. The handle is soooo comfortable.
I agree, RD. Great little knife for the money. Well made and practical.
Dan
Thanks for bringing a smile to my face with this review. I’ve had the original black handled SB Jr, stainless blade, in my pocket nearly every day since I was 11. I turned 54 two weeks ago. The handle is a bit scratched up from life, but the blade is still sharp and robust. It’s still tight. The engraved farmer’s plow is still there, but faded out decades ago.
What you may not realize is just how tough this little worker is. The hinge pin is easily 4 times the size of a regular pocket knife. You can really, really put some hand torque into wood with this one. It holds a good working edge, but the steel isn’t so grand that you can put a real low angle razor edge on it. No, it has no lock, but the back spring is quite strong and the blade stays open unless you do something rather stupid.
And while it might seem small in this day and age when so many knives need a wheelie bag to drag them along with you, the “little” SB Jr is a seriously large knife to pull out of your pocket. Funny though, the nicely rounded scales and ends make it almost disappear in your pocket. You don’t feel it, and it doesn’t profile.
I got mine at L.L. Beans on a family camping trip to Maine, back in the day when all they sold was hunting and camping gear. Best $6 I ever spent. My brother bought the full size version the same day, and his went in the drawer within a year. That one is just too darn big for a pocket, and its massive blade really needs a locking back to be safe.
Hey Drew,
Wow! Thank you for the awesome and insightful comment. Much appreciated. It is great to get someone’s view on the knife who has carried it for over 40 years. I wish I could say I tested all my knives out that long before review. Awesome!
The Sodbuster JR is an incredible knife. No doubt about it. I agree with you, it’s an awesome balance of toughness, pocket-ability, and value. For $25 it’s very tough to beat. Thanks again for the great comment. Take care.
Dan
I just bought the Sodbuster Jr. with the CV blade and yellow scales. It is indeed a very nice EDC knife.
Mike,
I am glad to hear you are enjoying your Sodbuster Jr. It’s a great EDC knife for the money. Enjoy it in good health!
Dan
I’ve been carrying my Sodbuster Jr. for about 3 years now, using it for just about everything. Yesterday I had the chance for a couple of hours in the woods to hunt turkey. Last minute, no planning, I grabbed my shotgun and a call and ran into the woods. Wouldn’t you know it I got a nice tom and ended up cleaning him right in the woods…and used my Sodbuster Jr. to cut off the head, feet, wing tips and open him up. I’ve always liked this knife and keep it sharp. Now I like it even better. Good story to tell the grandkids.
Hey Phil, That is pretty cool! Not many people can say they dressed a turkey with a Sodbuster Jr. – you certainly have me beat! Carry yours in good health.
Dan
I carry mine along side my wallet where it weighs nothing and stays put. As for use, you name it, its done it. It really excels as a food prep knife in camp, but is tough enough for daily hard trade use. The smooth handle makes it comfortable for extended repetitive cuts without tiring your hand ir creating hot spots. This is an excellent tradesmans knife. Its built for the long haul.
Hey Toad,
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time out to comment. It’s nice to hear how you use your Sod Buster Jr. I agree, it’s a great work knife thanks to it’s simple design and sturdy construction. And given the knife only costs $20 you can easily replace it if something happens.
Dan
I love things that work, and this knife is a worker. The only real mod Ive done to it is to polish the blade on both sides. You lose the plow etching, but the smoothness you gain makes the knife cut easier and clean up better after messy tasks.
I’ve had my Sodbuster Jr. almost a year now. There really is something about the look and feel of this knife, you just can’t quite describe it. I love this pattern! When I purchased the knife (from lowes surprisingly enough) I went straight home and buried the blade in an apple for a few hours. Patina turned out wonderful and looked fairly natural. Besides normal everyday use, I’ve cleaned a few fish and a whole lot of bullfrogs with it. Some friends snickered at my little pocket knife but they sure shut the hell up when they saw how sharp it was, and how sharp it stayed. Really great review Dan! You couldn’t possibly have said any more good things about this knife.
I just picked up a sodbuster Jr for 10 bucks at the local feed store here in Oregon. It didn’t have a box so I offered 10 bucks. It takes me back to the days working for my uncles on their farms in Texas when I was a kid. I saw the USA on the blade of this little gem, displayed in a near empty glass case, and I knew it was going home with me.
Carl,
I think $10 for this knife is a great deal. It’s a nice little knife at a price you can’t ignore. I hope yours brings you lots of enjoyment.
Dan
I’m a diesel / heavy equipment mechanic and I use a sodbuster every day . It’s easy to sharpen and holds an edge thanks to Case’s CV steel . Perfect for cutting wire, hose and other shop stuff . My knife has the patina in the handle of all places . The grease and dirt from the machines as turned the yellow handle dark in places . Great all American working mans knife , couldn’t beat the price as it was a gift from a friend .
I love the case sodbuster jr. I have two of em. I blue my blades with blackmagic gun cold blue compound, it looks great, takes about 5 minutes, costs about 9 bucks a bottle and it hasnt shown a spec of rust out here in the florida humidity in 2 months with no oil, and i got the thing in my pocket outside all day everyday at work.
Hello -I very recently bought a Sodbuster jnr knife with a Jigged bone handle .I haven’t had it long enough to give a proper review on it -have to say I am very pleased with it so far and properly made in the USA .It reminds me of James Barber pocket knives an old UK Knife manufacturer , no longer in existence and of a knife my Grandfather used to carry-I live in Ireland and had to pay some import duty tax on it -hope to have many years of service from it .