Local Treasures: Zippo/Case/Cutco
Rich History of Famous Brands, Locally Produced

Weekly Column By, Carol Fisher-Linn

    Exploring Our Cities’ and Counties’ Industry and Celebrity. This week: The Zippo/Case/Cutco Connection.

    We don’t have to be “Big City” to have our share of the “Famous” pie. Folks like Dolly Parton (Pittman Ctr, Tn, Population, 654) or Larry Bird (W. Baden Spring, Ind., Population, 484) or Willie Nelson (Abbott, Tx., Population, 300) came from nothing, yet they hit the world’s stage. In 2025, this paper introduced you to many such accomplished individuals from our part of NYS. Now, we would like to introduce you to well-known places that people travel far and wide to see, and industrial accomplishments that have taken their local companies across the globe where everybody knows their name. Last week we featured Rock City Park in Olean, with its 315-million-year-old ocean floor. Come, let’s explore more.

     My dad was one of those guys who carried a Zippo lighter throughout his many years of service to our country, from his purchase of his first Zippo in the early 1930’s which he carried in his right-hand pants pocket from home to the jungles of the South Pacific in WWII. It was a necessary windproof tool for every serviceman (sometimes filled with readily available jet fuel). In a letter to Zippo, US war correspondent, Ernie Pyle called it the “most important element on the front.” Known as the “GI’s friend,” this iconic lighter continued to serve our servicemen through the Vietnam War (monsoon proof), the Korean war and beyond, available at practically every PX across the globe.

       Dad used that same lighter every day until 1968 when his personal “flame” went out. For years, we wanted to buy him new ones. He declined. This one was “Old Faithful.” The company that in 2020 produced its 600,000,000th lighters even has its own trademarked sound – imagine that opening “click.”  Zippo was launched in 1932 by an American, small town Bradford inventor, George Blaisdell, using an Austrian lighter called IMCO as his inspiration. Why “Zippo” you may ask.  He liked the idea of the word “zipper” but “Zippo” had a more modern 1930’s vibe.

      Another beloved world-known item had its beginnings in 1896 in Little Valley NY started by Jean Case, great-grandfather to Ellicottville Mayor, John Burrell, and Andrew Jackson Case, great-great grandfather to Brad Lockwood, for whom we are grateful for the following information. Today, Burrell is the last producer of five-generations of Case family knife-makers. According to Lockwood “The Cases are the most unique dynasty in American industry, with at least 32 different cutlery companies created over our 160 years — Mostly because we could never get along!” The remaining winners by default, per Lockwood, are W.R. Case & Sons in Bradford, CutCo and Ka-Bar in Olean.

      It’s difficult to imagine, but by 1890, per Lockwood, “Little Valley was the epicenter of the greatest age of knife-making, with at least 28 different straight razor, pocketknife, kitchen, hunting, razor strop and related companies started there.”    “It’s safe to say that over 50% of Little Valley’s residents worked in the knife industry, and all of those knives and razors are incredibly collectible today. “

     “Ka-Bar, Case Brothers, W.R. Case & Sons, Korn Razor, Cattaraugus Cutlery, Crandall Cutlery, Platts, Union Cutlery… these famous knife names have their beginnings in Little Valley, and most were related by blood. If you were a hardware store in the early 1900s, chances are multiple Case relatives representing who-knows-which Case company were trying to sell to you. It was that crazy, and the quality of our offerings made Americans incredibly loyal.”

     In 1905 W.R. Case & Sons left Little Valley for Bradford, PA, moving from Bank Street to Foster Brook and then, in 1993, back into Bradford under Zippo ownership at the Zippo/Case Museum and Flagship store. Prior to that, in the 1950s, Case and aluminum giant ALCOA created ALCAS (ALcoa+CASe) in Olean, now CutCo. “Cutco also owns Ka-Bar, so two Case family brands are again reunited,” states Lockwood. Visit the museum in Bradford at 1932 Zippo Drive, Bradford. 814-368-1932 Open daily. Check online for hours. Free admission.

   Much as their ancestors worked together to form Case cutlery over 130 years ago, cousins John Burrell and Brad Lockwood co-founded the annual “Village of Knives Celebration” at the Little Valley fairgrounds – 501 Erie St. Little Valley NY. This event (3rd annual – July 10-11) draws thousands of knife dealers and collectors from all over the U.S. You don’t want to miss this. lvknifeshow@gmail.com Visit www.VillageofKnives.com for more information.

   Credit to Doug Lockwood for Case Knife part of the story.