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Case knife featured in coal miner’s life, and in documentary
By KYLE MILLIRON
Era Reporter
“To Morgan, you’re now one of us,” read the inscription on a nationally visible Case knife given to a New York filmmaker.
After a month toiling in the West Virginia coal mines, documentarian Morgan Spurlock opened the mine superintendent’s gift, an inscribed W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. knife, a valuable gift for a coal miner.
“In the mine everybody carries a knife and 90 percent of them are Case,” said Dale Lusk, mine superintendent. “We have to cut open boxes and water. We have to splice wires. You’ll very seldom see somebody without a Case in their pocket.”
Millions of eyes peered at the knife as Spurlock opened his gift that Lusk extended to him on the 3rd season premiere of the FX network’s award-winning show “30 Days.”
During his 30 days as a “red hat,” a rookie coal miner, Spurlock proved to be a valuable asset to the mine, Lusk said. The 36-year mining veteran knew of no better way to reward a job well done than with a gift that the miners themselves value, a Case knife.
“Whenever I buy any of my men knives, I always buy a Case,” Lusk said. “When I think of knives, I think of Case.”
Spurlock worked in the Bolt, W.Va., mine, not only searching for coal, but also exploring the social, environmental and economic impacts of mining.
Spurlock earns a living enlightening audiences to the duality of social issues.
His show, “30 Days,” is a spin-off of his Academy Award-nominated film “Super Size Me,” in which he eats nothing but McDonald’s food everyday for 30 days. The FX show also examines social issues in a 30-day period by requiring people to “see the world through another’s eyes.” Spurlock confronts issues such as animal rights, same-sex parenting and gun control. In one episode, Spurlock houses an avid hunter in an animal-rights-supporting, vegan home; in another he has an ex-NFL athlete spend 30 days in a wheelchair.
Spurlock plays an active role in his social experiments. What viewers see on the screen is what Spurlock does in real life, Lusk revealed.
“He’s a real hard worker,” Lusk said. “Any hard job that came up, he did it. He went in with the men and came out with the men. He never complained.”
He worked during the day and also kept up his responsibilities at night. Spurlock lived with Lusk and his wife, Sandy, while not in the mine. “He did his own wash at night and then he’d go do work for the show in his room,” Lusk said.
Case officials invited Lusk and his wife to Bradford to participate in the festivities for the Case Collector’s Appreciation Weekend. Lusk accepted and noted this will be his first time in the Bradford area. “I’m real excited. We are going to tour the Case facility and get shown around town,” he said.
The Appreciation Weekend kicks off at 7 a.m. Friday. Events include knife appraisals, a sharpening clinic, a public auction, chain saw carving, apple-peelin’ contest and a concert.
The Case weekend coincides with Bradford’s Summerfest, which will include vendors and activities along Main Street.
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