The Chinese definetely do their traditional knives a lot better than their tacticals- except when they sell the no name SAK clones. Even the cheaper looking ones are often decent beater users. The quality that comes out of china is largely dependant on what the American company importing them wants- the Chinese are capable of making very decent quality blades if the importer is willing to sell something a little better than what you find at Dollar Land. I have a very early buck 373. I EDC it. The steel is 440C, and it has the new Buck Edge technology. It is a great knife, and I like it a lot. Fit and finish are very good.
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Brand name knives from China
- Thread starter timsclips
- Start date
ElCuchillo
BANNED
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I got three chinese Buck slipjoints. Ones the trapper, other two are stockmans. I love them! Sturdy, take and keep a good edge, and, to me at least, I like the looks of them.
My uncle has carried the USA version of a buck stockman for years (#301?). I showed him my china stockman and he loved it. Went out and bought one for work. He's still uses it every day. Saves the usa one for a "sunday knife".
When I get the extra cash I'm going to pick up a USA stockman and give it a try but, until then. So far, so good!:thumbup:
Sam
Boy I'm glad this thread is remaining non-political!! I myself have only owned a Chinese Buck, not the other chinese made knives, and I have to say, I like it better then the USA Buck. I've owned both the Buck 303 Cadet (USA) and the Buck 373 Cadet (China), simultaneoulsy, and the Chinese Buck had MUCH better fit and finish. The steel held a great edge, and there was no blade play!! The 303 had blade play in all three blades. Their Trapper is awesome too. I know there are tons of chinese knives that are crap (tacticool Fureys and Jaquars, for example), but established American brands made over seas are still made to American standards, if not more so. Chinese Bucks are not only great beaters, they are great over-all knives.
Chinese knives on BF is like McDonald's in Germany. No German admits they eat there but there is one in every town 
I have a few RR and Steel Warriors. I was looking for a good cheap perk for customers in my business and bought a few of each. Both are nice and worth more than the street price. Perfect cost for a give a way and they seam like great users as well. I just received a RR Muskrat in the sawbone series. The knife is about perfect. No issues. One thing with RR is they have quite a selection of scales and patterns.
I will look into the import Bucks.
I have a few RR and Steel Warriors. I was looking for a good cheap perk for customers in my business and bought a few of each. Both are nice and worth more than the street price. Perfect cost for a give a way and they seam like great users as well. I just received a RR Muskrat in the sawbone series. The knife is about perfect. No issues. One thing with RR is they have quite a selection of scales and patterns.
I will look into the import Bucks.
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- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 3,536
I had, briefly, a Chinese Schrade 125OT. Thing was a MESS- made me understand why the seller conveniently avoided showing the tang stamps clearly.
Comparing it with a mint USA version, the differences are obvious. The Delrin was sharp, the lockbar was missing (technically it was a 126OT), weak snap, gritty opening even when cleaned.
I gave it to my dad for a beater, and bought a US one that had been tipped for a user.
Comparing it with a mint USA version, the differences are obvious. The Delrin was sharp, the lockbar was missing (technically it was a 126OT), weak snap, gritty opening even when cleaned.
I gave it to my dad for a beater, and bought a US one that had been tipped for a user.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2007
- Messages
- 610
I have only been collecting for a short time, one-two months, and in that time I have purchased three knives made in China by ebay. The first was a small lockblade Ka-Bar international, has no snap, very rough edges and dull as a butter knife. The second was a Camco Texas toothpick which was much nicer, sharp and seems to be a good edc. The last was a Camco Cuda clone which is also very nice except that there is no assist in the blade opening and it is stiff because of this but sharp and seemingly well made. I have looked at some Marbles slippies at a gunshow recently and they seem to be nice but I wanted to hear from others on their experiences with Marbles, RR, Buck and the others. Sorry to hear that the Schrade knife was not nice as a couple I looked at a gunshop were nice looking.
My Rough Rider Canoe is pretty well made. My Steel Warrior Saddlehorn is pretty good also. Two Buck Trappers are both good. Handled several Schrades, all of which were poor quality - weak springs, poor fit, etc. I appreciate being able to get the less expensive knives when I want to try out a pattern.
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- Jan 27, 2007
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- 6,518
I've got a Buck Mayo that's a pretty decent knife - good user, holds an edge, I'd buy another. I also have a SAK keyring clone from China, that came from SMKW, that is a carbon copy of the small Wenger. Both scales are blank (no shield), other than that you'd swear it's the real thing.
50/50 on the Steel Warriors. I've found a couple that are nice, but most I've handled are mediocre.
thx - cpr
50/50 on the Steel Warriors. I've found a couple that are nice, but most I've handled are mediocre.
thx - cpr
If, and I say If, I were to go with a Chinese knife, the only one I would consider is the Buck.
Having met both Chuck and Chuck Jr. at the blade show back when they were at Knoxville, I was even more impressed by what a great bunch of people they are. The Buck family are good Christian folk with a good morality, and if I can't trust them to give a good knife for my money, then I can't trust anybody. I guess that's one reason I have been a Buck user since 1967, they not only give you a good knife, they are backing it with their family name and factory service.
A year ago this past December, I reported on a little Buck Hartsook a friend gave me for doing him some favors while he was going through his chemo-therapy by driving him around and helping out. I love the knife but the sheath design left a little to be desired. The flaw was that some of the sheaths did not hold the knife well when upside downn. Mine was a little loose, but not bad. I called Buck to see if there was an updated sheath, and there was a re-design of it, and when I asked if I could buy one, they just asked my address and sent a new one without even me having to send the old one back. The people in customer service were wonderfull to deal with. I guess thats one reason I've used their stuff for over 40 years. I'm going to send in my old 301 stockman I carried in the army engineers for a new main blade and some refurbishment. I still carry my old 102 woodsman for walks in the woods and a general outdoors knife.
I'd trust Buck, but nobody else. If Chuck Jr. or Joe Houser gives you thier word, you can take it to the bank.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
Having met both Chuck and Chuck Jr. at the blade show back when they were at Knoxville, I was even more impressed by what a great bunch of people they are. The Buck family are good Christian folk with a good morality, and if I can't trust them to give a good knife for my money, then I can't trust anybody. I guess that's one reason I have been a Buck user since 1967, they not only give you a good knife, they are backing it with their family name and factory service.
A year ago this past December, I reported on a little Buck Hartsook a friend gave me for doing him some favors while he was going through his chemo-therapy by driving him around and helping out. I love the knife but the sheath design left a little to be desired. The flaw was that some of the sheaths did not hold the knife well when upside downn. Mine was a little loose, but not bad. I called Buck to see if there was an updated sheath, and there was a re-design of it, and when I asked if I could buy one, they just asked my address and sent a new one without even me having to send the old one back. The people in customer service were wonderfull to deal with. I guess thats one reason I've used their stuff for over 40 years. I'm going to send in my old 301 stockman I carried in the army engineers for a new main blade and some refurbishment. I still carry my old 102 woodsman for walks in the woods and a general outdoors knife.
I'd trust Buck, but nobody else. If Chuck Jr. or Joe Houser gives you thier word, you can take it to the bank.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
Here are a few Chinese made pocket knives that I have been very pleased with. The quality is out there. Choose wisely.
Top to bottom:
Buck Medium Trapper
Steel Warrior Congress
Benchmade NRA Stockman
Rough Rider Doctor Knife
Buck Muskrat
I did have a bad experience with a Buck Red Bone Muskrat. It was sent back to the factory 2 weeks ago due to an imperfection on the scale shown below. Other than that it was a really nice knife and I'm looking forward to getting it back.
Top to bottom:
Buck Medium Trapper
Steel Warrior Congress
Benchmade NRA Stockman
Rough Rider Doctor Knife
Buck Muskrat
I did have a bad experience with a Buck Red Bone Muskrat. It was sent back to the factory 2 weeks ago due to an imperfection on the scale shown below. Other than that it was a really nice knife and I'm looking forward to getting it back.
I have Rough Rider Sawcut bone.
Excellent knives.
F&F is very good.
Come sharp, sharpen and hold sharp.
One problem...
I can't keep them...
Two daughters, "Oh Daddy"ed me, so that is two little stockmans gone.
And a friend saw the whittler, gone...
But for $9 a knife, I am happy to give them away
And they cetainly have nice little sliplock knives.
Excellent knives.
F&F is very good.
Come sharp, sharpen and hold sharp.
One problem...
I can't keep them...
Two daughters, "Oh Daddy"ed me, so that is two little stockmans gone.
And a friend saw the whittler, gone...
But for $9 a knife, I am happy to give them away
And they cetainly have nice little sliplock knives.
I have one Rough Rider and one Buck made in China. Both are good knives. I did have one problem with the Buck. The wooden scales were just glued on, no pins. Both fell off. An easy fix, but annoying. Whoever glued them on at the factory was very stingy with the glue. There was just one dot on each. I'm not really complaining, just sharing. Everything else about the knife was top notch, including the fit of the scales that fell off. It wouldn't keep me from buying another.
Leo
Leo
One other Chinese-made knife that I picked up recently is a Mossy Oak model 302 that I picked up at Bass Pro. I'm not sure exactly what pattern you'd call it. It's similar to a Barlow with a 2 1/4" spear and 1 3/8" pen blade. It was something I'd been looking for for quite some time for an office EDC. We're restricted to folders with a maximum blade length of 2 1/2", and I wanted a main blade that would work well for spreading cream cheese, butter, and the like. All of the U.S.-made knives seem to have a clip main blade, which doesn't work quite as well. I expected the Mossy Oak to be a piece of junk that I could use as a reference for a custom maker, but it turned out to be very well made.
That's the same reason I bought the Steel Warrior saddlehorn. Blade lengths close to 2 1/2" and the spey blade is a big fat one that will work well as a spreader. None of the U.S. manufacturers made anything that met my criteria.
I'd much rather buy a Case, Queen, or other U.S. brand, with the German brands as a second choice, but if one of the Chinese-made knives is the only one that has the features I want, I'll buy it. What I'd like to do is refine my tastes a bit then get a custom from one of the U.S. makers, but I'd rather not spend $300-400 on a knife until I'm sure it's exactly what I want. I'm probably just being too picky and could learn to enjoy one of the many quality U.S.-made knives that are available, but for the time being, I'm satisfied with my choices (and I do have several Cases that I carry at other times, and I spent a lot of hours looking at U.S. made knives, so I don't feel like I was deliberately going the inexpensive offshore route).
That's the same reason I bought the Steel Warrior saddlehorn. Blade lengths close to 2 1/2" and the spey blade is a big fat one that will work well as a spreader. None of the U.S. manufacturers made anything that met my criteria.
I'd much rather buy a Case, Queen, or other U.S. brand, with the German brands as a second choice, but if one of the Chinese-made knives is the only one that has the features I want, I'll buy it. What I'd like to do is refine my tastes a bit then get a custom from one of the U.S. makers, but I'd rather not spend $300-400 on a knife until I'm sure it's exactly what I want. I'm probably just being too picky and could learn to enjoy one of the many quality U.S.-made knives that are available, but for the time being, I'm satisfied with my choices (and I do have several Cases that I carry at other times, and I spent a lot of hours looking at U.S. made knives, so I don't feel like I was deliberately going the inexpensive offshore route).
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- Dec 29, 2007
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I have never liked a stockman or sowbelly before, but I have my eye on the Marbles sowbelly. The blades seem to have a nice curve.
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- Apr 20, 2001
- Messages
- 18,423
I have a Remington Stockman from the Sportsman line in Black Delrin that is good, I also have a Remington that was part of a 3 knife XMASS set in 2006, that is a clone of the old Buck 703 and it's OK, but dull as dirt.
Never handled a Browning one, and the Winchester Chinese made ones (not to be confused with the Queen made ones) that I have handled were bottom of the barrel.
stevekt brings up one I had forgotten that I had also, the NRA Stockman 12720 (Benchmade contracted),
Sadly, I heard yesterday that all NRA Outdoors knives from Benchmdae are being discontinued, but these IMHO, set THE standard for imported slipjoints.
Amazing quality!
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2001
- Messages
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Those do look nice!
If I were naming it, I'd call it a modern Gunstock, or since it's under 3" closed some style of Peanut???
Thanks for mentioning that one! :thumbup:
Reading this, you guys have convinced me to go to Walmart and get one of the Buck 371's to try. It'll be a good "beat-around" stockman for around the ranch and out in the field. (Changed above to "371" instead of "373"...I want to try the 3 7/8" one!)
Ron
Ron
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- Apr 20, 2001
- Messages
- 18,423
I've got at least 1 of every model of the Buck imports, and like them all.
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2005
- Messages
- 278
I purchased a Kissing Crane canoe,
the only indicaton that it is Chinese was a small adhesive sticker on one blade that said "China"
the steel and brass work are very good...the handle material seems of a little bit lesser quality, but still very useable...
A Marbles Whittler pattern I purchased has a lot of faults in the finish (rough edges, even sharp edges)
Friend bought me a Boker Magnum canoe, it's on a par with the Kissing Crane canoe on the metal, a little sloppier on the handle material...
they all took edges well, the KC was actually sharp (not shaving sharp, but sharp enough) out of the box...
haven't really used them hard (yet)
the ones I bought were under $15, and I think my friend paid about $19 for the other one...
I keep the KC in my pocket as my "hey, got a knife I can borrow" situation
(as a co-worker borrowed one once, and chipped the blade)
I have no qualms about loaning this one out...
all in all, not bad value for the money...
the only indicaton that it is Chinese was a small adhesive sticker on one blade that said "China"
the steel and brass work are very good...the handle material seems of a little bit lesser quality, but still very useable...
A Marbles Whittler pattern I purchased has a lot of faults in the finish (rough edges, even sharp edges)
Friend bought me a Boker Magnum canoe, it's on a par with the Kissing Crane canoe on the metal, a little sloppier on the handle material...
they all took edges well, the KC was actually sharp (not shaving sharp, but sharp enough) out of the box...
haven't really used them hard (yet)
the ones I bought were under $15, and I think my friend paid about $19 for the other one...
I keep the KC in my pocket as my "hey, got a knife I can borrow" situation
(as a co-worker borrowed one once, and chipped the blade)
I have no qualms about loaning this one out...
all in all, not bad value for the money...