Brand name knives from China

Maybe half a dozen Rough Rider knives. Most being used in beater tasks or in unpleasant places like the tool-box.....Couple of them in Gunstock series are really well made,no gaps,blade play or roughness at all. Rather in depressing contrast to a Schatt&Morgan Premier that has pathetic blade wobble,visible gaps and cost eight times more....Got an e-mail from the President of Queen Cutlery promising to send me a new one! But, still waiting...

Rough Rider are well worth using hard and you can try out unfamiliar patterns cheaply, before moving onto the AUTHENTIC.
 
willgoy said:
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Rough Rider are well worth using hard and you can try out unfamiliar patterns cheaply, before moving onto the AUTHENTIC.
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Thats what I do. But I have been less than impressed with the 3 Queen products I ordered for the cost difference. The Boker's I liked better. Maybe A German Eye, H&R or something else next time around?
 
On a whim, I bought a RR Peanut from thier gunstock series. It compares well to Case, IMO, with a nice smooth action and good snap. For $8.00 and change, I'd buy a barrel of 'em. The Gunstock series has the checkered bone scales,and may be slightly better quality than the others, but I don't know. They seem to have several different escutcheons and stamps, so maybe they are made in a bunch of different factories. I'm well pleased with the two I have.
 
Just received a S&W Cuttin Horse Sowbelly from an ebay auction. Only has the plastic sticker that says China that is easily removed. Large and heavy for a pocket knife, blades are dulall but quite shiny. Handles are rough cut wood of some kind. Fit of blades are okay but nothing special. Will sharpen it up and see how long the blades stay sharp.
 
Today my China made Browning Congress pattern knife arrived. I have to say I am very impressed. Sharpest knife I taken out of the box when new. All four blades are nicely centered and open and close the way they are supposed to. Bone scales are nicely fitted. I can not say how my Case Texas Jack is made any better, the only Case I own as of now. If you get a chance to pick one up I do not think anyone will be disappointed.
 
neeman said:
Why are these not authentic?
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You are of course quite right to ask this.

Basically, it's a kind of snobbery against Chinese made knives (that lack background or 'heritage') but it is wrong,like all snobbery. Fact is, the Rough Riders I have have all been up to scratch and not just when one thinks of the low cost either. Another make of Chinese knife I have is a Paul Chen Sheffield folder. This was not a cheap knife and it is basically flawless in execution, a premier division knife. The Böker Magnums I have are also very satisfactory and probably Spyderco Byrds as well.

Perhaps if Chinese manufacturers put out some traditional Chinese knives instead of only following Western makers' patterns they would be more 'authentic'. Be nice to see some traditional Chinese knives, I feel.:thumbup:
 
Picked up my first RR in muskrat (cause thats my fav. patt.) this weekend based on discusion on this thread "I'm a USA fanatic" the knife is shaving sharp and nice fit and finish OTB would rather have carbon blades but will see how long sharpness lasts and how hard to retouch.
 
ilbruche said:
I'll be able to report on a Chinese Kissing Crane in a couple days.
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Well it took longer than a couple days to get this but my initial impressions are positive.

Blades lock up tight with no play. No gaps between the bolsters or liners and backsprings. Blades are fairly sharp out of the box.

The jigging and color on the scales varies from side to side. One scale is lighter than the other but that is cosmetic only.

Actually better fit and finish than a Henckles Copperhead I got a few weeks ago which has a gap between the liners and backspring.

The "handcrafted in China" sticker was removed and if I didn't know the origin I wouldn't have guessed it to be China.
 
Since my last post I have added a Mossberg trapper and a Colt trapper to the list of name brand knives from China. Between the two the Colt is nicer, fit and finish and in materials. Paid $12 for the Mossberg and $11 for the Colt. Both were acceptably sharp out of the box but I have not used either enough to comment on the quality of the steel.
As soon as my scanner arrives I will post pictures of my Chinese made collection.
 
Just got a Kissing Crane Stockman. Since the Copperhead was decent I though I'd give the stockman a run as my EDC. My Case CV Wharncliffe Copperhead will take a little break while I test this one out.
 
My Boker Bonsai Canoe just came in a couple days ago. Used it at work today. I am very impressed with the edge, quality and fit and finish. $9.95 free shipping on ebay. :thumbup::thumbup:
 
I bit the bullet and bought a RR Little Lady's Knife with the jigged brown bone handles on the 'bay. I think the money order was for $8.76, and I sprang for the shipping insurance! It's a surprisingly well made little knife. The finish is as good as the fit. It's hard to fault it at all. I thought it had a blemish on the brass liners, but it wiped off with a polishing rag. The only thing I find that I don't like is that my wife took it. So, now I have a Large TX Toothpick pattern on the way, we'll see how it shapes up.
 
There are only two stainless steels available to the knife manufacturers in Yiangjiang (where Rough Rider and others are made.) They call one of them 420 and the other one 440. I have no idea whether they are comparable to other alloys sharing the same names. I've seen these steel with other names that explain the basic details of the alloys. The 420 knives are normally hardened to RC 54-55 and the 440 knives are usually hardened to RC 57-58. So, if you can find some that say 440 in the description, they should take a decent edge.
 
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