Buyer Beware-smkw schrade walden muskrat

Joined
Jul 29, 2002
Messages
3,228
The knife is made by camillus, and it is "junk".

I bought four examples and all four were of poor quality.

The tube packgaging was indeed old schrade walden, but the carboard insert of course was new and printed for taylor, it also acknowledges camillus' manufacture of these knives.

Now, on to the knives.

The spey blade when open, causes the backspring to be sitting much too high, almost 2/32's above the blade and other backspring. The bolsters are not ground well (crooked) and they do not line up with the liners (ill-fitted, shaped, etc.). The shields do not fit too well and have spaces between where they are inserted (and the handles, this varied some). This was on all four. The backsprings had spaces between each other, the liners, bolsters, etc. This varied though on all. On one of them the handles did not fit at all and there was a large space between one handle and the bolster on the pile side. All in all they are poor quality, they are very reminiscent of camillus' latest venture on the remington bullet knife repros with delrin handles (with new madison, nc etch) sold at smoky, except the quality is even worse.

All four of these will be making a trip back to smoky. It is disappointing, but typical taylor quality (even if camillus did make them).
 
I wonder what is going on over at Camillus? If it is of less quality than the new bullet series it must be bad.
 
Thanks for the update. I think we (Schrade collectors) all need to be on the watch for these kinds of collaborations. Taking a knife and applying a name to it and then selling it as if it was found in the back part of the factory or as a commerative to the name.. Stick to the known stuff. Check the tangs. Ask and ask again. Get opinions from those in here whom know. They just aint making any new model USA Schrades(yet).
TTYL
Larry
 
Too bad. Camillus can make an excellent knife. I have all the .22LR series, a few yellow jackets, a bunch of toothpicks made for companies such as Buck, Remington, Winchester. And a couple of the Rem Bullet repros made in the early 80s. As well as some very, very nice older ones. Every one of them just fine. I imagine they have to work within the quote they gave to Taylor, though. Too bad they have to sully their name to make a buck.

Speaking of Camillus.. The factory guys have all but forgotten the forum, until this morning when Tom Williams made a daring commando style slip in and answered 3 slam-dunk questions and passed on facing up to the tough ones and the complaints.

And the Manufacturer's forums in general... Since I checked in here this morning, the Schrade '04 forum has had more action than any of the others. And we are not even a company still in business. That says a lot about us, guys. Why? Good humor, Respectful answers to questions, fascinating discussion and the margueritas are real.. not girly-type slushies served up at TGI Fridays. Take a bow, my friends. We do it right here.

Phil
 
and we produce our own forum knives! :D

3 cheers for Phil...

Glenn
 
Ole! Ole! Ole!

Gulp.....Gulp....Gulp..... ah!

Well Done!!

Next round for you Old Timers is on Uncle Henry!


Bill
 
hmmmmm...well its been done before!! It would be an epxensive set up, but it can be done!!! Of course of you found a pattern you like, and had it "slightly" varied chances are you could band together and get a knife made!!!! (but of course this still would not be cheap).

Personaly it breaks my heart to know that shcarde is gone and so are the good times I remember that went with them. The first knife my dad ever bought me was a muskrat old timer in 1975. Later we went to flea markets and knife shows. I remember 1982 when they had the heritage knives with the beautiful bone handles....ahhhhhhh...a better time in "knife-dom".
 
Very true S/S.....

Camillus CAN make a nice knife. It's all about the pricepoint, I believe.

Bad fit and finish is really disappointing in any knife.

Bill
 
Yes, you are right, they are capable of some great work! But yes it costs money! Taylor has never been known for "high" quality.
 
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