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Cheap knife a surprise?
- Thread starter dberry
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2006
- Messages
- 256
I had a big Schrade (Taylor LLC, not usa) survival knife...and it was actually hard to find anything wrong with it. It was big, beefy, and tough...held an edge well also. I think I paid around 25 bucks for it...I ended up trading it with a couple other knives, and sometimes I wish I would have just kept it.
Tramontina Gaucho knife. I know it's a Gaucho knife because it says so in big letters on the blade. 
It's a full flat grind fixed blade with interesting looks, easy sharpening acute edge, stainless blade, and it's nice to use. I use and abuse this thing indoors and out, wash it in the dishwasher, and sometimes even store it in the hairy sheath it came with. It cost me a whole $2.50. However, inflation is taking it's toll, and it seems to have risen in price about $.50. Tramontina makes a nicer, larger knife similar to this one, but it costs about twice as much.
It's a full flat grind fixed blade with interesting looks, easy sharpening acute edge, stainless blade, and it's nice to use. I use and abuse this thing indoors and out, wash it in the dishwasher, and sometimes even store it in the hairy sheath it came with. It cost me a whole $2.50. However, inflation is taking it's toll, and it seems to have risen in price about $.50. Tramontina makes a nicer, larger knife similar to this one, but it costs about twice as much.
glockman99
RIP Dann, you were a good guy.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2000
- Messages
- 21,269
I don't know if you'd call a list price of $50 cheap, but I'm pretty impressed with the Kershaw "Needs Work" that I received in a trade. I think I read somewhere that these can be had for as low as $30, and I'd say that they are worth double that, or more.
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2006
- Messages
- 44,275
I bought a little Chinese made Buck framelock "Colleague" for $12 online. I was pleasantly surprised by the totally solid lockup, not one iota of blade play. The fit and finish were very good overall and the grind on the blade was excellent. There were no grind marks visible even under a magnifying glass. Sharp out of the box and maintains an edge really well. Way way way better than I expected.
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2005
- Messages
- 2,826
Yep, ordered a S&W Homeland Security Tanto ($29) from Smoky Mountain Knifeworks, essentially for photographic purposes. Also saw what looked to me like an exact copy, a Frost Cutlery Delta Force ($13), and ordered it just to see if they were identical. I expected both to be junk, but when I got them, I discovered the S&W was surprisingly handsome, well balanced, well finished, and the grind of the knife was unusually well done. The Frost was crap. It didn't disappoint.
My brother also ordered a couple of the S&W HS Tantos for his kids and he, too, was impressed; so he ordered two more. One for himself and one for a friend.
Now getting back to the Frost, while it was garbage, it was a full tang piece of steel (heaven knows what kind), and though it had plastic grips and a crummy sheath, it wasn't a complete throw-away like a POS folder would be. I threw it in the car to chip ice off of the car and for self defense in the event someone ever forced me in the trunk of my car. The blade did sharpen and it was thick enough to use as a prybar. In a survival situation in the woods, it would beat the most expensive Sebenza on the market.
But it still wasn't really worth the $13, though I may eat my words before winter's over.
I am happy with the HS Tanto, though. It's still being sold at the $29 sale price, which is by far the best price I've seen. It even comes with a diamond sharpening stone.
My brother also ordered a couple of the S&W HS Tantos for his kids and he, too, was impressed; so he ordered two more. One for himself and one for a friend.
Now getting back to the Frost, while it was garbage, it was a full tang piece of steel (heaven knows what kind), and though it had plastic grips and a crummy sheath, it wasn't a complete throw-away like a POS folder would be. I threw it in the car to chip ice off of the car and for self defense in the event someone ever forced me in the trunk of my car. The blade did sharpen and it was thick enough to use as a prybar. In a survival situation in the woods, it would beat the most expensive Sebenza on the market.
But it still wasn't really worth the $13, though I may eat my words before winter's over.
I am happy with the HS Tanto, though. It's still being sold at the $29 sale price, which is by far the best price I've seen. It even comes with a diamond sharpening stone.
Yeah, picked up a Meyerco "Blackie Collins" design tactical with G10 handles for $10 in the bargin bin at one of our local sporting goods store. Figured it would be a throw in the glove box knife but the thing is actually pretty solid for being a Chinese made knife. Grinds are decent and no play in the blade. Actually liked it enough to go back and buy the other one they had. Funny thing is the design is exactly the same but the second knife is about an inch longer than the first one I bought 
- Joined
- May 31, 2007
- Messages
- 947
Me, too. I bought a Chinese Rough Rider peanut just so I could see one, and it surprised the heck out of me. Fit and finish is as good as recent Case knives I have seen, and it has no play in the blades. Good snap, smooth once I oiled it, and all in all a great little knife. All for $8.00 and change.