Cheap knives "made in China" can still be a good deal

Agree with the cheapo Kershaw/CRKT comment. I received a Kershaw chill folder from a brother-in-law for Christmas, he paid like $20 for it and it has some kind of goofy stainless I had never heard of, but that thing is one of the sharpest folders I have ever seen out of the box. Not a bad knife for the money.
 
maximus83 said:
Agree with the cheapo Kershaw/CRKT comment. I received a Kershaw chill folder from a brother-in-law for Christmas, he paid like $20 for it and it has some kind of goofy stainless I had never heard of, but that thing is one of the sharpest folders I have ever seen out of the box. Not a bad knife for the money.
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yeah, my OsO Sweet was a blister pack knife, but I like it, almost a disposable auto
 
it is still made in china. i dont send any money over seas to support knife addictions. it will always stay here in the usa
 
As nice as the knife may be, I just can't make myself carry a knife made in China.

A man's knife is a very personal thing.
It's not just some common household item like a shower curtain or a dust mop.
There's a special link between a man and his knife.
 
Some eat Chinese food and we're not really sure what its made of, but we like and enjoy it. We don't worry about the ingredients.

I think it is the same with knives made in China. If you have a Chinese knife and you're not sure what it's made of but you like it then just enjoy it and don't worry about the ingredients.

If the food makes you sick or the knife breaks, then you need to rethink your choices...
 
fatcat55 said:
Some eat Chinese food and we're not really sure what its made of, but we like and enjoy it. We don't worry about the ingredients.

I think it is the same with knives made in China. If you have a Chinese knife and you're not sure what it's made of but you like it then just enjoy it and don't worry about the ingredients.

If the food makes you sick or the knife breaks, then you need to rethink your choices...
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Americanized chinese food is nothing like real chinese food.

I've used a S&W extreme ops knife. It was garbage. Not even worth $10. The chinese made kershaws are in another league. Still they aren't as good as the higher quality made in USA models that, of course, cost more.
 
Fanglekai said:
I've used a S&W extreme ops knife. It was garbage. Not even worth $10. The chinese made kershaws are in another league. Still they aren't as good as the higher quality made in USA models that, of course, cost more.
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This is little bit of drift from the point of the thread, though. NOBODY is saying, and especially not me, that these cheapo Chinese-made blades are "as good as" the better USA made models that many of us prefer. They are CLEARLY inferior steels, probably inferior HT, and inferior production quality. I would not personally carry them as primary EDC, backpacking, or emergency go-bag blades. But if you understand all that, and yet you still want an inexpensive blade for certain tasks so that you don't want to use up your nicer blades on, then these are good for such purposes. The point is you can use these blades for purposes where you'd not want to use up a nicer blade. Best example is the original purpose I got them for: freehand sharpening practice. Another is cutting open computer boxes at work. I could use my nice BM or Spydie PM2 for that, but I don't WANT to, because then I'll be sharpening it far more often and I don't really want to wear these blades out that fast. For $12, these make effective user and beater blades, that's all.
 
maximus83 said:
This is little bit of drift from the point of the thread, though. NOBODY is saying, and especially not me, that these cheapo Chinese-made blades are "as good as" the better USA made models that many of us prefer. They are CLEARLY inferior steels, probably inferior HT, and inferior production quality. I would not personally carry them as primary EDC, backpacking, or emergency go-bag blades. But if you understand all that, and yet you still want an inexpensive blade for certain tasks so that you don't want to use up your nicer blades on, then these are good for such purposes. The point is you can use these blades for purposes where you'd not want to use up a nicer blade. Best example is the original purpose I got them for: freehand sharpening practice. Another is cutting open computer boxes at work. I could use my nice BM or Spydie PM2 for that, but I don't WANT to, because then I'll be sharpening it far more often and I don't really want to wear these blades out that fast. For $12, these make effective user and beater blades, that's all.
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Well said.
 
I bought the pictured folder from Big 5 years ago before I got into knives. It was my EDC for several years and it got the job done. The steel can take on an extremely sharp edge but it doesn't hold very long. I remember thinking the knife was 440C but IIRC when I went back and checked it was simply labeled 440. My Spyderco Byrd and Benchmade Pika II which are made in China are significant nicer knives though. The steel on both (8cr13mov and 9cr13mov) is comparable in my use but just about everything else is better. The frame lock on the S&W wasn't very good at all so the back locks on the Byrd and Pika II are much nicer. There is a lot of slop in the blade of the S&W not present in the others. Both the Byrd and Pika II allow you to change clip positions where you are stuck with the S&W. Overall you get a much nicer knife backed by a company you can count on for just a few dollars more.

A friend of mine bought a big S&W bowie on the cheap which I am sure was made in China and it broke on him on like the second or third time he took it camping. He didn't abuse it at all either. Just some small tree limb removals and a few other very basic camp chores. No batoning or rough use.
 
Bad knives made in any country are not as good as better knives made in any other country.
 
marcinek said:
Bad knives made in any country are not as good as better knives made in any other country.
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The above statement is the correct answer, IMO. If a US company orders crap from China, then they get crap. If a US company orders a given quality of production from China, then that is what they get, be it excellent or crap.
 
maximus83 said:
This is little bit of drift from the point of the thread, though. NOBODY is saying, and especially not me, that these cheapo Chinese-made blades are "as good as" the better USA made models that many of us prefer. They are CLEARLY inferior steels, probably inferior HT, and inferior production quality. I would not personally carry them as primary EDC, backpacking, or emergency go-bag blades. But if you understand all that, and yet you still want an inexpensive blade for certain tasks so that you don't want to use up your nicer blades on, then these are good for such purposes. The point is you can use these blades for purposes where you'd not want to use up a nicer blade. Best example is the original purpose I got them for: freehand sharpening practice. Another is cutting open computer boxes at work. I could use my nice BM or Spydie PM2 for that, but I don't WANT to, because then I'll be sharpening it far more often and I don't really want to wear these blades out that fast. For $12, these make effective user and beater blades, that's all.
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And you missed my point. The post I was responding to said that using mystery knives is fine until they fail then you know they suck and shouldn't use them anymore. I disagreed with that position.

There is no reason to spend $10 on a complete piece of junk when for around the same price you can get a Chinese made Kershaw that's actually a decent knife, which is what I meant when I wrote that they are "in another league" compared to S&W because, simply put, S&W doesn't make good knives. Kershaw makes quite a few quality, low price folders. They're not going to be as good as their higher end knives, but even on the low end of the spectrum Kershaw isn't putting out garbage. A $10 Half Ton would be awesome for a small, stout folder that you don't mind beating on if that's what you do with knives. There is absolutely no reason to buy trash knives when respectable companies like Kershaw put out amazing value folders for bargain basement prices.
 
china does not manufacture all junk. they are now the manufacturers for several high-end tech products. but then, they would prefer to make products that can be produced on a line. they don't like those that require a lot of manual intervention (like jazzed up jeans and i suppose custom quality folders.) but i'm sure they can manufacture a decent knife cheaply.

in this one post i will also take the opportunity to express what i've been keeping all this time: american custom makers are simply amazing. their skill is the kind that can beat entire countries geared for mass production.
 
Fanglekai said:
And you missed my point. The post I was responding to said that using mystery knives is fine until they fail then you know they suck and shouldn't use them anymore. I disagreed with that position.

There is no reason to spend $10 on a complete piece of junk when for around the same price you can get a Chinese made Kershaw that's actually a decent knife, which is what I meant when I wrote that they are "in another league" compared to S&W because, simply put, S&W doesn't make good knives.
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Yes and I'm disagreeing with that assessment. For the purposes I stated that I'm using these cheap blades for (beaters, crap tasks, and sharpening practice), I'm suggesting that indeed, S&W DOES make knives that are a good value. At least these two knives, and probably a couple of their others that I've picked up in a local shop that seemed of similar quality. However as some have posted here, they are clearly uneven in quality at this price range: some will suck eggs, some will be ok.

Curious, do you own one of the current knives being discussed? I own both a cheap recent Kershaw (a Chill--fine knife), as well as these, and they are all good for these purposes, I see little difference.
 
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hank_rearden said:
china does not manufacture all junk. they are now the manufacturers for several high-end tech products. but then, they would prefer to make products that can be produced on a line. they don't like those that require a lot of manual intervention (like jazzed up jeans and i suppose custom quality folders.) but i'm sure they can manufacture a decent knife cheaply.

in this one post i will also take the opportunity to express what i've been keeping all this time: american custom makers are simply amazing. their skill is the kind that can beat entire countries geared for mass production.
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Couldn't agree more. It's basically a market: the Chinese are smart, hard-working folks, they like to make money as much as we do, and they will manufacture what we pay them for. If we choose to keep our high-end knives here and send the mass production, low-profit margin stuff to them, that's what they'll make. I'm sure that if we start spec'ing for them to manufacture high-end production knives using the latest hot steel, they could find a way.
 
maximus83 said:
Couldn't agree more. It's basically a market: the Chinese are smart, hard-working folks, they like to make money as much as we do, and they will manufacture what we pay them for. If we choose to keep our high-end knives here and send the mass production, low-profit margin stuff to them, that's what they'll make. I'm sure that if we start spec'ing for them to manufacture high-end production knives using the latest hot steel, they could find a way.
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If you want to try a higher end Chinese import, try one of the Rock Creek knives or AG Russell's line of traditional folders.

and I agree with your points about S&W knives, they're not bad and Taylor ( licensed to use the S&W TM) has a good warranty too.
 
Some of my more recent acquisitions:

Case Sodbuster - Made In U.S.A. - $25 - Sent back to company. - Gaps between liners and cover and liners and backspring. Told by customer service that they had so many returns and were so understaffed that they were at least 8 weeks behind... don't expect knife back any time soon.

Gerber LHR - Made In U.S.A. - $100 - Razor sharp, but uneven grinds. - Decided to keep because didn't want to risk getting worse one.

Benchmade 551H20 - Made In U.S.A. - $100 - Razor sharp, but uneven grinds. - Decided to keep because didn't want to risk getting worse one.

Spyderco Spyderhawk H1 - Made In U.S.A. - $75 - Bent tip. - Bent it back myself.

Laguiole de l'Artisan laguiole - Made In Laguiole, France - $100 - Beautiful knife, except tip was ground off (don't know if it was dropped and broke off and they tried to fix it, or if they just did a lousy job grinding/sharpening it to begin with). - Took pictures and sent to maker; waiting to hear resolution.

Opinel #12 - Made In France - $21 - Flawless.



Benchmade Ti-Pika - Made In China - $40 - Flawless.
Buck 316 Parallex - Made In China - $10 - Flawless.
Buck 318 Parallex - Made In China - $11 - Flawless.
Gerber Paraframe - Made In China - $10 - Flawless.
Kershaw Chill - Made In China - $13 - Flawless.
Kershaw G-10 Hawk - Made In China - $13 - Flawless.
Kershaw Tension 1490X - Made In China - $20 - Flawless. This has quickly become my favorite knife.
Ontario Rat-1 - Made In Taiwan - $30 - Flawless.
CRKT Kommer Full Throttle - Made In Taiwan - $30 - Flawless.
KA-BAR Dozier Hunter Drop point/stud - Made In Taiwan - $18 - Flawless.
KA-BAR Dozier Hunter Clip point/hole - Made In Taiwan - $19 - Flawless.
KA-BAR Dozier Mini - Made In Taiwan - $15 - Flawless.
Schrade X-Timer XT3B Fat Boy Skinner - Made In China - $20 - Flawless. Won in a contest.

Currently waiting on CRKT Vertex 1045 CP and CRKT Ripple.

So, I don't really know what to say about quality or more importantly, quality control; but that's my most recent experience.

If I had to guess, I'd say it appears the salary requirements of skilled American workers is probably forcing U.S. manufacturers to either use less skilled workers (even less skilled than their Chinese or Taiwanese counterparts), or send much of their manufacturing overseas just to remain competitive.

The situation is painfully reminiscent of the Asian takeover of the electronics and automotive industries. Simply put, if foreign companies can build products of similar (or in many cases, superior) quality, for a mere fraction of the price of American-made goods, it's going to appeal to consumers. For some inexplicable reason, it took American car companies 30 years to figure out how to finally build a car that's both reliable and affordable that can compete with Japanese cars... I'd like to be able to say American knife companies won't suffer the same fate, but every day it looks more likely.
 
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parbajtor said:
Smith & Wesson "Made in China" is a bit like an Italian "kiwi fruit". On a politico-economic level and on a flavour level.
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Funnily enough kiwi fruit grown in Italy or New zealand makes just as much sense - its a chinese fruit originally lol.
 
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