cheap knives?

J

J.C.

Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
27
i get the catalog from smkw. and was wondering about some of their cheaper knives, such as rough rider,frost cutlery,opinel,wild boar,maxam? i was wondering if they was any good for rough use not being afraid of breaking or losing them. thanks for comment's :)
 
Also Rough Rider isn't bad for the money.Now I don't know about hard use...
 
There are a few "goodies" at SMKW, but you have to wade through a lot of C.C.C. to find anything worth buying in the printed catalogs. At their online site though you can find nice knives from Buck, Sog, Kershaw, and SAKS from Victorinox and Wenger.

Opinel knives are great, and SMKW often has the best selection and lowest prices. The gift set of ten for $60 is an incredible bargain. I've been carrying an Opinel for at least a decade, and it's been a European standard for over a hundred years.

-Bob
 
Blais said:
Opinel is the only one of those I would consider.
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Opinels are great for that price. Vivi could talk more about how he uses them in the woods.

Another "cheap" option would be Cold Steel bushman. Good for the price, but I wouldn't buy it. (I'm talking for me there, I just odn't like it)
 
Just to clear things up, the following are both found at SMKW:

Frost Cutlery - I'd pass on this brand.

Frosts (of Mora, Sweden fame) I'd highly recommend this brand. Carbon Clipper is a good deal at SMKW.
 
I got a Wenger SAK and a Tramontina bolo machete from SMKW for less than $20 shipped together. Cheap but good. Opinels and Moras are great for the money. There are cheap knives that aren't cheap.

Frank
 
hikeeba said:
Jsut to clear things up, the following are both found at SMKW:

Frost Cutlery - I'd pass on this brand.

Frosts (of Mora, Sweden fame) I'd highly recommend this brand. Carbon Clipper is a good deal at SMKW.
Click to expand...

Hikeeba is quite right. Frost Cutlery....... garbage in no uncertain terms!

FrostS "Mora of Sweden" One of the best buys in cutlery!

Well said Hikeeba:thumbup:
 
Yeah SAKs Moras and Opinels are great knives. They are "inexpensive" good knives whereas Maxams and the like are merely "cheap" knives.
 
Yes, there is a very great deal of difference between Frost, and Frosts of Sweden. I have been using one of the wood handle Frosts mora knives with the carbon laminated blade for years now. Its a great knife.

Also they have a great selection of Victorinox sak's in many models at very low prices. A Victorinox Bantam is a 10.99 pocket knife, but gives you a good blade and a combo tool that is screw driver/can opener/bottle opener, plus the usual tweezers and toothpick. Also 10 dollars is the vic recruit.

Frosts, Opinels, and saks are about all I buy from SMKW.
 
I've found Rough Riders to be pretty good. Opinels, Frosts of Sweden, Tramontina, are all good, too.

Frost cutlery, wild boar, maxam I have minimal experience with, and not good.

One particularly good buy at smkw is the Victorinox Solo. You'll not likely to find a finer slipjoint for ten times their price.
 
Just how rough, are these knives going to have to endure? As an example, the Opinel wouldn't be a good knife to abuse (push past it's limits deliberately). In fact, pushing any knife past it's limits is going to hurt you, or someone you are with, eventually.
 
I'd also like to give a big Thumbs Up for the Old Hickory kitchen knives from Ontario Knife Company. Want a traditional outdoors knife like historic trappers, frontiersmen, hunters, and settlers carried? I imagine an Old Hickory butcher knife is about the most authentic product you can buy today. And SMKW has them at very low prices, like the 8" butcher knife for $7.

-Bob
 
SMKW has been a great company to order from. There customer service price and turnaround time have been some of the best I have dealt with. The recommendations on this post are the same as I would give.
Rough Rider:thumbup:
Opinel:thumbup:
Frost of Sweden:thumbup:
Frost:thumbdn:
 
I will echo bikermikearchery and say that I, too, have had great service from SMKW over the years. SMKW carries a broad spectrum of items, and are both a good source as well as a good reference for items. They do have decent and competitive prices on most items, but every now and then they have a real screamin' deal on something. A few years ago, SMKW had a 20% off sale starting about 6 weeks before Christmas. Each weekend they would select a brand to be 20% off. If memory serves me correctly, they selected Victorinox for the special two different times!
 
There's definitely a difference between "cheap" and inexpensive. Mora's, SAK's, Opinels etc. are inexpensive but still high quality.
 
If I might add: Opinels are good, but their carbon steel is better than their stainless.
 
Not to hijack the thread but can I get some opinions on FURY brand. I just recieved the new Atlanta Cutlery catalog and found a fixed blade FURY I might be interested in. Also received the new COLD STEEL catalog and am interested in their Kobun tanto. Any insight from the pros?
 
If you're looking for decent, inexpensive knives, look at CRKT. Some of their knives are extremely inexpensive ($15-25) and they are a good value for the money. I've bought Frost and Maxam knives (back when I didn't know any better) and have since thrown some away and given away the rest. Take my advise from someone who used to purchase "cool looking" cheap knives, they are not worth it. All you have to do is buy one decent knife, and you'll regret the money you spent on the likes of Frost and Maxam.
 
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