cheap pakistan knives

Check out what's available today on eBay. I've purchased 4 folders recently each for under $50. The aesthetics are quite good and the blade the real deal. It's sharp , keeps an edge a new respons well to sharpening. What's not to like?
The same folks pushing knives are also selling Damascus billets . The patterns are typically ladder, basket, and raindrop.
I just can't see risking a $500 knife for every day use . I'm not saying that American bladesmiths aren't turning out beautiful pieces, but.... If you're going to use and abuse the knife , why ruin something so costly ?
 
It's the cheesy Pakistani rubbish and faux blade etches that have completely turned me off. I have no desire for Damascus of any quality.
 
Sosa said:
It's the cheesy Pakistani rubbish and faux blade etches that have completely turned me off. I have no desire for Damascus of any quality.
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Actually now Pakistan is making real Damascus. I rubbish. But its at least real. Pepsi cans and lead.
 
sstoots said:
If you're going to use and abuse the knife , why ruin something so costly ?
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First off, those are two entirely different things.
Aside from that, I wouldn't think twice about buying a Pakistani knife. Honestly, I would say "Nope!" the first time and not look back.

For the coin you can get a Byrd, Mora, Opinel, Svord or Plenty of other brands and models that will cut circles around something made from bumpers and hubcaps...

On top of that, who is to say what organization is running "protection" for the shop and you aren't funding, albeit inadvertently, something a bit more unscrupulous...
-That is more in line with the political subforum, so I won't continue down that thought process...

What I do not like is that there is Zero accountability, Zero warranty, Zero customer service aside from just a replacement with about piece of tin.
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My experience with these Pakistani knives are from coworkers and friends prior to my purchasing knives for them as gifts and allowing them to use them side by side and see the difference.

I have a Sebenza, and I carry it in my RFP while a $17 Opinel is in my Right Rear pocket... I buy a knife because I Know it will cut and stand up to what I need it to, Not because it will be cheap to replace When it breaks, like the eventuality of the Pakistani knives...
 
The fit and finish on Pakistani knives is just so sloppy. and when talking about fixed blades they commonly have pencil thin tangs tack welded on ( the blades are often crooked ) or they have short little nubs of a tang surrounded by a facade tack welded on to make it look like a full tang.
They also commonly use super thin goat leather sheaths with fat foam spacers to make them look like stout leather ( and stitching is very poor )
Honestly save yourself the money and just don't bother.
 
sstoots said:
Check out what's available today on eBay. I've purchased 4 folders recently each for under $50. The aesthetics are quite good and the blade the real deal. It's sharp , keeps an edge a new respons well to sharpening. What's not to like?
The same folks pushing knives are also selling Damascus billets . The patterns are typically ladder, basket, and raindrop.
I just can't see risking a $500 knife for every day use . I'm not saying that American bladesmiths aren't turning out beautiful pieces, but.... If you're going to use and abuse the knife , why ruin something so costly ?
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One cannot see heat treatment.
Heat treatment is the heart and soul of the knife.
One must trust the maker will do right by heat treatment.
A good reputation gives reason for trust.
Pakistani makers do not have a good reputation, except among their shills.
Can a knife from Pakistan be good? Sure. Roll those dice, sucker.
 
Aside from the first and relevant part, the name calling isn't warranted.
 
Well.. for looks some are just gorgeous... I have a Damascus/Pakkawood Laguiole that is beyond beautiful.. but honestly I never bought it to be used (fit and finish was a bit rough and it smelled awful but it looked great and so did the sheath - despite the atrocious design).

What hurts is some guy from my hometown buying Paki Bowies in batches for about 10 USD each and reselling them here on the local adsite for 100-200 USD to unskilled/unsuspecting buyers... he basically has a corner on the Damascus blade market... He has close to 100 ads priced similarly under a few names so people who don't know what a proper knife is and how much a Paki-knife normally costs are taken away by the looks and pay huge amounts for them... I guess if he buys 100 knives for 10 USD each and only sells 10 of them for 100 USD each he made his money back.. the rest is just profit... heartbreaking...
 
I heard stories of children in war torn countries rushing to the bomb craters to collect the shrapnel only to be blown up by the second wave. Life is cheap some places.
 
I've bought 6 over the last month. One was of poor quality . Three were fair, and two were outstanding. Curiously, the one I paid the most for, was the poorest quality. I paid $80 for the poorest quality knife. A couple were $40 with three day DHL shipping from Pakistan. The craftmanship was excellent. I thought the file work was excellent and the blade quite nice. Was it 58-60 HRC? Maybe. I just found a knife maker in Wazirabad , Pakistan who agreed to make a 8.5 inch folder with a rain drop pattern on the blade and the handle. I'll end up paying $90 with shipping. Is it 'purely' 1095 and 15N20? Is he really catering to some guy in the US? A few years ago, I'd say, no way. It's scraps of whatever is laying around the neighborhood. Now, I believe the competition is fierce and the quality has moved up substantially. My opinion, a few years back, you were buying a pig in a poke. Now, I'd say, WTF! Use the hell out of a $40 folder. See what happens.
 
All I can honestly say is Good luck and regardless of where you buy from, you get what you pay for.

@ a couple knives being $40 each and one being $80, all I am seeing is a cruwear manix 2 or a Spyderco Gayle Bradley opportunity that was missed.

Or even better, a custom from a maker that supports and contributes to this forum.

JK Knives, Daado (Dalibor), 710, and plenty other that I can't remember off the top of my head could offer a knife for your spent coin. While it may not be a pattern welded knife, it will be a custom made For You and there will be no doubt that it will perform.
 
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You may get what you pay for. You will very seldom get more than you pay for.

Indeed, NJ, if one knife worked out, what was the real price - if you have to buy three to get one good one?
 
Thomas Linton said:
You may get what you pay for. You will very seldom get more than you pay for.

Indeed, NJ, if one knife worked out, what was the real price - if you have to buy three to get one good one?
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"Think twice, cut once"?
 
I had a small one man knife sharpening gig on the side, at my job site. Numerous times I was brought Pakistani knives. I attempted to sharpen them with crock sticks. All that would happen is the edge would curl to the opposite side on every stroke. i would use a rough stone to remove the curl but as I'd stroke it again on the sticks the curl would resume and drifting from one side to the other. I would hand them back the knife and tell them to spend good money on a knife as it was one of their tools. Those people rarely took my advise.
 
Dagon said:
I have a Pakistani damascus laguiole and it is actually pretty well made. Not as refined as a heavenly Fontenille-Pataud but not bad either, and it looks good.
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I have one of these and it's terrible. You never know what you'll get.

Zieg
 
I owned one that said made in Pakistan on the blade.
Ok, used for a while..then sold it for $2 at my yard sale with some others. I think it was 440 steel and crap yellow plastic scales.
 
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