"Cheaper Than Dirt" Rough use knife

Hey guys Im kinda in a hurry so I didnt get to read every post but this is what I know...

I buy S&W knives all the time (at least a couple every month) I dont know why... I know MOST of them are kinda junky. That said the S&W's CAN be very nice. They are made by Taylor which makes a bunch of knives for a bunch of brands. Smith & Wesson, I believe Remington... or was that Winchester..., Elk Ridge like someone pointed out, possibly MTech, Schrade for sure...

Anyway alot of them are crap with bad grinds and what not but I have never had one close on me and they are very fun to mess around with.

Big 5 sporting goods (not sure if they are national or what) sells a ton of these inexpensive knives. They also sell some better quality stuff usually. One thing I have realised about Big 5 though that few know is that at some point every item in the store goes on sale and you can request that sale price at any time. This is the case where I live anyway... The manager told me (after buying a few dozen Taylor made knives) That I can do this, just tell the cashier that it was previously on sale and that you'd like the sale price. In alot of cases that will net ya 50-75% off the "regular" price. Im not sure if this applies to firearms but it has worked for me on all my knives, shoes, kids rollerblades ect.

Oh hey also go check out the S&W HRT folder, its a fantastic knife for 12 bucks (reg like 60 or w/e). Seriously, its a great kife even if it was 20 bucks.

Ciao
 
As always, the only way you will ever know is to buy it and go out and prove to yourself what its worth. Some cheap knives have been pleasant surprises, some high end knives have been expensive disappointments. I would rather be a victim of the former than the latter.
 
aersixb9 said:
It's a piece of sharp metal. With a rubber handle. What could possibly be bad about it? I think paying $100+ for a piece of sharp metal is absurd, but I'm no expert. I know the local sporting goods store sells knives for around that price, and I know that some $100+ knives break during combat. (Not all $100+ knives are bad, though...I was happy with my $70 kershaw for a while, although now I use my free homemade fixed blade knives) Although the term "you get what you pay for" is usually true, knives are just sharp pieces of metal, and therefore you can possibly get a quality knife for cheap. It's not like it's one of those $.99 microprocessors that they sell these days called "ethernet cards", with all that complicated circuitry and wiring. It's just a pointy piece of metal.
Click to expand...

You are absolutely right about one thing - You are no expert.
 
aersixb9 said:
It's a piece of sharp metal. With a rubber handle. What could possibly be bad about it? I think paying $100+ for a piece of sharp metal is absurd, but I'm no expert. I know the local sporting goods store sells knives for around that price, and I know that some $100+ knives break during combat. (Not all $100+ knives are bad, though...I was happy with my $70 kershaw for a while, although now I use my free homemade fixed blade knives) Although the term "you get what you pay for" is usually true, knives are just sharp pieces of metal, and therefore you can possibly get a quality knife for cheap. It's not like it's one of those $.99 microprocessors that they sell these days called "ethernet cards", with all that complicated circuitry and wiring. It's just a pointy piece of metal.
Click to expand...

This endorsement right here is a great reason not to buy the knife. :D
 
Well I think I will buy two to play with. One to try to use, and one to make a new sheath and a new handle for. :)

[I assume this is not the forum to mention the local who swears he saw a little tiny 4 to 8" lizard running from him in his yard when he (the human) was wandering around picking up some trash. Doing about 30 miles an hour, up on it's hind legs and wearing a little leather harness with a miniature sword dangling from it and a very short tail. Boogy dad boogy dad, there he goes...]
 
havent read the above posts but I have one
good for tearing up doors and stuff, good loaner also
yes a $10 knife sits next to customs and scrap yards
 
Ironhorseman said:
Has anyone had the nerve to buy one of these? My son bought one to carry back of the seat in his truck. I haven't seen it yet but he says he's cut wood, hammered with the back, opened crates, ect. and it's still in decent shape.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/DBA445-44892-1259.html
Click to expand...

I got one of those at a knife show about six moths ago, it gave me quite a scar, but it is a some-what decent knife for how cheap it is
 
I notice everybody is knocking the knife yet no one has said they bought one. How do you know for sure it is a piece of junk as you are claiming? All I heard about the Rough Rider knives is that they were cheap trash yet after buying several I would put them up against knives cost 5 times as much or more. I learned long ago not to knock something till you try it. If it is made of halfway decent steel and the handle is securely attached I see no reason it wouldn't make a good truck/camp knife. I may buy one now just to check them out, I hadn't seen them in the catalog before...may have just overlooked them. I need to order a half dozen Suomi 71 round drums and a half dozen 30 round stick mags from them anyway.
 
Agree. Now if we can just get a destruction test going between the RTAKII and one of these $5 looks like knives we can get some educational entertainment. :)
 
This is what the Website says

Built to be abused. Heavy, rugged and very functional. 13.5" overall with sure grip rubber handle over full tang. Thick 8" stainless steel blade with black textured coating and sturdy guard. Stiff lined nylon belt sheath, three blade designs to select from.
Clip Point Blade.

I'll get one of these and see how they hold up in a destruction test.
 
These knives are sold under several brands. S&W, Mtech, Frost, Maxam, CTD. They all look the same in pictures if you don't pay attention. On closer inspection, they are all different in some way. The grind, thickness, etc. are all different. One of the CTD reviews states that it's 3/16". I believe this is what the S&W ones are. I had the Maxam ones. They were thin. Probably under 1/8". They were also junk, with no redeeming qualities. I assume S&W was the first to make this knife, and the others are copies.
 
I bought this one: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/DBA443-44890-1259.html
back in 2007. For what it's worth, here's my thoughts:

I chopped through 2x4's (where it cut through nails leaving a couple of notches in the blade - I filed them out); cut through an old tire (not a radial); pounded it through a 2x12 several times and split it apart; pried open snap links for chains with it; pounded it into several large blocks of wood and split those apart; installed I-bolts (used the tip for turning them) into fence posts; used the spine to drive nails (never do that unless you can aim really well - I can't); scraped & cleaned my grill with it several times, sharpened it, cleaned it, then cut up beef to cook; drove the point like a spike into empty propane bottles (to make sure they're vented) before disposing of them; cut up a ton of cardboard to be recycled; cut up some really tough old plastic toys to be recycled. I thought about beating it through a bolt, just to be mean, but by then I had kind of gained a little respect for the knife, and decided to keep it for awhile. I'm sappy that way sometimes.

Be warned - it will dull fairly quickly, but I did really abuse it; but it sharpens really quickly. And the handle ain't very friendly to the hands, but for short work, it'll get it done.

The sheath: SUCKS. Throw it away. Okay knife, garbage sheath. (I've made better sheaths out of duct tape & milk carton plastic.) I literally pulled the sheath apart with my hands. The sheath sucks. When I'm using this knife, I stick it down through the slats (top) at the back of my workbench, out of the way, where it can't accidentally cut anything, or be reached by curious little paws.

IMHO, it's a great beater knife to have around. A good one to have in the tool box or shed to abuse. Did I mention that the sheath sucks?

thx - cpr
 
Now if we can just get a side by side with one of the similar name brand 'look likes' (and I don't mean the S&W junk) that sell for $100 or so..
 
I've been following this thread since it started.

I find it interesting that those that have actually tried this knife find it useful.
And those that have not tried it are the ones that sneer at it and say it is junk.
 
superc said:
Now if we can just get a side by side with one of the similar name brand 'look likes' (and I don't mean the S&W junk) that sell for $100 or so..
Click to expand...

The S&W versions of these are the most expensive versions I've seen, and I assumed they were the original versions and the others were copies. Am I overlooking something?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top